Meet MotherMind Scholar Dr. Loren Smith, MD, PhD
“I really found a community that was supportive... It helped bring everything into focus and helped me feel happier with my choices and what I’m doing with my life.”
MotherMind is a 6-month leadership development and group coaching program for research-intensive faculty or industry scientists who identify as mothers of school-age and/or young children. Through evidence-based leadership training combined with group, peer, and individual executive coaching, MotherMind Scholars walk away with greater clarity, connection, and confidence—in both their professional and personal lives.
In Loren’s words:
“It drastically changed how I felt… I could again fully engage with my kids. I was going to work interested in what I was doing—because I felt more refreshed.”
Through facilitated reflection, practical tools, and built-in accountability around essential themes like values, boundaries, and success on your terms, many MotherMind Scholars—like Loren—begin to imagine and create new possibilities.
Sometimes, even big ones:
“It led me to start making fairly large career changes... I finally had the confidence to question what success really means—and to create a career that reflects the life I actually want.”
If this resonates with you:
You are not alone. And you don’t have to figure it out by yourself.
✨ “I now look at it as some of the only time I’ve invested in a couple decades… into myself.” ✨
Dr. Loren Smith, MD, PhD, a physician-scientist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, never thought she’d apply for something like MotherMind. Like many high-achieving mothers in academic medicine, she believed that if she just worked harder, stayed organized, and powered through, she could manage it all.
But six months ago, the lists stopped working. The coping strategies that once sustained her felt stretched thin. She took a chance on MotherMind—and found so much more than she expected.
Meet MotherMind Scholar Dr. ANYA BENITEZ, PhD
Anya is an Associate Professor of Neurology at the Medical University of South Carolina—and in 2024, she was ranked in the top 10th percentile of NIH-funded neurology PIs by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research.
But when asked what’s fueling her most right now, she didn’t lead with her own wins. Instead, she said:
“The wins floating my boat right now are my faculty mentees’ wins. One got a fundable K23 score and the other just got his second pilot grant—just in the past 6 months since we’ve been working together.”
That’s what makes Anya’s story so powerful. She’s not only thriving—she’s multiplying that impact through mentorship and leadership.
MotherMind, she says, has helped her sharpen those skills:
“MotherMind, for me, is a gathering of women who immediately understand where you’re coming from before you’ve even met. Being surrounded by that default level of empathy is a powerful thing while we support each other through making a long-overdue change, confronting challenges, or pivoting into something new. Personally, the coaching skills I learned have helped me become more effective at work (and at home!).”
The ripple effect of this work is real. Coaching fuels leadership. Leadership lifts others. And together, we rise.
MEET MOTHERMIND SCHOLAR DR. Elinette Albino PhD, MSc
“𝘐 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘨𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘥... 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦, 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳.”
With the support of a community that "𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘵", she found the language and confidence to say yes to her priorities (by saying no to what isn’t) and claim what she truly needs — "𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵, 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯".
She’s now mentoring younger women, speaking up about challenges she once stayed quiet about, and shaping a healthier, more sustainable lab culture — not just for herself, but for the next generation of Scientist Mothers.
“𝘐’𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘯𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘐’𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 — 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴.”
Elinette’s story is a powerful example of how investing in reflection, peer connection, and authentic leadership can unlock not just productivity — but freedom, joy, and real change.
🎥 Watch her story. Be inspired to lead from a place that feels like home.
✨“𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽.”✨
Meet MotherMind Scholar, Dr. Elinette Albino PhD, MSc., Assistant Professor at the University of Puerto Rico. Elinette's journey through MotherMind is a powerful reminder that leadership isn’t about doing more to prove yourself — it’s about aligning your actions with your values, your purpose, and your wellbeing.
As a clinical laboratory scientist and rare disease researcher at the University of Puerto Rico, Elinette once felt the pressure to lead like everyone else — constantly striving, overextending, proving. Through MotherMind, she found something different: a supportive, reflective space that allowed her to reset, reimagine her path, and come back to herself.
