Carson City businesswoman wants to have it all

Miya MacKenzie left her career as an executive at iGo, a battery company in Reno, to stay at home with her children. She says she doesn't regret that decision, and has since sprung her own business, MacWest Marketing, a firm that provides freelance jobs to six others - including several stay-at-home moms.

The 40-year-old Carson City woman serves on the board of the Northern Nevada Development Authority. She has two children with her husband, Chris: Walker, 4, and Reese, 2, both named after Nevada rivers.

She graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1988 and earned her master's degree in health psychology education from Stanford University. She's a 1983 Carson High graduate.

What's your role with the Northern Nevada Development Authority?

I joined the NNDA's marketing team a year and a half ago to help with marketing and public relations strategies. Now that I've joined the board of directors. I will be involved in strategy formulation and key decision making.

How would you like to see development change in this area?

One thing I'm really excited about is the NorthernNVision economic development plan. We're in the second phase of the program and it will provide us with a map for economic development in Northern Nevada. We'll be able to get an idea of what we want Northern Nevada to look like and we'll take that and decide what sort of companies we'd like to have move here.

What companies seem to be attracted to Carson City?

Niche manufacturing companies have great opportunities here. We want companies to move here that are going to contribute to the quality of life. We want companies that have good wages and benefits for employees.

You were vice president of marketing for iGo in Reno, what made you leave?

After my son was born I didn't want to spend my time driving back and forth to Reno. I wanted to spend more time with my kids. Now I'm working part-time out of my home and I get to spend time with my kids. I employ several working moms as freelancers.

Working from home seems to be a trend for moms. What do you think?

I know a lot of moms who have amazing skill sets and who want the flexibility of staying at home with the kids. They also want to be working. They want to have it all.