The Women of SJND: Bold, Driven and Leading the Way

The women included in this feature are just a few of the Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School Alumnae who have gone on to lead successful adult lives. Whether standing out in a male-dominated industry, supporting women’s rights around the world, or creating new opportunity for budding professionals in their field, these women have forged their own paths and opened doors for other women. Thank you to those women who participated in this feature for inspiring our students to take risks and follow their dreams.

Julie Freccero ’01

Julie was invited to speak about her work in Greece and commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking of youth here in the Bay Area for World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. The Bay Area is a major hub for the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

Director of the Health and Human Rights Program at the UC Berkeley Human Rights Center

BA, University of California, San Diego; MPH, Health and Social Behavior, University of California, Berkeley

Julie is the Director of the Health and Human Rights Program at the UC Berkeley Human Rights Center. She created and launched this program in 2017, which aims to improve the health and protection of marginalized populations affected by conflict, forced displacement, and violence. She has over ten years of experience in gender-based violence, reproductive health, and women’s empowerment research, programming, and advocacy. Some of Julie’s past roles and projects include: leading the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) response to gender-based violence against refugees and migrants in Greece in 2016; serving as Program Officer for Violence against Women at the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in Tanzania; and conducting research in refugee and internally displaced communities in Cameroon, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Serbia, and Malaysia, among other locations. In the coming months, she will launch a new project in collaboration with the City of San Francisco’s Department on the Status of Women to develop and evaluate a family-based foster care pilot for youth who are at risk or have experienced trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation in the Bay Area.

It takes a lot of courage to do the important work that you do. Where do you get your courage from?

Thank you. I really don’t view it as courageous. More so, I am filled with gratitude to be able to work on women’s health and human rights issues. I am humbled to work alongside and learn from such incredible activists: the survivors of gender-based violence who bravely come forward to seek support and share their stories in the hope of making things better for others; the humanitarian responders and service providers who are working long hours on the front lines providing crisis counseling and lifesaving health and protection services; the women’s human rights defenders in conflict zones who put their lives at risk to advocate for women’s rights and to provide protection and support for survivors of violence. These individuals motivate and inspire me every day. In my current role as a researcher and advocate, I am in the fortunate position of acting as a kind of bridge - documenting needs on the ground and working to amplify the voices of survivors and frontline practitioners through our research and advocacy with policymakers.

Knowing that our work will have impact also gives me the courage to take smart risks and step outside of my comfort zone. Impact is something that is built into all of the projects that we take on in our Health and Human Rights Program from the start. For all of our projects, we partner with communities or local or international organizations to translate the research we conduct into new tools or guidance for humanitarian practitioners, or new programs to support survivors. I also get courage from my mother, Linda Capella Freccero '70, who spent her career supporting underserved youth impacted by early pregnancy, homelessness, and juvenile justice involvement.

Did your time at SJND influence your career choice in any way? If so, how?

Absolutely. Service to the community is at the heart of SJND’s educational philosophy - embedded into the education, sports and recreation, retreats, and other activities. It is the very fabric of the school. This core value, instilled in me by my parents and reinforced by SJND, has always driven my career decisions. I have known since high school that my career would focus on working with underserved communities to advocate for their health and well-being, access to opportunity, and human rights.

SJND also provided me with the opportunities to explore my abilities and to push myself both academically and in sports. Two aspects of my experience at SJND stand out as particularly influential in my career path: my Advanced Placement Spanish class and playing on the varsity basketball team.

The AP Spanish class that I took during my senior year with Mrs. Norris truly challenged me and gave me the confidence to learn new languages and immerse myself in new experiences. Mrs. Norris was not only an amazing teacher, but she motivated everyone to do their best. She told us (regularly!) that she had a perfect passing rate on the AP exam among her students and that it needed to stay that way, she had us constantly practicing, and she made us T-shirts that said “con ganas se puede” to wear on exam day. Her approach motivated all of us to work very hard and to help each other to keep up with the lessons as we prepared for the exam throughout the year. After passing the AP exam my senior year, I attended UC San Diego where I was able to skip the Spanish language courses and head straight into the more advanced series to obtain a minor in Spanish literature. I studied abroad in Sevilla, Spain to practice my language skills, which opened my eyes to the world of possibilities of working and living in other countries. As a result, I have been comfortable living in new locations and confident in my ability to learn and communicate in new languages – something essential for my career in global health and human rights. For example, after college, I worked with the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in Tanzania, learned Swahili, and obtained a foreign language scholarship to continue to study Swahili and work in Kenya during graduate School at UC Berkeley.

