New mom Savannah Frazier defies these statistics, with over 17 years of award-winning experience in ... [+]
Only 14% of women of color hold the title of manager in corporate America, compared to 27% of white women. Related, mothers who work outside the home full-time, year-round typically make 75 cents for every dollar paid to white fathers, but Black mothers are paid just 52 cents.
New mom Savannah Frazier defies these statistics, with over 17 years of award-winning experience in strategy development and systems management. Frazier is the diversity operations leader at GE Aerospace, where she is responsible for advancing key business objectives through deliberate efforts to create a more inclusive and diverse workforce. In addition to her work at GE Aerospace, Frazier runs her own consulting company.
As Frazier prepares for her first maternity leave, below she shares some of her biggest lessons learned, including how her work schedule has changed since becoming pregnant.
Christine Michel Carter: Congratulations on becoming a mom. Please tell me about your role at GE Aerospace.
Savannah Frazier: In my role, I support the acting chief diversity officer, advancing company inclusion and diversity objectives through various efforts, activities, and partnerships. The outcome of my work is that I am helping to shape an environment where employees are respected and can bring their whole selves to work to drive winning outcomes.
Carter: What noteworthy moments have you had in your professional career?
Frazier: I’ve had many! I’ve worked in six different industries and once worked on a project with UN Global Compact, which taught me the importance of sustainability in the workplace. I received the Culture Award at GE Aerospace in 2019 and last year, I graduated with a master’s degree in global management. My consulting company is working with two big clients who are market leaders in their respective industries.
Carter: Have you started preparing for your maternity leave at GE Aerospace?
Frazier: I’m 33 weeks pregnant. GE Aerospace has been very supportive of my pregnancy and offered great benefits that will allow me to spend time recovering and bonding with my little one. With that said, I’d already started closing out projects to best support the people I work with but recently accelerated my effort. The great news is there are so many people ready and willing to support my needs as I prepare for maternity leave. Still, it is important to me that I take the necessary actions to close out strong and transition ongoing responsibilities until I return.
Carter: What about your consulting company?
Frazier: As an independent contractor it’s incredibly important for me to continue providing quality service to my clients, even while I’m on maternity leave. I’ve spent the entire year of 2022 onboarding and training employees and transitioning clients' projects to reduce the dependency on me. Coincidentally, that enabled me to think strategically and advance the company’s objectives. At a tactical level, I shared my maternity leave plans with clients well in advance. This allowed time for me to transition or close projects, and time for them to ask questions, share concerns, and plan accordingly.
Carter: What’s a specific tactic you’ve used to mitigate unexpected challenges at work?
Frazier: I started waking up at 5 a.m. to help me navigate work and manage my time. It’s a game changer, allows me to start my day strong, and leaves room for time to adjust or pivot if necessary throughout the day. Because of this, I’ve been able to focus despite my growing workload.
Carter: Are you inspired by any other Black female professionals (and working moms)?
Frazier: I’m inspired by so many entrepreneurs for various reasons. I’m very inspired by the drive and creativity of working mom Kalilah Wright, the owner of Mess In A Bottle. Nykidra “Nyki” Robinson’s passion for lifting up others while driving change in local communities (under Black Girls Vote) is inspirational… and she’s a new mom too! Another new mom, Pinky Cole, has an impressive work ethic reflected by her company’s success. Slutty Vegan showcases the power of vision, determination, and resilience.
Carter: Have you considered how childcare will play a role in your parenting journey?
Frazier: I plan to take a two to three-month maternity leave to rest and bond with my baby girl before jumping back into work, but I am currently looking for a nanny/au pair to help with childcare in the fourth trimester. Given I have a busy schedule and growing career, it’s important to ensure that I have the right childcare support.
Carter: How has your schedule changed since becoming pregnant?
Frazier: As naïve as this may sound, I thought that I’d be able to anticipate many aspects of my pregnancy experience. Though I’m a planner, one of the most eye-opening lessons I’ve learned is that I’m not in control of my body or my time. I have to be intentional about what I do and how I spend my time to support all of my personal and professional endeavors and commitments. It’s been tough at times to accept that there are aspects of pregnancy I can’t control or anticipate, however, I believe it’s allowing me to grow and prepare for the next phase of motherhood.
