My New Book is Here!
Our world really needs courageous leadership right now.
Women who lead with values of social responsibility, inclusivity, and care are here to show us how it's done. With or without a formal leadership title. And at any age or stage of career.
I'm so excited to share stories, action strategies, and mindsets for career-long transformational leadership in my new book!
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A portion of the proceeds of Leading With Courage supports organizations advancing social responsibility, justice, and democracy.
Our Stories, Our Lives
What I Write About and Why
I'm a lifelong story collector and writer. My research and writing explores how people can empower themselves within the the complicated systems, socialization, and historical circumstances of their lives.
I'm especially passionate about empowering diverse women, in all dimensions of their lives. My writing on leadership and motherhood embodies those commitments, and informs all the work I do as a coach and consultant.
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I also write poetry, just because...I find it a beautiful way to observe and be in relationship with the world and my inner voice. Plus, word play!
It's an honor to share women's stories-- triumphs, tragedies, and so much resilience! See my media appearances here to sample the ideas in my books.
Books
Jodi Vandenberg-Daves, Leading With Courage: A Career-Long Guide for Idealistic Women. Purchase on Bookshop.org.
Jodi Vandenberg-Daves, Modern Motherhood: An American History (Rutgers University Press, 2014) Purchase at Barnes and Noble
Jodi Vandenberg-Daves, Making History: A Guide to Historical Research through the National History Day Program (ABC-Clio, 2006) Purchase
Jodi Vandenberg-Daves, Poems in the Mother Tongue (lulu.com, 2019) Purchase
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Media Appearances & Mentions
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The School of Heritage Podcast, "Leading with Purpose: Women Creating Work that Truly Matters," October, 2025.
The Boomer Woman Podcast, "History, Women, & Superpowers with Jodi Vandenberg-Daves," October, 2025.
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Career Growth for Working Moms Podcast, "From burnt out to bold: How working moms can lead with confidence and clarity, featuring Dr. Jodi Vandenberg-Daves," September, 2025.
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Northern Public Radio, Teachers' Lounge, "An American history of motherhood, mentorship, and empowering women's leadership," 2024.
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Vox, "From banning hugs to gentle parenting, how are you supposed to raise kids, anyway?" (2023)
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Maisonneuve, "The Mother Load: Mom guilt isn't a feeling. It's an entire industry, perfected over centuries," (2023)
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New York Times, “It’s 2021: Why is ‘Supermom’ still around?” (2021)
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WBEZ Chicago Public Radio “The Reset,” “What the declining birth rate says about American Motherhood,” (2021)
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New York Times, “Early Motherhood has always been miserable,” (2019)
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Coulee Region Women, “The Woman-Friendly Workplace,” (Dec. 2015/Jan. 2016), pgs. 31-32
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Wisconsin Public Radio, Newsmakers, “Modern Motherhood: An American History,” (2014)
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Additional Academic Publications
“Twentieth-Century Motherhood: Promises, Pitfalls, and Continuing Legacies,” The American Historian, 2016.
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"Finding Maternal Histories,” Journal of the Motherhood Initiative for Research and Community Involvement (Spring/Summer 2014), introductory article for special issue: “Mothers and History.”
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“Medicine, Modernity, and the Maternal Body” Nursing Clio (May, 8, 2014)
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“Mama Bear as Micromanager: The Evolution of Cultural Ideals of Motherhood in the Berenstain Bears Book Series, 1960-2000,” Journal of the Association for Research on Mothering 5:1 (Spring 2003): 135-147.
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“’A Look at the Total Knowledge of the World’: The University of Minnesota, the Land-Grant Tradition, and the Politics of Public Higher Education, 1950-1990,” History of Education 32: 1 (Spring 2003): 57-79.
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“’There’s Got to be More Out There’: White Working-Class Women, College, and the Better Life, 1950-1985,” International Labor and Working-Class History 62 (Fall 2002): 99-120.
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“Teaching Motherhood in History: The Challenge of Private Experience in a Tradition of Public Narrative,” Women’s Studies Quarterly 39:3/4 (Fall/Winter 2002): 234-255.
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“The Manly Pursuit of a Partnership Between the Sexes: The Debate Over Women and Girls in the YMCA, 1914-1933.” The Journal of American History 78 (March 1992): 1324-1346.
“Mama Bear as Micromanager: The Evolution of Cultural Ideals of Motherhood in the Berenstain Bears Book Series, 1960-2000,” reprinted in a “best of journal” book, Mother Matters: Motherhood as Discourse and Practice, Andrea O’Reilley, ed., Toronto: Association for Research on Mothering, 2004.
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“Native Americans and the Federal Government: A Guide to Sources,” with Louise Edwards-Simpson, in National History Day 2003: Rights and Responsibilities in History, Bea Hardy and Cathy Gorn, eds., College Park, MD: National History Day, Inc., 2002.
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“A Research Roadmap for Your History Day Topic,” in National History Day 2002: Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History, Bea Hardy and Cathy Gorn, eds. College Park, MD: National History Day, Inc., 2001.
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National History Day 1999: Science, Technology, Invention in History. Jodi Vandenberg-Daves and Cathy Gorn, eds., College Park, MD: National History Day, Inc., 1998.
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National History Day 1998: Migration in History. Edited by Jodi Vandenberg-Daves and Cathy Gorn. College Park, MD: National History Day, Inc., 1997.
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Outreach Publications
“Self-Starter Women: Women Entrepreneurs in the Upper Midwest,” Seven Magazine, 2018.
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“Seven Ways Motherhood Has Changed,” Coulee Parenting Connection, 2017.
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“Listen to Your Mother: Learn Her History,” Humanities Booyah, Wisconsin Humanities Council Blog, 2015.
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“Here’s What Women Really Want,” Jodi Vandenberg-Daves and Betsy Morgan, River Valley Business Review, December 5, 2008.
Peer Reviewer for Academic Journals
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The Journal of American History (2020/2021)
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Feminist Encounters: A Journal of Critical Studies in Culture and Politics (2019)
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The American Historical Review (2018)
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Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era (2019)
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Minnesota History (2016)
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The Children’s Association Quarterly​ (2015)