November 07, 2025
Event part of Michigan Women’s Commission ‘Menopause: It’s a Movement!’ statewide conversations
ALPENA, Mich. — The Michigan Women's Commission recently hosted a menopause conversation moderated by Alpena Mayor Cindy Johnson. This is the final event in a series of conversations that took place around the state to create a safe space for women to openly share their mid-life health stories and find answers to the questions they have about menopause symptoms and treatments.
"When we create policies and workplace cultures that acknowledge and support women navigating menopause, we’re not only promoting health and dignity — we’re making a smart investment in our workforce and our economy,” said Susan Corbin, director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. “Supporting women at every stage of their careers helps retain experienced talent, boosts productivity and fosters workplaces where everyone can thrive. The return on that investment is healthier employees, stronger businesses and a more resilient economy for all."
Panelists included: Dr. Anna McKenney, OB/GYN at MyMichigan Health; Wynne Tezak, physical therapist and founder of Willow Tree Physical Therapy; and Kristine Spicer, Doctor of Pharmacy and owner of LeFave Pharmacy and Compounding.
"As an OB/GYN, I see women at many important phases of their lives and the lack of education on menopause for health professionals, including OB/GYNs, is one of the biggest things I would change about how society handles menopausal care,” said Dr. Anna McKenney. “We’re who the community turns to for help when their bodies begin to change and there’s no way for us to best help them if we’re left unaware. Some healthcare providers may teach themselves, but they shouldn’t have to. The Michigan Women’s Commission recommending more extensive training for health care professionals would be a groundbreaking step in caring for menopausal Michiganders.”
In the United States, women make up 51% of the population and roughly 75 million women are in perimenopause, menopause or post-menopause right now with 6,000 more women reaching menopause each day. A Mayo Clinic study put a price tag on menopause and estimated the costs of worker productivity losses due to menopausal symptoms to be about $1.8 billion per year in the U.S. and related health care costs total over $24 billion.
"A Menopause is a time of chaos and it’s unfortunately incredible easy for women to gaslight themselves into thinking they’re alone in this journey,” said Kristine Spicer. “Conversations like these are so important because they provide women not only with information and resource on a stage, they’ll be spending half of their life in but also gives them a safe space and sense of community where they don’t feel like they have to hide and shrink into themselves. Menopause is natural, let’s act like it!”
In 2024, the Michigan Women's Commission launched a survey to women across the state regarding their experiences with menopause in the workplace, and will use the data to release a report making recommendations to employers and policymakers on how to create menopause-supportive workplaces.
"Addressing menopause in the workplace is essential to understanding the full scope of challenges women face across their careers and lives,” said Cheryl Bergman, executive director of the Michigan Women’s Commission. “This work shines a light on an issue too often overlooked, yet one that directly impacts women’s health, economic security and professional growth. As part of our mission to review the status of women in Michigan, highlight critical issues and celebrate their contributions, the Menopause Movement is a vital step toward creating policies and workplaces that truly support women at every stage."
On March 12, 2025, Michigan Women’s Commission hosted a Women’s History Month event with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Halle Berry, and Dr. Pauline Maki convening community members, policy makers and health care related individuals to bring awareness to the lack of information and research about menopause jeopardizing women’s health.
This event kick started conversations MWC is holding around the state to create a safe space for women to share their stories, include local policy makers and health professionals to destigmatize this topic and create policy solutions.
Learn more about the Michigan Women’s Commission at michigan.gov/mwc.
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