News & Events

Published in "St. Mary Outlook" - St. Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Church, Groton, CT

Michelle Yozzo Drake serves St. Mary's as a lector and Eucharistic Minister. Her paintings can be seen throughout the new Parish Center.

We are in a time when cultivating Christian leaders is more important than ever. It is our calling to grow in leadership as we walk through our lives. My new book, "From the Kitchen to the Corner Office: Mom's Wisdom on Leadership" examines the precious gifts of wisdom our families give us.

The goal of this book is to give readers the tools to develop their leadership skills to serve in our schools, communities, parishes and at work through the simple truths that are learned from Mom's stories. Some chapters are funny, like "Toothpaste and Towels" where my mother-in-law Marty creatively meets the challenge of getting 12 children fed and clean each morning with only one bathroom; "Stay Out of the Kitchen" tells the story of leading and following, set in the kitchens of my mother Mimi and my Aunt Marie as both women work together to serve a seven-course Italian holiday meal for our large, boisterous, extended family. Other chapters are filled with emotion like "Stand Up" which explores my relationship with God and how faith is my most powerful leadership perspective.

"From the Kitchen to the Corner Office" invites us to think of our own family stories and how we can learn simple truths from our Mother figure.

Here's what a noted author says about the book: "A master storyteller, Michelle couples inspiring stories of mother's wisdom with real world leadership applications...her unique voice will speak to readers in a powerful way." Mark Victor Hansen, NY Times #1 Bestselling Author of Chicken Soup for the Soul series.