A Seattle-based researcher is working to put mothers at the center of leadership conversations after noticing what she calls a major blind spot in the research.
A Seattle-based researcher is working to put mothers at the center of leadership conversations after noticing what she calls a major blind spot in the research.
Dr. Laura Marie Rivera started the nonprofit Intuitionship while working on her Ed.D. at Seattle University. Rivera said that in discussions about leadership, mothers were never mentioned and there was “no mention of motherhood,” which she described as a “glaring omission.” She made the intersection of motherhood and leadership the subject of her dissertation, and nearly 1,000 mothers responded to her survey.
Rivera said her work focuses on what she calls the “motherhood data gap.” She recently released a research brief titled The Motherhood Data Gap, which she said highlights “one of the biggest blind spots in leadership and workplace research.”
Rivera has also been hosting the Motherhood Advantage podcast. She said the show recently wrapped its second season and features conversations with leading voices on motherhood, work and leadership.
To bring the research into the community, Rivera is hosting an event called Lead Like a Mother on Thursday, Aug. 13, in downtown Seattle.
Rivera described it as a free evening of film, conversation, food and drinks, giveaways from local mom-owned businesses, and a panel of “incredible Mother-leaders” focused on redefining what leadership looks like today.
