Six months into my role as an Engineering Director, I embarked on my parental leave for my second child. I did not have many role models of senior women leaders who had taken extended period of time off to focus on family and come back. So I charted my plan with the help of my leaders, peers, friends and mentors. In this talk I will cover what I did to prepare before my parental leave, from the perspective of business and how to keep an org functioning healthy while you are out, and from a personal perspective so I can focus on the new phase in my life. And will cover how I eased back into my role upon return. The talk will also cover what you can do as managers and peers to support your coworkers on parental leave.