Women in Business 2017

SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Women in Business

SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017 | 1

An advertising supplement of the Suffolk News-Herald Sunday, June 25, 2017

2 | SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

Guarda: Improving patient outlooks

BY ALEX PERRY STAFF WRITER

Dr. Helena Guarda helps people regain normalcy in their lives after harrowing medical experiences.

She is a plastic surgeon in Suffolk and affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Chesapeake Regional Medical Center and Sentara Obici Hospital. She has been practicing for more than 20 years, and her Plastic Surgery Specialists office in Harbour View Boulevard has received patients for nine years.

She received her medical degree from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Rutgers University in New Jersey. She trained for general and plastic surgeries at Louisiana

State University in New Orleans, where she also had a microvascular fellowship.

She said she was inspired as a student by a particularly memorable case, in which a plastic surgeon performed reconstructive surgery on a patient after a cancer operation.

“It was truly amazing to see large defects reconstructed and the quality of life and normalcy she brought to patients,” Guarda said in an email.

She followed that experience by training with a pioneer of breast reconstructive surgeries, which “allowed women to move beyond the cancer diagnosis and return to their lives,” she said.

She chose her location in Harbour View because of its proximity to the growing popula-

tion in North Suffolk and health care providers in the area.

When it comes to her patients, Guarda said what she enjoys the most is allowing them to be themselves and return to their lives.

This applies to cancer patients seeking reconstruction, along with other cosmetic cases after pregnancy or weight loss.

“It is always exciting to see them happy with their transformation and their positive outlook on life,” she said.

She is supported in her efforts by her husband, three children, six staff members and the Suffolk community.

“They are all very supportive of me and my career,” she said.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to have a caring family, staff and community of patients.”

Dr. Helena Guarda

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017 | 3

Jackson-Bailey considers clients family

BY TRACY AGNEW NEWS EDITOR

Suffolk native Andrea JacksonBailey was headed for a career as a sheet metal mechanic when she learned God had other plans.

Her mom got sick and needed full-time care. She had started the Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School but had to slow her schooling to take care of her mother.

“I did what I had to do,” she said.

“It took me longer than normal to graduate from apprentice school, but you only have one mother.”

Jackson-Bailey’s mother died in 2006, and she went on to graduate from the apprentice school in 2011.

But by then, she was also taking care of her great-aunt, who had Alzheimer’s.

When Jackson-Bailey got hurt at the shipyard and couldn’t work, she decided to draw on her experience

taking care of her own family and start her business, Amazing Grace Home Health Care.

“I treat everybody like my family member, because I know how hard it is to find someone you trust,” she said. “There’s so many people that need care and someone they can trust.”

Jackson-Bailey now has 55 employees who care for clients.

“I like to call them my family members,” she said. “They become your family members.”

Services include personal care, companion services, respite care, light household chores, meal preparation, transportation to errands and more.

The business also offers group outings every so often for clients in the same area to go to the mall or to the movies, for example.

“We try our best to meet everybody’s needs,” Jackson-Bailey said.

Clients are matched with employ-

ees who have the expertise to care for their specific needs. For example, a client with dementia won’t be placed with a new employee with no experience caring for patients with dementia, Jackson-Bailey said.

“We try to match the client with the employee with the attention they need in different fields,” she said.

Jackson-Bailey meets personally with each client when they first sign up so she can get to know them.

“I love to have a face with a name,” she said.

Jackson-Bailey said her work is rewarding for her, because she knows she is helping families. She remembers what it’s like to be caring for a family member with little to no rest.

“Some people can’t go to work, because their loved ones can’t be left alone,” she said. “Things happen in life. In order to provide for your household, you need help.”

TRACY AGNEW/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

Andrea Jackson-Bailey started her business, Amazing Grace Home Health Care, after caring for her mother and her great-aunt at home.

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

Gwaltney Dental’s family of women

BY ALEX PERRY STAFF WRITER

When Gwaltney Dental practice manager Christie Harrell was looking for a job nearly 14 years ago, working at a dentist’s office wasn’t the first option on her mind.

But then she had a checkup at the office and found out they had an opening.

“I could always hear the doctor laughing with the staff,” Harrell said. “It seemed like a happy place to work.”

Harrell was hired, and is now one of the 14 staff members at Gwaltney Dental, where all but two of the employees are women.

“I am proud of the women of our practice,” Harrell said.

“They are all talented, multifunctional women who truly care about every single patient.”

The practice has been providing its services to residents for more than 30 years, with 4,480 patient visits and 444 new patients in 2016, Harrell said.

The family in the office has bonded over the years with close friendships and little turnover.

“We’ve seen each other’s kids grow up, we’re there for each, and we try to spend as much time as we can together,” said insurance coordinator Liberty Cook Dr. Steve Gwaltney fosters this atmosphere with a carefree attitude and sense of humor.