Meet MotherMind Scholar Dr. Melissa Eggen, PhD, MPH
In MotherMind, we coach around evidence-based strategies for protecting your time for what matters most and aligning your time with your “highest and best use”. We strategize how to delegate or even just drop the rest and how to find peace with these decisions. After our session on Ruthlessly Reclaiming Your Time, Melissa applied one of the tools we explored—and it sparked a real shift. She moved from feeling scattered and stuck to gaining momentum on major projects, building confidence at work, and letting go of some of the guilt at home.
That’s what MotherMind is about.
Not doing it perfectly.
Not doing it like anyone else.
But figuring out how to do this Scientist Mom thing your way—with a support network that sees you, gets it, and is cheering you on every step of the way.
💡 Figuring Out How to Do This Scientist Mom Thing—Your Way
Dr. Melissa Eggen, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor at the University of Louisville, is the only tenure-track woman with small children in her department—and one of very few female faculty members in her school. She's also a first-generation college student, navigating the demands of academia while building a career and life that don’t come with a clear roadmap.
She joined MotherMind looking for something many Scientist Moms are missing: a space to connect with others who understand what it means to balance research, leadership, caregiving, and ambition—all at once.
Reflections from MOTHERMIND Scholars
“The process of investing so much time and energy on myself to develop a vision for my life and career was transformative. I personally have found that the time/effort I've spent on MotherMind is far outweighed by the dividends to my personal and professional development. There wasn't a specific session or activity that was better than the rest for me - it was the overall gestalt of coming into these meetings and approaching these (sometimes difficult) topics with intention, vulnerability, and curiosity that was truly invigorating. I’ve become more aware of my self-limiting beliefs and now challenge myself to move beyond them. And I personally really appreciated the one-on-one coaching sessions. During these sessions I was able to take what I learned from previous sessions to focus on maximizing my time to learn, which is a skill I would love to pass on to my mentees.”
- Dr. Andreana Benitez, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina
“Participating in MotherMind has fundamentally shifted how I view the intersection of motherhood and my career. Before, I often saw my responsibilities as a mother and my work as a scientist as being in constant competition. Through MotherMind, I’ve learned to embrace both roles as integral parts of who I am, rather than feeling like I have to choose or compartmentalize. I’ve also become more intentional about setting boundaries, prioritizing self-compassion, and advocating for systemic change that supports working parents in academia. This experience has empowered me to speak more openly about the realities of being a scientist-mother and to support others who are navigating similar paths.”
- Dr. Elinette M. Albino, MT, PhD, MSc, Assistant Professor, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus
“What resonated most with me during the MotherMind experience was the shared wisdom, through articles, podcasts, and Amery’s presentations. I loved the curated collection of ideas and strategies. And the community is so valuable as well—just getting to share joy and hear that my struggles are common and not just my own. The program helped solidify ideas I’d encountered before, like protecting my time and being a good coach, while also introducing new insights, such as being more strategic with career goals through networking, self-promotion, and creating opportunities. I loved the peer coaching and the opportunity to practice coaching skills. That gave me the opportunity to really talk through the concepts and figure out how they will work for me.”
- Dr. Kristina Bridges, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of Kansas Medical Center
“Being surrounded by purposeful women in MotherMind was incredibly inspiring. It reminded me that I’m not alone in the challenges I face as a scientist and a mother—and it helped me recognize how much I’ve actually accomplished. The structured reflection, especially working through the coaching map and clarifying my values, gave me clarity and confidence. Peer coaching was a powerful part of the experience—it fueled my growth and helped me see myself in a new, more empowered way.”
- Adriana Queiroz, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, University of Kansas Medical Center
“There were moments of insights during coaching that were probably the most meaningful part of this experience. Insights like, "you identify creativity as one of your most important values, but you don't seem excited about doing creative things," and, "you're allowed to take a day off work to take care of a sick kiddo if that is the kind of mother you want to be." I think why these were most meaningful is they were very personalized to me and what I needed to hear at the time. These moments truly shifted my perspective. I’ve started valuing my time more and being much more intentional about what I take on versus what I delegate. The sessions on identifying and living into core values and on ruthlessly reclaiming your time left the biggest impressions. I was starting to self-sabotage in "if I just multi-task more I'll be able to do all of the things I need to," and there were some really critical points of reflection in these sessions.”
