Let’s Celebrate FINomenal Women Making Waves!
March is Women’s History Month, and what better way to celebrate than to highlight some of the finomenal women from our Goldfish Family?! The theme for 2024’s Women’s History Month is women who advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, and we’re so excited to share more about some of the amazing women making waves for inclusivity every day!
Meet Talia Mark Brookshire, Chief Diversity Officer
Talia holds many titles – diversity, human resource and marketing executive, wife, Goldfish mom, friend of one of our favorites, Cullen Jones, water safety advocate, and so many more. She even serves at the helm of her organization’s People Division, a role that allows her to reinforce her company’s dedication to creating and maintaining an inclusive environment. Through wearing her many hats, she has the opportunity to not only support women around her, but to advocate for them and celebrate them.
“Celebrating women holds immense power for me, resonating deeply as a mother, a friend, and an advocate for girls everywhere. Women, to me, embody unimaginable strength and resilience. We shatter barriers, redefine norms, and quite frankly, make the world turn.”
As a girl mom, Talia gets the chance to raise the next generation of strong, independent, courageous women, and takes the job very seriously! She is working every day to instill ‘Girl Power’ into her girls, starting first thing in the morning. “Each morning, their alarm serenades them with a song celebrating women’s empowerment (often a Beyoncé anthem, let’s be real). On the way to school, we engage in daily affirmations — ironically, our favorite is Snoop Dogg’s “Affirmations.” Who would’ve guessed? These small rituals lay the groundwork, but we’re equally mindful of our conversations with the girls,” says Talia. She and her husband stress to their daughters that the world is their oyster, regardless of gender, ethnicity, and barriers that may come their way.
Though acknowledging that every day raising fierce, determined, mini future world-changers can be quite the adventure, Talia has an army of strong female role models surrounding her children. They band together to empower one another and encourage other moms and women to do the same.
“Keep doing what you’re doing. Stay consistent. The world is craving more strong women, and we’re raising them right before our eyes.”
Meet Rachelle Nurse, Co-Owner of Goldfish Swim School – Covington
Rachelle, like Talia, wears many hats. As a mother to two athletes, a wife, a business owner with several locations, a friend, and more, she is quite the busy woman! Her portfolio is impressive, with multiple Urban Air Adventure Parks and a Goldfish Swim School coming soon, but even more impressive is, well, her! Rachelle is dedicated to everything she does, traveling consistently to be at her children’s sporting events, visiting her many businesses, and with family as much as she can be. The woman never stops!
Rachelle began her career in the medical field as a nurse practitioner and later made the leap to join the world of franchising as she looked for opportunities that would set up her children with generational wealth. She first jumped into Urban Air, having taken her daughter to a friend’s birthday party at a location near them. One location led to many, then led her our way to open the very first Goldfish Swim School in Louisiana! Not only is she passionate about water safety, but about creating equal opportunities for all children to have access to quality swim lessons, something she is working to achieve with Goldfish – Covington. She is a true example of a hardworking, passionate, driven woman and we are so lucky to have her in our corner!
Meet Dr. Molly O’Shea, Pediatrician
You know her, you love her! Dr. Molly O’Shea is the o-FISH-al pediatrician of Goldfish Swim School and is such a great friend to our brand. Owning her own practices in Michigan, alongside being a sought-after keynote speaker, media consultant and journalist, Dr. Molly has created an empire of knowledge to share with those around her.
Dr. Molly has found passion in advocating for causes that she believes in, supporting water safety and drowning prevention efforts, advocating for diversity and inclusion and being a resource for the LGBTQ+ community. “None of us can be true to ourselves if we can’t wear clothes that are comfortable and that make us feel good. None of us can be true to ourselves if we have to wear our hair a certain way, or a certain color,” says Dr. Molly, acknowledging that each of us are unique and worthy of celebration! She graciously gives advice, offers a listening ear, and pushes for action for women, children and really anyone that needs it!
We are so thrilled to get the opportunity to work with Dr. Molly, but even more so to be able to learn from her, look up to her, and take her ever so wonderful advice!
How lucky are we to be surrounded by such fin-omenal women?! These of course are just a few, as we are consistently working alongside incredible women each and every day in our offices, our schools and our daily lives! In honor of Women’s History Month, we hope you’ll recognize the amazing women in your life, too! Buy them a coffee, send them a thoughtful message, do a little something to brighten their day, and to CELEBRATE!