He’s even arranged group cardio and strength training exercises during office lunch hours for fun teambuilding.

Harrell said that he encouraged her and others to take vacation time and spend it with family.

This was especially helpful for her, as she and her husband Bob worked full time while raising their children James and Reid.

“Dr. Gwaltney makes sure he takes good care of us,” she said.

Gwaltney works with his son, Dr. James Gwaltney, and his daughter-in-law, Dr. Whitney

Gwaltney Dental staff members Stina Babb and Heather Lassiter are ready to greet patients at the office’s front desk.

Gwaltney, to provide quality dental care, including corrective options that would typically require a referral to a specialist.

“Patients don’t like to be referred to a different specialist, because then they have to go to a different place,” Harrell said. “We try to keep all of our procedures in house to keep the comfort of the patients.”

Apprehensive first-time patients are put at ease by the friendly staff, and Harrell greets each patient at the front desk.

“I get to know most of the patients,” she said.

Whitney Gwaltney said she works well with the younger patients. She joked that she was the “less authoritative” of the three doctors.

“A lot of patients really enjoy having me in the mix,” she said.

Cook said she likes being part of a small staff that looks out for each other.

“You just get to know each other better, and everyone cares about each other,” she said. “It doesn’t just feel like a job; it feels like you’re all in it together.”

ALEX PERRY/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

With more than 90 patients weekly and more than 200 new patients already this year, that positivity keeps this family productive and ready.

“It can be fast paced at times, and there’s something new every day, but everybody has a positive, enthusiastic attitude,” Cook said.

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Dr. Steve A. Gwaltney

SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017 | 5

Dr. Whitney B. Gwaltney

Dr. J. Ryland Gwaltney

We Proudly Salute Our Dedicated Women Employees and Their Years of Service.

Bertina Copeland: 10/05/2001 Christie Harrell: 07/14/2003 Liberty Cook: 08/16/2004 Shellie Derrick: 03/07/2007 Stephanie Vick: 11/30/2009 Colby Worrell: 11/01/2010 Melissa Kemppainem: 08/22/2011 Leslie Williams: 02/25/2015 Dr. Whitney Bailey Gwaltney: 09/08/2015 Amber Crane: 11/25/2015 Heather Lassiter: 12/19/2016 AWARD SLIVER WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE YOU!

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6 | SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

New group renovates young minds

BY TRACY AGNEW NEWS EDITOR

A new Suffolk nonprofit organization is mentoring young girls and doing other things to help improve the community.

Renovation of the Mind will open soon at 128 W. Washington St. But despite not having a physical location yet, the organization already is making a difference.

The organization currently mentors nearly a dozen girls ages 10 to 17. It also plans to send five girls to camp at no charge this summer.

Other offerings already in progress or planned include an afterschool program, clothes closet, summer lunch program for next year, parenting classes, computer classes, etiquette classes, mentoring for young men, scholarships, homeless assistance and more.

“It has always been a passion for me not to just help young

girls but the community itself,” said Aletha Tillman-Falls, founder and chief executive officer of the organization.

She worked for the Department of Social Services in Baltimore, Md., for more than 20 years. But then she felt called to move to Suffolk.

She started the new organization to help young ladies.

“I don’t want to keep seeing our girls giving up, getting pregnant and falling through the system,” she said. “We have to make a difference.”

Tillman-Falls isn’t alone in her passion. She has plenty of help, including her daughter, Raymonette Ferguson-Saunders.

Other ladies involved include Sherrell Bailey, Antonette HarrisScott, Carol Melchor and president Mironda Reid.

“Working with young ladies is a passion for me,” said Ferguson-

Saunders. “It’s what I do. Young girls need mentoring and guidance and positive influence, and it feels good to do it.”

Ferguson-Saunders said everyone in the group has a passion for helping young ladies reach their full potential.

“I think all of us have a passion for the young ladies,” she said.

“They trust us. They feel like they can talk to us. We have talked about so many different things.”

During group sessions, girls can anonymously submit questions to talk about. That’s how they got on the topic of bullying recently.

“We were able to directly talk about the bullying and how it makes other people feel,” Ferguson-Saunders said. “We have a really good rapport with the young ladies.”

The mentoring will go on as long as needed for each individual, Ferguson-Saunders said.

WE RESTORE, REBUILD & RENEW!

TRACY AGNEW/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

Some of the ladies who lead Renovation of the Mind pause for a photo. From left are Sherrell Bailey, Raymonette Ferguson-Saunders, founder and chief executive officer Aletha Tillman-Falls, Antonette Harris-Scott and Carol Melchor. Not pictured is president Mironda Reid.

“We plan to have our girls as long as they need us.”

The young ladies in the program have visited the opera, done vision boards, delivered Easter baskets at Bettie Davis Village and done other community service projects.

