New Moms Network for Faculty

New Moms photo

The New Moms Network for Faculty is open to all Purdue faculty and dedicated to issues related to new motherhood such as navigating university policies for time off, resources for childcare, managing the pressures of life-work balance, and more. The goal and aim of this program is to build an informational network and supportive community for faculty who are new mothers and/or expectant mothers.

In-person gatherings will be organized by the Butler Center and network leaders to facilitate/foster connection, conversation and sharing of experiences. Participants are encouraged to ask questions, share concerns, and share key resources (navigating university policies, finding family-friendly activities, etc.).

If you are interested in participating in the New Moms Network for Faculty, please register here.

Meet the Program Chair

Kameron Moding

Associate Professor
Department of Human Development and Family Science
College of Health and Human Sciences

I am an associate professor in Human Development & Family Science and chair of the Moms Network for Faculty. I am a new mom myself (we welcomed our daughter in November 2023), so I am excited to share my recent experiences with other new moms and moms-to-be. Being a mom in academia is challenging, and I hope to be able to support other moms during their transition to becoming a parent, starting their positions at Purdue, and navigating the work/life balance. As chair of the network, I look forward to facilitating connections among members of the network and sharing resources that help make our lives as academic moms easier. My academic research focuses on feeding infants and toddlers during the transition to table foods, so I'm happy to share my expertise in that area as well-- though, I've learned that feeding my own daughter is even harder than I imagined!

Meet the Advisors

Allison Gabriel

Thomas J. Howatt Chair and Professor in Management
Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business

I joined as an advisor for the network because I care deeply about supporting women through pregnancy, parental leave, and the return to work. This commitment became personal after a difficult postpartum experience with our first daughter — one that reshaped my research and strengthened my resolve to help new moms navigate the major life and identity transition of motherhood. When I had our second daughter, I experienced firsthand how positive work environments and strong community supports can make all the difference. I hope Purdue can foster a culture where new faculty moms find the community they often lack postpartum, especially when it feels hard to open up in their home departments. This network offers a space to connect, share, and feel less alone — and a chance to both give and receive understanding and support.

Valerie Knopik

Professor, Department Head, and Ben & Maxine Miller Professor of Human Development and Family Studies
Department of Human Development and Family Science
College of Health and Human Sciences

I chose to be involved in this effort because I would have absolutely loved to have something like this when I was a new mom in academia. Juggling all of the responsibilities that we have in our line of work can be challenging in and of themselves let alone with a new addition to your family. Helping new moms navigate these new roles and advocate for their needs is important to me. As a department head, I’ve also found that the resources for academic leaders to support faculty who are starting a family are sparse. Often human resources doesn’t know quite how to advise faculty (particularly if they are funded by grants), so my hope is to help other department leaders to support their faculty as well.

Laura Murray-Kolb

Professor and Department Head
Department of Nutrition ScienceCollege of Health and Human Sciences
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