New Moms Coaching Network for Faculty
The Butler Center is working with three scientific and administrative advisors, Drs. Allie Gabriel, Valerie Knopik, and Laura Murray-Kolb, to launch a new virtual coaching network, New Moms Coaching Network for Faculty, in Fall 2024. The virtual coaching network will be open to all Purdue faculty and dedicated to issues related to new motherhood such as navigating university policies for time off, resources for childcare, managing the pressures of life-work balance, and more.
The format of this virtual program will be based on chat groups built in Teams. Participants will be encouraged to ask questions or share concerns (either with a specific coach or in a group) via this platform. Some key resources will also be shared broadly with all participants; such sharing will be facilitated by a designated program coordinator who will be monitoring the online activities. The goal and aim of this new program is to build an informational network and supportive community for faculty who are new mothers and/or soon-to-be moms.
If you are interested in serving as a coach, please contact the Butler Center at butlercenter@purdue.edu.
If you are interested in participating in the New Moms Coaching Network for Faculty, please register here.
Meet the Faculty Advisors

Allison Gabriel
Thomas J. Howatt Chair and Professor in ManagementMitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business
Bio
What is important to you about coaching new faculty moms? Why did you join as an advisor for the network?
I care deeply about making sure women are supported during their pregnancy, parental leave, and return to work. This is an issue that is personal to me after having a very rocky postpartum experience with our daughter, and pivoting my research to better study how to help new moms as they reenter the workforce. I hope that Purdue can create a network that creates a culture that supports new moms and recognizes that this is a major life and identity transition that women are navigating.
Why should a new mom faculty member join this network? What should they hope to contribute and to gain?
Community is so important, and can often be hard to find postpartum. It can also feel challenging to seek support in your home department where people may feel nervous to disclose too much (though, I hope that people feel psychologically safe!). This network will give people a place to process and share their experiences, and feel less alone in their new mom journey.
How can a virtual network be a gift to a new mom? How might this fill a need that you had when you were a new mom?
A virtual network can be a great resource as a new mom, especially since time is often tight and schedules can be erratic. It can be hard to commit to be on campus in person at a certain time with a baby, but virtual will hopefully make it a bit easier.

Valerie Knopik
Professor, Department Head, and Ben & Maxine Miller Professor of Human Development and Family StudiesDepartment of Human Development and Family Science
College of Health and Human Sciences
Bio
Bio
What is important to you about coaching new faculty moms? Why did you join as an advisor for the network?
I chose to be involved in this effort because I would have absolutely loved to have something like this when I was a new mom in academia. Juggling all of the responsibilities that we have in our line of work can be challenging in and of themselves let alone with a new addition to your family. Helping new moms navigate these new roles and advocate for their needs is important to me. As a department head, I’ve also found that the resources for academic leaders to support faculty who are starting a family are sparse. Often human resources doesn’t know quite how to advise faculty (particularly if they are funded by grants), so my hope is to help other department leaders to support their faculty as well.
Why should a new mom faculty member join this network? What should they hope to contribute and to gain?
I love how this network is set up. It’s low stakes and low pressure, yet with the potential for high impact. New moms are encouraged to join this network not only for assistance, advice and support, but also to meet other new moms in Purdue’s community. Members will have access to in-person and online group activities but also can seek guidance at any time via online coaching.

Laura Murray-Kolb
Professor and Department HeadDepartment of Nutrition Science
College of Health and Human Sciences
Bio
Bio
Meet the Coaches

Sally Bane
Associate ProfessorSchool of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Mechanical Engineering (by courtesy)
College of Engineering
I am a mom of three – two boys, 10 and 6 years old, and a 3-year-old girl who rules the household. I love dragging my family out to any kind of community event, and our favorite times are spent exploring the outdoors. I am excited to be a part of this network because I would have loved to have had such a resource, particularly while having two of my children while on the tenure track. I also work in a male-dominated field, and so opportunities to connect with other moms of small children have been scarce.

Cezanne Elias
Clinical Associate Professor & Co-Director of HDFS Capstone Internship ProgramDepartment of Human Development and Family Science
College of Health and Human Sciences
I am the mother of two wonderful boys, and a faculty member in the Department of Human Development and Family Science. Working alongside other moms in academia has been a much needed and valued part of my Purdue experience. I am excited to provide additional opportunities for support and connection to other new moms through the New Moms Coaching Network.

Abigail Engelberth
Associate ProfessorAgricultural & Biological Engineering
Environmental & Ecological Engineering
Laboratory of Renewable Resources Engineering
College of Engineering
I started as an Assistant Professor at Purdue University with a joint appointment in Agricultural & Biological Engineering and Environmental & Ecological Engineering in the fall of 2011. I was granted tenure and promoted to Associate Professor in 2019. I have assembled a cohesive research team working to upcycle undervalued process streams – including food waste and agricultural residues – and to perform TechnoEconomic Analysis to assess value. I have two sons; the first born in 2015 while working towards tenure and the second born in 2018 right as my tenure package was submitted. In February, I acquired three step-children and am loving having a big family.

