HBA Central New Jersey Event: Caring at Work: Real Stories of Support & Understanding
Article written by Gina Cuniere
On the evening of 19 March 2025, Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) Central New Jersey Chapter hosted this impactful discussion sponsored by Labcorp in Raritan, NJ. The event brought together a diverse group of attendees and featured a thought-provoking panel of professionals who shared personal stories, leadership insights, and strategies for fostering a more empathetic workplace culture for caregivers.
Meet Our Speakers
Moderated by Elise Wagner, Vice President (VP) at Labcorp, the panel featured:
- Kate Shain, Director, Global Marketing, Genmab
- Jake Bryant, Senior Director, Global Marketing, Genmab
- Christine Donahue, Supervisor, Labcorp
- Alexis Pezza, Lab Manager, Labcorp
- Dr. Mary Williamson, VP, Lab Operations, Labcorp
- Kimacka Randle, Program Director, Labcorp
- Ashley Peal, Director, Business Process Management, BMS
- Stephanie Raspa, Data Analyst, Business Insights & Analytics, Merck
Program Overview
The event opened with a networking session for attendees to connect and exchange insights before diving into a deeply personal and inspiring panel discussion.
Elise Wagner set the tone for the panel by emphasizing the importance of recognizing caregivers in the workplace and the impact of workplace support on employees’ well-being and performance. She noted that our ability to successfully find flexibility for a caregiver in their time of need, as well as navigate these situations successfully, helps reduce stress and burnout. It also helps us to strengthen, retain, and attract the best talent.
The panel, composed of caregivers with their managers, reflected on their experiences with parenthood, elder care, self-care, and leadership challenges. During audience question and answer, attendees related to the panelists’ stories with their own experiences while also asking insightful questions about situations where there is less to no supportive culture in place.
Key talking points included:
✔ The power of psychological safety in enabling open conversations at work
✔ Intentional empathy and how leaders can create spaces of trust and support
✔ Enhancing emotional intelligence at every opportunity
✔ The importance of adaptive leadership; adjusting leadership styles based on employees' needs
✔ Utilization of workplace resources, including Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
Key Takeaways
✔ Listen and observe; be perceptive to employee challenges and trust your instincts
✔ Lead with flexibility; adopt leadership styles that support work-life balance
✔ Normalize conversations about caregiving; supporting employees fosters loyalty and engagement
✔ Leverage resources; business resource groups and wellness programs are valuable tools
✔ Advocate for each other and speak up when needed
Spreading a Culture of Compassion
A key theme that emerged from the discussion was the role of leadership in shaping a workplace culture of care and support. Leaders must act as advocates, reminding decision-makers that employees are real people with personal responsibilities.
As one panelist put it, "Once the psychological safety was there, I could have tough conversations and was motivated to work even harder."
Thank You!
We extend our deepest gratitude to Labcorp for sponsoring and hosting this important event and to our incredible panelists for sharing their personal stories.
Special thanks to our incredible HBA and Labcorp volunteers, whose dedication and teamwork made this event possible.
- HBA Volunteers: Poorna Ashok, Puja Patel, Rithika Naik, Gina Cuniere, Elizabeth Dolgos, Tonye Medley
- Labcorp Volunteers: Alexis Pezza, Elise Wagner, Krista Fieselmann
- With special appreciation to Alissa Farrier, Executive Sponsor, for leadership and support.
Interested in learning more? Join the HBA community and stay connected for upcoming programs!
Check out our upcoming events here and register today! Join HBA here and be part of the conversation!