7 Women That Inspire Me & Why

It’s finally March, which means it is finally Women’s History Month. This month at Skillsoft, we are having a Global All-Women Town Hall, led by only women. There are a few panels being held at the meeting that feature women within the company, and I was asked to participate on one that is focusing on enablement without boundaries. On the panel, I am being asked about what recent graduates are seeking in employers, as well as the talent enablement opportunities they are looking for. I am also being asked to share the most impactful career development opportunity I’ve had to date. While preparing my answers to these questions, I started to think about what women I follow and look up to in the company, but also in my life in general. After a lot of reflecting, I’ve narrowed down the list. Here are my top seven by categories:

School — Kristina Markos

Kristina is one of my professors in the Communications department at Simmons University. She has only been there for two years, but she has made a huge impact on my understanding of the industry and challenges me on every assignment. As someone that worked in the industry prior to teaching, she has a wealth of knowledge and experience that she shares with her students and isn’t afraid to be honest about what we should expect once we graduate. Kristina’s openness, passion, and excitement about public relations and marketing is inspiring and makes me excited to start my career.

Family — Nona

Growing up, I was surrounded by strong women. The strongest woman I have ever known however, was my Nona (grandmother). 100% Italian, 100% tough love, 100% support at any given point. Although she has now passed, she was the glue to the family and kept everyone in check. No matter what she was going through personally, she made sure everyone around her was taken care of first. Not to mention, she was the best chef — never wrote down or followed a recipe, but everything always turned out perfect. My dad says I remind him of her when I bake or cook, and I can only hope that I can carry on not only her cooking, but her love and passion for life and those around her too.

Work — Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek

I am a large believer in having female mentors, and so is Michelle. Having worked on her team for nearly a year, I can’t think of a better marketing mentor than her. Coming from IBM to Skillsoft, Michelle is a wealth of knowledge and has a keen eye for all things marketing. Whether it is sharing personal anecdotes on her blog, hosting a guest on Skillsoft’s podcast, or keynoting a conference, Michelle is always present, authentic, and inspiring with her work. Despite being the Chief Marketing Officer of a corporate company, she still makes time for her family, dogs, and her Peloton.

Therapist/Psychologist– @nedratawwab, Nedra Glover Tawwab

Nedra is a licensed therapist and author that opened her own practice. She has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, and more and has a large Instagram following. She shares insightful posts for her followers and works to provide a space for people seeking insights and guidance on some of life’s biggest challenges. One of her more notable quotes is “You cannot change people. You can ask that they honor your requests. And if they do not, you have choices.”

Social Media — @thesweetfeminist, Becca Rea-Holloway

Becca is a feminist baker (two titles I fully identify with as well) based in Washington, D.C. that uses her creations to also deliver impactful messages via Instagram. She has been covered in major publications like the Washington Post for her unique take on decorating desserts. Not only is her Instagram fun to follow, it is also extremely informative and educational, as she shares information about major social and political issues the world is facing at any given moment.

Celebrity — Reese Witherspoon

Reese is an actress turned activist. She has developed and founded many other venues of self-expression that tie back to social issues including Reese’s Book Club, a free book club anyone can join that works to amplify diverse voices and promote literacy, Hello Sunshine, a media company that places women as the focal point for every store it creates, and Draper James, a clothing store in honor of her late grandparents. She has also moved into producer roles for various shows and movies that align with her passions and showcase important messages . Reese has found resourceful ways to use her platform for good and I enjoy following along and seeing what she comes up with next.

Politician — Kamala Harris

Kamala is the first female Vice President of the United States, and also the first person and woman of color to serve in this role. No matter what political beliefs you have, there is no denying that this woman has faced serious adversity to get to where she is today and she is a role model for women and people of color across the country because of it.

So, what women inspire you? I encourage you to take a few minutes and actually think about it. Think about why it is those people inspire you, and then figure out what steps you can take to elevate yourself to be inspiring for others. Happy Women’s History Month!