Marisa Exter
Associate Professor of Learning Design and TechnologyDepartment of Curriculum & Instruction
College of Education
I am an Associate Professor in the College of Education, and “mommy” to 14-year-old and 12-year-old boys and a 4-year-old dog. I can share my experiences parenting neurodiverse students and being a faculty member with kids and my own mental health issues. The boys are enrolled in the West Lafayette school district and have IEPs. My older son has Autism, ADHD, and mental health issues and my younger son is “twice exceptional.” They were 3 and 1 years old when we moved here. I have experienced a number of difficulties with birth and newborns, and can share and empathize.

Chrystal Johnson
Associate ProfessorDepartment of Curriculum and Instruction
College of Education
As a mother of two boys, aged 26 and 11, my personal and professional journeys have often intertwined. When I began my academic career as an Assistant Professor, my oldest son was just 7 years old. Our move to West Lafayette felt like a big adventure for our family, and it’s been a rewarding experience watching my children grow as I’ve navigated my research and teaching. My work centers on race, civic and character development, and schools of choice, and I’ve had the privilege of contributing to key conversations in education through my research and leadership roles.

Kristine Marceau
Associate ProfessorCo-Director of the Methodology Center at Purdue
Department of Human Development and Family Science
College of Health and Human Sciences
College of Health and Human Sciences
I am a mom of two – an 8-year-old boy, who I was very visibly pregnant with during my interview, and 6-year-old girl who I had on the tenure track. I study the development of emotional and behavioral problems and adolescent substance use, including a focus on parenting and parent-child relationships across childhood and adolescence. I have been incredibly lucky to grow my family while working in a department where family is valued and lots of faculty have children. I’m excited to share that support with new parents across the university through the New Moms Coaching Network.

Kameron Moding
Assistant ProfessorDepartment of Human Development and Family Science
College of Health and Human Sciences
My name is Kameron Moding, and I am an assistant professor in Human Development & Family Science. I am a new mom myself (we welcomed our daughter in November 2023), so I am excited to share my recent experiences with other new moms. Even though I had a lot of support from my family, friends, and department, the transition back to work was quite challenging. I hope I am able to support other new moms during this process. My academic research focuses on feeding infants and toddlers during the transition to table foods, so I'm happy to share my expertise in that area as well-- though, I've learned that feeding my own daughter is even harder than I imagined!

Anita Panjwani
Assistant Professor of Nutrition ScienceCollege of Health and Human Sciences
I am an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition Science and a mom to an (almost) 3-year-old son. I had interviews for this position around the time of his birth and would be able to provide others with guidance on navigating the process of having a child during the early years of tenure. I also practice gentle/positive parenting, which requires a lot of patience and time, a precious commodity. I am honored to be a part of this network and grateful to be surrounded by other amazing coaches and offer my support to new parents.

Libby Richards
Professor and Director PhD programFaculty Associate, Center on Aging and the Life Course
Faculty Partner, Center for Families
Fellow of the Purdue University Teaching Academy
Elevating Leaders in Academic Nursing Fellow
School of Nursing
College of Health and Human Sciences
I have two boys, ages 10 (Finn) and 15 (Graham). I had Graham during my PhD program and had Finn two months after starting as an assistant professor. I have fully embraced the highs and lows of being an academic mama. I am excited to be part of this network to provide encouragement, advice, support and comic relief (as needed). I have taught at Purdue for 18 years, starting as a clinical assistant professor to being promoted to full professor this year. I have learned (sometimes trial by fire) on how to navigate the academic system and look forward to helping others navigate their journey.

Elizabeth Schlesinger-Devlin
Director of The Ben and Maxine Miller Child Development Laboratory SchoolDepartment of Human Development and Family Science
College of Health and Human Sciences
I am the Director of the Ben and Maxine Miller Child Development Laboratory School, in the department of Human Development and Family Science. My primary responsibility is the daily operation of the lab school, collaborating with faculty in research, and instruction. As a graduate of Antioch College in Yellow Springs, I majored in elementary education and minored in sociology and psychology. My Master’s degree in Early Childhood education is from Northern Arizona University, and my Ed.D. in instructional leadership focusing on early childhood education is from Argosy University. The New Moms Network provides a collaborative environment to support families navigating the balance between home and work. As a parent of two children, when they were young we managed a great deal on our own, it would have been wonderful to have a community to turn to for questions and support.

Kimberly Updegraff
ProfessorDepartment of Human Development and Family Science
College of Health and Human Sciences
I am a Professor in Human Development and Family Science in Health and Human Sciences. My research addresses disparities experienced by marginalized populations, primarily Latinx youth and families, through research and prevention. I am particularly interested in family relationships, and especially those among parents and children and sisters and brothers, as sources of strength and challenge in childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. I am excited to be part of the Butler Center New Moms Coaching program. I am the mother of two boys and raised them with the informal supports of close colleagues/friends who navigated parenthood and life in academia together.