About Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work
About Carolyn McKecuen
Byline BIO: Carolyn McKecuen is a business development and communications expert and Executive Director of the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Foundation. Visit www.DaughtersAndSonsToWork.org.
Broadcast BIO: With us today is Carolyn McKecuen (say mick-YOU-en), Executive Director of the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Foundation. Welcome, Carolyn! What's new for this year, and how can parents, teachers, and employers participate?
Full BIO: Carolyn McKecuen is a business development and communications expert and Executive Director of the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Foundation. She played an integral role in the creation of the annual Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Day, and is actively involved in its celebration every year.
Carolyn has devoted her life to creating opportunities for others. As cofounder of McKecuen Consulting, Inc. — which she launched with her husband, George McKecuen — Carolyn applies her expertise in business development, communication, and technology to support and expand nonprofit organizations and micro-enterprises all over the world. She has been the recipient of numerous awards in recognition of her efforts, including the Presidential Award for Public/Private Support in Microenterprise on behalf of the Ms. Foundation where she served as a consultant.
In addition to her work for the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Foundation, Carolyn continues to consult with businesses, organizations, and nonprofits to devise strategies that make them more effective, more efficient, and help them make a greater impact on the world. She has worked with the MacArthur Foundation Fellows and the state of North Carolina, among others. For more information, visit www.DaughtersAndSonsToWork.org.
About the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Foundation
The Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work® Foundation is dedicated to developing innovative strategies and research-based activities in informal educational programs that empower girls and boys in all sectors of society so they may reach their full potential and live fulfilling lives. Through its leadership, expertise, and collaborations, the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work® Foundation advocates for changes in social policy and public awareness on behalf of youth. Visit DaughtersAndSonsToWork.org.
About TODASTW Sponsor VirtualJobShadow.com
VirtualJobShadow.com, part of Strivven Media’s suite of online career exploration products, is revolutionizing college and career exploration with engaging learning solutions that empower individuals to define and design their path to success. The heart of the platform features hundreds of professionally produced “day in the life” videos that showcase workforce realities, while making connections to post-secondary education. By featuring diverse professionals at actual employer worksites, our videos empower young people to see the world of work and its endless possibilities as a source of inspiration. A suite of integrated career planning tools, including interest assessments, resume and cover letter builders, and job searches help individuals prepare for next steps. Visit VirtualJobShadow.com.
Additional Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Spokespeople
Gloria Steinem: A champion of Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Day, Gloria Steinem is an iconic writer, political activist, and feminist organizer. She was a founder of New York and Ms. magazines, and is the author of several books including The Truth Will Set You Free, But First It Will Piss You Off, My Life on the Road, Moving Beyond Words, Revolution from Within, and Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, all published in the United States, and in India, As If Women Matter. Gloria co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus, the Ms. Foundation for Women, the Free to Be Foundation, and the Women’s Media Center in the United States. As links to other countries, she helped found Equality Now, Donor Direct Action, and Direct Impact Africa. For her writing, Steinem has received the Penney-Missouri Journalism Award, the Front Page and Clarion awards, the National Magazine Award, the Lifetime Achievement in Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Society of Writers Award from the United Nations, and the University of Missouri School of Journalism Award for Distinguished Service in Journalism.
In 1993, her concern with child abuse led her to co-produce an Emmy Award–winning TV documentary for HBO, Multiple Personalities: The Search for Deadly Memories. She and Amy Richards co-produced a series of eight documentaries on violence against women around the world for VICELAND in 2016. In 2013, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. In 2019, she received the Freedom Award from the National Civil Rights Museum. She is the subject of Julie Taymor’s recent biopic, The Glorias, released in Fall 2020. Visit www.GloriaSteinem.com.
Gitanjali Rao: Gitanjali Rao was recognized as America's Top Young Scientist and received an EPA Presidential award for inventing her device "Tethys" — an early lead detection tool. Gitanjali is also the inventor of “Epione” — a device for early diagnosis of prescription opioid addiction using genetic engineering, and "Kindly" — an anti-cyberbullying service using AI and Natural Language processing.
She was honored as Forbes “30 Under 30 in Science” in 2019 and TIME’s “Top Young Innovator” and "Kid of the Year" for her innovations and STEM workshops she conducts globally, which have inspired over thirty-eight thousand students in the last two years across four continents. In her sessions, she shares her own process of innovation that can be used by students all over the world. She is an experienced TED speaker and often presents in global and corporate forums on innovation and the importance of STEM. Gitanjali is an author of the book "Young Innovator's Guide to STEM". Visit GitanjaliRao.net.
Steve Spangler: A best-selling author, STEM educator and business leader, Steve Spangler has branded by TIME Magazine as one of their “most influential people of the year” because of his passion to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. With more than 1,500 television appearances and multiple Emmy awards to his credit, Steve is also a regular guest on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, where she dubbed him America’s Science Teacher. Steve’s catalog of videos featured on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and now TikTok have close to 1 billion views, and his books and online experiments are widely used by parents and educators to increase student engagement and inspire young scientists to learn more about STEM-based careers. Visit SteveSpangler.com.
Ellen Langas: Businesswoman and nationally recognized youth career education advocate, Ellen Langas, is passionate about encouraging kids to explore and pursue the careers of their dreams, without preconceived limitations. Compelled to inspire future generations of girls and her own daughters to dream big, she founded Girls Know How and Kids Know How, and created Girls Know How® books, the award-winning series that inspires young readers to discover careers, and the life skills to help them achieve them. The series was named the Book Series of 2021 by Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Foundation. She is a writer, speaker and leader of free Career Adventure Workshops for boys and girls around the country and virtually.
Ellen is also the founder and president of NouSoma Communications, Inc., and is also an accomplished commercial actress and voice-over artist who has recorded more than 200 commercials, videos, infomercials and radio spots. Notably, after 30 years, she remains “the voice of QVC.” Visit www.GirlsKnowHow.com.
Courtney Cason: A nationally recognized television host, beauty and lifestyle expert Courtney Cason is an innovative storyteller and content creator for all media platforms. She has hosted more than 6,000 hours of programming focusing on fashion, beauty, and pop-culture. Courtney has covered entertainment news on red carpets including New York Fashion Week, The Academy of Country Music Awards, and Super Saturday Live from the Hamptons, benefitting the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. She and her husband welcomed their new son in 2020.