“I love kids,” Bailey said. “I

think it’s needed. We need it for the young girls.”

“I too have a passion for working with children,” Melchor said.

“There needs to be more people out here doing the same thing. If there’s anything I can do to help, I’m there.”

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Daniels provides an alternative

BY ALEX PERRY STAFF WRITER

Brenda Daniels spent 12 years in Portsmouth Public Schools as a teacher, where she learned how to pay attention to kids. She realized that the classes weren’t working for all of the students, and she felt inspired to provide an alternative.

“Kids were falling out of love with school, and I hated it,” Daniels said. “I feel like God told me it was time to launch a different kind of learning.”

She did just that with a ribbon cutting ceremony in June 2016 as the founder and principal of Star Pointe Academy on Harbour View Boulevard in Suffolk.

The 7,500-square foot space was tailored and prepared according to surveys Daniels conducted with more than 5,000 kids in Hampton Roads.

“Everything is based on what came out of their little hearts,” Daniels said.

The 43 fourth through 10th graders in the school’s first year enjoyed an environment that incorporated science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics, along with classical English education and biblical history and rhetoric.

Students enjoyed daily computer science and engineering classes. Self-taught dance and music classes were available, plus other unique courses.

These classes took place in spaces dubbed “the robo lab,” “the English café,” and a “music gym where we rock out for Jesus,” Daniels said.

“I’m free to try different ways of education, and I’m thrilled it’s working as well as it is,” she said.

“It’s gone beyond where I could have dreamed.”

Daniels and her team of teachers supervised a rigorous school year.

Fourth graders learn algebra, while seventh graders earn their first high school credit in Algebra 1. High School grade students are enrolled in a dual enrollment program and are on track to earn their associate’s degrees in addition to their high school diplomas.

Dual enrollment graduates can go into college as juniors, instead of freshmen.

“It takes a kid who’s ready to be self-driven in order to function in an environment like this,” Daniels said.

She estimates there will be about 60 students next school year, including 20 who will return from last year.

“I feel so amazing,” she said. “I feel overwhelmed that kids don’t want to leave at the of the day.”

SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017 | 7

ALEX PERRY/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

Star Pointe Academy founder and principal Brenda Daniels smiles with the school’s robot project, which is a familiar face for the students in the robotics classes.

...........................................................................................................

We are the Family Solution to aBetter Education

STAR POINTE ACADEMY is one of the few worldwide examples of a school that demonstr change is both necessary and achievable. A drastic solution was needed to address the mund schools including: 1) the lack of passion and motivation in students, 2) the drudgery of classwor 3) the stress of statewide assessments, and 4) the jail-like institutional layout of the learnin educational system needed a makeover and we did just that. We stopped talking about wha schools and redesigned the experience instead.

STAR POINTE is a modern, independent, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Maker Education, Christian School nestled in a repurposed office space with lots of upgrades an located in the prestigious Harbour View community of Suffolk, Virginia. We offer a dynamic, stu education for grades 4-9 and relish in being recognized as the family solution to a better educatio with a dual focus on deeper learning and student opportunities. Our goal is to develop student design thinkers and idea launchers who have the confidence to use their gifts in high capacities e setting a new protocol or crafting a new innovation.

At the heart of our school approach is instruction in God’s Holy Word and His unwavering love w STAR POINTE is a modern, independent, STEAM (Science,strong, Technology, Engineering, Arts, that Mathematics), positive relationships flow throughout our instructional communities, student c Maker Education, Christian School nestled in a repurposed office space with lots of upgrades and cool features parent interactions, and our business partnerships. Character counts here at STAR POINTE

located in the prestigious Harbour View community of Suffolk, Virginia. We offer a dynamic, student-centered education for grades 4-9 and relish in being recognized as the family solution to a better educational experience with a dual focus on deeper learning and student opportunities. Our goal is to develop students to be creative design thinkers and idea launchers who have the confidence to use their gifts in high capacities even if it means setting a new protocol or crafting a new innovation.

8 | SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

“I am truly grateful to have served the women here in Suffolk for over 20 years. I could not have done this without the help of my entire office staff, but most importantly, my other providers. Not only do they provide excellent care, they serve as positive role models for our patients and empower the women of Suffolk to make the best choices regarding their health.”

— Dr. Benigno Federici, Specialists for Women

Women specializing for women Mary Williams

Amy P. King A lifelong resident of Suffolk, Amy graduated from Louise Obici School of Nursing, beginning her career working as a registered nurse in medical/surgical/ oncology and neonatal/postpartum departments at Obici Hospital.

She received her Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Phoenix in 2005, followed by her certification in Women’s Health in 2006 from Drexel University.

A member of the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, Amy has been practicing as a member of the Specialists For Women team since 2006. She resides in Suffolk with her husband and her two children.

