Women in Leadership XVIII (2015)

Below are the two projects WIL XVIII is working on during their program year. Click the links to learn more and support their work.

Invest In Her Pittsburgh is a competition designed with the woman business owner in mind! WIL XVIII is inviting women owned businesses and startups to participate in a female only pitch competition that will take place on December 8, 2015. At least one winner will walk away with a $2,500 in addition valuable mentoring and resources to help them grow their business. >>Invest In Her Facebook Page >>Invest In Her >>NEXT Pittsburgh Features Invest In Her

Women On Boards held a special event entitled “Are You On Board?” to provide Women In Leadership alumni, current CORO fellows, regional board members, women in Southwestern PA and local organizations with a networking, recruiting, and learning opportunity to get more #womenonboard in Southwestern, PA. The event took place on October 8, 2015. >>Women in Leadership XVIII Facebook Page >>Women on Boards Manual (PDF)

Alesha Platt
Alesha Platt is an educator with a passion for being able to facilitate pathways that will lead youth to be successful in the region. She has worked in various educational arenas that have allowed her to view student’s access to opportunities and the effects of access or lack of access can have on a students future.

What excites Alesha about Women in Leadership: I am excited to network with Women, who are leaders in this region. I see this opportunity as a way to develop positive relationships that can lead to action being taken to benefit us as participants as well as the region.

Leadership style in three words: Collaborative, visible, emergent.

Aster Teclay, MBA

What excites Aster about Women in Leadership: The prospect of growing my own leadership ability through fellowship and service.

Leadership style in three words: Engaging, logical, evolving.

Bevin Baker
Bevin Baker is an advocate for women owned and new or growing businesses. She is the Assistant Vice President for First Commonwealth Bank on Pittsburgh’s South Side. Bevin understands the importance of providing women the knowledge that they need to be financially fearless in business and in life.
When not working as financial and community advocate, you can find Bevin volunteering for Bricolage Theater Company, singing and acting in a local theater, or helping to promote local music events. A Pittsburgh native, Bevin is a proud resident of the East End.

What excites Bevin about Women in Leadership: I feel privileged to have the opportunity to learn from the experience and perspectives from the diverse group participating in the WIL Program, and to share my unique perspective.

Leadership style in three words: Passionate, collaborative, evolving.

Brazitte A. Poole
Brazitte A. Poole, 26, grew up in the inner-city neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, PA. She has recently earned her Master’s Degree in Global Security and Intelligence Studies and is currently seeking employment in the counterterrorism field. She is an active member of Macedonia Church and contributing to inner city communities is extremely important to her.

What excites Brazitte about Women in Leadership: I am excited about being surrounded by a group of women leaders. I have always found environments dominated by women are very inspiring and encouraging.

Leadership style in three words: Genuine, honest, easy-going.

Christina Ascension Farmartino, MPH, CPH
Christina Ascension Farmartino, MPH, CPH, has been working in public health practice since 2009, when she conducted independent research on non-governmental organizations serving individuals living with HIV in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Christina specializes in infectious disease research and prevention, and is currently the Executive Director of The Open Door, Inc., a local nonprofit that is dedicated to serving chronically homeless, high-risk individuals living with HIV. She is active with other local community organizations including Prevention Point Pittsburgh, a harm reduction needle exchange program, where she serves on the Board of Directors. Christina has a Masters of Public Health degree from The University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health and a Bachelors degree in Hispanic Languages and Literature from The University of Pittsburgh.

What excites Christina about Women in Leadership: I am ecstatic to work with and learn from a diverse group of strong and talented women who are passionate about gender equity and civic engagement. I look forward to being challenged and becoming a better leader for the organizations I work and volunteer for and the community as a whole.

Leadership style in three words: Lead by example

Ellyse Williams
Ellyse’s education background is in political science and business, with a focus on East Asia. She has over 12 years of working experience. She is passionate about language, traveling, community service, and entrepreneurship. Ellyse loves to learn and challenge her thinking.

What excites Ellyse about Women in Leadership: I am excited to be around other like-minded women. I’m looking forward to supporting and being supported by my fellow cohort members. I can’t wait to expand my knowledge of what it means to be a leader and how I can apply that in my life and in my community.

