Kohl's Celebrates Mother's Day

Working mothers make up a significant amount of the labor force as almost 70% of moms hold down full-time jobs. It can be tough to balance it all, and Mother’s Day is a time to praise and recognize the special women in our lives for all that they do. 

We asked some of our Kohl’s team members for their thoughts and advice about being working moms, tips and tricks for keeping a balanced life, and moms who have inspired them. Here’s what they had to say:

Jill Timm, Chief Financial Officer
"I have the privilege of being the mom to two amazing daughters. Watching my daughters grow up, develop their independence and achieve success have been some of my proudest moments. My family has always come first and I made a commitment to them that I would always be there for their most important moments. I am so grateful that Kohl’s puts such a high value on family, which allowed me to do this even if it meant running out of meetings to make it. I learned quickly as a working mom that life is truly about balance and that you will never be perfect but it’s those imperfections that define who I am and have given me life lessons to pass along to my daughters."

Michelle A. Banks, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer
"I am blessed to have some incredible women in my life. My grandmother, Venetta Payne – known as ‘Suga’ in our family – is one of my biggest inspirations along with my aunt who I honor with the “A” in my middle name. My aunt physically put my prom dress together — piece by piece. My aunt is gone too soon but left me with her resilience and determination, and my grandmother is the rock of our family. One of the many reasons I love Kohl’s is we honor strong, talented, beautiful women – many of whom are working moms. Retail life is not always easy, but we are lucky to work for a company that supports us in our work-life balance.”

Siobhán Mc Feeney, Chief Technology Officer
“I have four beautiful teenage children. There are lots of devices in the house between all of us, but each Saturday night, we do an ‘hour without power.’ Even if they go out, we change the hour we do it. We turn the internet and electricity off, we use candles, we play cards together. It’s a chance to come together as a family and stay connected. Another boundary or small tip we use is that all of my children have cell phones, and every person in the house has to know the numbers of everyone else in the house without looking it up. In case they lose their phone, they can get in contact with each other if they have to.” 

Sarah Hagland, Executive Vice President - Women’s
“This Mother's Day, I would like to send a special tribute to my mother. My mother has been such an incredible influence and inspiration on my life and my career. Having me at a young age, the sacrifices she made for me and the struggles she endured drives me to always be at my very best and to never take anything for granted. She taught me to be kind, to be humble, to work hard and to be a strong, independent woman. She tells me that I am her greatest accomplishment, and I don’t take that lightly. She is truly an inspiring example of resiliency and hard work — getting her college degree when my brother and I were in high school, starting an Oncology/Hematology Clinic and becoming a CEO. I am so proud of her and I thank her every day for loving me and choosing me. Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing women in my life."

Maria Garcia, Vice President & District Manager, Connecticut
"Mother’s Day to me is a day to celebrate, to honor the women in my life, especially my mother, Germanía or Ñaña as we all call her. She is our family matriarch! Ñaña is 93 now, and as I reflect, I think of the impact that she has had in my life. I think about how hard she has worked all her life to provide for her family – working in the fields in the Dominican Republic, and in a factory in the U.S. to ensure that her children would have a better life than she did.

She is such an inspiration and has taught me so much. The importance of family, hard work, supporting those you love, resilience, and so many amazing traits that I carry with me everyday. I need to add, what an amazing cook – I’m so lucky to have learned some of those cooking skills. I take those lessons that mamá taught me and try to live by her example everyday.

Mil gracias mamá, estoy muy agradecida por todo el amor que me has dado! (Thank you mom, I am so grateful for all the love that you have given me)."

Shannon Patel, Director, Supplier Diversity
“One of the greatest blessings I received from my mother was the gift of self awareness. Because of this, I knew at an early age how my personal values, life choices and goals would have great meaning when having my own children.

Now that I am a mother of three, I'm able to share this wisdom that once was so sacred to me in my journey through life. To all of the mom's out there, we thank you for the value of the unspoken gifts.”

Amanda Stepp, Sales Supervisor, Grove City, Ohio. 
Recognized by: Kelly McLaughlin-Smith

Amanda is a single mother of four, with three out of the four children being adopted. Amanda not only cares for all of her kids, but is also a caretaker for her mother. Amanda is an outstanding supervisor and coworker. Amanda goes above and beyond decorating the office and ensuring that everyone's office space has their personality represented. She loves to give gifts for every holiday!

Amanda is always putting everyone's needs before her own. She has a photographic memory which allows her to learn things very quickly. Amanda does not stop, whether at work or at home she is always taking care of someone. Amanda, you are an inspiration to all mamas out there! You are one of a kind, and so much stronger than you know!! 

Christie Raymond, Chief Marketing Officer
“I’m a mom and a bonus mom as I have a son and two step kids. I absolutely love being a mom ... my kids are my pride and joy. There are so many amazing working moms on our team at Kohl’s, and I’m proud of each of them. The last few years have been challenging in so many ways and it has prompted me to think about balance, perspective and taking the time to reflect. I encourage my teams to share wellness tips to ensure we can all feel our best selves – from exercise and reading to meditation and deep breathing, moms so often try to ‘do it all’ and it’s important we take time for ourselves while still being there to share in the joys that family life brings.” 

Amy Wolstoncroft, Credit & Customer Service Team Lead, San Antonio
"My mom, foster mom, took me in when I had just turned three years old. My biological mother had abandoned myself, older sister and older brother. I had lived in a couple children's homes and foster homes prior to that. From the age of three on, I stayed with her.

My mom was such a good person. My mom used to go to nursing homes to feed the elderly, she volunteered at various church organizations, and she babysat for several families. A neighbor was in need at one point and she and her daughter moved in with us for about six months. My mom gave so much back to everyone, everyday. I miss her. "