“Be kinder and less judgmental to other women, especially women in power in your organization.”
Kelly Fuscaldo shared a piece of advice to all young, career-oriented women after becoming a mom during COVID. “What I realized was – early in my career – I hustled in sales and had an unconscious bias against women who I knew had children, family, didn’t come early, stay late, or attend the happy hours.”
“I was very ignorant and chalked it up to them not being serious about their career, or wanting to be mentors or leaders. I never had someone share their experience with me. No one shared the why, so I didn’t understand what they were dealing with. Some went home and were on their computer after their kid’s bedtime. Happy hours meant time away from family instead of being present with their kids.”
“One day, I looked around and realized I was unwittingly associating good leadership with men. Now looking back at it, the men that I looked up to were great mentors. But as a woman and a mom I’m asking: why weren’t you doing bed time? Helping your wife? The expectations are so different for women. I don’t think that one is good or one is bad, just educate yourself and give all people more grace.”
“I now run enterprise sales for a digital business card company. I’m meeting with execs from Fortune 500 companies – and a big part of your digital business card is your headshot. I wanted to make sure I had a headshot to sell my product.”
“The day of my shoot I had 2 hours of sleep—my son was teething. I thought there was no way I was going to feel empowered, but it was a wonderful experience with Alissa. For the first time in a long time, I saw that strong Kelly that I was so proud of.”
Thank you, Kelly, for being so vulnerable and sharing your story.
About Alissa
Alissa Randall is a portrait photographer based in New Jersey and New York City, known for creating images that feel both elevated and deeply personal. While professional headshots remain a cornerstone of her work, her photography has grown to include personal branding, women’s empowerment, family connection sessions, and expressive portraits of dogs and the people who love them.
Her approach blends editorial artistry with empathy and guidance, helping people feel comfortable enough to be fully seen in front of the camera. Whether photographing an executive, an entrepreneur, a family, or a beloved dog, Alissa creates photographs that reflect more than appearance. They reflect presence, personality, connection, and story.
Alissa photographs in NJ, NYC, and on location beyond the tri-state area. Explore more of her work on the homepage and discover stories behind the images on the blog.