Applauding The Women Who Inspire Us
In celebration of Women’s History Month, our team shares stories about the incredible women in their lives.
“My great grandmother inspires me to see the good in life and greet every morning with a smile. She is a person who has endless love and boundless energy for anyone who is lucky enough to be a part of her life. After years of hard work owning her own store in the countryside of Panama, she still gets up and cooks large meals for family who visit her daily and greets loved ones far away on the phone with a burst of blessings and messages of love and encouragement. She is my ultimate warrior and inspiration to appreciate my life and the little things that help make it extra special.” — Isabella Paraertz, Customer Experience & Innovation
“My mother, Diane, is undoubtedly the most inspirational woman in my life. She instilled some of life’s ever-important values to me, including the importance of family, love, and devotion. She raised me to be a gentleman from a very young age, and to always treat all women with the utmost respect. It is because of her that I am the man who I am today, and I’m forever grateful to have her as a big part of my life to this day.” — Bobby Berscak, Marketing
“On a daily basis, our team is inspired by our team leader Sindhura’s hard work, dedication and heart. She is constantly motivating our team to give 110% in everything we do, to do good in the world for those that are less fortunate or in difficult situations - and most importantly, to enjoy life. Sindhura is not only a manager to us all, but also an incredible mentor and a friend.” — Izzy Finnegan, Lauren Klinger, Hannah Fuller, Joseph Kroll & Mariel Metalios, Health & Beauty Category Management
“How does Nicki Minaj inspire me? I watch the clip from her MTV special at least once a week where she talks about double standards in gender stereotypes when it comes to being a female boss. When you demand quality, you get quality. ‘If I accepted the pickle juice, I would be drinking pickle juice right now’ is my mantra. No hate to pickle juice.” — Lyz Mancini, Content
“My grandma left the Middle East to start a new life where she would be better respected as a female doctor. Her struggle did not end there, and she battled a difficult career in the U.S. with very few women in her field of medicine. My grandma’s story is a constant reminder that our family’s journeys did not end upon arriving in America and for me and my cousins (pictured) to take full advantage of the opportunities granted to us here.” — David Vakili, Product
“My Grandma inspired me in many ways. She never let anything stand in her way, she never backed down from her beliefs, and she is one of the strongest women I have ever known.” — Geoffrey Banker, Marketing
“My mom, Lori, has dedicated her life to providing healthcare to immigrants, the mentally ill and underprivileged families in Minnesota. She is empathetic. She is smart. She is strong and she has had a greater impact on this world than she will ever know. My mom is my hero, but I am confident that many others see her as their hero. The world is a better place because of you, mom. Thank you for all that you do.” — Susan Dordal, Household Category Management
“My hero is my Aunt Alicia. After her career as a Speech Language Pathologist she has dedicated her time to creating positive change in the world by becoming an advocate for women’s rights, volunteering to help animals and working closely with several organizations fighting to end gun violence. Her dedication has inspired me to try to make the world a better place by standing up for those without a voice.” — Jennifer Camisa, Member Services Operations
“This is my Mom — Marcia Taylor. After the death of her father she became the first in her family to go to college, get an advanced degree and travel the world. A psychotherapist by trade and a feminist at heart, Marcia instilled in her family the importance of equality and justice for all human beings.” — Noah Love, Talent Experience
“My grandmother, Florence, was and always will be my hero. We lost her late last year, and not a day’s gone by that I’ve not thought of her and had an opportunity to reflect on the powerhouse women that I’ve been surrounded by throughout my life. Grandma Flo’s unconditional love, work ethic, and infectious sense of humor touched all who knew her. Last Mother’s Day, Sheryl Sandberg wrote something that stuck with me: ‘The odds are stacked against single mothers in this country. Yet so many give everything they have and go on to raise incredible children.’ This Women’s History Month, I’d like to honor not just my grandmother who gave everything she had, but the loving and amazingly resilient mothers that she raised and all single mothers out there raising incredible children.” — Michael McCluskey, Electronics Category Management
“This is one of my good friends and old co-workers, Tori Dantono, who is one of my professional role models. She’s the ultimate mega-boss who’s not afraid of the hustle and always presents her self with poise and grace.” — Mindy Sher, Customer Experience
