Writer | Researcher | Consultant

Kiya Taylor-Burden

Motherhood x Future of Work

I write, research, and build tools that challenge outdated ideas about motherhood and careers. My work reframes the value motherhood brings professionally, helps women to navigate career transitions and supports businesses to design systems where motherhood and ambition can coexist.Backed by 15 years of experience in growth, operations, strategy, and partnerships across startups, venture capital, and global organisations.

Motherhood adds value. I work with individuals and businesses to make sure our careers, workplaces and systems reflect that.

Ways we can work together:

  • Feature writing on motherhood, career, and the future of work

  • Designing return-to-work programs tailored to your organisation

  • Speaking engagements & workshops for leadership teams or employee groups

  • Podcast hosting or guest interviews on motherhood, career, and systems change

  • 1:1 career mentoring for mothers navigating return, reinvention, or transition

If something here resonates, I’d love to hear from you.

Hi, I'm Kiya – Mother, Writer, Researcher & Consultant

I work at the intersection of motherhood and career. My work reframes the value motherhood brings professionally, helps women to navigate career transitions and supports businesses to design systems where motherhood and ambition can coexist.I believe motherhood is not a “career break” – it’s an integral and expansive chapter in a woman’s career. It’s a time when capacity grows, priorities sharpen, and skills like problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and time management are honed to a new level of effectiveness.Yet society still frames motherhood as something separate from professional success. Worse, it often suggests that the longer you spend in motherhood, the less employable you become. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Each week, I write about how we can challenge these narratives – sharing personal reflections, practical advice, and research that reimagines the future of work through the lens of motherhood.I’m also conducting formal research on how mothers and employers can better navigate the return to paid work, developing strategies that reflect the lived realities of caregiving, not just corporate ideals.Before stepping into this work, I spent 15 years at the intersection of technology, community, and business. I’ve built products and platforms, raised capital, secured grants, supported market expansion, and led communications across startups, venture capital, and global organisations.If you'd like to collaborate or learn more, I’d love to connect.

PhD Research

Returning to paid work after maternity leave presents significant challenges for many women. Beyond the physical, emotional, and mental transitions of early motherhood, women often encounter rigid workplace systems that demand disproportionate compromise in order to succeed.While much of the existing literature focuses on women’s experiences during this return period, there is limited research into the specific strategies – used by both women and workplaces – that lead to more effective reintegration. As a result, both mothers and employers are left navigating a complex space without the data or guidance to design sustainable return-to-work approaches.

Additionally, most studies assume women return to the same role they held prior to maternity leave. However, many women find themselves seeking new roles, transitioning careers, or choosing self-employment to regain autonomy over work-family balance. These pathways remain underexplored.My research aims to take a broader view of how women in Australia and the United Kingdom return to paid work post-maternity leave. It will identify actionable strategies that support women across diverse career transitions, while also engaging with businesses to ensure findings are practical, relevant, and co-designed. In doing so, this research seeks to inform both immediate practices and longer-term structural change.