WORKPLACE
Home . But she says she misses feeling like an adult — making schedules and working in Excel spreadsheets , and she sometimes yearns for the wider family support and connections her first son had that Caleb has missed out on .
“ There was an image of what it was going to be like to have our second baby ,” she said . “ Everything got turned on its head .” She plans to begin looking for work again when Caleb
COHNREZNICK
PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING WOMEN AS LEADERS
enters transitional kindergarten in a couple years .
The artist
Melissa Uroff was making strides in her career . A photographer and multimedia artist , she worked part time teaching art , curated exhibits at Warehouse Artists Lofts in Sacramento , had begun working with neon lights and had promising contract jobs on the horizon . She was
WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
International public accounting firm CohnReznick has long provided opportunities for women . Of the firm ’ s 280 partners , 64 are women and of 3,100-plus team members , women outnumber men . Three women help lead the firm ’ s Sacramento office .
“ In my 16 years here , this firm has enabled me to be the parent I need to be and to grow in my career ,” says Director Lisa Schoepflin . “ The CohnReznick culture is outstanding — I ’ ve felt no gender barrier and have always had women partners in this office to look up to as mentors since I started .”
In Sacramento , two of six partners are women , including Laura Wilder . “ CohnReznick has always supported women as leaders ,” she says . “ The firm ’ s initiative , Women CAN , provides mentorship , camaraderie and leadership discussions supporting women in the workplace . I participated as a leader of the group to help women to have a sense of belonging and to see not only a woman , but a black woman in leadership .”
Partner and Affordable Housing Practice Leader Beth Mullen has been with the firm since 1984 . “ CohnReznick encourages employees to achieve their full potential ,” she says . “ We are intentional in choosing people for our executive committee and to lead offices , practice groups and firm initiatives . Having women in leadership positions brings diversity to decision making for employees and clients and , ultimately , makes our firm stronger .”
400 Capitol Mall , Suite # 1200 , Sacramento , CA 95814 916.442.9100 www . cohnreznick . com
preparing an elaborate neon scene for the grand opening of a five-story luxury apartment complex in Midtown Sacramento , scheduled for mid-March 2020 .
“ It ’ s exactly what I want to do , it ’ s the job I want to have ,” Uroff says , remembering her excitement . “ Not even a week later , I was quarantined in my house .”
She quarantined with her daughter , Madeleine Millner , while her husband , Matt Millner , continued working long days as a train conductor . Eventually she started reconnecting outdoors with a group of mom friends who also worked in creative fields .
“ It ’ s really easy to give up on trying to follow your dreams ,” Uroff says . “ The creative mom group came together because I was like , I need somebody who knows what I ’ m going through .” That connection proved vital , and Uroff began formulating a photo collage series that she ’ d name Mother . The women she photographed are all creatives — a writer , an herbalist , a drummer . The completed images show them surrounded by animals before celestial backdrops , cradling items in their arms or wearing flower crowns — beautiful stand-ins for the added weight they gracefully carry . In an art commission through the Midtown Association , several of the images are now dotted throughout Midtown ’ s Fremont Park , wrapped on utility boxes .
“ It was nice to bring together people that have the common ground of children , but also we didn ’ t even hardly talk about our kids ,” Uroff says . Instead , they discussed their projects and hyped each other up . “ You ’ re a mom ,” she says , “ but you ’ re still you .”
The entrepreneurs
Since 2014 , the sisters behind Tiferet Coffee House developed bonds with their East Sacramento community . Often , the cafe adjacent to McKinley Park hosted small groups of middle school students in the afternoons .
“ We became the safe space for all of these kids whose parents were able to come for a couple of hours and they just became our regulars ,” says Sabrina Berhane , who owned and operated the
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78 comstocksmag . com | March 2022