Women Empowering Women: Inspirations and Resources from Seasoned Female Leaders
March 18, 2020
In our extended network, women are championing female leadership across Indy. We’re honored to have many seasoned female alumni and supporters who are driving change for equity in classrooms and schools, as well as in every major sector and field that impacts our students and families.
Below, our female leaders share their greatest inspirations, call out some of the issues that continue to challenge women, and provide skills and resources for ongoing support and growth. These voices include:
- Tiffany Benjamin, Eli Lilly & Company Foundation
- Stephanie Bothun (Indy ’08), Ascend Indiana
- Marianne Glick, The Glick Fund, Central Indiana Community Foundation
- JuDonne Hemingway (Indy ’11), Teach For America Indianapolis
- Allissa Impink (Indy ’15), Enriched Schools
- Cindy Simon Skjodt, Samerian Foundation
Drawing from Inspiration
Trailblazers paving the path for future female leaders
“Our city and state are full of tremendous female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation to continue the arc of progress and serve our community. Aleesia Johnson (New Jersey ’02), the Superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools, has been a long-time inspiration to me. She coached me through my second year of teaching at IPS, and I have learned from her courage to have tough conversations and stay relentlessly focused on what is best for children.” -Stephanie
“My most recent inspiration is poet, writer, and activist Mari Evans because of the education reform work she did for Indy. Evans and others like her keep me going in pursuit of closing the racial diversity gap in our classrooms. I’m in classrooms often, and students are wide-eyed when I walk in because they’re not used to teachers of color. This reality encourages me to move forward. Whatever work I do, I will continue to support increasing the number of teachers of color and focus on changing, and expanding, teachers’ mindsets.” -Allissa
Female mentors and colleagues who encourage, support, and empower
“I am fortunate to have been mentored by two tremendous local business leaders: Bridget Boyle, Vice President of Human Resources North America at Roche Diagnostics, and Joyce Irwin, Community Health Network Foundation President and CEO. These women encourage me to do more than I think is possible and intentionally equip other women to lead. Just as critical are the amazing female leaders that surround me at Ascend and push me to be my best self everyday.” -Stephanie
“My deceased mother. She had a heart of giving and I hope to carry on that tradition in my family.” -Cindy
“I am incredibly inspired by women leaders of color in education and within my organization in particular. When I see them helping to shape the future of our organization with a very clear-eyed focus on students and communities, it gives me permission to also be unapologetic about who we do this work for.” -JuDonne
“I have a voice to speak on behalf of other women, and I’m proud to use it in every room I’m in.”
Navigating Challenges that Disproportionately Affect Women
Work-life balance
“As a mother of three young children, I often think finding balance – both professionally and personally – can be challenging. We need to ensure more workplaces appreciate that the value of their employees isn’t based on the number of continuous hours they sit at a desk, but on the quality of their work and their engagement and commitment to an organization’s mission. At Lilly, last year we expanded parental leave to better accommodate all our employees and support them in achieving their personal and professional goals.” -Tiffany
“Getting up at 6am, pumping, feeding my kids, and getting my family out the door. Dropping my three kids off at daycare, then going straight to work and being on right away. It’s great when I can be a mom from 6am-8am, then work from 8am-5pm, but often times these two things collide. One day when I put my phone down, one of my youngest daughters Mari stretched and smiled; I would’ve missed that if I’d been in my cell phone. I’m also an individual and a partner. Sometimes I have to re-center and determine priorities before I can move forward because there are a lot of things pulling on my mind and time.” -Allissa
Double standards in the workplace
“Women are making strides in representation in leadership roles, college-going rates, advanced degrees, and so on. At the same time, I struggle to understand and overcome the impossible double standard women face in the workplace: we are supposed to direct others without being bossy, give difficult feedback while being nurturing, and lead passionately without emotion. We must develop cohesive, authentic female communities that encourage open discussions about these experiences so that we can support each other while shattering these glass ceilings.” -Stephanie
Pursuing Habits and Resources for Success
Ongoing learning and self-development
“I am always reading, taking workshops, talking with people who know more than I do about topics that interest me. If there is an opportunity where I think I can be helpful, I ask to get involved. I'm passionate and enthusiastic and am a pretty good public speaker. I also listen and try to be a connector for people.” -Marianne
“Reading books and listening to podcasts that talk about leadership and work. The Women at Work podcast by HBR highlights a diverse set of stories and voices while providing ideas for how to deal with the variety of difficult situations women face.” -Stephanie
