Our Team

Carol Fishman Cohen and Vivian Steir Rabin, Founders

Carol Fishman Cohen and Vivian Steir Rabin are the co-authors of the acclaimed career reentry strategy book Back on the Career Track: A Guide for Stay-at-Home Moms Who Want to Return to Work, and the co-founders of iRelaunch.

Carol and Vivian have presented their career reentry strategies to nearly 10,000 people at 150 events since 2006. Both Harvard Business School graduates and relaunchers themselves, Carol and Vivian understand every phase of the relaunch process first hand. Between the two of them, they have nine kids, and they each returned to work in very different ways after multi-year career breaks before writing Back on the Career Track and founding iRelaunch.

Carol was on maternity leave with her first child from investment bank Drexel Burnham Lambert when the company collapsed. She subsequently worked part time for five years while having three more children and then left the paid workforce entirely after her fourth was born. After six years at home, she returned to a full-time position at an investment firm.  Carol's "relaunch" is the subject of a Harvard Business School case. 

Vivian began her career in investment banking at Lehman Brothers in New York City. Following a move to Washington, DC, she initially continued working in finance, then subsequently moved into recruiting and HR at The Advisory Board Company, before taking a seven-year career break to be home with her five children. She relaunched her career by joining a small executive search firm, growing her part of the business to the point where she needed to hire someone to help her - another relauncher of course.

Carol and Vivian are regularly featured in the national press and speak nationally and internationally on the career reentry topic.

Mindy Berkower, Executive in Residence

Mindy joined iRelaunch in 2013 to support the team’s planning, development, marketing and communications efforts for the October 2013 New York Return to Work Conference.

After nine years of legal practice, focused on corporate finance transactions and regulatory compliance, Mindy took an extended career break to be with her children.  During this time, she actively volunteered in her home community and spent several years in PTA leadership.  The enriching experience gained through volunteering, together with her attendance at iRelaunch’s October 2012 New York Return to Work Conference, spurred Mindy’s own career relaunch.

Mindy received her Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the State University of New York at Binghamton.  She and her husband live in Chappaqua, New York, with their two children.

Betsy Blagdon, Technical Director

Betsy directs "all things technical" at iRelaunch, ranging from website development and design to advice on webinar creation and online purchasing. 

Betsy spent 11 years in software engineering and management at electronic imaging and educational software companies before taking time off to be with her two children. She relaunched her career as a website designer nine years ago. Through her website design company, Glissade Design, Betsy has helped many small businesses and non-profit organizations, primarily in the Boston area, develop and/or expand their web presence.

Betsy has a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from MIT.

Julie Holunga, Business Development Director

Julie brings to iRelaunch a strong background in relationship building between corporations and universities. At iRelaunch she is responsible for developing relationships with employers interested in educating, recruiting, and reintegrating those on career break back into the workforce.

Prior to joining iRelaunch, Julie served as the project manager for Alumni Career Services at Harvard Business School focusing on the careers of female alumnae. She advised alumnae who were in transition and built relationships with corporations leading the efforts to advance women into positions of leadership. Julie also spent four years with the Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College where she was responsible for developing and managing relationships with the Center's 320+ Fortune 1000 members.

Julie received her Bachelor's degree in French Literature and Economics at Union College, and her MBA from Boston College. She spent seven years living and attending school in France, India and Hong Kong. Julie is a relauncher, having taken a career break to move and settle her family in Calgary, Canada. She is now back in the U.S. in Denver, CO!

Sarah Mills, Events Director

Sarah manages the overall logistics for the iRelaunch Return to Work Conferences and the Circles groups; including on-site operations, pre-conference and pre-Circle details.

Sarah joined the iRelaunch staff in the fall of 2010 after an eight-year career break from event planning and alumni relations work. Her career started at Harvard in the University Development Office, planning and executing small events for major gift prospects. After Harvard she held a position as the Assistant Director of Alumni Relations at Milton Academy. It was here that she coordinated, executed and managed a variety of alumni events ranging from alumni weekends, national alumni clubs, and national Annual Receptions. She is especially interested in analyzing event statistics and did this both at Harvard and Milton Academy.

She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Guilford College. Sarah lives in a suburb of Boston with her husband and two young children.

Nikki Steingold, Communications Director

Nikki has worked in public relations and communications for more than 30 years, with clients ranging from non-profits and healthcare organizations to Pierce Brosnan (during his “Remington Steele” days).

In her position at iRelaunch, Nikki is responsible for most communications tasks including our monthly newsletter, media releases, website editing and updating, and other writing and design functions.

Nikki studied at the University of Virginia, then transferred to and graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in order to major in Mass Communications and Public Relations -  one of the first accredited programs of its kind in the country. Nikki and her husband have two daughters and live in Richmond, Virginia.