What Ellyse has learned through Women in Leadership: During the Women in Leadership course, I ran for the New Kensingtonn-Arnold school board and won. It means a lot to me to be able to represent my community and fight for a better education. As a participant in the program, I have learned how to best use my leadership style to empower others. I can identify opportunities within myself and my community and I have been able to make change. I have also been able to make connections with like-minded women. Having a support system of women to encourage and uplift me has been invaluable.

Leadership style in three words: Inclusive, Encouraging.

Jessica Kaminsky
Jessica wanted to be an elementary school teacher, and received her Master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh in elementary education. After graduating, she was hired as a project assistant for Hear Me at the CREATE Lab of CMU, which helps students create audio and video media to share their ideas and connect their voices with various audiences. She now co-directs the project and loves empowering high school students to advocate for themselves, especially as related to their education.

What excites Jessica about Women in Leadership: I am looking forward to growing professionally by learning new skills, and meeting women who also value professional/personal development.

What Jessica has learned through Women in Leadership: Jessica joined Women in Leadership to meet inspiring women in SW PA, and the women she met surpassed her expectations. The most significant way she has changed during her time in WIL is that her network expanded exponentially, and she found fellowship with ambitious and successful women. WIL improved her project management skills, helped her identify her strengths, showed her how to use these strengths in her work, and taught her how to make a really great agenda (she ended up liking OARRs). Jess will begin a new leadership role as an Advisory Committee Decisionmaker for Remake Learning funding at The Sprout Fund. As part of this committee, I review funding applications and recommend grant support for the Hive Fund for Connected Learning.

Leadership style in three words: supportive, hands-off, example

Katie Stringent
Katie has always been drawn to public service recognizing the benefits and the impact she can have on the community. Through her educational and personal achievements she has seen communities grow, identifying a strong sense of place. Katie knows that her work with the Women in Leadership program will only continue to push her to advance her impact and become a stronger more educated leader.

What excites Katie about Women in Leadership: The Women in Leadership cohort is made up of strong, educated women who only want to work to better their environment. It is truly an honor to be surrounded by such intelligent women. WIL also provides the opportunity for me to continue to push myself out of my comfort zone and to understand that while I may hold a certain opinion of someone or something, someone else in the cohort may have a completely different opinion which is acceptable. For too long I have done the same things in an effort to “fit in” WIL provides the opportunity to expand my knowledge base while working with women who can provide many different perspectives.

Leadership style in three words: driven, compassionate, growing

LaShawna Russ
LaShawna Russ is the Beltzhoover Community Coordinator for the Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group. She has experience in Program and Development Management. In addition to participating in Women in Leadership, LaShawna is currently taking training courses with NeighborWorks America for Community and Neighborhood Revitalization.

What excites LaShawna about Women in Leadership: I am very excited to work with a diverse group of women. I am looking forward to learning from everyone while sharing our different experiences.

Leadership style in three words: Passion, Excellence, Execute.

Laura Drogowski
Laura holds a bachelor of science in biology from Carnegie Mellon and is a research manager at Omnyx, a Pittsburgh-based digital pathology company. She has a passion for problem-solving and is grateful for the daily opportunity to learn and grow. Laura is a lifelong Pittsburgher, loving the city more each day. She cares deeply and advocates fervently for her neighbors - for almost a decade, Laura has volunteered with Prevention Point Pittsburgh and served on its board of directors, currently as vice president.

Laura loves spending time with her family and friends and lives in the North Side with her boyfriend and orange tabby.
What excites Laura about Women in Leadership: I look forward to building professional relationships and friendships, collaborating with like-minded individuals, growing as a leader and team-member, learning new ways to accomplish unified goals, and creating positive change in the Pittsburgh community.

Leadership style in three word: Ebullient, Empathetic, Reasoned.

Lindsay Surmacz
A Pittsburgh native, Lindsay began her professional journey in the arts having grown up the youngest of six children in a family where theatre and music had a constant, vivid presence. She earned a Bachelors Degree in Creative Writing from Purdue University where she was a Phi Beta Kappa scholar and an award-winning percussionist. In recent years, she ventured deep into the realm of informal science education having played a variety of roles at Carnegie Science Center, ASSET STEM Education, and is now serving as the Project Manager for the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) Academy for high school students. Above all, Lindsay enjoys being in a creative learning environment with people who are equal parts brains, guts, and humor.

