THE MAGAZINE
Issue Q3 2025
Curated by The Studio at United WE
UNITED WE is a NATIONAL, NONPROFIT, NONPARTISAN THINK-AND-DO TANK
DRIVING SYSTEMIC CHANGE BY FOCUSING ON WOMEN’S LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION TO STRENGTHEN THE OVERALL ECONOMY.
From the Desk of Wendy Doyle
Friends,
What does it look like when we embrace change, rather than run from it?
This month I had the privilege of hosting a fireside chat in Wichita with the economist Dr. Misty Heggeness about her new book Swiftynomics, which explores the economic lives of American women through the lens of pop icon Taylor Swift.
So many of the themes Dr. Heggeness weaves through the book resonate with our work at United WE: the way women’s labor has always been an essential part of the economy, though it has often gone unrecognized; the trillions of dollars in economic activity women can generate when given the opportunity; and most importantly the fact that when women thrive, families thrive, and our economy prospers.
Thriving in the face of adversity often requires reinvention, something Taylor Swift has modeled throughout her career. Reflecting on my conversation with Dr. Heggeness and the women and men who are featured in these pages, we thought Reinvention was also a fitting theme for this month’s issue of United WE Magazine.
We talk to Kelsey Lents, whose pivot from a career in architecture to child care startup founder, was both winding and wildly successful and heavily influenced by her journey as a mom.
Jennifer Alvarez from The DeBruce Foundation brings advice for how to navigate career changes during a time of economic uncertainty and teach our kids to do the same.
Tatiana Darby, the new manager of the United WE Institute and Studio, highlights some recent wins from our Appointments Project, which is equipping women across the Midwest from Columbia to Cape Girardeau with the confidence to reinvent themselves as public servants.
Journalist and bestselling author Amie Parnes talked about what life is like as a single mom and a member of the White House press corps, and why listening is one of the most important skills she’s honed as a reporter and author.
Listening was also the topic of a recent piece I wrote for Thrive Global about civility and diplomacy: something that is especially important in these divided times. Now more than ever, we must embrace our shared humanity, rebuild trust and find ways to listen to each other.
But reinvention isn’t always a choice—it can also be forced upon us.
That is why we are also sounding the alarm about troubling labor statistics showing that the national caregiving crisis and rollbacks in flexible workplace policies are once again pushing women out of the workforce.
As always, United WE is committed to letting both data—and the lived experiences of women—tell the story. As Taylor Swift reminds us, those stories evolve as we do: adapting to new challenges, persevering through setbacks, and reinventing ourselves not just to survive, but to thrive.
Wendy Doyle President & CEO of United WE
THE INSTITUTE Spotlight: How Research in Oklahoma is Influencing Policy
On September 18, United WE
President & CEO Wendy Doyle testified before the Oklahoma State Legislature on barriers to child care access in the state.
Research commissioned by United WE and conducted by researchers from the College of Education and Human Sciences and the Spears School of
Business at Oklahoma State University found a shortage of licensed child care providers in the state.
The study found that 50 percent of all counties in Oklahoma have more than two children per available licensed childcare slot. In almost all counties, the number of available slots does not meet the demand, which shows
Recent Drop in Women’s Workforce Participation is a Blinking Red Light for Women and our Economy
For nearly a decade, women have driven the growth in overall prime-age labor force participation strengthening local economies and contributing billions to GDP. The McKinsey Global Institute estimates that continuing to advance women’s equality could add trillions to global GDP, boosting incomes and living standards worldwide for men and women alike. Yet right now this progress is threatened by a multigenerational caregiving crisis— spanning both child care and elder care. Since January, over 200,000 women have exited the labor force. Experts attribute this largely to reduced workplace flexibility and
persistently limited child care access. Misty Heggeness of the University of Kansas reports labor force participation for women ages 25–44 with children under five dropped from 69.7% to 66.9%.
“The recent decline in women’s labor force participation is a stark reminder of the urgent need for a robust care economy,” said Wendy Doyle, President and CEO of United WE.