King

Mary grew up in Southwestern Virginia, where she attended Virginia Tech, obtaining her Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition. Following five years of working as a Registered Dietician at Sentara Obici Hospital, she obtained her WHNP-BC degree and CNM certification from Frontier University.

Prior to going into private practice, Mary worked as a Labor and Delivery Nurse for three years, and as Nurse Manager for the Women’s Center at Sentara Obici Hospital for seven years.

A member of the American College of NurseMidwives, she has been in private practice for five years. Mary lives in Suffolk with her husband and three children.

Donna Muhlenbeck

Charlene L. Meyer

A graduate of the Sentara Norfolk General School of Professional Nursing, Donna received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Old Dominion University.

She obtained both a Graduate Nurse-Midwifery and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner degree from Frontier School of Family Nursing and her Master of Science in Midwifery from Philadelphia University in Pennsylvania.

Board certified in Virginia, Donna is a member of the American College of Nurse-Midwives and has been practicing as a member of the Specialists For Women team since 2004.

A native of upstate New York, Charlene was awarded a Master’s of Science in Nursing degree in 1999 from the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Nursing in Knoxville, Tenn.

She has extensive experience in caring for the healthcare needs of women of all ages, having worked as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner in a variety of settings, to include a military clinic, a college and in infertility and reproductive medicine.

Charlene is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the Honor Society of Nursing, and is a trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner.

She enjoys gardening, reading and a number of volunteer organizations.

Muglenbeck

Williams

Meyer

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017 | 9

Specialists For Women

a division of mid atlantic womens care

Benigno Federici, MS, MD, FACOG 757-539-3911 2790 Godwin Blvd., Suite 360, Suffolk, VA 23434

5833 Harbour View Blvd., Suite C, Suffolk, VA 23435

www.specialistsforwomen.com

10 | SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Dr. Jana Boyd: Busy, busy, busy

Wife to Dr. Benigno Federici, mother to two boys — Carter, 6, and Marco, 4 — a newborn baby girl, Carmella, and two Basset hounds, Dr. Jana Boyd is an active volunteer at the Western Tidewater Free Clinic and Mission of Mercy projects.

And yet Dr. Boyd still finds the time and energy to run her own dental practice.

A Baton Rouge native, Jana Boyd earned both her Bachelor of Science Degree in Microbiology and a Doctorate of Dental Surgery from Louisiana State University.

After completing dental school, she served as a Dental Officer in the United States Navy from 2002 to 2006.

After four years of being stationed all over the country, from Camp Pendleton Marine Base in Southern California to the USS Theodore Roosevelt in Norfolk,

Dr. Jana Boyd A quick look — Dentist — Married — Mother of three — Two dogs — WTFC volunteer — Mission of Mercy volunteer — U.S. Navy veteran

Dr. Boyd began practicing dentistry in the private sector.

She worked as an Associate

Dentist at several dental practices in the Hampton Roads Area but always knew she would have her own practice some day.

In October 2015, Dr. Boyd made her dreams a reality after taking over the dental practice owned by Dr. Charles Rawls Jr. Though she was initially concerned about having enough time to spend with her family, everything has worked out better than imagined. She looks forward to providing dental care to her patients for many years.

Dr. Boyd has now been in the practice of making sure our smiles are good for life, for over 15 years. She plans to be a part of the community for many years and enjoy watching her children grow up.

When time allows, you can also catch her running or swimming.

e if L r o f d o o G is g in Smil

Dr. Jana Boyd Family Dentistry

Jana Boyd D.D.S. 2900 Godwin Blvd. Suffolk, VA 23434 Phone 757-539-1588 • Fax 757-539-2649 www.janaboyddds.com

Boyd

SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

Create a better work-life balance

Parents with responsibilities at work and at home commonly struggle to find balance between these two often-conflicting sets of obligations.

Surveys have indicated that working professionals who work less are more likely to be happy with their work-life balance than those who burn the midnight oil at work, but for many adults, working less is not always an option.

A 2012 report from New Zealand’s Ministry of Social Development found that the percentage of working professionals who were very satisfied or satisfied with their work-life balance declined as their hours worked increased.

Canada’s General Social Survey discovered similar results, noting that, while the majority of working parents were satisfied with their work-life balance, those who were not most frequently cited their dissatisfaction at not having enough time for family life as the main culprit behind their discontent.

Creating a better work-life balance is an ongoing commitment, and even working parents who employ the following strategies may find they need to periodically tweak their routines so they can fulfill their obligations at home and at the office.

4Schedule family time. Since working professionals unhappy with their worklife balance often cite lack of family time as the reason for that dissatisfaction, finding time for family may be the key to changing that outlook.

