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 over 7,500 people at more than 120 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. She subsequently moved over into HR roles at two different media companies before taking a seven-year career break to be home with her five children. She relaunched her career by helping her neighbor with his executive search business. She grew 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.

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.

Amy Gleklen, ACC, MBA, MS, Coaching Director

Amy is a certified leadership coach specializing in career and leadership coaching and founder of Next Game Plan. Amy's passion is working with people to help them discover their unique next game plan, whether in a new career or moving to the next level of leadership. She created a career exploration and transition coaching program to help get clients in their "career zone." As a leadership coach, Amy partners with clients, leveraging strengths and identifying areas for development, to help them become better and more successful managers and leaders. In addition to working with clients individually, Amy has created and leads a variety of workshops. She co-developed the iRelaunch Coaching Circles Workshop series and leads iRelaunch Virtual Coaching Circles. Amy is one of a select few career coaches recommended by the Wharton Alumni Career Management Office.

Amy has followed her own playbook with over 20 years of corporate, small business, and nonprofit experience, including Merrill Lynch; Biden for President; Booz, Allen & Hamilton; and as director of a DC-based nonprofit. Her background includes leadership roles in management, finance, sales and operations. Her education includes an MBA from Wharton Business School, a Masters degree in Counseling from Johns Hopkins, and leadership coaching certification through Georgetown University. She is an ACC ICF certified coach and certified in a variety of assessments including Myers-Briggs, Strong Interest Inventory, and Leadership Circle 360. She completed a 12-week course on Positive Psychology through the University of Pennsylvania. Amy has been married for 20 years and has four children ages 18, 16, 12 and 10.

Elizabeth Hansen, Operations Director

Elizabeth is responsible for overall operations at iRelaunch. Elizabeth has successfully relaunched twice, so she remains keenly aware of both the valuable benefits of and urgent need for career services for professionals returning to work after some time away.

Elizabeth most recently built a service business from a concept to a thriving company serving thousands of customers by establishing strong relationships and fostering a culture of exceptional customer service. Prior to that, she took a 10-year career break from her work as an attorney.

Elizabeth has a BA from The College of William and Mary, and a JD from Suffolk Law School. She lives in Virginia with her husband and children.

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.