Without leaps of imagination or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. – Gloria Steinem

Women’s rights activist Gloria Steinem turned 80 years old this week. To be honest, I don’t know much about her but I have always loved some of the quotes attributed to her, especially the most unfiltered and prickly ones (for example, “The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off”).

However, the fact that I don’t know much about her is perhaps a testament to her overall success. My generation was more or less right after hers, and I feel lucky that I entered a workforce with many choices. I wasn’t required to attend a women’s college. I didn’t have to consider marriage as a pathway to economic success. I didn’t have to choose between being a teacher and a secretary, the only two options my mother felt were available to her.

I’m not saying gender bias doesn’t exist anymore. Of course it does – otherwise Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In wouldn’t still be a topic of heated discussion in the media and at book clubs across the country, including my own. Some might even say the best evidence of gender bias is in my chosen career, employee communications and engagement. Women tend to pile up in the “softer” areas of business, like human resources and communications. Many would argue this is detrimental to our overall success because it limits our ability to advance to the C-Suite – although I certainly managed to circumvent this by starting my own business.

I’m not terribly interested in any debate about the relevance of my field. I love my job. I’ve had the privilege and luxury to build a career exactly the way I’ve wanted to, and for that I thank not only Gloria Steinem, but all the other women who came before me, who successfully fought to give women a vision and a place in today’s workforce. I count my mother as one of the best role models I can imagine. She chose the path of teacher, worked her way into school administration and although she’s retired, remains the most passionate, committed and enthusiastic educator I’ve ever known.

I believe finding meaning and joy in our work is one of the most important things worth pursuing in life. It’s why I chose the field of employee engagement for my career, and it’s also why we recently settled on a Brilliant Ink social responsibility platform that honors and champions the pursuit of a passionate career path for girls and women. It’s the word “passionate” that really matters the most to me. STEM education and career options for girls is important – but so is the pursuit of careers in the humanities and arts, if that’s what uplifts and inspires you. We all need to earn a living wage, but beyond that, I believe following a career path guided by purpose and meaning can be one of the most rewarding experiences in our lives. It has been for me.

We’ll be sharing more about our social responsibility platform on our website and here on our blog soon. In the meantime, happy birthday, Gloria – and thanks to all the women who helped clear the way for me to follow my own passionate and purposeful career path.