- Dr. Jennifer Zellers, PT, DPT, PhD, Assistant Professor, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
“What stood out most in my MotherMind experience was the sense of validation, knowing I was not alone in the way I was feeling. I also appreciated having concrete tools and steps to shift my daily habits and move toward my goals. Since the program, I feel more confident and have a clearer sense of my own knowledge, direction, and boundaries. I’m better at saying no and protecting my time. The one-to-one coaching was especially helpful, while the weekly tasks kept me motivated to take meaningful action.”
- Dr. Brae Anne McArthur, PhD Assistant Professor, University of Calgary
“The most impactful parts of the MotherMind experience for me were the community, learning from each other, gaining coaching tools, and embracing curiosity. It has made me realize we are ALL in this together and that my struggles are very similar to those of my female research colleagues around the country. Every part of the program felt supportive and empowering.”
- Dr. Nancy Stewart, DO, MS, Assistant Professor, University of Kansas Medical Center
“Hearing from others who share similar struggles and values was incredibly empowering. It made me feel less alone in balancing academia and motherhood and gave me a toolkit to lean on. The combination of the content and group discussions was the most supportive part, providing both practical tools and a sense of connection.”
- Dr. Jennifer Shuldiner, PhD, Scientist, Women’s College Hospital Research and Innovation Institute
“One of the most powerful parts of the MotherMind experience for me was having dedicated time to reflect on what I truly want in the next steps of my career and how to carve out space for the work that matters most to me. It helped me become much more committed to planning my time with intention. Connecting with a community of others facing similar challenges felt incredibly supportive and empowering.”
- Dr. Stephanie Samuels, MD, Assistant Professor, Yale School of Medicine
“MotherMind has helped me see that I can be more effective, and happy at work, by aligning my personal values with my workplace values. I will be more intentional about this moving forward. The peer coaching was helpful—to get insights from others and reflect on your own experiences in a group setting with others having similar experiences. I also really enjoyed the executive interview exercise. It gave me a lot of perspective about my own career.”
- Dr. Melissa Eggen, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, University of Louisville
“Through MotherMind, I learned to manage my time more effectively, believe in myself, and set realistic goals without overextending. The experience helped me find time for myself without feeling guilty, and to value myself professionally. Through the program, I gave myself permission to take time to be creative again. The coaching sessions were especially empowering, helping me grow and prioritize my professional self while still honoring my other responsibilities.”
- Dr. Janaina Alves, PhD, Assistant Professor, Universidad Central del Caribe-School of Medicine
Reflections from Workshop Clients
“I had the pleasure of attending a workshop led by Dr. Amery Treble-Barna, hosted by theWomen in Bio mentoring committee. This was a highly anticipated event, based on discussions with Amery and reading about her program. The workshop was transformative and motivating. Amery created a warm and inviting safe space which allowed authentic connections to flourish.
Through guided reflection and thoughtful discussions, she helped participants identify and align their core values with their personal and professional lives in powerful and practical ways. Her facilitation encouraged openness, self-discovery, and mutual support, making space for real growth and actionable insights. She provided accessible and insightful prompts for peer-coaching, leadership identity, and self-compassion. I highly recommend Amery to anyone seeking a values-driven approach to professional development. Her programs are well suited for any environment, including academic and corporate organizations, and professional groups.
-Yashoda Sharma, PhD, Women In Bio Connecticut
“I had the pleasure of attending a Professional Development & Group Coaching Workshop led by Amery Treble-Barna, PhD, PC, through WIB–Connecticut—and it delivered exactly the reset I didn’t know I needed.
Amery didn’t just facilitate a session—she led a powerful and energizing deep dive into leadership, values, and vision. Her framework pushed us to reflect with purpose, clarify what truly drives us, and take ownership of where we’re headed. The mini peer-coaching exercise was a standout—packed with insight, strategy, and real connection.
As someone who works at an academic institution—collaborating closely with scientists and research teams—and as co-chair of WWN at Yale (Working Women’s Networking), I found Amery’s approach both practical and transformative. I left with renewed clarity, actionable tools, and a sharp sense of direction.
For any woman navigating the demands of academic leadership or seeking to lead with more purpose and confidence—this is the kind of workshop you don’t want to miss.”
- Paula Maguina, MBA, Sr. Finance Research Manager, Yale University
