Executive MBA Mama Spotlight: Holly O’Dell of Wharton San Francisco

Our latest spotlight features Holly O’Dell, R.N., J.D., an Executive MBA student at Wharton’s San Francisco campus. Holly graduated with a B.S. in nursing from Oregon Health & Science University, as valedictorian, and with a J.D. from Lewis and Clark College, also as valedictorian.

In addition to being an EMBA student at Wharton SF, Holly currently serves as SAIF’s vice president of legal and strategic services. Her work prior to joining SAIF was in public health. At SAIF, she is responsible for identifying corporate strategic needs, establishing strategic plans and objectives, prioritizing areas of focus, and tracking goals and performance. She also leads the legal services division, which provides workers’ compensation claims legal defense, third-party subrogation, and procurement services. Holly served on SAIF’s diversity leadership team, and was a founding member of SAIF’s bilingual council.

Holly is a single mother to four children: Ryah — age 9 and Sonia — age 15, Raquel — age 18 and Marissa — age 21 all of whom she adopted following the death of their mother and her best friend, Becky who passed away after a battle with cancer. Speaking about her three older kids, Holly says:

Before Becky passed, she spoke about how I’m another mother to her daughters. Teenagers need a different sort of parenting, but I love being there for them and their needs. I get to host boyfriends on holidays, contact teachers, counsel about friends and school, and spend lots of nights tutoring anatomy and physiology.

Keep reading to learn more about Holly’s story through her MBA Mama Q&A.

What was the trigger or point in your life where you knew it was the right time to pursue your Exec MBA? Why Wharton?

I was ready about five years back, but had to wait until my nine year old was ready to stay the night with Grandma (my mom) without missing mom too much. That point came all of a sudden, and I jumped on it! Both of them have been extremely supportive.

Wharton for two reasons. The schedule works. And if I couldn’t attend what I viewed as the top program, I didn’t want to go at all. It’s the only school I applied to.

I go to school for peers. For ideas outside of my company and my state. For challenge. For a group of people qualified to “do life” at a high level. Because there’s more out there, and i need to be engaged.

As an Executive, how has your Wharton MBA enhanced your career thus far?

Everything I learn is applicable to my daily work. Insight from school (the classroom and, even more importantly my colleagues/classmates) has helped me make decisions and help the executive team lead work in areas like advanced analytics, compensation and performance management, and corporate scorecard.

What inspired you to choose your line of work?

I started out as a nurse, and went to law school in the evenings, to learn something new. Switched to workers compensation law (the insurance business) because it represented an overlap between the medical and legal fields. Now am working much more on the business side of the house.

Can you describe a typical day in your life as an MBA Mama working full-time, doing your MBA and being a single parent of 4 kids?

Yesterday I went into work early.

• Did the dishes from the Halloween party on the way out.
• We’re finalizing our 2017 strategic plan, corporate scorecard and Q3 reports and those all fall in my area.
• Spent the morning with the executive team.
• Midday met with my strategy group.
• The afternoon was with the legal team analyzing performance in procurement.
• In the evening, I made a frozen meal.
• Helped my mom with a real estate deal.
• Had a team meeting with Wharton folks about our stats homework (regression modeling), while Mom took 9 year old to karate.
• Tutored 21 year old in anatomy and physiology and helped 18 year old with a Job Corp application.
• Stayed up late to write a report for the board (work).
• Scheduled a ski trip with school people.
• And looked at plane tickets for Dubai for a school trip in January.

What has been the most challenging aspect of integrating work and family life? How have you overcome that?

I can only do two things (family, work or school) well each week. The other suffers. That’s just the way it is. I try always to choose family, and alternate the others, depending on the work load. It’s challenging (but exhilarating) to stay an extra night at school to go out with friends and not feel guilty.

I’m finally doing something that’s a little bit for me, and that’s new in my life. I overcome this simply by being okay with where I am and how I’ve decided to allocate my time.

I’m proud that, ever since I became a mom, I have always been in the right place at the right time. Then just let it go!

What childcare resources do you personally utilize?

An amazing nanny! Sarah comes before school and helps Ryah get ready, and the heads to her own college classes after she drops her off. She picks her up after school and takes her to karate, etc. In the summer, the nanny works full time. They explore the city together — lots of time at libraries.

Sarah comes from a small city where most people pursue the same job, and most women don’t work. We’re very proud of her pursuit of her career. We rely on each other — me for outstanding childcare, and her for advice about school and career paths for women outside the home.

What are you passionate about outside of, or at, work?

I am passionate about mentoring young women, diversity and inclusion, and using all of my skills to their highest and best use, at work or at home.

In the next five years, how do you hope corporate culture will change towards women and/ or women with families?

I’ve always experienced very supportive cultures. I hope corporate culture will continue to evolve, to the point that women feel that any choices they make about work/life balance are supported, at work and in society.

I think we as leaders need to model and create that culture. “I’ll be gone after lunch because I’m going to my daughter’s school.” “I’ll work on that report this morning — last night a teenager needed a shoulder to cry on.” Be an example of the balance you want for yourself and model owning that. Take the time to bring other women along with you and pay it forward.

Parting words of advice for current and future MBA Mamas?

Current — Be in the right place at the right time, and own your choice. Be comfortable with the balance you’ve chosen. You’re in school for a reason — maybe to meet people, maybe for academics, maybe for job opportunities. Focus on that, and give yourself grace in the other areas. Some weeks you’ll excel at work and fall behind at school. Others you’ll be a great mama but not a great co-worker. It’s okay! You’re doing your very best.

Future — It’s kind of like having kids. It’ll never be the perfect time. Just go for it.