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Erica Isotta Surace: My Miscarriage Changed How I Think About Leadership…

Erica Isotta Surace/LinkedIn

Nov 14, 2026, 15:22

Erica Isotta Surace: My Miscarriage Changed How I Think About Leadership…

Erica Isotta Surace, Co-Founder of the D2 Collective, shared on LinkedIn:

“In 2020, during the pandemic, I experienced a miscarriage.

It was one of the most difficult periods of my life, and six years later, there is something from that experience I still remember: the way my manager showed up for me.

There was no pressure to return before I was ready, no questioning of my commitment, and no expectation that I should simply carry on.

Instead, I was given the time and space to rest, recover and grieve.

I will never forget the feeling of being genuinely cared for at a time when I needed it most.

That experience fundamentally shaped my understanding of leadership.

Today, as a founder preparing to become a mother, I find myself reflecting on it more than ever.

If you know me, you know I believe deeply in ambition, accountability and high performance.

I believe people should be recognized and rewarded for the value they create, the responsibilities they take on and the long-term contribution they make to a business.

But I also believe that our value as professionals doesn’t diminish when life requires us to step away.

Whether it’s pregnancy, caregiving leave, illness or personal loss, these moments shouldn’t force people to choose between their wellbeing and their careers.

Businesses have responsibilities. Work needs to be covered, decisions need to be made, and commitments need to be honored and those responsibilities also extend to the people who make the business possible.

How do we take care of our people?

And I don’t believe care and commercial ambition are competing priorities.

In fact, I believe the strongest organizations are built by leaders who understand both.

The experience I had in 2020 didn’t make me less committed to my career. If anything, it strengthened my belonging to my team and my understanding of the kind of environment in which people can do their best work.

Leadership isn’t only about what we expect from people. For me it’s more about what they can expect from us.

As I enter this next chapter of my life, that’s the standard I want to keep building towards.

A company where ambition and humanity coexist, where contributions are valued beyond any single moment, and where people feel supported through every stage of their lives.

Because the way we treat people when they need us most says far more about our values than anything else.”

Stay informed with the latest updates in fertility and reproductive medicine on Fertility News.