A woman’s leadership trajectory in a company or organization is often fraught with gender-based challenges and pointed disruption. Whether it’s the “glass ceiling”, the “glass cliff”, or outright harassment, stories as to why women leave these toxic environments are plentiful and well documented. In fact, we’ve been talking about how women’s careers are disrupted for over fifty years.
The focus of my research is women (or women-identifying individuals) aged 40-64 from the Hamilton, Ontario area (including Ancaster, Dundas, Flamborough, Stoney Creek, and Waterdown) who identify as having had their careers disrupted. The purpose of my research is to capture their stories to generate insights regarding how they responded to that disruption, and identify the resources or support that may or may not have existed for them. My hope is that their stories inform a new way forward and ignite a positive and a purposeful system-wide response from community organizations in Hamilton, Ontario that support women and their economic empowerment. I’m proud to be partnered in this research with YWCA of Hamilton and its CEO, Denise Christopherson.