Schedule time for family just as you schedule the rest of your daily commitments. Listing family dinners or activities in your daily schedule will ensure you don’t mistakenly schedule other activities during family time.

4Employ technology where possible.

Some working parents may feel as though technology has made it harder than ever to leave work at the office. But while smartphones, tablets and other devices may mean you’re never too far away from work, technology also can be used to create more time with loved ones.

Employ an app such as FaceTime to eat lunch with your spouse or chat with your children each day. Such interactions may not be as enjoyable as face-to-face interactions, but building them into your

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

day can help you stay in touch with family and provide a welcome respite from busy workdays.

4Use your vacation days. A recent study from Project: Time Off, a national movement aimed at highlighting the important role that time off from work can play in the lives of professionals, found that 55 percent of Americans did not use their full allotment of vacation days in 2015.

That translated to 658 million unused vacation days, 222 million of which could not be carried over into 2016.

Professionals who want to create a better work-life balance can examine their vacation-day usage and resolve to use them all if they are not already. Parents can use vacation days on national holidays when schools are closed so they can squeeze in family time, even when they are not going on trips.

Parents who put their minds to it can create a more fulfilling work-life balance.

— Metro Creative Services

SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017 | 11

Signs of stress that must be addressed

The American Institute of Stress notes that various disorders, both emotional and physical, have been linked to stress.

Such disorders include depression, stroke, hypertension, and anxiety, among others.

In its 2015 Stress in America survey, the American Psychological Association found that money, stress and family responsibilities are the three most common stressors.

While the symptoms of stress are uncomfortable and potentially very dangerous, the APA notes that such indicators also serve as a warning from the body that it needs maintenance and extra care.

The following are some of the ways the body might be telling adults to step back and make an effort to relieve stress.

4Headaches, muscle tension, neck or back pain: Some headaches or aches and pains might be mere nuisances or indicative of issues unrelated to stress. But when such symptoms are accompanied by stress, this could be the body’s way of alerting men and women that the stress is approaching unhealthy levels.

The AIS notes that when a person is under stress, his or her muscles tense up. The contraction of these muscles for extended periods of time can trigger tension headaches and migraines, among other things.

4Chest pains and/or rapid heartbeat: Chest pains and rapid heartbeat may indicate various problems, including stress.

This happens when the body is stressed, because stress causes the nervous system to signal the adrenal glands to release hormones that make the heart beat faster and

increase blood pressure.

4Difficulty falling or staying asleep: Men and women who are feeling stressed out and also experiencing difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep should consult their physicians about ways to alleviate that stress. When strategies to alleviate stress are successful, adults should be able to return to normal, healthy sleeping patterns.

4Increased frequency of colds: Stress can attack the body’s immune system, making it increasingly vulnerable to colds. The AIS also notes that a weakened immune system also makes the body more susceptible to additional viral disorders, including herpes, and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

4Loss of appetite or overeating: Stress can affect the gastrointestinal system in various ways, including influencing appetite. While not all problems with appetite are indicative of a body that is overstressed, stress can prompt some people to eat much more than they normally do, while others may eat considerably less than they normally would.

4Diarrhea or constipation: Another indicator that stress is compromising the gastrointestinal system is diarrhea or constipation. Again, while these problems are not exclusive to sufferers of stress, when a person is under stress, this can affect which nutrients the body can successfully absorb and how quickly food is metabolized. This can cause some people to experience diarrhea, while others may be constipated.

— Metro Creative Services

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12 | SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Safe, healthy, happy, pregnant and working Congratulations, you are pregnant. The next several months are certain to include many changes as you prepare for the arrival of your child.

Whether you have been pregnant before or are about to become a mom for the first time, each experience is unique. And while dealing with the unexpected is part of being pregnant, pregnant women should expect their employers to treat them fairly as they continue to work.

The first thing pregnant working women should know is that they have the right to work while pregnant. In the United States, it has been illegal to discriminate against pregnant women in the workplace since 1978, when the Pregnancy Discrimination Act was passed.

But in spite of those laws, some employers may be less receptive to their female employees’ pregnancies, with some insisting they harbor good intentions, such as the woman’s safety.

Businesses cannot fire employees for being pregnant, and many courts have ruled that decisions about the safety of the woman and fetus are up to the employee and her doctor, not her boss. Also, a company cannot refuse to hire a person simply because she’s pregnant.

While pregnancy is a natural occurrence and one female bodies can accommodate, in some instances, work requirements may threaten the safety or the health of the fetus.

Therefore, employers are under a duty to accommodate female workers who may need to modify their duties due to their pregnancies. This can be a collaborative discussion, with both the employer and

employee coming to a solution that works best for them.

It is the employer’s responsibility to accommodate pregnant employees by removing barriers that may limit those employees’ ability to do their jobs. Each instance should be looked at individually.

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act, women in the United States are entitled to 12 weeks maternity leave.

