Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/135744
Women in Leadership life, was torn apart. Homan returned to her books. In a world where nothing was certain, offered comfort. It was concrete. Homan describes one of her theories of laser refraction as "dancing ballerinas" and found solace in the visualization. Homan also spent many nights at local hospitals, helping children cope with the tragedies of war. In many situations, there was no medication to administer to injured children. She offered comfort by singing or Homan never let her circumstance define her future. She never allowed herself to feel defeated. She found her passion and embraced it. reading to them to help deal with the physical and emotional pain. much comfort she took in helping the children. She recommended The hard realization eventually surfaced. Homan needed to make to Homan that she volunteer at a hospital or something similar, a choice. Stay in Yugoslavia or escape. She headed to the American even if for just a short time while she was figuring out what to do Embassy and became a refugee. With several hundred dollars next. in her pocket, she left what remained of her family and country and headed to Los Angeles, with hopes of attending USC for her That evening, Homan drove by Futurekids, Inc. But instead of master's degree and sharing her theory of laser research with the continuing past, this night she pulled in. Introducing herself to the professor who unknowingly carried her through a civil war. management, she offered to assist with teaching classes. Dzana remained with the franchise for four and a half years, and then At USC, the staff recognized that the refugee needed help, and joined the franchisor and within eighteen months she had become assisted her with finding a room while she figured out what she was the CEO and president. going to do. Unfamiliar with Western society, Homan had not been expecting to pay for college; in communist Yugoslavia, education In 2008 Homan left Futurekids and became the CEO of Huntington was free. She quickly assessed her situation and knew she needed Learning Center. Today, she is the Chief Operating Officer of a job, taking a position in an upscale boutique in Los Angeles. They Goddard Systems (franchiser for the Goddard Schools), the number- found her accent very appealing, and speaking broken English one ranked early-childhood education franchise in the United actually served her well in the retail environment. Her European States. She is a current board member of Image Navigation, and flair was intriguing and vogue. previous board member of the Cerebral Palsy International Research Foundation and the Women's Leadership Board for Harvard Homan refocused and began researching all the American Kennedy School of Government. universities with physics departments having specializations in her area of study. Cold calling into admissions department heads Looking back on Homan's life offers many lessons. Out of tragedy, and anyone else she could contact, she refused to turn back. a modern educational trailblazer was born. Homan never let her Eventually, she called the physics department at the University of circumstances define her future. She never allowed herself to feel New Mexico. Luck finally landed on her side, and the head of the victimized or defeated. She found her passion and embraced it. department answered the phone. Intrigued by Homan's story and academic focus, he suggested she play an instrument, because the While Homan was, and is, very passionate about physics and music department was struggling and that could be her means of science, she is equally passionate about youth. Today, her dream entrance. Fortunately, Homan was a classically trained pianist. is for society to recognize that the potential in our children needs to be nourished before they turn six. She argues that if we invest Homan was accepted and quickly made a name for herself. Both earlier in our children, the dividends will be exponential. her gender and her intelligence were topics of conversations in the science halls. Her dream was starting to take shape. She was If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, that the task in front of admitted to work on a top-clearance program. Those dancing you is too arduous, that circumstances are beyond your control, ballerinas seemed to be coming to life, but they were soon ripped think of Dzana Homan. Asked about her view on the glass ceiling away again. Not being a United States citizen, she could not work for women in America today, her response was simple: "What on a project of top-clearance security. She had to be taken off and glass?" was not permitted to continue with her research. Feeling beaten down by all that had occurred, Homan called her mother. Be it divine intervention or just plain luck, the next conversation would alter her life. Her mother reminded her how Renee Forcey is an executive search consultant with JM Search, a national search firm based in King of Prussia, PA. She can be reached at forceyr@jmsearch.com. MAY 2013 | www.hrotoday.com [33]