Having played varsity basketball at SJND, I learned the importance of teamwork, that hard work and discipline translate into success, and that it is absolutely essential to balance a challenging professional workload with time for health and fitness. As a point guard and team captain of the basketball team, I gained leadership skills and strategies for working well with team members and bringing out their strengths. This early foundation has served me well as I now manage projects with diverse partners in both the Bay Area and in other countries in my role.

Julie is a member of the United Nations Population Fund's (UNFPA's) global roster of gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health specialists in emergencies and served a sixmonth deployment in Greece in 2016-2017. As a gender-based violence specialist in the humanitarian response, she provided training to government and NGO service providers in gender-based violence response, established standard procedures for referring survivors of domestic and sexual violence to support services, and helped to set up safe spaces for women and girls and mobile sexual and reproductive health clinics in several refugee camps.

Kate McCaffrey ’97

Realtor, Compass Real Estate

BA, University of California, Santa Barbara

Kate has been named the Top Realtor in all of Alameda since 2014, and in the 94501 zip code since 2011. She has been in real estate since she graduated from University California, Santa Barbara in 2002, where she started her career in commercial real estate. In 2005, Kate founded McCaffrey Custom Construction, Inc. with her husband, JP. Together, they flipped two homes and sold them in Alameda, catapulting Kate into a successful career in residential real estate.

You spoke about the importance of taking risks at Career Day. What have you learned from taking risks over the years?

I find it invigorating! I think you have to try new things and be ok if they don’t work out. My favorite thing about when something doesn’t work out is trying to figure out what didn’t work, how we can correct the issues, and then try again! It’s about always trying, always inventing, always thinking outside of the box.

What type of roadblocks/stereotypes have you faced in your career?

When I was in commercial real estate, I was the only woman agent in our entire office and the only agent under 40 (I was 22). It was an unbelievably sexist and degrading environment. Sadly, since it was my first job out of college, I just assumed that was the way it would be in the “real world.” However, thankfully, after three years of putting up with it, I left and it was the best decision I ever made. I felt like a failure leaving, but I quickly learned that I should have left the minute it started to eat at my soul to be there. I should have never wasted three years in those circumstances.

Who is a role model of yours?

Oprah. Anyone who knows me knows she is my absolute idol. She has experienced so many obstacles, and yet she continues to show up with grace, integrity and authenticity. My two favorite Oprah quotes/sayings are, “When you know better, you do better,” (it’s actually Maya Angelou but Oprah likes to quote Maya) and “People just want to be validated: I see you. I hear you. And what you say matters to me.”

Malou Innocent ’01

Adjunct Scholar, Cato Institute & Corporate Finance Professional, Afina International

MA, University of Chicago; BA, University of California, Berkeley

Malou is an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute and a corporate finance professional for Afina International where she leads business operations, organizational strategy, and corporate governance. Previously, she was a foreign policy analyst at Cato from 2007 to 2013. She is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and her primary research interests include Middle East and Persian Gulf security issues and U.S. foreign policy toward Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China. With Ted Galen Carpenter, she is the author of Perilous Partners: The Benefits and Pitfalls of America’s Alliances with Authoritarian Regimes (Cato Institute, 2015). Malou has published reviews and articles on national security and international affairs in journals such as Survival, Congressional Quarterly, and Harvard International Review. In addition, she has appeared as a guest analyst for many major news networks and contributed to a variety of publications, both in the United States and overseas.

Did you jump into foreign policy work right after graduating from the University of Chicago?

