When Madison Melchert was hired as the activities director for Dallas-Center Grimes Community School District beginning July 1, it meant more to her than just finding a new job. It was a continuation of a legacy, giving back to a community that gave so much to her as a young person. Melchert Read more…
In celebration of 25 years of our Women of Influence awards, we asked our alumni to share about a time they were fearless. As you read, you’ll see that many point out that acting fearlessly does not mean having no fear. It means moving forward despite it. Moments of courage Read more…
As told to Nicole Grundmeier Sara Kurovski is the mayor of Pleasant Hill. She is also the president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Iowa. On April 26, 2024, an EF-2 tornado tore through her Des Moines suburb of more than 10,000 residents. Kurovski had learned an important leadership lesson from previous Read more…
As told to Hailey Evans Dana James was born and raised in Des Moines, and she’s made it her mission to tell stories that center Black Iowans’ lived experiences and amplify their voices. She founded Black Iowa News in 2020 and the Black Iowa Newspaper in 2023. She writes the Read more…
Four years ago, the Business Record launched Fearless. Our goal is simple: We want to empower Iowa women to succeed in work and life. Through our weekly e-newsletter, ongoing print features and events, we have worked to live up to our mission. We’ve told countless stories that have both inspired Read more…
BY HOLLY STEVENSON, DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING, OPTIMAE LIFESERVICES Women in the workplace are feeling increasingly included — the last nine years of countrywide research from McKinsey bears this out. Although these hard-earned gains are encouraging, they are also fragile and require continuous and deliberate efforts from all of us Read more…
Nicole Grundmeier and her newborn daughter are pictured in January 2016. The baby is yawning and has a nursing blister on her upper lip, which can be a sign of a problematic latch. For years, I hid the fact that I was still breastfeeding. As a young woman, I read Read more…
Kara Hoogensen told her co-panelists an uncomfortable statistic. “The fact is, there’s five panelists here on this event today. Odds are, at least one of us is going to go through a period of time during our career where we’re unable to work for a lengthy period of time. And Read more…
Event details:Thursday, April 18 | Noon to 1 p.m. | Virtual | Register for free Wage disparities and differing policies on paid family leave continue to be systemic issues affecting women’s economic standing. On an individual level, women often feel less confident than men when it comes to budgeting, investing and planning for retirement. In our Read more…
BY BRITTANY HEARD, LEAD ADVISER, FOSTER GROUP INC. I’m an introvert. Growing up, I was particularly shy and soft-spoken. Even though I was a good student and a good athlete, I lacked confidence. I was content to remain unnoticed. For years, I didn’t feel like this was a problem. It was just who Read more…