I would say that you should surround yourself with a great support system, and not be afraid to pursue what you feel passionate about. I kind of like laugh to myself when I say that because, every day I sort of struggle with that, too, because there’s a lot that I’m passionate about and, it’s hard to just stay focused and go in this one direction. You also have a lot of things to think about, like supporting a family and—but I think that you can find a balance between being secure financially and supporting your family, but also being able to do what you really love. And I would encourage anybody to—women, men, anybody who just feels passionate about something to pursue that even if it means that you might have to do that in addition to something else, which is kind of what I’m doing right now. So [laughs] working in two different places, but I feel really passionate about what I’m doing so I’m just trying to find the balance there.
Francesca Harris was born on Eglin Air Force Base in Florida in 1978. She grew up in Winthrop, MA and graduated from Winthrop High School. She moved on to get her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at Westfield State College. Francesca wanted her children to grow up in a suburban-like area, resulting in her and her husband’s move to West Boylston. Francesca discusses her time in college, after college, and today, working at nonprofit organizations like the American Heart Association, Girls Inc., and the Boy Scouts of America. Francesca currently works for UMass Memorial Hospital in Human Resources. She was given the Worcester Magazine 40 Under 40 Award recently. She touches upon how she loves her job, but she didn’t realize until recently that her favorite thing to do is to write. Francesca is currently attending Worcester State University for her Masters of Arts degree in English. In this interview, Francesca discusses the challenges faced in having a full time job, working for non-profit organizations, and going to school, all while having a husband and two kids at home.