Built by Parents. Backed by Experience.
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Hi.
We’re Nick and Ashley Umana — husband and wife, proud parents of two incredible little girls, and partners in both life and business.
Between us, we bring more than 25 years of experience in Learning & Development across enterprise organizations, regulated financial services, healthcare, biotech, cybersecurity, global consumer brands, and high-growth technology environments. Our careers have focused on designing structured learning experiences that help people transition, grow, and perform with confidence.
Yet when it was our turn to return to work after parental leave, we found something surprising: there was no structure waiting for us.
No roadmap to understand shifting team priorities.
No guidance on navigating changes in staff, objectives, or organizational direction.
No intentional support to rebuild confidence after months away.
We had spent years designing onboarding programs, leadership journeys, and transition frameworks for organizations — but there was almost nothing designed for this transition.
We realized this wasn’t just a personal gap. It was a systemic one.
So we built what we wish we had.
The Work Collective was created to provide structured, practical, and human-centered support for parents returning to work — because re-entering your role after a life-changing season deserves more than “welcome back.”
Our Mission
To equip working parents with structured tools, clarity, and confidence as they transition back into their professional roles.
We design practical resources that reduce overwhelm, restore direction, and help parents step back into their careers with purpose — not pressure.
Our Vision
We envision a workplace culture where returning from parental leave is treated with the same intentionality as onboarding a new hire.
Where organizations recognize that supporting parents isn’t just compassionate — it’s strategic.
Where parents don’t feel forced to choose between ambition and family, but instead are empowered to thrive in both.