“Our research consistently shows that caregiving challenges from child care to elder care—disproportionately affect women, but the economic impact touches everyone. Now is the time
for policymakers, employers, and communities to come together to implement policies that support families and ensure women can fully participate in our economy.”
United WE research has found that women are three times more likely than men to leave the workforce becasued of child care.
And 60 percent of women entrepreneurs surveyed reported that the lack of affordable childcare was making it harder for them to run their businesses. Across the country, tens of millions of women live in childcare deserts without a single accredited childcare facility.
“The recent decline in women’s labor force participation is a stark reminder of the urgent need for a robust care economy,”
/WENDY DOYLE, PRESIDENT & CEO OF UNITED WE
UNITED STATES LABOR FORCE
PARTICIPATION RATE
MOTHERS (25-44)
Source: US Census Bureau/Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Appointments Project: 124 Women. Countless Possibilities. One Powerful Journey.
Sometimes big change starts small with a dozen women in a room, learning together, listening together, and supporting each other. But as those rooms grow, half a dozen becomes a dozen, then two dozen, and before long, dozens more.
The Appointments Project—our flagship program helping women secure appointments to civic boards and commissions—is bridging the gap on women’s representation in local leadership.
Thanks to the generous investment from partners like Health Forward Foundation, Veterans United, and Missouri Foundation for Health, 56 women across Kansas City and Columbia, Missouri have already joined us on a journey to learn about civic leadership opportunities in their communities, sharpen their leadership skills, navigate appointments, and build community alongside other purpose-driven women ready to serve.
This quarter that number grows, as 68 new women join Journey Group Cohorts in Cape Girardeau and Springfield, Missouri! “The Appointments Project is about more than just investing in programs it’s about investing in people. Because people have the power to lead, to create, and to drive the change that allows women, families, and our communities to thrive,” says Tatiana Darby, Institute and Studio Manager for United WE.
And the work doesn’t stop there. Moving forward, the Appointments Project is expanding its offerings in new ways—through city onboarding programs that give newly appointed leaders clarity and confidence, civic engagement sessions that help groups take their next step in leadership, and concierge services that provide personalized support to women seeking appointments.
For United WE, civic leadership isn’t just symbolic its strategic. Because what starts with a dozen women in one room can grow into a movement that reshapes leadership—and outcomes— for us all.
““The ProjectAppointments is about more than just investing in programs—it’s about investing in people. Because people have the power to lead, to create, and to drive the change that allows women, families, and our communities to thrive.”
/TATIANA DARBY, INSTITUTE AND STUDIO MANAGER FOR UNITED WE
THE STUDIO
In The Studio With Amie Parnes
MEET AMIE
Amie Parnes is a nationally-recognized political journalist and New York Times bestselling author whose career has spanned two decades covering the most pivotal moments in American politics. Her reporting has taken her from the campaign trail to the White House, and she has become a trusted voice on television and in print, providing sharp analysis and insight into the people and policies shaping our country.
This fall, United WE had the privilege of sitting down with Amie while she was on her national tour for her most recent book release, FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House, which she co-wrote with Jonathan Allen.
Amid a whirlwind schedule of media appearances and events, she made time to reflect with us not just on her professional journey, but also on her experiences as a working mother.
We wanted to speak with Amie because her story resonates far beyond politics, she embodies the
strength, resilience, and balance that so many women strive for in their own lives. Her candid reflections on navigating success in the fastpaced world of journalism while raising her son offer a refreshing reminder that the paths women take are as varied as they are inspiring.
We invite you to watch our conversation with Amie Parnes and hear firsthand how she has built a career defined by purpose, persistence, and authenticity—while also embracing the role of motherhood along the way. WATCH
AMIE PARNES
We invite you to watch our inspiring conversation with Amie Parnes and hear more about her journey as both a journalist and a mother. {WATCH NOW}
“I had this very personal interaction where someone told me that they didn’t like my book. They didn’t like what I stood for.
