International Women’s Day Spotlight: Julie Stadlbauer

In celebration of International Women’s Day, I am proud to highlight the extraordinary women at Progyny, Inc. . Their unwavering dedication, innovative spirit, and visionary leadership are shaping the landscape of fertility and women’s health. To kick off our tribute, I sat down with Julie Stadlbauer , Chief Business Development Officer. In the last seven years, I've had the opportunity to work closely with Julie and have seen her journey and professional growth firsthand.

Can you share a bit about your career journey and the key milestones that have shaped it??

I began my career in healthcare nearly three decades ago and it has been an incredible journey.? In the U.S., the healthcare system is complex, difficult for patients to navigate, and unaffordable for many. We have a long way to go to fix the system and I’m proud of the organizations I’ve been a part of and the strides they have made in this regard.

I spent most of my career on the health plan side of the business and most recently at Cigna, where I led national accounts sales in the West Coast. I joined Progyny in March of 2017, when Progyny had five clients, less than 50 employees, and under new leadership. At that time, no one was speaking about fertility benefits or infertility. I knew there was something great here and I was motivated and inspired by Progyny’s mission given my sister’s difficult journey with infertility. I have three beautiful nieces as a result of IVF.

Over the years, I describe Progyny as my career nirvana. We set the standard for fertility and family building benefits and have driven significant growth year over year. Everyone at Progyny knows what it means when we grow. It means people can have families. Never in my career have I seen people cry because they found hope again when benefits are launched. It happens every single time a client communicates their Progyny benefit. In fact, just last week, I saw a post from an Amazon employee celebrating their beautiful baby girl. That feeling – that incredible feeling - that we bring hope to people and help people realize their dreams of family inspires everyone at Progyny to strive for excellence day in and day out. It's not often that you find a company that marries high growth, operational success, and a life changing mission so well.

What challenges have you encountered as a woman in your field, and how have you overcome them??

Imposter syndrome was something I dealt with early in my career. I was promoted to my first leadership role in my 20’s and was a woman leader in a male-dominated workforce and younger than most people that I led. I felt the need to constantly demonstrate that I had earned the right to be there. Once I let that go, my motivation shifted to coaching, supporting, and elevating the people I worked with, and I felt an even greater sense of accomplishment and satisfaction as a result.

In what ways have you actively supported other women in their career development??

As a single mom of two boys, it has been incredibly important to me to raise them to appreciate and understand the challenges women can face in the workplace by sharing my experiences. It’s my hope and expectation that they will do what they can in their careers to elevate women where possible. I also feel very fortunate to be in a leadership position at a company that celebrates women and families. Many of my friends have asked me to spend time with their daughters to talk about my career progression and provide advice on how they can follow a similar career path. It’s such an honor and a privilege to do so and to watch and celebrate them as they thrive in their careers.

Reflecting on your own experiences, what advice would you give to young women aspiring to pursue a similar career path??

It’s critical to recognize that every experience contributes to your career growth. Challenges and setbacks, while difficult, can often be the source of your greatest growth. It reminds me of when I first joined Cigna. I was a new mom, with a two-year-old son. Initially, I declined the offer from Cigna because I was worried about my ability to balance life and work. Being a mom was something I dreamed of my entire life. I was assured there would be balance, so I took the plunge. That first year at Cigna was extremely difficult. I led a team, my schedule was not my own, and traveled constantly. A 9:00 am meeting someone booked in San Francisco meant I had to leave the night before. I was miserable and knew this wasn’t sustainable for me and my family. I transitioned to a national sales team role and, as they say, the rest is history.? That experience has driven how I support, guide, and coach new parents about the importance of work life balance.?

It's also key to be yourself and trust your intuition. Also, know that you are your best advocate. Make it clear what your aspirations are and seek advice from those you trust to continually make strides toward those goals and aspirations. And always treat people with empathy and compassion. When you do this, you will form greater connections, gain and retain trust, and will be on a forever pathway to success in work and life.

How important is mentorship in your professional growth, and have you had any significant mentors in your journey??

Mentorship is incredibly important to my professional growth, and I have been fortunate to have multiple mentors in my career. One of my most inspiring mentors is Ed Lehman. Ed is not only brilliant, but he is extremely creative and has a remarkable way of pulling out the best in people, while encouraging them to be their authentic selves. I have strived to embrace the leadership qualities I see in Ed, including the importance of sharing a vision, being results-oriented, customer focused and becoming a trusted advisor. I also learned a tremendous amount from the people on my team. I feel incredibly fortunate to work with such a talented group of women leaders. They inspire me as much as my mentors have in my career.

Can you share a memorable moment when you felt empowered or inspired by another woman's achievements or support??

Arielle Bogorad, MBA and I worked hard to get Senator Tammy Duckworth to speak at last year’s Business Group on Health 's Annual Conference. What an inspiring story of hard work, perseverance, and advocacy. Senator Duckworth served in the National Guard and was awarded a Purple Heart when her helicopter was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade while serving in Iraq. She shared her own fertility journey involving IVF and her experiences as a new mom in a male-dominated Senate floor. Her willingness to share her personal journey and advocacy for reproductive rights will undoubtedly continue to have an impact in this country.

What are some concrete steps individuals and organizations can take to create more opportunities for women in traditionally male-dominated industries??

Progyny has made strides in accommodating new parents in sales roles when they are out on parental leave, and we will continue to refine and improve our policies. It’s a challenge most have yet to solve. I remember I felt like I had to return from maternity leave within a month in March of 2017, because it was the height of the sales season, and I had goals to achieve. I was the primary breadwinner and had no choice. I ended up taking the rest of my leave during the holidays, which gave me an amazing time with my son when he was more active and awake. It's important to be part of the solution and finding a way to remove the pressure for salespeople when they have a new child. They should take as much time as they can to bond with their new baby. Progyny also gave me my first experience with an executive coach. This has been an incredibly important resource for me as I transitioned from senior to executive leadership. You gain a greater appreciation and accountability for all aspects of the business. You also understand the importance of executive presence, sound decision making, and motivation.

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Thank you, Julie, for your insight and passion towards making the dreams of family and ideal health a reality for the 6.7M members we serve. Julie is an integral part of Progyny and I, alongside the rest of the company, are incredibly grateful for her contributions and leadership.