What excites Lindsay about Women in Leadership: I’m excited to ask questions of seasoned professionals that will help me better understand how I perceive people and situations. Furthermore, it will strengthen my framework of how I respond to people and situations as well. Most of all, I’m excited that I will be able to investigate the challenges facing our community while articulating my own observations, goals, and strategies regarding them in an environment that optimizes such engagement.

Leadership style in three words: “Got your back.”

Lingling Zhu
Lingling originally came to the U.S. in 2009 for a year-long exchange program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Later, she came back again in 2011 for a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Management at Heinz College, Carnegie Mellon University, specializing in Social Entrepreneurship, Community Development and Nonprofit Management. After graduation, she completed one year of service with AmericorpsVISTA in the HandsOn Tech Program. During her service year, she volunteered at Idea Foundry, Inc. and started a program with the CEO of the organization to market the South West PA region to an international audience, with a focus on China. Once she finished her service, Lingling started with Idea Foundry, Inc. full-time, serving the Manager of the Greater China Initiatives. She is hopeful in this endeavor for her deep appreciation for both Pittsburgh and her home-country.

What excites Lingling about Women in Leadership: Knowing other women leaders in different fields and learning from each other. Making a difference through a multi-disciplinary synergy.

Leadership style in three words: Responsibility

What Lingling has learned:In the past a year, while leaning from WIL program organizer and the awesome women in the program, Lingling has gained a better idea of practicing leadership in her current position, including leading people as well as herself as a conscious human being who not only look inward to diagnose individual but also look outward to diagnose the system and see what positive change can be made. Lingling contributes the experience with WIL to her team’s success in attracting half a million investment fund to the region in 2015. Just like Coro Pittsburgh is doing its share to make our City a better place, Idea Foundry, with all its economic development activities, are also doing honest work each and everyday. Lingling feels very fortunate she has ever crossed paths with Coro and known all the wonderful women in the program. Her plans after WIL is to better honing her leadership and management skills to continue venturing into Greater China Initiatives at Idea Foundry to contribute to the region’s economic development activities.

Marteen Garay
Marteen was born and raised in the Bronx, New York to a community activist mother who involved her in campaigns and protests as early as 10 years old. She is passionate about equality and human rights for all, among other issues. Marteen is pursuing a career as an Economic Development practitioner. She has lived, learned, and worked in Pittsburgh since June of 2010.

What excites Marteen about Women in Leadership: I’m excited about the networking opportunities and the Leadership Institute program. I’m also excited about the group project and the potential to have an impact on women’s equality in the greater Pittsburgh region.

Leadership style in three words: Listen, act, evaluate.

Mikana Maeda
Mikana has a background in landscape architecture with interests in cities, human interaction, cultures and technology. She is currently working in sustainable community development in the East End and is an advocate for community empowerment in land development. She is also interested in the movement of information and people in the context of identity and the environment.

What excites Mikana about Women in Leadership: Meeting other professional women and developing new perspectives.

Leadership style in three words: Inclusive, collaborative, intuitive.

Natalie Torti
Natalie Torti’s passion for education, social justice, and stewardship is deeply rooted in her upbringing in a small town in West Virginia. She is currently exploring the intersection of these passions as a Cultural Literacy teacher at Environmental Charter School in Frick Park. She has worked in innovative charter schools for the past 6 years, developing problem-based humanities curricula and creating community events which center around sustainability, cultural awareness, and community engagement. Natalie has recently become involved in hosting and placing foreign exchange students, and shares her home with her husband, an awesome 16 year old from Brazil, and a lovable but mischievous Great Pyrenees.

What excites Natalie about Women in Leadership: I look forward to engaging in this cohort as life-long learner and educator. I see the two as interconnected and I see the quality of both as being fundamentally influenced by those you choose to include in the process. I believe that through this process we will not only help each other grow as leaders, but we will challenge each other to take risks, to think differently, and to spark change in our communities.

What Natalie learned through Women in Leadership: Women in Leadership is an incredible joining of learning and doing. Our cohort was challenged to employ our diverse skills and perspectives to create change for ourselves and other women in southwestern Pennsylvania. During the projects, we were able to foster growth in each other as collaborators, leaders, and change agents. I was incredibly inspired by the amazing women that I was able to meet and work with.

