In honor of Working Moms Day on Friday, March 12, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) and Working Moms of Milwaukee are partnering to host a Women in Farming & STEM virtual panel discussion on Zoom to foster conversation around industries where working moms are often underrepresented, including farming, science, and technology.
Two inspiring women in dairy, Laura Hernandez, Ph.D., and Jeannie Bishop, will participate in the event as panelists, along with Melissa Gaglione, president of Safety4Her Inc., and Katie Reichl, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MSOE.
- Hernandez is an associate professor in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and studies lactation in dairy cattle. She also is co-director of the Women in Science and Engineering Learning Community and looks forward to discussing
the nutritional benefits of dairy and how her research overlaps with breastfeeding solutions for new mothers (human and cow). - Jeannie Bishop is a lifelong dairy advocate and manages newborn and young calf care at her family’s dairy farm near Watertown, Wis. In addition to running her own farm, Bishop works with other dairy veterinarians and dairy farms across eastern Wisconsin to better the health of their animals. She hopes to share insights on how to better manage a work-life balance — something she’s learned a lot about in a career that offers no vacation days or sick leave.
- Melissa Gaglione started the clothing company Safety4Her Inc., after struggling to find comfortable safety clothing that fit properly for her job in the towing industry. Safety4Her Inc. provides high-visibility clothing for women working in the trades.
- Reichl has a PhD in Aerospace Engineering and her doctoral research looked at light-weight methods to reduce vibrations in aircrafts.
Working Moms of Milwaukee launched Working Moms Day last year as a way to celebrate working moms. With the Wisconsin dairy industry generating $46.5 billion in economic impact and 154,000 jobs annually, Working Moms of Milwaukee is excited to highlight women from this important field of work in this year’s virtual panel.
“Working Moms Day is about gathering together to talk about the issues that matter most to moms in our community,” said Susannah Lago, founder of Working Moms of Milwaukee. “The Future of Women in Farming & STEM event is a great opportunity for moms, and daughters, to learn from their fellow women about being leaders in typically male-dominated careers.”
To RSVP for the free Women in Farming & STEM virtual event, visit the official Facebook event which includes the Zoom link to join at noon CT March 12.