I feel like what it taught me was to listen to people and have conversations, and I feel like the country would be better off in the world if we were listening to one another.”
/AMIE PARNES
Wendy Doyle
Read More On The Importance Of Listening: An Op-Ed For Thrive Global By
The Studio
There’s a trend going around the internet featuring women talking about the lengths they went to start and grow their businesses. We thought it would be a great opportunity to catch up with Kelsey Lents, CEO & Co-Founder of Two Birds.
Two Birds is a Reggio-inspired childcare and school with six locations in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. In addition to a childcare center, each Two Birds location features onsite coworking space for parents and family programming on the weekends. Their all-inclusive approach to education supports the entire family through community.
Unhinged Things Kelsey Lents Did to Start Her Business KELSEYLENTS
“I was pregnant for my entire first year of business school, and I came up with the idea for Two Birds in a startup class. I was already an anomaly because I was coming out of a creative field, and then I was walking around with this giant belly on top of that.”
“Historically child care has been treated like a binary option: traditional drop off, or at home— but I wanted something in the middle. The gap we wanted to address was: how do you create connection and build community around your child’s world, but without placing any additional burden on the parents?
“I vividly remember that I didn’t have friends around me who were pregnant at the same time. And when my first son was born, my husband was traveling five days a week, so I was one of the first people dropping off at childcare and one of the last people picking up. Then my son’s first birthday came around and I thought, ‘I have no one to invite to this because I don’t know anyone at his childcare center!’
“When we put up a website to gauge interest in the concept of a childcare center and coworking space we suddenly had this long wait list so it’s clear I wasn’t alone.
Now we have six locations, and at each of them we try to create the environment where parents can build the kind of community I was missing back then, not just for their child but for themselves as well.
“One takeaway for me was: when something’s not working for you in your life odds are it’s not working for anyone else either.
I was in a unique position to come up with a solution, and it was heavily informed by my experience figuring out my identity as a mom at the same time I was building my identity professionally.”
Navigating Career Change with Confidence: Practical Tools from The DeBruce Foundation
By Jennifer Alvarez, Senior Director, The DeBruce Foundation
Career change is never easy, but it can be transformative. My own journey has had its share of twists and turns. Midway through my career, I faced one of the hardest decisions: leaving a company I loved after ten years because they asked me to relocate out of state. I was deeply invested in the work of the organization and the people. But moving was not an option, and I had to choose between comfort and growth.
I was nervous. I did not have a college degree, and I was worried that it would limit my options. But I leaned into what I did have: grit, perseverance, and the ability to communicate my skills clearly. That decision led me to an incredible opportunity at a national law firm for several years and then finally at The DeBruce Foundation, where I now help others navigate their own career journeys and transitions.
Here are a few practical tools and insights I have learned—and lived—that can help anyone facing a career change:
1. Know Your Strengths
At The DeBruce Foundation, we use the Agile Work Profiler © (AWP) to help individuals identify their top “Agilities” —the ways they naturally work and contribute. This tool gave me language to describe the skills I’d built over time and helped me see how they could transfer to new roles. Understanding your strengths is the first step toward building confidence and clarity.
2. Tell Your Story with Confidence
When I was job searching, I focused on how my experience translated into value. I did not hide my nontraditional path; I highlighted the skills I had gained through real-world challenges. Whether your background includes formal education or not, your story matters. Own it and tell it with pride.
3. Tap Into Your Network Relationships have been key throughout my career. Mentors, colleagues, and friends have opened doors, offered advice, and helped me see possibilities I had not considered. If you are navigating change, reach out. Your network can be a powerful source of support and opportunity.
4. Stay Open to Learning
A career change often means stepping into unfamiliar territory. Be willing to learn, ask questions, and take on new
challenges. Whether it is a certification, a new project, or simply shadowing someone in a different role, every experience adds to your toolkit.
Career change is not just about landing a new job; it is about uncovering new possibilities that align with what you enjoy and where you naturally excel. With the right tools, mindset, and support, you can move forward with purpose—no matter where you are starting from.
