On Wednesday, September 18th, I was honored to moderate the Power of Women. The room was filled with inspiration, deep insights from our guests, and laughter. The event, envisioned by Barbara Wood, was created to shine a light on women who are shaping Phoenix. The awesome panel—Mayor Kate Gallego, Mayor of City of Phoenix, Dr. Maria Harper Marinick, Chancellor of Maricopa Community College District and Dr. Judy Jolley Mohraz, Trustee of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust – are leaving their mark on Phoenix. They not only give back to the community in their day jobs, but they make a difference in all their volunteer work.
Guests of the evening saw the more personal side of our panelistas as they shared the stories of those who supported them along their leadership journeys, where we could find them on Saturday mornings as they rewind for the weekend and recharge for the coming week. We heard how Mayor Gallego’s son, Michael, who is two and a half, wants to grow up and be a monster truck (not a monster truck driver!), how each grew up with modest means and surrounded by strong women, whether that be in the Dominican Republic for Dr. Maria Harper Marinick, or east Texas for Dr. Judy Jolly Mohraz.
We also heard of their struggles both personally and professionally, how they juggle work/life balance, which doesn’t exist according to Maria and I agree! Guests heard of the defining moments of their “callings” to education or running for political office. Most importantly, these inspiring women shared how they plan to play a role in shaping life for older adults in Phoenix from their respective roles.
These women certainly make a difference in our community – each in their own unique ways. They are leading the way – they are mentors, they encourage all of us to get involved and they work tirelessly to make our community, our state and our country better!
They shared their time, their wisdom and their souls with us that evening. On behalf of the entire campus community, I am grateful for their participation and insights. It will be exciting to see what the future holds for these community leaders. Thank you also to the 160 guests who attended. I know they were just as inspired as I was!
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