The editorial team has a special attachment to our new series, The Trailblazers: Rewriting the Narrative, because so many of us feel that media portrayals of women have been too one dimensional. Today, women are doing incredible things in all fields – from science and technology to finance, law, business, athletics and more. With the Trailblazers series, we hope to highlight and celebrate female role models, encourage more equal and just representation in the media, and help foster a more tight-knit community locally helping women find mentors, business partners, friends and more.
Destiny McKoy
Absolutely! I didn’t start out with a clear plan or title for what I do now. Like many moms, my journey began in a season of transition. I was navigating balancing motherhood, personal ambition, and a growing sense that I was being called to more than just getting through the days. Read More>>
Sunnie Owens
Sunnie Cosmetics was introduced to the world on February 7, 2020. I’ve been a makeup artist since 2018, and while in makeup school, I was introduced to mini facials. I quickly fell in love with the process and naturally excelled at it. It felt like the perfect complement to makeup, since skincare and makeup truly go hand in hand. Read More>>
Tonya Parker
I have had such a meandering career journey! When I graduated from The College of William and Mary with a BA in Sociology, I stayed for grad school, attaining an MEd and then an EdS in Counseling. I imagined I would become a therapist and retire from that field. However, my years working as a Licensed Professional Counselor was a launching pad. Read More>>
Nicole Griffin
I did not start in boudoir photography. I started by studying light, patience, and perspective while living in Guam and using photography to share the world with my family back home. What began as a creative outlet eventually became the foundation for how I see women today through my lens. When I moved back to Maryland, I carried that same love of light with me. Read More>>
Eleni (Helen) Markatos
My husband and I live in the Pigtown neighborhood of Baltimore City with our son. After years for working in corporate America I wanted to take a risk and open my own business. I admire the people around me, including my husband, who take the risk to go out on their own and follow their dreams. Read More>>
Melanie Pensak
I grew up spending many hours outside in the woods and felt a strong pull back into the natural world 10 years ago. I found a deep sense of peace and healing spending intentional time on the land. Over time, I began teaching nature meditation and intentional earth practices to others in the way that I practice mindfulness in nature. Read More>>
Philippa Channer
My journey into entrepreneurship didn’t start with a grand plan or a flashy launch. It started with paying attention. I’ve always been drawn to strategy, problem-solving, and helping people see the bigger picture. Early in my career, I worked in roles where I was often the one connecting the dots. Read More>>
Kareema Weaver
I didn’t start out with a master plan — I just tried to survive my own life. For most of my early adulthood, I was navigating chronic health conditions, burnout, and the quiet pressure to be “high-functioning” even when my body and mind were asking for something different. Read More>>
Summer Brown
I’ve been a creative for as long as I can remember. I received my B.F.A. at Howard University in Drawing and Painting and my M.F.A. at The University of the Arts in Museum Exhibition and Design. Later, I worked in museums and design firms and now I teach in higher education full-time at my alma mater, Howard University. Read More>>
Jessica Lewis
My understanding of connection has always come through play. As a play-based early childhood educator, I spend my days watching how children build friendships, negotiate conflict, and express themselves through movement and imagination. I watch how their social lives unfold in real time through play, and it’s endlessly fascinating. What became clear to me is that adults don’t outgrow these needs. Read More>>
Sarah Hood Salomon
Sarah Hood Salomon is a sculptural photographer who was born in Washington, DC. She received her MFA from Maine Media in 2023, and her BFA from Mt Holyoke College. Her primary subject matter is trees, especially those about to be cut down to make way for development. In response to the destruction, Sarah scratches, slices and purées her photographs to make sculptural pieces. Read More>>
Candice Mack
My love for podcasting really started long before podcasts were even a thing.Back in school,once our work was finished for the day,I was that kid who talked nonstop with friends about whatever TV show we were obsessed with at the time-Buffy the Vampire Slayer being a big one.Talking about television was always how I connected with people. Read More>>
Dr. Theresa A Moseley
In 2013 and 2014, I lost two students to violence. I started a campaign for No More Violence – One School Once Community One County at a Time. I wrote Creating Ambassadors of Peace – 16 Steps to Become an Ambassador of Peace and dedicated it to my students. In 2021, I created my company TAM Creating Ambassadors of Peace LLC. Read More>>
Stacey-Marie Williams
