Leading Through Life's Transitions: A Conversation with Agnostic's SVPs

This International Women's Day, Agnostic is highlighting its two SVPs, Sherri-Lyn Brown and Lena Knight, as well as our recent work with Sinai Health Foundation on its Hot and Bothered campaign. This groundbreaking campaign underscored the need for more research and support for women experiencing perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause. Sherri-Lyn and Lena explore not only this important campaign but also their own health journeys as they've navigated growing careers and families.

Leadership Evolution: From 30s to 40s

Lena Knight: In my early 30s, I honestly thought my leaders had some kind of secret playbook I just hadn't been given yet. Fast forward to my 40s, and the big revelation has been that none of us really have all the answers — we're all just figuring it out as we go.

Our President Sarah Crabbe always says: “Focus on doing the next right thing.” That advice has been such a relief because it takes the pressure off trying to be perfect at everything all at once—which, let's be honest, is impossible.

Sherri-Lyn Brown: Experience has taught me that great leadership isn't about doing everything — it's about focusing on what truly matters and letting go of the rest. A great therapist once introduced me to the concept of glass and rubber balls. Glass balls — health, core relationships, values — shatter if dropped. Rubber balls — less critical projects and obligations — bounce back. It really helped me narrow my focus. When you have three kids, not everything can be a glass ball.

I'm still learning that boundaries aren't barriers to success — they're the foundation of sustainable leadership and life.

The Essential Support Network

Lena: I've really come to see that nobody leads in isolation. It's all about having a support system that works. I've got people at home who get it when work goes into overdrive, colleagues I can actually be real with about the hard stuff, and a team that both buys into what we're trying to do and isn't afraid to tell me when I'm off track.

Being open about mental health has been a game-changer. When I admit I'm struggling with something, it's like giving everyone else permission to be human too. What feels like showing weakness actually makes our whole team stronger. The conversations that have really kept me going through this wild phase of life are the ones where we drop the act and just admit we're all juggling a million transitions at once, and sometimes barely holding it together. There's something incredibly powerful about just being honest about that.

Sherri-Lyn: As I started having kids in my early thirties, I remember being in awe of a highly successful leader in my office who had three young kids. I remember thinking, there's no way, how could she possibly?

Now, as a leader in my 40s with three kids myself, I know she did it by having plenty of support – childcare, family (and family as childcare), peers and friends who are in it too – all of whom make up the 'village' to make it all possible. It takes a supportive husband who helps me carve the space to take care of my physical and mental health – which has become vastly more important as I've entered this phase of life.

Navigating Mid-Career Physical Changes

Sherri-Lyn: I've come to realize that sustaining professional momentum isn't about pushing harder – it's about being more intentional with my time and energy. It's not new that women have a tendency to put family, work and nearly anything else above themselves."

In the business of life, many of us experience moments that act as flags for us to slow down or make changes. As I've hit this midpoint in my career and life, I've had to make significant changes to prioritize my physical and mental health, recognizing that I can't lead or parent effectively if I'm unwell or burnt out.

Lena: I was blessed with my second child at 43 – which was absolutely wonderful, but what nobody really prepares you for is how those hormonal changes affect literally everything. When I came back to work, it wasn't like flipping a switch – it took a solid year before I felt like I was finding my footing again.

That year was this massive journey of rediscovery. I invested in leadership training, leaned heavily on our senior team, and eventually had to take an actual mental health break. Coming out the other side, I've found what actually works for me: daily mindfulness meditation, journaling, moving my body regularly, paying attention to what I eat, and learning to advocate for myself with healthcare providers. When I'm taking care of me, everyone gets a better version of me.

Leadership and Personal Wellbeing

Lena: I've always been pretty open about my journey with depression and anxiety. It's not just something that visits occasionally — it's woven into who I am as a person. I think that's why empathy has always been at the core of my leadership style.

What's been interesting this past year is realizing that I can be deeply empathetic without becoming an emotional sponge for everyone else. Instead of jumping in to fix everything, I can ask better questions, provide thoughtful feedback, and empower people to find their own solutions.

Sherri-Lyn: I used to think that leadership meant having all the answers and hiding the cracks of imperfection. But over time and through experience, I’ve learned that’s not sustainable. Hopefully the realities of my imperfections, including balancing kids with a career, will set a realistic example for my team when they get to this place. 

I also try to focus more on outcomes over hours, encourage real conversations about workload, and work to create a culture where people feel supported, not just driven. I am also still learning that protecting my own energy — whether that means stepping away when needed, delegating more, or simply acknowledging when I don’t have all the answers — makes me a better leader.

The Hot & Bothered Campaign: Advocating for Women's Health

Sherri-Lyn: I have conversations with friends all the time about how we're all feeling — from anxious episodes to panic attacks to struggles with sleep — are they symptoms of perimenopause or just a new thing in our lives? The advice we get all differs, with very little sense of clarity or understanding of what might be happening to us.

The Hot and Bothered campaign and the work that Sinai Health Foundation is doing to fund mature women's health is exciting and incredibly important in providing us all with a better understanding of what our bodies are going through as well as consistent access to quality care. Not to mention, helping to remove the damn stigma around what women go through in this phase of life and beyond.

Lena: Working on the Hot & Bothered Campaign with Sinai Health Foundation wasn't just professional for me — it was deeply personal. When I started experiencing symptoms and sought answers, my doctor told me I was too young — probably the only time I didn't want to hear that!

The statistics are staggering. Women spend up to half their lives dealing with perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. There are more than 30 different symptoms we might experience. And the consequences can be life-altering — straining relationships and disrupting careers exactly when many of us are hitting our professional stride.

My message to other women facing these challenges is this: You are not alone, you are not imagining things, and you deserve answers. Your health matters — not just for your sake, but for everyone who counts on you and the contributions you have yet to make. Change begins when we refuse to accept the status quo and instead demand a future where women's health at every stage receives the attention, research, and respect it deserves.