Francesca Cichello

As the first woman to lead the Center for International Education, I’m breaking the bias every day.  One of the most important parts of my life is being an engaged and active mother, while maintaining a full professional schedule. This has often put me in the crosshairs of bias, at home as well as abroad.  Importantly, I chose to breastfeed both of my children, even with the rigors of international travel.  All nursing mothers endure the assumptions of others, and unsaid but present bias.  The simple act of providing nourishment for my infant daughter is politically charged and fraught with cultural expectations.  As we all think about our places within the world on this day that honors women, I find comfort in knowing that I’m part of a long history of powerful women who find daily joy in their families and their work.