Gratitude

On the edge of launch I am filled with gratitude… There are so many friends and family to thank - I have felt supported and guided by them over the last year. Over this year I have had the wonderful gift of mentors - people who have freely given not only their precious time to help me, support me, guide me and occasionally get me back on track but have really lit my path so kindly and so generously. Thank you to John, a friend for more than 25 years, who without fail spent fortnightly calls all the way from Boston to encourage, support and direct me. Thank you to Colleen, who despite never having met in person, in fact never having done a videoconference call, has stayed the distance with always supportive and brimming with clear suggestions and ideas on how to think about the research. Thank you to Anuja, who started as training me on a software package and morphed into a compassionate and cool-headed mentor. Thank you to Heather, my supervisor, who not only is uber bright and talented, an alchemical mix of consulting and academia, but perhaps the standout quality for me is her kindness - she provided a safe haven - something I needed as I navigated new territory. Thank you to the handful of young women that gave their time freely to help craft my thinking before the project kicked off and then again returned to cast heir eagle eyes over the outputs. And finally a huge thank you to every participant - there would be no research project without them. Each one gave generously of their time, providing honest insights, eloquent observations and reflections on their vulnerabilities. I thank each one of them for the privilege of hearing their stories and leadership narratives.