Hello friendly faces! It’s that time of the week! We’re back with a new CNSM Meet a Mom spotlight brought to you in part by Mary Gifford of Gifford Law. This week we are pleased to introduce you to a brand new Northbrook boy mom (twins + 1!) by way of Chicago and Downers Grove, and a client partner at Meta, Emily Witt!
Get to know Emily, her impressive list of family and date-night restaurant spots, what she loves about Meta and the best Meta advice she could give a fellow reader. Welcome, Emily!
Hi Emily! Please introduce yourself. Where are you from originally? What city do you live in now?
Hello! My name is Emily Witt and I’m from the western suburb of Downers Grove. I attended college in Virginia and moved to Chicago after graduation. I lived in the city for 17 years where I met my husband and began our family. We recently moved out of the city and to Northbrook for more space and for our kids to start grade school. My husband is from Deerfield and we have many friends and family in surrounding neighborhoods so it was an easy decision to move to the North Shore.
You’re a mama! How many kiddos do you have and how old are they? Feel free to brag about those rambunctious cuties.
I am a mom of 3 very rambunctious, sport-loving, silly-humored, kind-hearted boys. I have twin boys that are 7 years old in first grade and a little guy that is 4 years old in pre-school… although I’m pretty sure he thinks he’s a triplet!
They are wild and fun-loving, full of energy and curiosity and obsessed with all things sports; soccer, football, baseball, basketball, you name it they love it! I’ve never bought so many sports jerseys in my life and my players’ stat knowledge is at an all-time high. Aside from sports they also love building Legos and they’ve taken over our dining room to build and showcase their completed sets. Although it always feels a bit chaotic in the house, I’m loving this age as they’re making new friends, gaining independence, and taking an interest in a variety of activities.
What are one or two fun facts to know about you?
Fun fact number one is that I’m a twin myself! It’s always fun to tell people that I’m a fraternal twin (I have a sister) and that I had fraternal twin boys. It was such a special experience growing up as a twin and I love watching my boys share that twin connection with each other
Fun fact number two is that I was a division I collegiate athlete and played volleyball at Virginia Tech. My twin sister also played division I college volleyball so athletics, commitment, and competitiveness are in the genes. I guess it’s no surprise my boys love to compete and play sports!
What are your favorite local spots to hang with the fam?
Although we’re relatively new to the North Shore our family has already found a few staples that we love visiting:
For family/kids activities we enjoy bowling at Pinstripes in Northbrook, climbing at Funtopia in Glenview, or playing Top Golf in Schaumburg. After a family activity we’ll check out a family restaurant such as Marcello’s in Northbrook, Yardhouse in Glenview, or Barnaby’s in Northbrook. For an easy date night my husband and I like House 406 in Northbrook, Trattoria Oliverii in Northbrook, or Minos in Winnetka. And I’m a bit of a coffee connoisseur so enjoy frequenting Tala Coffee Roasters in Highwood and Newport Coffee House in Bannockburn for my morning or afternoon pick-me-up.
What gets you through a tough day?
Resetting my perspective, going for a walk, and snuggling my kids is how I get through a tough day. Stepping outside for fresh air helps clear my head, and moving my body helps get the energy and creativity flowing to tackle the next challenge. Often my day is packed with back to back meetings and phone calls, so making time for reflection and movement is a must. And kids snuggles of course make everything better.
You are a Client Partner at Meta. What is your role at Meta and how did you find this job initially?
I work in digital advertising at Meta (formerly Facebook) and have been with the company for 6 years. My role is to help advertisers place media campaigns (ads) across the Meta platform (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp).
I started my career at an advertising agency gaining 8+ yrs experience in digital media, then took a digital marketing role client side at a large beverage company for 5 yrs, and finally moved to digital media sales at Meta. All of my work experience has been focused in digital brand marketing so making the move to Meta was an exciting opportunity and a natural fit.
In addition to my sales role at Meta, I also co-lead a Mom support group for chicago-based Meta employees. Our internal group, SuperMoms, is a community of Moms who share, support, and connect on all things motherhood. Co-leading this group has been a great opportunity to build new relationships and support other moms through their journey with resources and share experiences.
What is your favorite thing about working for Meta?
By far my favorite thing about working for Meta is the people. I have the opportunity to work with incredibly talented, smart, driven people that embody an entrepreneurial spirit of continuous learning and building. I’m inspired and motivated by my co-workers everyday, which in turn pushes me to work harder and smarter. While working for a large company certainly has its highs and lows, the people are what makes a company and the culture great and Meta has a lot of them. The generous benefits and flexible schedule are also pretty great 😉
What are two pieces of advice you would give your best friend looking to reinvent him or herself?
Start with self-awareness and identify your strengths/weaknesses. This will help you identify what you’re good at, what your opportunities are, and determine what you want to achieve.
Don’t be afraid to take risks and fail, as failing is part of the process. And if you do fail, know that you’ve always got a lifeline in your family and friends to help you along the way.
What’s on the horizon for your career?
I really enjoy working in digital marketing- it’s fun, fast-paced, and challenging. The industry is constantly evolving as new technology and platforms are developed, which means you need to adapt and move quickly. Despite the demands of a full-time corporate job, I enjoy the challenge of moving fast and building the future of digital and social marketing- so I think I’ll stay with Meta for a bit!
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about yourself or Meta?
The question I get asked most often about Meta is about account security and what to do if your account gets hacked. First and foremost I recommend utilizing a strong password and enabling two-factor authentication on all of your personal and professional accounts. If you have issues accessing your account or think you’ve been hacked, visit Instagram.com/hacked to report and resolve Instagram access issues.
Thank you! that is wonderful advice! Cheers!
About our Meet of Mom Sponsor
A very heartfelt thank you to CNSMoms’ Meet a Mom sponsor, Lake Forest mom of three and owner of Gifford Law, a solo Estate Planning Firm (wills and trusts). Mary, we appreciate your support of local moms in our North Shore communities! Learn more about Mary by visiting her Meet a Mom spotlight here! Contact Mary directly here: [email protected].