To celebrate International Women’s Day, 12 members from our team share the best advice their mothers gave them, their proudest achievements and what the inclusion of women means to them.

MAYA MICHELLE MARSHALL

TECHNICAL DESIGN ASSISTANT

Where were you born and raised? Brooklyn, New York.

What is your heritage? Barbados.

How long have you worked at MOTHER? 1 year 7 months.

What is your proudest achievement? Yet to be achieved.

What’s the best advice your mother gave you? Never change who you are to please others.

If you could share one piece of advice with your younger self, what would it be and why? Don’t stress so much because the hard work you put in will continue to pay off, just be patient with yourself.

Why is International Women’s Day important to you? It is important to continue to learn from and inspire each other, as well as to celebrate how far we have come.

ABBY GUEST

SENIOR DIRECTOR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Where were you born and raised? Born in Newport Beach, CA. Raised in San Juan Capistrano, CA.


How long have you worked at MOTHER? 8.5 years

What is your proudest achievement? Becoming and mom and raising 2 boys.

What’s the best advice your mother gave you? Treat others the way you would want to be treated.

If you could share one piece of advice with your younger self, what would it be and why? It’s okay to make mistakes, they are a part of life’s journey. And also wear sunscreen.

Why is International Women’s Day important to you? Women have played essential roles and accomplished great things throughout history and the world. It’s important to not only highlight these successes, but also continue to advocate for the advancement of women’s rights.

PAULINE PITPIT

SENIOR FABRIC MANAGER

Where were you born and raised? Los Angeles, California.

What is your heritage? Filipino American.

How long have you worked at MOTHER? Joined in 2018, 6 years this April.

What is your proudest achievement? Being a mother to my amazing 7-year-old son and loving the bond we have together.

What’s the best advice your mother gave you? Always take care of yourself & prayer keeps you grounded.

If you could share one piece of advice with your younger self, what would it be and why? Trust your instincts, be patient.

Why is International Women’s Day important to you? Because today more than ever, us women have the opportunity and privilege to achieve and celebrate what our past ancestors were not able to. We’re continuing to pave the way for the future which gives hope to every single young girl and boy who has dreams, knowing they are attainable.

ROSIE VALDOVINOS

TRAFFIC LEAD

Where were you born and raised? Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

What is your heritage? Mexican.

How long have you worked at MOTHER? 1 year and 9 months.

What is your proudest achievement? My proudest achievement as a mom seeing my daughter graduate from university and seeing her follow her dreams.

What’s the best advice your mother gave you? To always be myself and learn from my mistakes to be a better person each day.

If you could share one piece of advice with your younger self, what would it be and why? Things get done. No matter how many times she falls to stand up and try again.

Why is International Women’s Day important to you? This day is important to me because we can celebrate how brave and strong women have become over the years.

HELEN TEVEZ

INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

Where were you born and raised? Los Angeles, CA.

What is your heritage? Salvadoran American.

How long have you worked at MOTHER? 4 years.

What is your proudest achievement? Being a mother to 2 wonderful boys. Being their guide on this life journey, watching them grow and come into their own, is amazing.

What’s the best advice your mother gave you? “Who cares what others think, be you, always.” My mom always wanted me to be me and accept who I was and was becoming. She always reminded me not to care about what others thought or said about me.

If you could share one piece of advice with your younger self, what would it be and why? One that sticks out is “Run your own race, at your own pace.” I realized that my goals were mine and mine alone. I would reach them at my pace and in due time. Rushing to try to reach them faster or sooner, often slowed my process.

Why is International Women’s Day important to you? Loaded question! Well, it’s a day to celebrate our achievements, our successes, even our setbacks. We, as women, have come so far with gender equality, yet still have a way to go. But today is a day to celebrate the fight that has been fought, the fight we continue to fight and hopefully light the fire in the younger generations to pick up the fight. As a mother to boys, soon to be young men, I want them to celebrate International Women’s Day, as they came from a woman, and a woman is who still carries them, day to day. I want to make sure I set a good example of a strong woman.

KRISTA ELIZABETH ROJAS

SENIOR DIGITAL PRODUCT MANAGER

Where were you born and raised? Southern California

What is your heritage? German, American Indian, Mexican, Puerto Rican.

How long have you worked at MOTHER? 1 year and 4 months.

What is your proudest achievement? Last year was pretty memorable. We launched 5 major projects with very sensitive business implications and they were all successful! Personally, my proudest achievement is raising my daughter. It is the most challenging job and I am so proud of her and can’t help but take a little credit in the little human she is becoming

What’s the best advice your mother gave you? The older I get the more I realize she’s given me a lot of great advice even if sometimes I didn’t want to accept it. But I think: Trust your intuition and always be kind. Both of these can be hard to do everyday but it hasn’t failed me yet!

If you could share one piece of advice with your younger self, what would it be and why? Keep working hard and don’t be afraid to take more chances.

Why is International Women’s Day important to you? Because women are powerful and this should be celebrated, especially by us women! I think it’s a great opportunity to take a step back and recognize our influence and importance in this world and highlight this for younger girls so they can see real life examples of what they are capable of. I also think acknowledging the history is important because there are some real trailblazers that deserve to be recognized!

WENDY TRAN

PATTERNMAKER

Where were you born and raised? Viet Nam.

What is your heritage? I am from Chinese Vietnamese heritage. My parents grew up in China and immigrated to Vietnam, where I was born. I grew up with a mix of Chinese and Vietnamese culture.

How long have you worked at MOTHER? 11 years.

What is your proudest achievement? My proudest achievement is balancing a successful career as an immigrant woman from Viet Nam while being a loving parent to my two children. Witnessing my children’s growth and happiness has been the most rewarding achievement of my life.

