Parents At Work

What keeps moms from running for office, and what helps them succeed? Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin welcome Louisa Duggan, Senior Director of Policy Research at Vote Mama Foundation, to explore the barriers facing mothers in politics. Louisa shares research on moms’ representation in state legislatures and Congress, explains how childcare costs and safety concerns affect candidates, and highlights the power of community and peer support. Plus, hear how her upbringing in Hawaii shaped her commitment to families and why parenting experience belongs in a leadership résumé.Connect with Louisa at Vote Mama Foundationhttps://votemamafoundation.org/Connect with Lori at Mindful Returnhttps://www.mindfulreturn.com/Connect with Jason at Ready Set Launchhttps://readysetlaunch.net/

What does it take to lead an organization while raising a family? On this episode of Parents at Work, hosts Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin welcome Christine LoCascio of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States and Priya Purandare of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. They share their experiences navigating motherhood and association leadership, exploring workplace flexibility, parental leave, setting boundaries, and creating family-friendly organizational cultures. From learning to delegate and embracing empathy to prioritizing family moments and advocating for themselves, Christine and Priya offer practical insights for working parents and leaders who want to thrive both professionally and personally. Connect with Christine on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-locascioConnect with Priya on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/priyapurandareConnect with Lori at Mindful Returnhttps://www.mindfulreturn.com/Connect with Jason at Ready Set Launchhttps://readysetlaunch.net/

What happens when becoming a parent completely changes the career path you thought you had planned?Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin talk with Mikah Goldman Berg, Director of Advocacy at Postpartum Support International, about her personal experience with perinatal mental health challenges and how it ultimately led her to advocacy work.Mikah shares why mental health support needs to be part of preparing for parenthood, how partners and communities can play a critical role, and why lived experience can be a powerful force for changing policies and systems.The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is available at: 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262). Call or text in English or Spanish 24/7. There is also a chat option on the website. Completely confidential. Dads can reach out too! PSI's Get Help Resources can be found at postpartum.net or on PSI's App: Connect by PSI. All helpseeker resources are free. *** CORRECTION: Mikah will be presenting to the Howard County Health Department, not Prince George's (PG) County Health Department. Connect with Mikah on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mikah-goldman-berg-3910b310Connect with Lori at Mindful Returnhttps://www.mindfulreturn.com/Connect with Jason at Ready Set Launchhttps://readysetlaunch.net/

What if becoming a parent is not simply a life event, but a major stage of adult development? Hosts Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin talk with Michael Feigelson, CEO of the Van Leer Foundation and host of the Birth of a Parent podcast, about the science of the parental brain and body. Michael explains how pregnancy and caregiving reshape us, why parents may be among the fastest learners on Earth, and how parenthood develops valuable leadership skills such as patience, empathy, negotiation, and relationship-building.Connect with Lori at Mindful Returnhttps://www.mindfulreturn.com/Connect with Jason at Ready Set Launchhttps://readysetlaunch.net/Birth of a Parent Podcast with Michael Feigelsonhttps://vanleerfoundation.org/publications-reports/birth-of-a-parent-podcast

When your child is diagnosed with cancer, everything changes, including how you parent, work, and lean on the people around you. Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin talk with attorney, speaker, entrepreneur, and working parent Paula Edgar about her son’s childhood cancer diagnosis and the five-year journey that followed.Paula shares how her family navigated fear, treatment, work demands, and uncertainty while building a community of support around them. She also offers practical guidance for helping families facing childhood cancer, from what not to say to the concrete ways friends, relatives, and colleagues can lighten their load.Paula's LinkedIn profile:https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulaedgar/Podcast with Paula's dad:https://www.paulaedgar.com/podcast/beyond-9/11-life-and-legacy-of-joan-donna-griffith-a-conversation-with-my-father-peter-griffithMemorial page for Paula's mom:https://www.paulaedgar.com/a-tribute-to-my-mother Connect with Lori at Mindful Returnhttps://www.mindfulreturn.com/Connect with Jason at Ready Set Launchhttps://readysetlaunch.net/

Back-to-school season isn't just a transition for kids. It's a major adjustment for working parents, too. Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin share practical ways to make the shift easier, from treating the first month as an adjustment period and planning ahead for school closures to revisiting household responsibilities, communicating needs at work, and building relationships within the school community. They also explore the importance of boundaries, flexibility, and giving yourself permission to approach the new school year as an experiment. Connect with Lori at Mindful Returnhttps://www.mindfulreturn.com/Connect with Jason at Ready Set Launchhttps://readysetlaunch.net/

Family travel isn't always relaxing, especially when your kids are little. In this episode, Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin reflect on nearly 15 years of traveling with their children, from diaper bags, long road trips, and airport meltdowns to confident teenagers navigating Paris on their own. They share practical lessons about giving kids ownership, embracing flexibility, balancing work and travel, and why every challenging trip helped build the independence and confidence they see in their children today.Connect with Lori at Mindful Returnhttps://www.mindfulreturn.com/Connect with Jason at Ready Set Launchhttps://readysetlaunch.net/

What if the problem isn't that you don't have enough time, but that you're thinking about time the wrong way? In this episode of Parents at Work, Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin sit down with bestselling author and time management expert Laura Vanderkam to discuss her latest book, Big Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance. Laura shares practical strategies for overcoming time scarcity, embracing life's complexity, making the most of your "golden hours," and creating a mindset of possibility. The conversation offers working parents a refreshing perspective on balancing career ambitions, family life, and personal fulfillment. Connect with Lori at Mindful ReturnConnect with Jason at Ready Set LaunchConnect with Laura on her website

In this episode of Parents at Work, hosts Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin welcome Julie Talbot, CEO of Lansinoh Laboratories. Julie shares her personal journey through IVF, becoming a first-time mom during the pandemic, and leading a global brand dedicated to supporting families. She discusses the importance of empathy, flexibility, parental leave, and creating workplaces where parents don't have to choose between career success and family life. Connect with Lori at Mindful Returnhttps://www.mindfulreturn.com/Connect with Jason at Ready Set Launchhttps://readysetlaunch.net/Connect with Julie at Lansinohhttps://lansinoh.com/

What’s it really like to balance the demands of academia with the responsibilities of fatherhood? In this engaging episode of Parents at Work, Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin sit down with professors Eric Chitambar and Lee Pinkowitz to discuss parenting, tenure, flexibility, career growth, and the lessons they’ve learned raising children while pursuing academic excellence. Along the way, they share thoughtful insights, memorable stories, and even a few outstanding dad jokes. Connect with Lori at Mindful Returnhttps://www.mindfulreturn.com/Connect with Jason at Ready Set Launchhttps://readysetlaunch.net/Connect with Eric on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-chitambar-50a4b5362/Connect with Lee on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-pinkowitz-a1525413/