Celebrating a Global Tribe of Women
Over the last eight months, I’ve experienced something I never expected—a reawakening.
For thirty years, I worked in software—a field dominated by men. I met some extraordinary gentlemen along the way—intelligent, creative, empowering team players. I enjoyed their company and still call many of them friends.
But eight months ago, I stepped away from that career to embrace my true calling: helping women create families on their own terms. It’s the most meaningful work of my life.
And when I stepped into this new world, something beautiful happened. My circle expanded in ways I never imagined.
I began meeting women who are not just making an impact—they are changing the world.
One of those women is Getrude Matshe, the powerhouse behind the HerStory podcast. She wakes up at 4 a.m. to amplify women’s voices across the globe. Her own journey, from hardship to entrepreneurial success, left me in awe. And her impact extends far beyond business. In her homeland of Africa, she funds education for children who have lost parents to HIV/AIDS.
When Gertrude invited me to share my story on her show, I was deeply honored. At the start of each episode, she greets her guests with the words, “Welcome to Our Tribe.”
The first time I heard those words, I got chills.
Because that’s exactly what my new connections feel like—a tribe of women lifting others up as they climb, sharing their stories so we can all grow stronger together.
And Gertrude is just one ripple in an ocean of exceptional women I’ve met. Women who remind me every day that courage is contagious.
Women Who Inspire Me:
Lucy Froese, Monica Rutkowski Grippo, Arsiak Vartenian, Seetal Savla, Oluyemisi Famuyiwa, and Abbe Feder – fellow fertility warriors supporting hopeful mothers
Ayo Haynes – open adoption advocate
Anne Xavier Altamore – guiding women through child loss and childlessness
Katarina Polonska – helping professionals uncover their connection blockers and save marriages
Dr. Jasmine Escalera – championing women’s healing and reinvention
These women, and so many others, are showing me that work can be about much more than career moves and networking.
It’s about finding the people who inspire you.
Learning from their courage.
And building a tribe that lifts each other higher.
Because when you do, it doesn’t just change your network. It changes your life.
And it might even change the world.