Supporting and leaning on other women
“Build a cabinet and a support network of other women in your organization or industry that can help you process your experiences. In my current cabinet sits my executive coach, a former manager who knows my work well, a mentor whose work I aspire to emulate, and a critical friend who I know will tell me the truth about how I am showing up. My network is much larger and includes other women I meet at conferences or get connected to by mutual friends who I know will understand some of the pressures I am under as a leader but who are there to just listen.” -JuDonne
“I think it’s important to sit down and talk to people about what their hopes and aspirations are and truly invest in who they want to be. Sometimes women wait to be asked to be considered for roles, and I view it as my job to help all employees take ownership of their career. I have a voice to speak on behalf of other women, and I’m proud to use it in every room I’m in.” -Tiffany
“I actively support organizations that serve women and girls. I founded the Women's Leadership program at United Way of Central Indiana to assist more women be prepared to serve on boards. If a young woman asks to meet with me, I always make myself available and offer whatever advice I can.” -Marianne
“I strongly believe in networking. I have been introduced to so many influential women and men in our community who serve on boards and committees with me; I enjoy getting to meet with them and talk about how we can come together and make the world a better place.” -Cindy
Learn More
Want to hear more from each of the leaders above? Click on their names at the top of this story to see a full Q&A.
Tiffany Benjamin is the President of the Lilly Foundation, as well as Senior Director for Corporate Responsibility and Global Health. She manages the company’s philanthropic and community relations work, and its initiatives to improve health care for those in resource-limited settings. Tiffany is on the board of several organizations including Visit Indy, the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, Lilly School of Philanthropy Board of Visitors, and the Kennedy-King Memorial Initiative. She is also the President of the Parents' Association at her daughters’ school this year.
Stephanie Bothun co-founded Ascend Indiana in 2015 alongside the current CEO, Jason Kloth (Rio Grande Valley ’03), to help residents bridge the barriers to economic opportunity and mobility here in Indiana. She develops and leads Ascend’s talent consulting practice, Ascend Services, which catalyzes transformative employer and education partnerships to create economic opportunity for all. Outside of work, Stephanie serves as a founding board member for Rooted Schools, which will launch this fall to support students on the path to financial freedom, and also volunteers on the Indy Achieves Advisory Committee, Operations Committee at Common Ground Northeast, and at the state’s annual robotics championship.
Marianne Glick is an artist and owner of Glick Art. In addition, she is chairman of the board for the Glick Family Foundation and TeenWorks. She also serves on the boards of: Gene B. Glick Company, Glick House Foundation, Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana, Goodwill Education Initiatives, Central Indiana Community Foundation, RISE, and the State Board of Trustees for Ivy Tech. In addition, she serves on advisory boards for IUPUI Chancellor's Circle, Butler University President's Council and United Way of Central Indiana.
JuDonne Hemingway is an experienced, innovative, and adaptive systems leader who helps emerging leaders persist unapologetically in pursuit of their visions. She currently serves as the Managing Director of Corps Member Development at Teach For America Indianapolis. In this seat she is responsible for building the capacity of over 100 beginning educators and systems leaders in ways that disrupt inequitable practices for nearly 4,000 students across Indianapolis. JuDonne is also the President and Founder of the Foundation for Racial Equity in Education (F.R.E.E), a high impact fellowship for leaders of color in education.
Allissa Impink is the Indy Regional Manager for Enriched Schools. Enriched recruits and supports high-level substitute teaching. Allissa identifies talented people and connects them with local school partners to meet their daily, short-term, and long-term guest educator needs. She leads professional development for guest educators; she does classroom visits and gives feedback. Additionally, Allissa serves on the Fletcher House Neighborhood Association board and recently finished serving two terms on the South East Community Services Board. She is the mother of three kids under three years old.
Cindy Simon Skjodt is a female philanthropist that believes you save one life; you save the world. She is actively involved as a leader with 19 organizations, including: 500 Festival Foundation; Cancer Support Center, Trustee Emeritus; Central Indiana Community Foundation, Board Chairman; Committee on Conscience (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum); Indiana Sports Corporation, Executive Board Member; Pacers Foundation, Board Vice Chair; U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, Presidential Appointment; and Women4Change.