“…the burdens and sacrifices of caregiving are not a mother’s alone. It truly takes a strong support system…” | An Interview With Ana Gema Monge

Meet Ana Gema Monge – DEI Consultant and Associate Project Manager.

We interviewed Ana to hear more about how and why she started working with Impact as well as what Diversity Month and being a working mom mean to her.

What made you decide to work with Impact?

My career in DEI had led me to work in financial services for its entirety prior to Impact. I knew I wanted a change and wanted to help a variety of organizations go through their DEI journeys, specifically, in the space of consulting.

I met the Impact team while they were consulting for my previous employer. I loved how they showed up as a cohesive unit, their counsel was top-notch, and they also gave me the attention I needed. That’s when I knew that I wanted to work with this team.

Sounds like we were meant to find each other ??. What do you find compelling about DEI?

DEI has always been a part of me. I was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador and grew up in the Bronx. I saw and lived diversity firsthand. I also saw the lack of diversity as I continued through my education.

In college while working in the Undergraduate Admissions Office at Cornell University, primarily focusing on diversity recruiting, we would host an annual “Diversity Overnight” where Black and Latino students came to the university to experience the campus. It was great to see the access, exposure, and opportunity they received by way of this program. I knew that working in the space of diversity was what I wanted to do. I didn’t know the term “DEI” then, but I knew I wanted to see more students that looked like me at school.?

DEI clearly holds a special place in your heart, and it is currently Diversity Month! What does Diversity Month mean to you?

To me, Diversity Month is an opportunity to celebrate the beauty of our unique cultures, backgrounds, and traditions. While this may sound cliché, I think if you really believe it and apply it in your lives, it's true.

Beautiful! In addition to being Impact’s DEI Consultant and Associate Project Manager, you are also the mother of an adorable son. Can you talk about being a working mom and what it means to you?

I've always put my career first. My parents have always been working-class individuals, and I knew that to have a better life, I had to work on myself, my education, and my career.

Now, I may not be the "epitome" of motherhood, but I know that prioritizing my career—a healthy amount of the time—models valuable lessons for Mateo, including independence and resilience. I also know that Mateo is loved, cared for, and that our family is strong.

There are many folks in corporate America that look for "work-life balance", but I think it's more like harmony. Sometimes one aspect of my life will overshadow the other, but that’s a part of the cycle. I believe prioritizing myself and my career in tandem with being a mother demonstrates to kids and adults alike that the burdens and sacrifices of caregiving are not a mother’s alone. It truly takes a strong support system to maintain that harmony.