Ellen Galinsky
Bezos Family Foundation
Santa Fe, NM USA
"It’s about knowing what your passions are and following the questions that you have."
Career Roadmap
Ellen's work combines: Education, Science, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Find the subjects you're most passionate about and follow the questions you have in those fields. Find the people who hold the same spark as you and work alongside them. Work is about being able to support yourself but it's also very important to do what you love and have a purpose and passion.
Here's the path I took:
Bachelor's Degree
Child Development
Vassar College
Graduate Degree
Child Development
Bank Street College of Education
High School
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I grew up in West Virginia, which didn’t have great schooling options for me, but my mother constantly inspired me to learn and work hard.
2.
I had no idea what I wanted to do when I was younger—but I’m glad I didn’t know because it left me more open to the different opportunities life brings.
3.
I studied to be a lawyer, but when I was a sophomore in college, I realized I was unhappy with my courses because I was constantly stuck in the library—I wanted my learning to be more balanced.
4.
After realizing how unhappy I was, I pleaded with a child development professor—I had always been interested in childhood learning—to let me into one of her courses, which completely changed my life.
5.
I switched my major to child studies and worked as a researcher along with my peers, as the field was relatively new—most professionals had been more interested in studying adults.
6.
As a senior in college, I went to conferences to figure out which sectors held the professionals I respected most and would want to work with.
7.
After graduating from Vassar College, I went on to get my master’s degree in education and child development.
8.
In addition to serving as chief science officer for the Bezos Family Foundation and president of the Families and Work Institute, I’ve published multiple books, including “Six Stages of Parenthood.”
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
Women shouldn't be taken as seriously as men.
How I responded:
While my field is primarily women, I've done a lot of work in corporate America where there are a lot of negative assumptions made about women and what they can do. I fostered a lot of confidence in myself and am very comfortable being me. So if anyone ever doubted me, I would set out to prove them wrong.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
Education was important to my family, but West Virginia didn't have great school choices when I was young. When I entered the professional world, I realized there were a lot of stigmas against West Virginians—people didn't think we could be smart.
I thought I wanted to be a lawyer but realized my course schedule made me unhappy, so I declared child development as my major after realizing that I always had a passion for and interest in children.