I did. Something that I recommend to all students who are applying for jobs is don’t always think that you are going to land your dream job. You don’t know if that’s a lily pad or a stepping stone to another position. I applied for a research assistant position, and at first I thought, “It’s only a research assistant role, I have a master’s degree, I could do more,” and within a year, I was promoted to foreign policy analyst. You want to get your foot in the door, you want to have a way to get your name out there, and you never know where something might lead.

So right after graduating, I moved on and worked as a research assistant at Cato, mainly working on issues related to Persian Gulf and Middle East security, and within my first six months, I stood up to my bosses because I recommended a policy paper that hadn’t been discussed in the political discourse about the expansion of Iranian power in the Middle East after the Iraq War. It was something that my boss hadn’t considered before... The broader lesson is, don’t be afraid to show initiative on the job. Don’t be afraid to show your boss, your superiors, that you have ideas, that you’re thinking about what’s going on in the world and in your job and how you can think in new creative ways... Always be curious and always try to think outside the box.

Did your foreign policy work allow you to travel abroad often?

Yes, I went with a delegation to Taiwan back in 2012, which was very interesting. We met with Taiwanese officials, who were very worried about Chinese espionage of the Taiwan island... One of my most fascinating trips was doing field research in Pakistan. There, I was interviewing former and current government officials, military leaders, members of the national security establishment, journalists, senators, judges - it was very eye opening.

Are there many women in your line of work? As a woman, what challenges do you face working in foreign policy and corporate finance?

In general, there are a lot more men in this industry. I don’t know if it’s because it deals with militarism - a lot of men come from the Naval Academy, or have gone to West Point, or have a military background... I think that partly explains why it’s more male dominated, but I think that is slowly changing... There are a lot of resources for women interested in foreign policy, such as the Council on Foreign Relations’ Women in Foreign Policy Program, Women’s Foreign Policy Group and SheSource. There are a lot of groups and organizations trying to encourage women to go into the foreign and domestic policy field. Even though it wasn’t the case 10 years ago, you’re seeing it much more now.

Vanessa Anderson ’88

Senior Vice President and Private Wealth Advisor, UBS Wealth Management

JD, University of California, Los Angeles; BA, Yale University

Vanessa joined UBS Private Wealth Management in 2003. Prior to joining UBS, Vanessa was a Vice President in the Private Wealth Management group at Goldman, Sachs & Co., and prior to that, she was an attorney at Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich (now DLA Piper) in the banking and real estate group. Her industry accolades include rankings among Barron's "Top 100 Women Financial Advisors" for 10 consecutive years (2008-2017) and On Wall Street "Top 40 Advisors under 40" in 2008.

You are truly paving the way in your industry, having been named to On Wall Street's "Top 40 Advisors Under 40" and Barron's "Top 100 Women Financial Advisors" lists. Who or what continues to inspire you?

My team and I work with a very select group of clients. They are founders, innovators, leaders and executives within their industries and I love working with them, learning from them and learning about cutting edge advances they are working on in their fields – it's exciting and relevant. I also enjoy the global financial markets and understanding global capital flows. It's empowering to understand markets and the business world and be around information flow! My two high school kids can see this empowerment, while I make plenty of time for them and our active social circle.

What important support systems were in place for you that helped you get to where you are today?

My parents always emphasized education as a way to achieve anything. SJND teachers were warm and supportive and gave me a lot of confidence. I worked part-time throughout high school and my mentors in the workplace pushed me to apply to East Coast colleges. I was internally driven because of all these people cheering me on, so I never had a fall back plan.

What advice would you give to young women entering a male-dominated industry?

Knowledge is power. You have to know your stuff. When you speak, you have to speak with no apology and speak with the facts. This will help you standout. Also, ask for a mentor if you do not have one assigned to you. This can provide you insight and support wherever your first, second or third job takes you!

Read More: SJND Alumnae Making an Impact

Josefina Rodriguez '06 Speaks to Young Entrepreneur’s Club

Thank you to Josefina Rodriguez '06 who graciously came back to present to the SJND Young Entrepreneur’s Club about her career in digital marketing and ad strategy at Quora in Mountain View.

Catherine Gacad ’93 Discusses Female Leadership with SJND Students

We were thrilled to welcome alumna Catherine Gacad back to campus on February 12 for a presentation tailored to our female leaders.