Women can choose to use a portion of that maternity leave even before their children are born if physical limitations are making it challenging for them to continue working.

Women should put their health and the safety of their unborn children ahead of their responsibilities at work. In addition, women should not hesitate to speak with their employers about their comfort levels while pregnant. If an issue arises, speak with your boss, who deserves the benefit of the doubt.

In some instances, breastfeeding also is protected by law at job sites or at the office.

It is best for women to familiarize themselves with breastfeeding policies ahead of time so they can make the proper accommodations.

Pregnant women should discuss with their doctors which work activities are permissible and which should be avoided at particular times in the pregnancy.

Every effort should be made to avoid toxic substances, and pregnant women should not lift heavy items or engage in any potentially risky physical activity.

For more information about workplace rights, visit the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at www.eeoc.gov.

— Metro Creative Services

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SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

Make maternity leave transition smooth The average length of maternity leave varies depending on geography, but the vast majority of new mothers take time away from work upon giving birth.

Maternity leave affords women the opportunity to connect with and provide for their babies, while hopefully giving new mothers some time to recover from childbirth as well.

When maternity leave ends, the transition back to work can be difficult. New mothers often struggle when the time comes to leave their babies at daycare, with a nanny or with a relative.

Adding to that emotional difficulty, women also face the task of diving back into their careers and all the responsibilities that come with those careers.

While returning to work after maternity leave can be difficult, the following tips might help women make the transition go more smoothly.

4Give yourself a grace period. Even if you’re accustomed to going full bore at the office, the first days or even weeks after returning from maternity leave will be anything but ordinary.

Give yourself a grace period upon returning to work, gradually easing back in, rather than expecting to dive right in with both feet on your first day back.

Not taking on too much too quickly can help you adjust to your new reality and give you time to cope with any emotions you might be feeling about leaving your child with a caregiver.

4Arrange to work remotely one or two days per week. Speak with your employer about making such an arrangement permanent or temporary, explaining how even working from home just a single day per week might help you calm your nerves about dropping a child off with a caregiver.

Thanks to the cost savings and advancements in technology, many employers are now more amenable to allowing staffers to work remotely. But new moms won’t know their employers’ point of view on working from home unless they ask.

4Take the full leave. A 2013 study published online in the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law found a direct link between the length of maternity leave and the risk of postpartum depression.

Researchers followed more than 800 women in their first year after giving birth and found that women at six weeks, 12 weeks and six months of maternity leave had lower postpartum depression scores than their peers who returned to work.

Postpartum depression can produce a host of unwanted symptoms, including a lack of interest in daily tasks and too little sleep, each of which can affect a mothers’ performance at work.

By taking the leave afforded to them by their employers and/or local laws, women may reduce their risk for postpartum depression, which can make their transitions back to work that much easier.

4Take breaks during the day. Frequent, short breaks during the workday can benefit all employees, but especially new mothers returning to work after maternity leave.

Returning to work can feel overwhelming, and routine breaks provide mothers with chances to catch their breath. Studies have indicated that such breaks also can reenergize workers, an especially useful benefit for new mothers, who are likely not getting as much sleep as they were accustomed to prior to giving birth.

Returning from maternity leave can be hard on new mothers, but there are ways to make the transition go smoothly.

— Metro Creative Solutions

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Tips for women mulling career change

Women considering a career change may experience mixed emotions. The excitement elicited by such a decision may be tempered by fear.

Such fear is natural when embarking on a new path and leaving behind some security and professional equity, but that fear should not be the deciding factor when women mull whether or not to change careers.

The decision to change careers is something that requires careful thought and ample consideration of a host of factors. Women facing such a decision can consider the following tips to ensure they make the best choice for themselves.

4Consider your motivation before pursuing a change. The motivation behind a career change can go a long way toward determining if that change is ultimately successful.

Money can be a great motivator, but if money is the only thing driving a change, then women might be better off pursuing new opportunities within their existing field, rather than changing careers entirely, as staying within the field will allow women to capitalize on the professional equity they have built over their careers, while also providing a new challenge.

A genuine interest in another profession or a desire to find a better work-life balance might make for better motivators to change careers than simply switching to make more money.

4Do your homework. Career changes require hard work and, if extra schooling is necessary, a potentially sizable financial investment.

Women should thoroughly research any fields they might pursue before making a change so they can fully understand the commitment they will need to make.

Once they get an idea of what they will need to do make a successful career change, women should speak with their family to discuss the effects that their pursuit may have on family members.

Such a discussion can make the transition to a new career easier, and the support a woman’s family provides along the way can serve as something to lean on if or when things start to feel over-

whelming.

4Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Many people are dissatisfied with their careers, and those who aren’t might have been at one time.

When mulling a career change, don’t be afraid to seek help. Help might come from family or friends, but women shouldn’t limit themselves with regard to whose help they will accept.

