In my work, I meet a wide variety of fascinating people - accomplished athletes, actors, artists, political figures and so on - and I get to know them outside of their public personas, whatever those may be.
Out of everyone, my favorite are the amazing, accomplished women I meet. I am always curious about their strength, their ability to navigate the world and what made them who they are today.
A number of years ago, I absently turned on the TV and saw “Breaking News.” To my surprise, I saw Mary Jo White being nominated by President Obama as the next Chairman of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC)! I had met her years before, not knowing who she was. She had a no-nonsense but friendly, low-key way about her. As I listened, the President described her many accomplishments and finished with saying, “You do not mess with Mary Jo.” Though I had by then been working with her for awhile, she nev I marveled that one of the most genuinely kind people I know is also one of the toughest people I know.
Mary Jo White has prosecuted some of the country’s most notorious criminals. It was she who finally put mob boss John “Teflon Don” Gotti away and has successfully taken down terrorists both at home and abroad. As the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Mary Jo wasn’t just the Jack McCoy of Law and Order. She was Jack McCoy’s boss and the first woman to hold this position. She has been described as “the toughest prosecutor in the United States.” Not the toughest female prosecutor, the toughest prosecutor.
While I’ve not seen her in action in courtroom or boardroom or wherever else she is kicking ass, what I do know is that women like Mary Jo White pave the way for women - and girls - to envision themselves doing the same. When you are young, or small, and female you can sometimes be overlooked. I know because I am not even 5 feet tall. Though we share the same height and shoe size, it’s very hard for me to call her petite because it’s just not the way you would describe her. The force of who she is makes her very tall. And while you certainly don’t need to be tall to have beauty, Mary Jo has the kind of beauty that inspires.
I asked Mary Jo to share some of her thoughts on her life, work and family.
What were you like as a child? Active, pretty well-behaved (believe it or not), and a tomboy. I loved sports and liked school. My brother Carl, who is 5 years older, taught me to throw a baseball "not like a girl."
What makes you so fearless, especially working in male-dominated industries? Hard to say. I would give my parents the credit - instilling in me to always try to do the right thing and have a strong moral compass. It isn't really a choice to act any other way, no matter what your environment is or who is in it.
Mary Jo White
Work-life balance? How have you been able to balance family and your career? With great difficulty, like everyone else. You have to work very hard at making sure that you make the time and insist on having it both at home and at important events. It will never be perfect, but you have to keep striving for the balance that works best for you and your family. It is different - and difficult - for everyone.
Tell me about a highlight or something fun from your career as a private lawyer, as a prosecutor or at the S.E.C. Wow. There are a lot of those. On the serious side, one would be the night that Ramsey Yousef, a mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, was captured and brought to the FBI building for processing. I was U.S. Attorney at the time and was in the command center when Yousef came out of the elevator - in the custody of the FBI in handcuffs. I felt that at least some justice could now be done for that horrific crime. On the other hand, at the S.E.C., one fun highlight was throwing out the first pitch at the Nats-Mets game.
As someone who has already done so much in her life, what continues to drive you today? The same things that always have - my family, to do the right thing and help people with their problems through my work…and the dream to become Commissioner of Major League Baseball.
What would you tell girls today about becoming an accomplished woman? Be yourself, work hard and never think there is anything you can't do. Look for fun in work and life.