I actually started baking in a very casual way; during my lunch breaks at work, I used to watch cake and cupcake decorating videos on YouTube and thought, ‘I could try that’. What started as a fun experiment quickly turned into a passion. Read More>>
Leah Seeling
I started my career as a social worker in the state of Maryland, a role that deeply shaped who I am. I loved advocating for others, but after becoming a mother myself, I found it increasingly difficult to leave work at work. Carrying the emotional weight of my job while navigating motherhood eventually led to burnout. Read More>>
Chanté Davis
My journey began with a deep calling to serve, create, and connect people in meaningful ways. I didn’t start with a clear blueprint—just faith, resilience, and a desire to turn life experiences into purpose. Over the years, I’ve worn many hats: minister, life coach, creative, director, producer, and operations leader. Read More>>
Beatrice Pinkrah
Decor By Bee wasn’t something I set out to build. it was something that found me in the quiet moments of life. Decorating started as a passion, a peaceful escape, something that brought me joy when everything else felt heavy. It became my therapy. I began with small setups, family events, baby showers, birthdays. I did it from the heart, not expecting anything in return. Read More>>
Celia Kibler
My work grew out of both lived experience and decades of hands-on work with children and families. I’m a mom of five, a longtime blended-family parent, and a grandparent, and like many families, ours wasn’t perfect or quiet. I grew up in a home where yelling was common, and even though there was love, there was also a lot of stress and disconnection. Read More>>
MiMi B.
I grew up in a newspaper family with my mother working as a reporter, so I was exposed to storytelling and visual communication early on. That foundation led me to pursue design professionally, and now I work as a multimedia designer based in Baltimore. Read More>>
Beth Stinson
I started “making things,” my mom called it, as a child – elaborate Valentine’s Day cards, embroidered felt, and collages. When I was a teenager, I traded babysitting services for art lessons with local artists, learning how to draw and watercolor. I earned Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in printmaking and photography from the State University of New York at Albany.Read More>>
Christy Giroux
Hi! My name is Christy Giroux. I grew up being active year-round, playing sports, dancing, & being outside as much as possible. With my interest in sports, I decided to study exercise science in college and graduated from Ithaca College with my bachelor’s degree. Read More>>
Tasha Wilson
My journey into entrepreneurship was never part of a plan. It was born from pain, shaped by lived experience, and ultimately redeemed by God. At sixteen, tragedy changed the course of my life when my father died unexpectedly in a horrific work-related accident. With him, a part of me seemed to vanish. Read More>>
Tanika Andrews
I was only four years old when I first learned that the kitchen was more than just a place to cook. It was scary. It was where love lived. It was where my story began. Growing up, I didn’t learn cooking from a book, social media or tv. Read More>>
Dr. Jennifer Bryant
My journey has been one of resilience, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to lifting others as I climb. I began my career in the federal government as a clerk-typist and worked my way up over 37 years to become an Executive Director and corporate Chief of Staff. Read More>>
Jennifer Hill
I’m Jennifer, owner of Crown of Love. I’m a licensed senior cosmetologist in Maryland and I specialize in natural, healthy haircare. I’ve had an interest in hair for as long as I can remember. I am, what I’d consider, a late bloomer in the industry but every step of the way was well worth it. I attended cosmetology school part-time, while working full-time. Read More>>
Jennifer Doyle
I became a travel agent specializing in Disney destinations in 2020. It was certainly an odd year to enter the travel industry, but I chose a great agency, and I was able to complete lots of training and education that first year while the world started to open back up. Read More>>
Bianca Stanley
I started creating content and taking social media seriously in early 2024 after I went viral for going on a solo trip to Niagara Falls on TikTok. I have always wanted to post on TikTok previously, but really did not know where to begin. Everyone loved my creativity, my humor, my voice, everything about the video of my solo trip. Read More>>
Anissa Stewart
If I could talk to my younger self, I would tell myself, ‘It’s going to happen…’ It would tell her that, because growing up in NY, I was creative and a dreamer. I would often dream of becoming a singer, and I also loved pretending to be a schoolteacher. Read More>>
Candace Boykins
Before becoming a nonprofit, C&J operated as a small for-profit LLC offering basic immigration support. But everything shifted during a meeting with a mother who came seeking help, trembling with fear. She barely spoke above a whisper. Her eyes darted toward the door each time someone walked by. The weight she carried was heavy yet painfully familiar. Read More>>
Monica Granados