Leadership style in three words: Collaborative, inventive, open-minded.

Renelda Colvin
Renelda Colvin is a native from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and is currently the Campaign Manager at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Western Pennsylvania/West Virginia chapter. She received her undergraduate degree from California University of Pennsylvania, and her graduate degree from West Virginia University. During her spare time, Renelda enjoys conducting genealogy research.

What excites Renelda about Women in Leadership: Having the opportunity to collaborate and meet women in the Pittsburgh region.

Leadership style in three words: Lead by example.

Robin White
Robin White’s background includes education, internal auditing and entrepreneurship. She has worked in education for over twenty years. She is currently the Assistant Director of Instructional Technology at Steel Center, Career and Technical School in Jefferson Hills, PA. Her goal in 2015 is to begin enrollment for her school, Smart World Academy, a learning center and elementary school up through fifth grade.

What excites Robin about Women in Leadership: The opportunity to meet other professionals and to experience the sharing of knowledge among one another. I am also excited to learn whatever I can. I am a life-long learner and I always enjoy learning new things. I am excited to share whatever I can bring to the organization to help someone else with their career goals.

Leadership style in three words: Strategic, transparent, motivating.

Samantha Einloth
Samantha “Sam” Einloth is native to Pittsburgh and “freshly” 22 years of age. She a strong interest in the arts, non profit organizations, and education.

What excites Samantha about Women in Leadership: The opportunity to meet people from different fields and grow as a young professional.

Leadership style in three words: Communication and empathy.

Samantha Hartzman
Samantha is a Pittsburgh native, having just returned after spending five years away living in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies and English from The University of Virginia. Samantha has spent time working with youth in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, she has also spent time working in the finance industry as a compliance coordinator. When she is not working, Samantha spends time in her kitchen coming up with new recipes to showcase on her blog, hautepepperbites.com.

What excites Samantha about Women in Leadership: I am excited about the opportunity to meet other amazing women and gain more confidence as a woman and as a professional. I am excited about the opportunity to share my story with others and walk away with meaningful relationships and connections.

What Samantha has learned though Women in Leadership: Samantha has grown exponentially as a leader over the past year. At the beginning of the year she switched from the non-profit sector to the private sector by accepting a position with BNYMellon as a Corporate Social Responsibility Analyst. She has grown in her role at BNYMellon and has begun to seek more opportunity for growth and development within the company. Since joining WIL she has also grown as a food blogger, recently launching a self-hosted website. Also, she recently won a cookie event that was judged by top baking authorities in Pittsburgh and her cookie recipe will be offered for a limited time in Prantl’s bakery.

Samantha and her husband have become first time homeowners in the last few months having purchased a home in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood. She now looks forward to taking the Invest in Her initiative to the next level and to lead the charge on creating a female friendly entrepreneurial market in Pittsburgh. Samantha also hopes to play a role in supporting future WIL cohorts and challenging all Coro participants to establish a strong legacy of leadership and community engagement.

Sara Longo

What excites Sara about Women in Leadership: The opportunity to network, grow my ideas, and develop my professional skills.

Leadership style in three words: Empowerment through technology.

Vanessa Braun
Vanessa Braun is a member of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust staff, with a background in Higher Education and interests in social justice, leadership development and maximizing the talents of those around her. She has an undergraduate degree From Allegheny College and a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh. When she is not working you can find her with friends and family, at a show, an east End restaurant or coffee shop, walking outside, at a movie theater, or working around her house.

What excites Vanessa about Women in Leadership: She is excited to meet some strong women leaders and have the opportunity to build connections with other leaders around the city.

Leadership style in three words: Integrity, positivity, collaboration.

Yarra Howze
As a graduate of Carlow University and the University of Pittsburgh, Yarra has 15 years of teaching experience with Pittsburgh Public Schools and currently serves children as the Principal of Pittsburgh-Allegheny Traditional Academy 6-8. Her interests include strategic planning and collaborating with educators and other stakeholders in education to promote educational success for students.

What excites Yarra about Women in Leadership: I’m excited about the exposure to multiple perspectives of the women in our cohort regarding women in leadership and the levels of leadership experience in the cohort.

Leadership style in three words: Student-centered, data driven, collaborative.