Women in CO is about the women I meet, know, love, and admire—those who inspire me daily with their wisdom and strengths but also their vulnerabilities, complexities and humanity. Their voices offer insight, encouragement, and the kind of quiet reassurance that reminds us: We are not alone.
5. DO YOU HAVE A ROLE MODEL, FEMALE OR OTHERWISE? WHAT LESSONS FROM THEM HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR PATH?
Despite having worked in a completely different field, my dad, Robert Israel, has been my biggest influence. He is a person with great taste, deep integrity, an incredible work ethic and wicked sense of humor. He built Kentshire Galleries, the renowned English Antique furniture store in New York. He brought exacting standards to the exquisite furniture they bought and sold---excellence of design, fine workmanship, and authenticity. Through him, I learned that how you do anything is how you do everything.
6. HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED CHALLENGES/RESISTANCE THAT PERTAINED TO YOU BEING A WOMAN IN THE WORKPLACE? HOW HAVE THESE EXPERIENCES SHAPED YOUR APPROACH TO WORK OR LEADERSHIP?
There have certainly been challenges. One that took me time to fully comprehend was the significant impact being the only woman in the room can have not only on the individual, but on the creative work as well. Understanding the burden on the individual & disadvantage to the work has made me fiercely advocate for women’s voices and focus on mentoring the next generation of exceptional female creatives.
7. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN THE WORKPLACE AND HOW DO YOU OVERCOME IT? COMMUNICATION? MANAGEMENT? TIME MANAGEMENT? MOTIVATION? WORK/LIFE BALANCE?
I came up in the film and television industry understanding that this culture was a 24/7 job. It’s made finding work/life balance difficult. As I’ve grown (& had kids), I’ve learned to delegate more and know when to call it quits for the day. Though, I’m still a work in progress.
8. WHAT UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES OR QUALITIES DO YOU THINK WOMEN CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORKPLACE, AND HOW DO THESE INFLUENCE TEAM DYNAMICS?
I believe that women are phenomenal leaders. To generalize, we have a great sense of empathy, organizational and communication skills. Not to mention, we work harder. I have worked at a few companies where there were an extraordinary number of women running departments. Each time, it helped create a healthy, collaborative work culture–with people who knew how to work hard, play hard and valued the importance of friends and family.
9. WHAT’S ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WISH SOMEONE HAD SHARED WITH YOU WHEN YOU WERE STARTING OUT?
Don’t waste time stressing about things you cannot control. It would have saved me a lot of sleepless nights.
10. WHAT’S ONE THING YOU HOPE YOUNGER WOMEN ENTERING YOUR FIELD FEEL EXCITED ABOUT?
I hope younger women see that there are a lot of opportunities available to them and that they feel supported by a community of powerful advocates who are engaged in helping mentor and guide them on their journey.
