Her Story
About Molly
Molly Tarpey is the Boston Director at Second Nurture, a nonprofit that provides support services and resources to foster and adoptive families. She unofficially began her involvement with the organization in the summer of 2023 or 2024 while still serving as a congressional communications director and later transitioned to full-time in the role. Her path to this work was influenced by her personal experience adopting three siblings from foster care, which made her aware of the need for such support. Prior to her government role, she worked at an advertising agency and became involved in politics following the 2016 election. She graduated from Ohio State University, and her main area of expertise is communications. She attributes her success to staying passionate about her work, maintaining determination and discipline, and always aspiring to do more.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Molly
01What do you attribute your success to?
I feel like life is too short to put so much time and energy and effort into something you're not passionate about. Whatever field I'm in, I'm in it because I'm passionate about it. It wasn't easy getting into politics, I had to find a way. It's just keeping the determination and discipline to do the best that I can in it, and always aspire to do more somehow.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I received one really good piece of advice in a very old job. It was, check, don't expect. It just works very well for me being in communications. It's just kind of like an extra reminder. Don't expect that everything is either as it is, or should be, or correct. It's a good reminder to go over things.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Speak up. It's okay to not always come off as being nice. It's not to say to be mean or aggressive, but with young women there's this fear of sounding at all confrontational or something could come off as a negative quality. It's not. The more you speak up, the more you're heard.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Outreach is a challenge, like getting in touch with these families, because being that they are most of them a part of DCF and in the system, obviously that information is not just public or readily available. The challenge is relying on partners to actually follow through and connect families with us.
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