If a woman wants to become a college professor, she shouldn’t hesitate to contact a professor at a local college, explaining her situation and asking for any advice.

Women have nothing to lose by reaching out, and such help can prove invaluable. And women might be surprised to learn just how willing even strangers might be to lend a hand.

4Give yourself time. Career changes are rarely an overnight process.

Successfully switching careers takes time, so don’t give yourself a quick deadline to make a change.

Such pressure likely won’t increase your chances of making a successful switch, and you won’t enjoy the process nearly as much if you bury yourself in pressure.

Changing careers can be exciting and nerve-wracking. Affording such a switch the consideration it deserves and doing your homework can help make the switch as successful as you envision it being.

— Metro Creative Services

SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017 | 13

Land the right internship

Internships provide great opportunities for young women to get their professional feet wet.

While classroom lessons provide theoretical senses of what a profession might be like, an internship gives an actual sense, shedding light on how a particular business or industry operates.

In its Class of 2015 Student Survey, the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that women (65.8 percent) were slightly more likely to have had an internship than men (64.6 percent).

Competition for internships can be steep, and young women who want to set themselves apart from the field can employ various strategies as they search for internships.

4Learn the recruiting schedule. Some professions may recruit interns year-round, while others may only look for interns during particular times of the year.

Speak with your academic advisor or someone in your college or university’s career placement department to determine when opportunities in your field are most likely to be available, and make sure your materials (i.e., résumé and portfolio) are ready when that recruiting season begins.

4Don’t limit yourself. Cast a wide net when searching for an internship.

If you want to be an investment banker, landing an internship that allows you to work alongside investment bankers may be ideal. However, limiting yourself to only those opportunities may be prohibitive, and you may end up with nothing.

Maintain an open mind when pursuing internships. Even if you don’t land your dream internship, another opportunity may provide lots of hands-on experience, while also allowing you to get your foot in the

door.

4Tell the truth. Embellishing your résumé might help you get an interview, but chances are the interviewer will learn pretty quickly if your purported skills are authentic.

Internship programs are designed for students with little or no experience who might one day turn into valued employees.

If a company suspects an internship candidate of embellishing her skills and experience now, that candidate might never get her foot back in the door.

Tell the truth and express your excitement at any opportunity that allows you to apply classroom lessons in real world settings.

4Don’t accept just any internship. Not every internship is worth the effort.

While interns may be asked to perform some menial tasks during their internships, the right opportunities afford interns the chance to get professional experience and interact with working professionals.

If an opportunity is largely or exclusively clerical, you might be better off continuing your search or volunteering with a firm.

Young women looking for internships can take various steps to ensure they land the most beneficial opportunities available to them.

— Metro Creative Services

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14 | SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

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Take a cue from successful women

Women had another successful year in 2015. According to the Fortune 500 list, 2015 tied the record set for the highest number of female CEOs in America’s largest companies by revenue.

Twenty-four women, including Mary Barra of General Motors, Meg Whitman of Hewlett-Packard and Ginny Rometty of IBM, made the list.

Although women make up 45 percent of the labor force and only 5 percent head Fortune 500 companies, women are making greater strides than ever before. For example, in 1998, just one woman led a Fortune 500 company, according to Pew Research Center.

Certain traits could help propel successful women to the top. Here’s a look at some of the ways female professionals can overcome professional hurdles and make their mark.

4Be passionate about what you do.

Women who maintain passion about their careers are more likely to overcome any challenges and stand out in the workplace. If your profession is not stoking any passion, explore alternate career opportunities.

4Recognize your strengths. Today’s professionals are less likely than their predecessors to stick with one company or line of work for their entire working lives.

But just because you change jobs or career paths does not mean your past experience is useless. Successful women know what they do best, whether it’s public speaking, writing or making sales pitches. Apply those strengths when looking for a new job or career.

4Know when to ask for help. Even the most accomplished women have limitations.

Asking for help when you need it can help you overcome those limitations.

To be good at what you do, you first have to learn from others. Sometimes the smartest way to overcome an obstacle is having sev-

eral hands on deck to provide a boost.

Thinking that the work is better left to you alone could be a mistake. Enlist help when you need it and never hesitate to ask for another perspective.

4Make time for exercise. A sluggish body can make for a sluggish mind. Successful people need to be sharp, and exercise can help them maintain their mental focus.

According to John J. Ratey, Ph.D., a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, muscles send hormones rushing to the brain, where they mix with a substance called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. BDNF plays a role in brain cell growth and learning. Without it, brains can’t absorb new information or grow and learn.

Exercise also helps relieve stress, which can make resolutions easier to see and make tasks less overwhelming.

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4Go easy on yourself. While many successful people strive for perfection, achieving perfection is unlikely, if not impossible.

