S9E20: Taking Care of Others While Caring for Yourself with Kendra Thomas

In June of 2025, Kendra Thomas welcomed her first daughter. By November, she had lost her father after a long battle with cancer. In between, she was a brand-new mom, a caregiver coordinating around-the-clock care, and a senior leader steering her team through the City of Chicago’s busiest season. In this tender and honest conversation, Kendra and Laura go deep on the reality of the sandwich generation: the invisible labor, the guilt, the boundaries you are forced to learn, and the quiet work of asking for help when you have always been the strong one. Kendra also shares the reframe that carried her through, the difference between someone giving up and someone surrendering, and how this season made her a more empathetic leader.

In this episode:

Why “he didn’t give up, he surrendered” became the reframe that let Kendra release control and honor her father’s wishes
The invisible labor of caregiving and leadership, and how guilt, boundaries, and asking for help all collide in one impossible season
How caring for her father at home increased her empathy as a leader and changed how her whole team checks in on one another

About Kendra

Currently, Kendra serves as the Chief Administration and Finance Officer at the Office of the City Clerk. In this role, Kendra guides the financial planning, hiring and workplace culture initiatives for the office. As a strategic-thought partner reporting directly to the Chief of Staff, Kendra has played a critical role in partnering with senior leadership to make strategic decisions.

Connect with Kendra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendra-t-416a215b/

BWL Resources: