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Member Spotlight: Jill Starishevsky

3/25/2010

- Member Spotlight: Jill Starishevsky

We get lots of ideas and inspiration from the outside world... but whenever spend time learning more about our own Executive Moms' members, it is our inside world that can inspire us the most.  Each of you has an interesting story, and we are thus coming back with a recurring series of Member Spotlights, starting with this week's spotlight on Executive Mom Jill Starishevsky, from New York, NY.  Here is a little more about her, in Momorandum digest version:

Quick Career Description:

I'm a full-time prosecutor of child abuse and sex crimes in New York City, and the author of a children's book on child sexual abuse prevention called My Body Belongs to Me.
 

The More-Than-One-Line Career Description:

I work to protect children through my job as a prosecutor of child abuse and sex crimes, as the founder of a nanny reporting service called HowsMyNanny.com ... and as the author of a children's book called My Body Belongs to Me which is intended to teach children ages 3-8 that if someone touches them inappropriately, they should tell a parent or teacher right away.  In light of Mo'nique's Oscar win for "Precious" and her eloquence concerning child sexual abuse, one would think, as a society, we have a handle on this discussion.  Unfortunately, many parents do not know how or when to begin when it comes to discussing this sensitive topic, and so they avoid the discussion entirely.  With all that I've witnessed as a prosecutor, and the many accounts I've heard directly from children, recounting the details of their sexual abuse, I wrote this book with the hope that by educating girls and boys about this taboo subject, they might never become victims in the first place.  (April, by the way, is National Child Abuse Prevention Month).

 
Fast Family Facts:

I have two little girls, ages 5 and 3, and one wonderful husband, who is my collaborator, and partner, who forever helps me to multitask and makes it possible for me to be an Executive Mom with a smile. 

 
A Piece of Personal Trivia:

In my line of work, one needs a creative outlet filled with cheer, so I also started a company called the poem lady where I write poems for baby and bridal showers and bar and bat mitzvah candle lighting ceremonies. It's a nice change to share in people's happy occasions after spending my day dealing with so much sadness. I truly do it because I love to hear people's reactions when they see how I turned their personal sentiment into touching prose.  Last year I wrote a poem for a total stranger who used it to propose to his girlfriend in front of a large gathering of people. It was my first proposal and something tells me she said yes!
 

Executive Mom Pearl of Wisdom:

In trying to decide whether to leave work early to attend a recital or event for one of my children, I ask myself, "Is this one of life's precious moments that I will look back on and cherish?"  If the answer is yes, I do everything I can to make certain I am there.  Balancing work and family is about prioritizing and remembering that family comes first.

Connect with Jill on the Executive Moms Network (and other great women like her)

Reader Comments

Name: Sandra Santiago   Location: sandras40@gmail.com

I want to commend you on the work you do. It's is so sad that children are preyed on and subjected to such abuse. Thank you for doing what you do and I am sure the book is a helpful and a informative tool for many. Children have to be protected and educated so that they can speak up if they are being victimized. It is great what you are doing with the poetry!

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