This Women’s History Month, we celebrate women's vital role in shaping American history. Women have also been instrumental in shaping and progressing the workplace mental health movement in the U.S. and worldwide. And it’s not an easy feat.
Biases and stereotypes against women in the workplace are deep-seated and remain formidable. For every 100 men promoted from entry-level to manager, 87 women are promoted. For women of color, only 73 are promoted. This number is far less for LGBTQ+ women, especially transgender women. Women earn an average of 82% of what men earn.
Importantly, many women may also not be inclined to “other” themselves further by disclosing a mental health challenge.
Our 2023 Mental Health at Work report found that women were more likely to say work and the workplace harmed their mental health and were more likely to leave roles for mental health reasons voluntarily. This finding isn’t surprising given the continued male-dominant business sector.
Despite this, in our work at Mind Share Partners, we see women across industries, roles, and identities sharing their mental health stories and advocating for mental health at work.
Celebrating Women’s Mental Health Stories
This Women’s History Month, we want to acknowledge a few women who are courageously sharing their mental health stories and redefining what it means to be a great leader.
Nichole Barnes Marshall is the Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Pinterest. Watch her story> Follow her on LinkedIn>
Schroeder Stribling is the President & CEO of Mental Health America. Watch her story> Follow her on LinkedIn>
Morra Aarons-Mele is an author, the host of The Anxious Achiever Podcast, Founder and Consultant. Read her story> Follow her on LinkedIn>
Imadé Nibokun Borha is the Director of National Campaign Communications Director of National Campaign Communications for NYU Metro Center. She is also the founder of an advocacy organization called Depressed While Black. Read her story> Follow her on LinkedIn>
Meredith Arthur is the Chief of Staff, TwoTwenty at Pinterest. She is also an author and founder of Beautiful Voyager. Watch her story> Follow her on LinkedIn>
Maria Hernandez is a former Senior Software Engineer at Etsy. Read her story> Follow her on LinkedIn>
Claire Lew is the CEO of Know Your Team. Watch her story> Follow her on LinkedIn>
Amy Lazarus is the Director of Player Inclusion and Product Equity at Electronic Arts (EA) and Founder of InclusionVentures. Watch her story> Follow her on LinkedIn>
Stacey Sprenkel is a partner at Morrison & Foerster, Global Ethics and Compliance Practice Lead, and Co-Chair of the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Practice. Read her story> Follow her on LinkedIn>
Michelle Dickinson is a professor, workplace facilitator, author, speaker, and consultant. Read her story> Follow her on LinkedIn>
Solome Tibebu is the Founder & CEO of Behavioral Health Tech, a Behavioral Health Strategist and Investor. Watch her story> Follow her on LinkedIn>
Saydeah Howard is the Founding Partner & Chief Operating Officer at Cherryrock Capital and Mind Share Partners board member. Watch her story> Follow her on LinkedIn>
As these women show, storytelling and role-modeling reduce the historic taboo around challenges like anxiety and depression and show it’s possible to thrive professionally with a mental health challenge. When women share their mental health stories at work, it creates safety, especially for other women, to do the same and get the support they need.
About the Author
Nina Tomaro, Marketing and Communications Lead, Mind Share Partners
As Mind Share Partners' Marketing and Communications lead, Nina develops and drives the organization's content marketing strategy. As one of the organization's early team members, Nina has a deep breadth of knowledge about workplace mental health and drives the creation of Mind Share Partners resources to support organizations in creating mentally healthy workplace cultures.