A graduate of the SJND Class of 1993, Catherine completed her undergraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and later received her MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Catherine is currently a Senior Vice President of Advanced Technology and Partnerships at Wells Fargo, where she is responsible for developing and supporting relationships with various divisions of the company to facilitate effective internal dialogue and support client meetings. Before joining Wells Fargo in 2004, Catherine worked in finance at private equity and technology firms. In addition, she runs a successful lifestyle blog founded in 2005.

During her presentation Catherine spoke about her own career experiences and path to success, and addressed important topics for young women, including combating gender and racial discrimination in the workplace, as well as misconceptions about female leadership. She encouraged the female students to stand up for themselves, to take risks, support each other and speak up.

“It took me a long time to learn this lesson, especially because I am an introvert and I never wanted to say something wrong in meetings. But always find opportunities to say something, anything that's insightful,” Catherine told the audience. “Whether you're in class or in a meeting, say something or even ask a question. Don't just sit there. Contribute.”

Breaking Down Barriers in Hollywood

While just four percent of the 100 top-grossing films in 2018 were directed by women, it’s safe to say movements like #MeToo and Time’s Up are drawing much deserved attention to the women breaking down barriers in the male-dominated entertainment industry.

One of those women is SJND Alumna and Film Director Marielle Heller ’97.

Four years after her debut film premiered, Marielle Heller ’97 just wrapped her third directorial film project. Her second film, "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" garnered high praise and recently closed out an exciting awards season, picking up multiple Academy Awards nominations and earning Marielle the EDA Female Focus Award for Best Director. Her new film, titled, "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," chronicles journalist Tom Junod’s interactions with Fred Rogers, played by Tom Hanks, and is set to be released in November 2019.

After graduating from SJND, Marielle studied theatre at University of California, Los Angeles and spent a year at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) in London. She starred in local productions at the Magic Theater, American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and the La Jolla Playhouse before turning her attention to directing.

“I was tired of waiting for somebody else to tell me when I could create art. Writing and directing meant I was more in control of when I get to do things and how I get to do them,” Marielle told the Los Angeles Times.

Today, Marielle is leading the way for other females, setting new precedents on the film set and advocating for other female directors. She is also telling stories about women that may not be told otherwise, such as Lee Israel’s story, portrayed by Melissa McCarthy in "Can You Ever Forgive Me?"

“For me as a film-maker, being seen feels like being understood when we see these women who are not the way Hollywood traditionally represents us. Women who are not objects of men’s desire, women who are not there to further a man’s plot, but women who are existing on their own,” Marielle told Harpers Bazaar UK. “They are as conflicted and smart and interesting as the male characters that we love.”

Creating Change - in the Environment and in the Workplace

A 2009 graduate of SJND, Genora Givens recently received her Master’s Degree in Water Resource Management from Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Science - one of the top schools in the nation for environmental science studies

As a graduate student, Genora noticed a lack of diversity in her program and field, and as a result, helped co-found a student group for students of the African diaspora. The group, called Roots, centers around community-building, programming, fellowship, professional development, recruitment, retention, and mentoring of black students in the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

After graduation, Genora continued to work with Roots while serving as an Environmental Grantmakers Association Fellow at Clean Water Action, researching the impact of oil and gas production on U.S. water quality and quantity. Today, students in the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies continue to participate in Roots, thanks to the foundation Genora laid.

Last summer, Genora spoke with us about her passion for her field and working to address the overlap in environmental and social justice issues.

“I just love the science. I love chemistry and the physical way water works, but also thinking about how we prepare our cities for a change in climate... And also thinking, as we do this redesign [of water flow], how can we keep a justice lens and ensure that we’re designing cities that all people can enjoy and benefit from?” she explained.

Today, Genora is a Program Research Analyst for the David and Lucile Packard Foundation where she supports the Climate and Land Use subprogram as a Research Analyst through UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business Philanthropy Fellowship. Her interests include land use law and watershed protection, as well as the development of methods to incorporate understandings of social vulnerability and inequity into analysis of geographic risk and watershed management and planning.