May 14, 1999

In 1972, Jane Claflin, then a longtime member of the Ladies Visiting Committee, became one of the first female members of the MGH's Board of Trustees. At that time, the board looked like many other boards in the country; most of the members were businessmen, most of them working outside of the medical field. "As a member of the Ladies Visiting Committee for more than 25 years, I was well known by many of the board members," she says. "They knew of my work for and my love of the MGH, and they felt that I might be able to lend a different perspective to our shared vision for the hospital."

Today that same board boasts several women, including Judy Friend, who for many years was a member of the Board of Managers of the Vincent Memorial Hospital for Women. At a recent luncheon meeting, the two women shared their histories and views with a group of women managers as part of a series of forums entitled Women in Leadership.

Co-sponsored by MGH Administration, Human Resources and the Office for Women's Careers, the Women in Leadership program began last fall as a series of focus groups designed to give women managers a forum to voice their concerns about different issues that affect both their professional and personal lives. "We wanted to give these women a place to talk about the issues that concern them," says Jeanette Ives Erickson, RN, MS, senior vice president for Patient Care Services and chief nurse. "There are so many different variations of issues affecting working women, including personal development and the balancing of work and personal time, that we thought these forums would be a terrific way for women to network with their peers."

Ives Erickson — along with vice presidents Ann Prestipino, Jane Holtz and Kate Walsh — brought their idea to Human Resources where it was well received. Human Resources staff members were invited to help coordinate the meetings, and Claflin and Friend were quickly brought on board to help shape the program.

During their discussions with the group, the two board members spoke enthusiastically about their relationships with the MGH and how their leadership roles have evolved over the years. "Women today are in a different place than either Mrs. Claflin or I were when we were young wives and mothers," said Friend. "Many of my generation stayed at home with their children and volunteered in their community. Today many women choose to or have to work, and they are facing issues that are often more complex than their mothers ever experienced."

Plans have been made to hold regular Women in Leadership forums as well as create task forces to address important topics including balancing family and work life, mentoring and networking opportunities and personal development.