018 - Giving voice to gender inequity with Helene Geijtenbeek

How an educational trip on diversity and inclusion helped a grants consulting partner realize her own complex experiences with gender inequity as a female corporate leader and inspired her to create change in her organization and beyond

Helene Geijtenbeek had a successful 20 year career in corporate grants consulting when she attended an educational trip to Silicon Valley to learn about Inclusion and Diversity and learn how the big tech companies address it. 

During this trip, she had a wake up moment - she not only realized that her own fears and insecurities were also shared by many of the top tech female leaders, but she learned about gender inequity in the workplace. It was then that she realized that throughout her career she had several experiences where her strong female leadership style was challenged simply because of her gender. 

When she had this realization, she began making a difference both within her organization by serving as a representative standing for diversity and inclusion and as the lead organizer at TEDxAmsterdamWomen. 

In this episode, we explore the importance of involving both men and women to bring awareness and shift the gendered narrative that shapes the picture of a leader, the power that personal story has on helping organizations support diversity and inclusion, and how the gendered expectation of what it means to be a "good mother" still today impacts the decision for women to pursue leadership roles. 

You can find out more about Helene by visiting  https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenegeijtenbeek/. If you like what you've heard and want to be part of our podcast community, participate in special events, or discover the wisdom waking up in your own breakdown, check out our website at www.breakdownwakeup.com.  

The Break Down. Wake Up. Season 1 podcast is sponsored by JAEC Foundation: Rethinking Mental Health.