October 25, 2007

by: Ruth Solomon
Staff Writer

Two words sum up the life circumstances of every mother who also holds down a paying job:

“She works.”

So it was logical that two Winnetka women who organized a social group for working mothers chose that phrase as the name of their organization, “SheWorks.” It is celebrating its one-year anniversary this fall.

In fact, the two women, Betsy Fitzgerald and Nancy Hannon, met each other when they each observed the other woman doing what working moms typically do — sitting in the bleachers watching their sons play baseball while balancing Blackberries on their laps to get some work done.

“I knew Nancy was a Crow Island (School) mom, so that’s how we met,” Fitzgerald said of their meeting during a Kenilworth-Winnetka Baseball Association game.

Fitzgerald’s son, Gilly, is now in fifth grade, while Hannon’s son, Weston, is in fifth grade, and her daughter, Paris, is in sixth grade.

Their dual role as both mothers and professional working women gave them something in common. Each understood the other woman’s decision to pursue a career she loved while ! raising a family with her husband.

The social benefits were so important that the two women decided to look for others working moms to join them in an organized group. It would not be a networking group, a la “Working women of Winnetka.” It would be strictly for fun.

Finding the name for the group fell on Hannon, whose professional life involves creating commercials.

“She works” leapt immediately to mind, Hannon said.

“It is sort of the way other women are described,” Hannon said.

The goal of the group is clear in their mission statement: “SheWorks is a community of professional working moms who are balancing work, family and themselves. We are a resource that connects local working mothers with each other in the hope that support, enrichment and community will result. Through our community, SheWorks provides a forum to get the support you need and to voice your thoughts on being a professional working woman.”

Many suburbs

Since the first gathering in November 2006, SheWorks has grown to include several dozen professional working mothers from towns throughout the suburbs, including Glencoe, Glenview, Riverwoods, Wilmette, Winnetka, and West Chicago. Most of the publicity about the group has been through word of mouth, which has been quite effective, Fitzgerald and Hannon said.

“Our numbers continue to grow. We had a double-digit increase,” Fitzgerald.

They also have a Web site, which gives information about how to join (sheworksgroup.com).

The group meets every two months. More frequent meetings do not work in the hectic schedules of these women, who include doctors, lawyers, medical researchers, real estate brokers, portfolio managers, corporate executives, marketing executives, and investment bankers.

The women in SheWorks range in age from their late twenties all the way up to early 50s, Fitzgerald said. The children’s ages range are from infants up to college age.

Diane Nathnagel of Winnetka, an investment advisor for Northern Trust Se! curities, said she heard about SheWorks from Fitzgerald. Nathnagel and her husband are raising two daughters, Erika, who is almost 14, and Dana, 10.

“I think it’s a wonderful group. It’s just amazing how relaxed everyone is. We automatically have a lot in common,” she said.

Nathnagel said she sees common traits among all the women in the group.

“Dealing with children who are sick or need a ride somewhere, you need an infrastructure. In this group, the women are incredibly organized, have wonderful husbands, and have children who are independent. It’s a high energy group,” she said.

Being a professional working mother these days does not mean you have to be away from home for long hours.

Fitzgerald runs her own manufacturer’s rep business from her home. And although Hannon commutes to her job at a large advertising agency downtown, her employer also offers her flexible hours so that she, too, can work regularly from home. Hannon also finds time ! to serve on the Winnetka Central PTO, as vice-president/school! board, while Fitzgerald is on the board of a local not-for-profit and teaches Sunday School.

And Nathnagel said she was able to transfer 10 years ago from her job downtown to Northern Trust’s Winnetka office, not far from her home.

“I happen to be in a wonderful situation. I can be home for dinner every night,” she said.

Bimonthly gatherings

The topics at the bimonthly gatherings range from kids to husbands to schools to films to books to restaurants. Fitzgerald and Hannon strive to make each event fun, but enriching.

For example, at their May event this year, licensed gemologist and jewelry appraiser Margaret Gilmore of Gemworld, International spoke to the women on how to determine the worth of their jewelery and what to look for when buying gems. Working mother and SheWorks member Rani Khan, owner of Shara and T, at 569 Lincoln Ave. in Winnetka, hosted the wine-and-cheese event.

The February event featured Chef Jody, who was recommended by the ! culinary school from Kendall College, providing easy recipes for preparing dinners that everyone would like.

Their most recent event, in September, was held at Little Ricky’s and was purely social, with the theme, “Teeny weeny martini.”

Fitzgerald and Hannon say they solicit ideas for events and gather other feedback from the women who attend the SheWorks gatherings.

Although SheWorks is not for networking, some of the women have, in fact, made professional contacts through other women they met through the group, Fitzgerald said.

Growing up, both Fitzgerald, from the west suburbs, and Hannon, from Chicago, said their mothers did not work, and their friends’ mothers were divided between working and stay-at-home mothers.

But both Fitzgerald and Hannon said they each returned to work after their children were born, guiltfree and loving their jobs. Fitzgerald said her son never knew a time when his mother did not work. Hannon, who worked part-time ! for a while to keep her foot in the door, said she felt good t! hat she was serving as a positive role model for her two children.

“I like what I do. That’s important,” Hannon said.

She also said her job is relevant to her children’s lives.

“They know I make commercials. They are involved in my career,” Hannon said.

The decision about whether to work for pay or be strictly a stay-at-home mother boils down to a very personal choice, Fitzgerald said.

“I think every family is different,” she said.

Both women are encouraged by the response to their new organization.

“The recurring theme is that “SheWorks” is a fantastic idea, and they are so glad we are here. They say, ‘You’ve created a niche,’” Fitzgerald said.

Copyright 2007, Winnetka Talk, Pioneer Press. All rights reserved.
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Record Number: wn-wn-sheworks-110107-s1