What happens when we reimagine work to support – not sideline – women? You unlock stronger teams, greater retention, and leadership that truly reflects the world we live in. That was the energy fueling “Building Better Workplaces for Women,” an interactive workshop led by Brea Starmer, founder of Lions & Tigers, and Karen Fassio, former Microsoft director turned consultant at the 2nd Annual Women’s Leadership Gathering put on by Women in Work & the Gates Foundation.
These two powerhouse women took the stage blending career stories, research-backed insights, and practical tools to help attendees take action toward building more inclusive and human-centered workplaces.
Why This Conversation Matters
As Brea shared, the traditional 9-to-5 model wasn’t built for caregivers, freelancers, or folks navigating life transitions. After being laid off seven months pregnant, she saw firsthand how the system wasn’t designed with women in mind and chose to build something different. Enter Lions & Tigers, an organization specializing in blended workforce models that’s unlocked over $34M in opportunity.
2025-04-29-WiW-Women’s-ERG-Leaders (Gates Foundation, event) | The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | Seattle, WA| © Jerry and Lois Photography
Karen, who spent 24 years climbing the ranks at Microsoft, brought the other side of the story describing what it takes to lead from inside massive organizations while keeping purpose front and center.
2025-04-29-WiW-Women’s-ERG-Leaders (Gates Foundation, event) | The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | Seattle, WA| © Jerry and Lois Photography
Together, they asked: What will it take to keep women in the workforce—and help them thrive?
3 Big Power Moves from the Session
- Lead with a Mission & Build a Leadership Lab
Karen’s leadership philosophy? “We don’t have to do things the way they’ve always been done.” She challenged the idea that leadership is about top-down control and instead offered a vision for community-based leadership.
Her approach included:
- Building capacity and competency in her team by sharing strategic priorities and identifying skills and learning development for the future of where the business is going. .
- Creating a Leadership Lab operating model that empowered others to lead with agility and curiosity.
- Extending authority by imagining your team members as peers – what would it take to empower them to represent the vision and mission versus the tasks of the day or the fiscal?
Takeaway: Whether you’re managing others or not, get clear on your mission. Then help others align their growth to that bigger purpose.
- Mentorship that Builds Community
The data is clear: Women with strong female networks report 53% higher career satisfaction*. But without that support, the costs are steep ranging from stunted advancement to women leaving industries entirely. In a study by Read the Room Advisors, surveyed women reported the following effects:
1. 46% left an organization
2. 42% left a role
3. 22% left an industry
4. 37% advancement suffered
Karen encouraged a broader, more intentional view of mentorship:
- Go beyond coffee chats. Sponsor women into rooms, panels, and communities where their voices matter.
- Leverage your team’s skills to give back to professional communities through teaching, events, or even social content.
- Use the “3 Gives, 1 Get” model to build trust and connection. Share what you learn, open up access for things aligned to their needs, give your perspective. These are valuable exchanges to create within your network within and outside your organizations.
Takeaway: Mentorship isn’t just about advice; it’s about access and activation.
- Work with Intention, Not Exhaustion
Many women resonate with the “servant leadership” model—but as Brea pointed out, constantly pouring from an empty cup leads to burnout.
Karen offered a new path: Purpose-aligned leadership, where your work and values sync up. One example? She integrated blended teams of full-time employees with experienced consultants from Lions & Tigers resulting in faster role and project onboarding and agile application of experience and skills to increase capacity as needed. This became especially important as the frequency of changes increased..
She posed a powerful question for leaders:
“What resources can you invest today to bring you closer to your vision?”
Takeaway: You don’t need to overhaul your company. Start with small steps – advocating for coverage during parental or adult-care leave, co-mentoring rising talent, or speaking up for supplier diversity.
Closing Challenge: What Will You Do Next?
To wrap the session, attendees were asked to pair up and answer this question:
“What are two things you can do in the next quarter to wield your access, influence or resources in alignment with your mission?”
Whether you’re early in your career or leading a department, Brea and Karen left us with this message:
“We see a world where women thrive – where they work, in new models of work, empowered and operating at their Highest & Best Use. We are in the work with you to make this a reality for more of us.”
We built a playbook for leaders who are thinking about workforce innovation and need a system for change. Our Highest & Best Use Operating System™ maximizes human potential aligned to business outcomes, while guarding against burnout and exclusion. Check out our playbook here.
And if you’re seeking support to create more sustainable, inclusive teams, the Lions & Tigers team is here to help. Contact our team here.
Photo credit: Jerry and Lois Photography
* Research study by Read the Room Advisors
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