Zoetis’ Working Mother and Dad of the Yr on Work-Life Steadiness and the Moments That Modified Their Perspective
Working Mother of the Year: Kristy Earley-Murray, Regional Strategic Veterinarian – Midwest
I always knew that I wanted to be a mom. I was struggling to get pregnant, but luckily when I came to Zoetis, I joined a company with amazing benefits. And after reading Perseverance by Kristin Peck, CEO of Zoetis, I felt inspired to keep trying to grow my family, knowing it was going to be an extremely difficult journey. I was able to go through IVF and am now the mother of three beautiful children thanks to a generous egg donor. Although I was confident about becoming a mother, I had a lot of fears during my pregnancy. Was I able to balance my full itinerary with all of the duties associated with parenting? Would I be able to achieve the professional development I aspire to? With the incredible support of my husband, my family, my colleagues and Zoetis, I finally gained the confidence that everything would work out.
Becoming a mother changed my entire perspective. I have a new appreciation for the sacrifices my single mother, who has three jobs, made for me growing up. And it is their inspiration that has led me to help those I see in need. Whether it’s being there for a colleague who struggles to find her balance as a working mother or supporting a mother I breastfed while she was homeless on the street, I understand the importance of community in motherhood and strive to make a difference wherever I can – large or small.
Becoming a mother has also given me the experience to learn about special needs and to stand up for my neurodivergent child. When the opportunity arose to join the Zoetis Colleague Resource Group, The Differently-abled & Neurodiversity Alliance (DNA), I not only jumped, but also looked for a leadership role. This was another opportunity to contribute to a great community, learn from other parents, and support one another. Contacting peers who have had similar experiences has given me great comfort in times of uncertainty and I hope that my involvement in DNA can offer the same to other parents.
Working Dad of the Year: Chip Dorsey, Senior Director, Business Development
When I was growing up, my parents were doctors who had a doctor’s office near our home. My brothers and I have always been surrounded by work. Whether it was spending time in the office, answering calls from patients at home, or as we got older, even as receptionists, my parents always made a pleasant intersection between parenting and work.
My mother passed away at the beginning of the pandemic. What was already an intense time for families was reinforced by our family working through the grieving process. During the time when I had to consider and celebrate my mother, I looked back at how my parents reconciled their commitment to their patients and their three sons. From childhood on, the interface between parenthood and work has always been pleasant to me. But the pandemic, particularly with my wife and two boys who live in a Brooklyn apartment, has taken the definition of the intersection between work and home to another level. This ultimately led our family to move to California to be closer to my brothers.
The support from my colleagues and the Zoetis culture made this move as smooth as possible and confirmed that it was the right choice for my family. Zoetis has given me the opportunity to work completely remotely, which allows me to spend a lot more time with my two sons. I can watch them learn and grow while pursuing fulfilling careers with growth and development potential. The balance that my wife and I created between work and life is very reminiscent of the balance that my parents were able to create as doctors.
Working with my wife to capitalize on the uniqueness of my career and optimize our family time has been a challenging but incredibly rewarding experience. As I continue to settle in my new life in California, I have incorporated that experience into my mentoring relationships. I encourage young fathers to be transparent about what they want to achieve and talk to them about prioritizing their values in order to find balance in their own lives.
