International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate women’s achievements, contributions, and progress worldwide. In every country and every aspect of business and life, women are recognized and honored, but it is also a day to underscore the challenges that women still confront.  

While many may be familiar with the date, they may not be familiar with the annual theme. Each year, the IWD selects a theme to guide the conversation. This year’s focus is “Accelerate Action,” which calls for individuals, organizations, and governments to push for change and address the barriers women face.

According to IWD, at the current rate of progress, full gender parity won’t be reached until 2160. That’s why accelerating action is critical, highlighting the need for swift, decisive steps to achieve equality much sooner than projected. While the theme of gender equality has been prevalent for decades, there needs to be more than just awareness. Advocacy for women to progress in all areas, from government and business to education and motherhood, must be explored on all levels.

StaffDNA® is committed to accelerating action for women in healthcare and in the workplace. Of our 620 employees, 77% of them are women. This aligns with healthcare trends where nearly 80% of all healthcare workers in America are women.

However, the problem lies in the leadership representation. While nearly 80% of healthcare professionals are women, they hold fewer than 20% of key leadership roles in the healthcare sector.

At StaffDNA, you can take just one look at our leadership page to see that we are proud to break that trend. Over half of our leadership team, including our Chief Financial Officer, Jenny Hanlon, is comprised of women. Hanlon’s leadership is a testament to the impact women can have when given the opportunity to lead, innovate and drive change.

Leading by Example

Our commitment to women in leadership goes far beyond statistics. Under Jenny Hanlon’s financial leadership, StaffDNA has built a powerhouse management team where women lead key departments across the organization. Our corporate controller, director of HR and director of payroll positions are all held by accomplished women – a stark contrast to the typical corporate landscape where 72% of C-suite positions are held by men.

But leadership isn’t just about holding a position – it’s about lifting others up. Hanlon exemplifies this through her active support of professional development. Her team recently achieved OSHA certification, and our director of HR earned their Professional Human Resources credential, thanks in part to our robust $2,500 tuition reimbursement program.

Our commitment extends beyond our own walls. Together with LiquidAgents, we’ve established a $150,000 Endowed Scholarship for nursing students at Texas A&M University. This investment is strategically positioned to support the next generation of healthcare professionals, particularly women, who currently make up nearly 90% of registered nurses in America.

By fostering an environment where women thrive in leadership roles and investing in future healthcare professionals, we’re not just talking about accelerating action – we’re making it happen every day.

Women Leadership in StaffDNA

At StaffDNA, women are leading the way. More than half of our leadership team is made up of strong, driven women who help shape the success of our growing company. This International Women’s Day, we celebrate their dedication, innovation and impact—because their leadership makes a difference. We recently sat down with some of our female leaders and asked them about their careers, breaking barriers and finding their strength.

Emily Molinari – Nursing Operations

Emily Molinari oversees nursing operations for StaffDNA. Under her leadership, StaffDNA has over 8,000 real nursing jobs for all job types – travel, staff, local and per diem.

“One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced as a woman in leadership is dealing with unconscious bias. It’s frustrating when people question my decisions more than they would a male colleague, or when I’m labeled as ‘too emotional’ or ‘soft.’”

“To get past this, I’ve learned that I must prove myself through what I do and how I perform. But sometimes, it’s also about calling out those biases and creating a more inclusive environment where everyone’s voice is heard and respected,” said Molinari. “It’s about showing that your value is based on your skills and actions, not outdated stereotypes.”

Callie Eagan – Human Resources

Callie Eagan leads the human resources team for StaffDNA. Eagan is one of the many leaders who work under Hanlon to ensure that StaffDNA is not just a great place to work – but also one of the fastest-growing companies.

“Breaking barriers is important because it means change is happening and change drives innovation, stated Eagan on breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry. “In leadership, it’s important to embrace any challenges that come and lead by example.”

Allie Evans – Nursing Operations

Allie Evans oversees nursing operations for StaffDNA, working every day with our talented team of recruiters to help nurses in every profession and specialty find jobs they love.

“To all the women out there chasing their dreams—keep going. I know it’s not always easy, and having moments of doubt is okay. But don’t forget how strong, capable and unique you are,” Evans said. “Success isn’t about being perfect or having it all figured out; it’s about showing up, learning from setbacks, and pushing through when things get tough. You belong in every room, and you’re stronger than you think. Keep showing up for yourself, and the rest will follow.”

Lisa Dawson – Communications and PR

Lisa Dawson works to ensure that all messaging and publicity for the company aligns with the company’s brand and business vision.

“I think the biggest barriers we face are within ourselves. Breaking barriers for me means navigating away from negative self-talk, leaning into my strengths and acknowledging my weaknesses. I also think my knowledge breaks down any barrier. If there’s something I don’t understand, I learn about it,” says Dawson. “It’s important to make a conscious shift to lean into your own power and embrace your ability to make decisions based on everything you know and have learned.”

Accelerating Toward Tomorrow

As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, there’s much to celebrate when it comes to progress, but we need to remain focused on the work ahead. The path to gender equality isn’t just about breaking barriers but also about building new frameworks that ensure lasting change. At StaffDNA, this means continuing to create opportunities, nurture talent, and challenge industry norms.

While 2160 may be the projected date for achieving global gender parity, organizations like ours prove that change can happen much faster when there’s a genuine commitment to action. Through intentional leadership development, educational support and strategic investments in future generations, we’re working to accelerate that timeline.

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate our female leaders and team members’ achievements and their ongoing commitment to lifting others up. True progress isn’t measured solely in statistics or milestones—it’s measured in the lasting impact we create for generations to come.

Today, and every day, StaffDNA remains dedicated to accelerating action for gender equality. We invite others in the industry to join us in this crucial mission. After all, the future of healthcare leadership shouldn’t be a matter of waiting – it should be a matter of acting now.