FASCINATING WOMEN DOING FASCINATING WORK AT THE TOPMOST
LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE -- AND WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM THEM


Reviews

"Your new book, Women Leaders at Work, is a terrific read. I am very appreciative of your efforts and insights. The emphasis on extraordinary women and how they met the challenges they had to overcome to be successful makes a meaningful difference in our perceptions. Your interviews add depth to our understanding of the decisions and choices women made on their way to their ambitions. You also demonstrate the significant impact of those people who surrounded them, who were supportive and believed in them.

Thank you and congratulations!"

Suzanne Hopgood   
President/CEO
The Hopgood Group, LLC


"Women Leaders at Work traces the personal life decisions taken by women who found ways to achieve greatness in their work. Each story is intriguing. But, collectively, the stories provide inspiration. They illustrate how real women of varied talents from varied backgrounds traversed quite different paths, seized opportunities presented in many guises, and found ways to achieve and to contribute to society. Elizabeth Ghaffari relates these stories with an unerring instinct to reveal the fascinating, personal dimensions of real women."

Anita K. Jones   
University Professor Emerita
University of Virginia


"Women Leaders at Work shines a light on women. Today's leaders who are women, who are changing our world, even as examples, inspire young women who are our leaders of the future. Great book!"

Frances Hesselbein      
President & CEO,
The Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute
New York, NY


"The stories of each of these amazing women read like novels -- humble beginnings, triumphs, failures, incredible determination and resourcefulness, overcoming the familiar obstacles facing women in the workplace. But these stories are true, and they inspire us. There are many more stories out there, but thanks to Elizabeth Ghaffari, we are privileged to share these few. Groundbreaking women, groundbreaking book."

Judith M. Runstad   
Attorney, FOSTER PEPPER PLLC,
Seattle, WA


"I have read many books on leadership and women leaders, and Elizabeth Ghaffari’s book rises to the top for me. The in-depth interviews provide insight into leadership in general, issues unique to women, as well as an insider’s view into a broad array of industries. Women Leaders at Work highlights superb women leaders, beyond the "usual suspects," many of whom you may never have otherwise come to know."

Cathy Sandeen, Ph.D., MBA   
Vice President, Education Attainment and Innovation
American Counsil on Education
former Dean, UCLA Extension


"In her newest book, Elizabeth Ghaffari has scouted out exceptional women who started in small, but courageous ways to follow unique visions. These women achieved positions of influence and power, but their routes to success were never straight-lined. They endured digressions and embraced change. They navigated the intricacies of corporations, academia, non-profits, and the fields of science and technology. They speak with their own voices about their lives and motivation and tell their stories with modesty and encouragement to other women who may want to lead and serve."

Mary S. Metz, Ph.D.   
President Emerita,
Mills College


"Women Leaders at Work is filled from cover-to-cover with stories about the lives of extraordinary women who are in leadership today. Elizabeth Ghaffari uses her exceptional interviewing talents to ask the right questions to elicit memorable lessons that are inspiring, uplifting and educational. Each of the eighteen chapters focuses on the life and career path of a fascinating, accomplished woman. Ghaffari illustrates that breakthrough success can occur in a myriad of fields from medicine, law, academia, government, public corporations, science and philanthropy. It is not necessary to stay on a narrow hierarchical career path. In fact, none of these champions followed career paths that were straight-line trajectories. "We often have to be re-potted to grow" and "Don’t leave the power of a corporation just because you want to change the world. Harness it" are two of the many memorable lessons. Women Leaders at Work is filled with important wisdom and advice for past, present and future leaders. I highly recommend this book for men and women of all ages and interests!"

Susan Murphy, Ph.D   
noted author, speaker, business consultant
www.Consult4Business.com


"Ghaffari's Women Leaders at Work captures diverse personal stories of trailblazing women who share candid experiences including career challenges. It is clear that much more than mentoring matters -- sponsorship is key."

Linda Griego   
President & CEO,
Griego Enterprises, Inc.


"Elizabeth Ghaffari’s book takes readers on an omniscient journey into the lives of 18 highly accomplished women. Ms. Ghaffari’s well-researched interviews uncover the reasons behind the women’s successes, starting with an exploration of what childhood influences may have set the stage for each woman’s future accomplishments and examining key personal and professional relationships that contributed to their success. From U.S. Circuit Court judge to director of Microsoft’s New England Research Center to neuropsychologist, these women are shining examples of professional brilliance and accomplishment. It was clear that Ms. Ghaffari had read about the women before interviewing them and thus knew the key questions to ask. But rather than strictly adhere to a list of predetermined questions, she adeptly guided each woman through her own unique tale, with gently probing questions that elicited clear explanations of often erudite material.

I had the privilege of transcribing the audio recordings of the interviews. Listening to the interviews was fascinating; I felt I was “eavesdropping" on Ms. Ghaffari’s conversations from an unseen corner of the room. The interview with Dr. Sandra Witelson was incredibly captivating. It made me want to search out neuroscience books to better understand what Dr. Witelson was describing, including her research on how the structure of Einstein’s brain was unique. The interview with Dr. Jennifer Tour Chayes, originally a math professor and now director of Microsoft NERD, was equally fascinating, and it was especially interesting listening to her describe her personal experiences with "imposter syndrome." I wouldn't have thought such an intelligent and accomplished person would experience those feelings. Listening to Dr. Jacqueline Barton explain the inner workings of PhD research labs and acknowledge the differences she’s seen between male and female students was quite informative. I also enjoyed listening to Ms. Ghaffari talk to Barbara Beck, who has an excellent view on flexibility and adaptive family situations. She is an example for our modern lifestyle, as Ms. Ghaffari quickly points out to her. The interview with Dr. Karen Guice is another intriguing interview with a highly accomplished woman, which again made me wonder how Ms. Ghaffari found these women.

Ms. Ghaffari kept me very informed and entertained with her interviews. Working on her book was an enjoyable mental challenge and exposed me to a world of incredibly intelligent, interesting, and accomplished women. These women are role models. Every woman made me think about different aspects of life and gave me a fascinating glimpse into her world. Despite their titles, awards, and advanced degrees, these women all appear approachable as Ms. Ghaffari’s effective journalistic style allows us to see them as real people. I thoroughly enjoyed "getting to know" all of them."

Kristen Cassereau Ng   
transcriptionist and STEM editor
Sunnyvale, CA


       
     




WOMEN LEADERS
AT WORK


UNTOLD TALES OF WOMEN ACHIEVING THEIR AMBITIONS



E L I Z A B E T H       G H A F F A R I