Successful people often admit to being their own worst critics, but don’t beat yourself up if you endure some trial and error. Mistakes can be a great teacher, so use any you make to your advantage.

4Don’t be afraid to take risks. Successful women are not afraid to take risks. Many may have decided they don’t fit a specific mold and want to affect change.

However, calculated risks are different from reckless decisions, and it is important to recognize the difference. A calculated risk may involve starting your own business after learning the ropes in a specific field and testing the waters. Reckless behavior would be opening that business with no relevant experience.

— Metro Creative Services

According to the Solar Foundation’s National Solar Jobs Census 2016, there were 260,077 solar workers working at 8,601 solar companies in the United States in 2016.

The census also found that the five states with the most solar jobs in 2016 were California, Massachusetts, Texas, Nevada, and Florida.

Twenty-eight percent of state solar workers in 2016 were females, making women the largest demographic in the solar industry. Latinos and Hispanics (17.2 percent), Asians or Pacific Islanders (9.1 percent), and veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces (9 percent) rounded out the top four demographics employed by the solar industry.

Of the 260,077 solar industry jobs in 2016, more than 137,000 were classified as installation jobs that paid a median wage of $26 per hour.

With roughly 38,000 jobs in 2016, solar manufacturing was the next biggest employer of workers in the solar industry.

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Sleep doctor likes to help others

By Tracy Agnew News Editor

As one of only a handful of female, board-certified sleep physicians in Hampton Roads, Dr. Shubh Sharma finds her profession very rewarding, because she gets to help improve the lives of her patients.

“If you sleep well, every aspect of your life improves,” she said.

“For them, it’s life-changing.”

Sharma is a physician at Neurology & Sleep Associates of Suffolk, which has locations in Harbour View and near Sentara Obici Hospital. She is the medical director at Sentara Obici and Sentara Belleharbour sleep centers.

Sharma is the first doctor in her family but went into medicine because she wanted to help people.

“I wanted to change the world,” she said. “It sounds so cliché.”

She initially thought she would go into family medicine.

“I wanted the bigger picture,” she said. “But sleep was always in the back of my mind.”

She soon recognized that sleep medicine, like family medicine, affects every aspect of health, so she could specialize in sleep and still get a well-rounded view of her patients’ health.

Sharma completed her Bachelor of Science degree at American University and earned her Doctor of Medicine degree at St. George’s University in Grenada. She completed the Heritage Valley Family Medicine Residency Program in Pennsylvania and did a sleep medicine fellowship at the University of Michigan.

Sharma said the importance of getting good sleep, and the available treatments for a variety of sleep disorders, aren’t very well known among the general population.

TRACY AGNEW/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD “Sleep affects everything,” she Dr. Shubh Sharma is one of only a handful of female, board-certified sleep physicians in Hampton Roads. Some patients, particusaid.

“Sleep deprivation is the larly women, have a gender preference when it comes to selecting their physicians, Neurology & Sleep Associates administrator equivalent of smoking a pack of Kim Golden said. cigarettes a day.”

SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017 | 15

People with cardiac and pulmonary issues especially are prone to their overall health being affected by sleep disorders. However, a variety of other conditions, such as diabetes and obesity, can also be worsened if patients are not getting good quality or quantity of sleep.

Sharma said most people should get seven to nine hours of sleep a night. Unfortunately, its importance is often overlooked.

“It’s the first thing that suffers with any sort of stress, good or bad,” Sharma said. Sleep often suffers even during a vacation, for instance.

The proliferation of energy drinks and electronic devices has affected the sleep of much of the population, Sharma said. Many people with sleep issues can correct them by cutting back on caffeinated beverages and not using smartphones or tablets or watching television while in bed.

“A lot of these issues can be easily taken care of if we make a few lifestyle changes,” she said.

Sharma said even people with serious sleep disorders sometimes downplay the importance of them. She treats mostly sleep apnea patients but also those with insomnia, sleepwalking and sleep terrors and people with hyper-sleep issues such as narcolepsy.

“People go around thinking it’s normal to feel drowsy during the day,” she said. “It’s not normal.”

A variety of medical treatments, as well as lifestyle changes, are available for many sleep disorders. Many people know about machines available to treat sleep apnea but aren’t as aware of treatments available for other disorders, Sharma said.

However, the word is slowly spreading as more people are able to be treated. Sharma is glad to see any patient who can get better sleep.

“I like to sleep,” she said. “I want my patients to sleep well.

It’s something I’ve always felt passionately about.”

16 | SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

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If you or a loved one have concerns about memory loss or other symptoms of Alzheimer's or dementia, it is important to be evaluated by a physician.

You could be suffering from Sleep Apnea, A common and treatable condition which causes poor sleep quality, tiredness and is a risk for serious diseases such as high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

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