What’s the best advice your mother gave you? The best advice my mother gave is to be honest, kind, helpful and hardworking. She emphasized the importance of integrity and kindness towards others.

If you could share one piece of advice with your younger self, what would it be and why? Like what my mother taught me, it would be to prioritize the values of hard work, kindness towards others, and integrity in every aspect of life.

Why is International Women’s Day important to you? International Women’s Day is important to me because it celebrates women's achievements while also highlighting the ongoing struggle for gender equality. It also reminds me of the resilience and strength of women I am lucky to know and love, who inspire me every day.

EVELYN ROSANGELA REYES

SENIOR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE COORDINATOR

Where were you born and raised? Born and raised in California.

What is your heritage? Hispanic.

How long have you worked at MOTHER? 6 years.

What is your proudest achievement? My achievement is being a mom to my two sons. Their happiness and well-being gives me the greatest sense of achievement, nothing can compare. Motherhood is a never-ending journey full of surprises and daily life lessons. I hope they see how hard I work for them and take that same work ethic and apply it in their lives.

What’s the best advice your mother gave you? “Dime con quien te juntas y te diré quién eres.” This translates to “Tell me who your friends are, and I will tell you who you are.” This phrase stuck with me and in choosing the right company, the right crowds, the right friends, I feel I stayed out of trouble growing up.

If you could share one piece of advice with your younger self, what would it be and why? Don’t be too hard on yourself! Life comes with challenges, and everyone handles them differently. Celebrate even the small wins and never give up.

Why is International Women’s Day important to you? To me, International Women’s Day is a day to honor all women’s achievements, big and small! It is a day where we uplift and support one another, standing in solidarity regardless of race and beliefs. This day is a reminder that together we are unstoppable in our fight for a more inclusive society.

YASMIN BEHBAHANI

WEST COAST SPECIALTY STORE MANAGER

What is your heritage? Iranian American.

Where were you born and raised? Los Angeles, CA.

How long have you worked at MOTHER? 6.5 years.

What is your proudest achievement? Remaining true to myself no matter the situation.

What’s the best advice your mother gave you? Women have the strength to do anything. Honorable mention - no matter where you go, always bring a jacket.

If you could share one piece of advice with your younger self, what would it be and why? The things that set you apart will be the things that make you the most special.

Why is International Women’s Day important to you? It’s important to celebrate and recognize how powerful women are. Women rule the world.

JAMIE KIM

SENIOR SITE MERCHANDISER

Where were you born and raised? Santa Ana, CA.

What is your heritage? I’m a 2nd generation Korean immigrant.

How long have you worked at MOTHER? Almost 2 1⁄2 years!

What is your proudest achievement? So much thought goes into the storytelling of each drop, whether it’s a new seasonal delivery or a capsule collection. I’ve really loved helping to convey those stories through our capsule collections on the site, but it’s truly a team effort!

What’s the best advice your mother gave you? Growing up it was “always stay proactive.” But lately, she always reminds me that it’s important to pause and take some moments for myself since life keeps moving forward. I think it’s nice that as we both age, her perspective changes as does her advice.

If you could share one piece of advice with your younger self, what would it be and why? Relax, you’re not actually a loser! Can you tell I spent a lot of years stewing on way too many insecurities?

Why is International Women’s Day important to you? Apart from all of the cool, talented women in my life that I’m so grateful for, it’s also a reminder that it wasn’t too long ago when women weren’t fully valued in many communities. So there’s an importance in celebrating and giving platforms to groups of people, no matter how large or small the demographic, who have been or continue to be undervalued and under-supported in our communities.

CLAUDIA YOUNGER

HUMAN RESOURCES/PAYROLL GENERALIST

Where were you born and raised? I was born and raised in Lima, Peru.

What is your heritage? Peruvian.

How long have you worked at MOTHER? I have been working at MOTHER for the past 3 1⁄2 years.

What is your proudest achievement? My proudest achievement so far has been making the decision to leave everything I know to move abroad when I was 17 years old. I experienced hard moments throughout, but I wouldn’t change the experiences for anything in the world.

What’s the best advice your mother gave you? “Always a warrior. Don’t ever give up.”

If you could share one piece of advice with your younger self, what would it be and why? I’d advise myself to be more patient and focus on one thing at a time as this helps to be more efficient and productive.

Why is International Women’s Day important to you? Because women have had to fight for their rights to equality throughout the years and this day is an opportunity to celebrate our accomplishments.

TAYLOR OLSON COONEY

SENIOR PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER

Where were you born and raised? I was born in Anaheim, CA (Orange County) and raised in Encinitas, CA (San Diego County).

What is your heritage? My family has been in the United States for generations but my ancestors were from all over Europe. My maiden name Olson is Swedish – thanks in part to my great-great-grandma being the one to fill out the immigration paperwork.

How long have you worked at MOTHER? I just celebrated two years at MOTHER.

What is your proudest achievement? My first work trip with MOTHER which was for an event with I Am A Voter, and the CFDA at The Hotel Chelsea at the end of New York Fashion Week. It was a great feeling knowing that together with our PR agencies, I’d made that happen.

What’s the best advice your mother gave you? What feels like the biggest disappointment at the time, may be a blessing in disguise.

If you could share one piece of advice with your younger self, what would it be and why? Enjoy the now.

Why is International Women’s Day important to you? It’s important to me because it’s an opportunity to celebrate the women who inspire us, to recognize their accomplishments and to acknowledge the ongoing fight for gender equality. I’m so grateful for the freedoms and opportunities I have today because of the generations of women who weren’t content to accept the “status quo.” The day is both a reminder of how far we’ve come and an appeal to fight for further progress worldwide.

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