For workers balancing careers with caregiving, the struggle is real—and the University of Phoenix wants to put it on the table. The school’s next Bridging Perspectives webinar, “Balancing Career, Caregiving & Identity in Today’s Workforce,” is set for September 18 at noon MDT.
Hosted by the Office of Collaborative Learning and Educational Engagement, the virtual event targets higher ed leaders, employers, nonprofits, and the university’s own community of faculty, staff, students, and alumni. The agenda: how caregiving responsibilities—whether for children, aging parents, or both—reshape careers and demand new approaches to workplace support.
Why This Matters
Caregiving isn’t a side gig—it’s often a career-defining factor. As Tondra Richardson, University of Phoenix Director of Engagement Strategy & Program Development, puts it: “Caregiving is a deeply human experience that can impact career choices and trajectories.”
She’s not exaggerating. Earlier this year, the University’s Career Institute® and parenting platform Motherly released research showing 51% of “sandwich generation” moms have left a job because of caregiving demands. More than half of those surveyed also reported living in a single-income household—a financial strain that underscores why employers can’t afford to treat caregiving as a “personal problem.”
Who’s Talking
The panel lineup is deliberately cross-disciplinary. It features:
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Dr. Macie P. Smith, licensed social worker and gerontologist
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Neal Shah, CEO of CareYaya, Chairman of Counterforce Health, and bestselling health policy author
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Moderator: Dr. Heather Steiness, Associate Dean of Graduate Programs in the College of Health Professions, University of Phoenix
Expect perspectives that range from healthcare to entrepreneurship, with a throughline of how identity and professional life intersect when caregiving enters the equation.
The Bigger Picture
The Bridging Perspectives series is the University’s attempt to create cultural awareness around pressing workforce issues. With caregiving now a mainstream conversation in HR circles—spurred by pandemic burnout, talent shortages, and an aging population—this webinar lands at the intersection of social responsibility and business necessity.
Tech-driven caregiving platforms, like Shah’s CareYaya, are pushing into the market with promises of innovation and scalability. But at the same time, traditional employers are still catching up, experimenting with caregiver leave policies, flexible scheduling, and mental health support. The University of Phoenix event seems positioned to push that conversation forward—connecting the dots between research, policy, and lived experience.
The subtext here? Companies that ignore the caregiving challenge risk losing valuable talent. Those that get it right stand to attract and retain workers who might otherwise be forced to step back.
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Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure. Public relations, investor relations, public policy and marketing professionals rely on Business Wire for secure and accurate distribution of market-moving news and multimedia. Founded in 1961, Business Wire is a trusted source for news organizations, journalists, investment professionals and regulatory authorities, delivering news directly into editorial systems and leading online news sources via its multi-patented NX network. Business Wire’s global newsrooms are available to meet the needs of communications professionals and news media worldwide.
