Abbey Donnell

Background

About Abbey Donnell

I founded Work & with a simple but urgent insight: most workplaces weren’t designed for new mothers. Before I had kids of my own, I listened to friends and colleagues share stories of uncomfortable, stressful, and inadequate pumping conditions at work. The system clearly wasn’t working, and I couldn’t unsee it. At the time, I was working in marketing and earning my MBA at Rice, where I began developing what was then Work & Mother as part of my graduate studies. The idea took hold, and while nine months pregnant with my first child, I pitched Work & Mother in a startup competition, and won. That moment cemented my commitment to building spaces and systems that allow working parents to thrive. Today, Work & partners with employers and landlords to create beautifully designed, code-compliant lactation suites and wellness spaces that support retention, inclusion, and dignity. Our mission is rooted in equity, public health, and infrastructure that works for real families. I’m a proud mom of three, and I believe that when we support parents at work, everyone benefits. As featured in Fast Company, Bizjournals, Nice News, InnovationMap, and more.