Stefanie O’Connell is an award-winning writer covering ambition, money and power
with bylines in The Guardian, Slate, Bloomberg, CNBC, Fast Company, MarketWatch, Glamour UK, Newsweek, USA Today and Business Insider. She also wrote, hosted and co-produced the WEBBY award-winning podcast “Money Confidential” for REAL SIMPLE magazine.
Her book The Ambition Penalty: How Corporate Culture Tells Women to Step Up — and Then Pushes Them Down (May 2026, Basic Venture) is an essential guide to dismantling the hidden forces that hold women back, burn them out & make us all pay.
With over 100,000 followers across her social media channels and Too Ambitious newsletter, Stefanie uses data to expose how power and gender collide to keep women “in their place.” And shows how liberating women’s ambitions can liberate us all.
Featured in
Selected Writing
Hosting and Producing
Stefanie has given keynotes, participated in panel presentations and hosted events on topics ranging from money to equity at national conferences, Fortune 500 companies and top universities. She also has extensive experience creating and producing original content across platforms – from live and virtual events to video and audio programming to social media.
Stefanie is the co-founder of Statement Event, a series of events and conversations dedicated to connecting the dots between gender equity and financial power. Past speakers include Gloria Steinem, Ashley C Ford, Claudia Sahm, Reshma Kapadia, Helaine Olen, Veronica Dagher, Morgan Jerkins, Gillian B White and Jessica Bennett.
“I’ve been on panels with Stefanie and had her as a guest on my talk show. She’s consistent, energetic, an expert in her craft & she makes any room more joyful!”
⸺ Mario Armstrong, Digital lifestyle expert on NBC’S Today Show
"A new playbook for reclaiming our ambition, our time, and our values."
―Eve Rodsky, author of New York Times bestseller Fair Play
Contact
Interested in working together or speaking with me for a story? Please reach out to Adam Kirschner of ALK Talent (details below). To ensure the quickest response cc Stefanie on all emails.