My story began in my family’s grocery store, Morazán Grocery II, where my parents built a life through hard work, service, and deep community ties. Growing up in that environment shaped my understanding of leadership and taught me the value of showing up for people. Read More>>
Dr. Tierra Graves
My story is one of pain to purpose. Where I am today was a long journey of ups and downs, mistakes and chances, lessons and failures, hinderances and hopes, uncertainty and victory. But it didn’t happen quickly. My story has allowed me to be a 10-time published author where I advocate for mental health and provide grief resources. Read More>>
Lamiya Kirby
How I started?… I have many diverse roles and responsibilities. Today I am a mother, an entrepreneur and a college graduate. I have studied Social Work, Nursing and Psychology during my undergrad years and School Counseling during my grad year. It’s apparent that I have a fond relationship with mental health and understanding how the human mind works. Read More>>
Suzie Graham
I started a little band in school with my friends when I was about 13, I then went on to join other bands and began writing my own songs. I’ve worked as a singer most of my life and became a Patsy Cline tribute artist which opened the doors to get to tour the States a couple of times. Read More>>
Latoya Arnold
In 2005, something unexpected awakened in me. What began as simple journaling and a love for books slowly revealed a hidden gift for writing. One Sunday, my pastor looked at me and said, “Why don’t you write a book?” I prayed, listened, and took my first step of faith. Not long after, a publishing company reached out to me—completely unprompted. Read More>>
Shalicia Torbert
To get to where I am today, I had a tremendous amount of Faith, Prayer and Determination. To tell the story correctly I have to start from where I am now and journey backwards because I am not sure where to begin with “where it all started”. Read More>>
Nicole Smith
I began my career as a preschool teacher, where I discovered my passion for working with young children and supporting families during their earliest years. After gaining hands-on classroom experience, I took the next step and opened my own in-home daycare, allowing me to create a more personalized, nurturing, and family-centered learning environment. Read More>>
Deondre Williams
Growing up in Baltimore can be as you paint it. There’s many walks of life that come from the city of Baltimore. For me, I’m blessed to have a family that loves me. Read More>>
Jenny Dorlus
My story begins and continues with Jesus, who has led me into everything that I’ll touch on today. Before Jesus, I had my hand in several things that were unfulfilling and, truthfully, useless. I did a lot, but did nothing well, or to the standard of excellence that allows for fruitful and sustainable success. Read More>>
Irene Abdou
I got my Bachelor’s in physics! Who would ever have thought that 30 years later, I’d be the proud owner of a boutique portrait photography studio in suburban Maryland? Read More>>
Erica Pullen
My story begins with a little Black girl growing up in the seventies and eighties who was taught, directly and indirectly, that dark skin was something to overcome rather than celebrate. I was called names that chipped away at my confidence, and over time, I began to believe them. Those beliefs followed me into adulthood and influenced many of the choices I made. Read More>>
Lauren Isaacson
I began pursuing a career as a teacher after interning abroad with a non-profit organization in Southeast Asia, back in 2016. Upon returning I completed my first Master’s degree in Education from Liberty University. I began teaching in the Roanoke City school district in Special Education, where I worked with students in kindergarten to fifth grade. Read More>>
Tiffany Harris
I started my real estate career with a strong desire to build something meaningful through a rental portfolio in underserved communities. Like many, I entered the industry driven by opportunity, but I quickly realized that success in real estate is rooted in relationships, trust, and service. Read More>>
Iris Savoy
I’m Iris Savoy, the owner of Iris Nikki Photography. My creative journey spans more than twenty years in advertising, marketing, and print distribution, where I developed a strong eye for storytelling, branding, and visual impact. Photography was always present, but in 2018 I made a deliberate pivot to pursue it more intentionally as a business. Read More>>
Maria Winters
Hi, I’m Maria Winters. I grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, and moved to the United States in 2000. I went to Northeastern University in Boston for my undergraduate studies and later earned my master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Argosy University in Washington, D.C. I’ve always known I wanted to be a mental health therapist. Read More>>
Kristy Taylor
My professional background spans healthcare, higher education, and human resources, where I spent years working closely with students and professionals navigating career transitions, leadership growth, and pivotal decision points. Over time, I began to notice a consistent pattern: people weren’t struggling because they lacked ability, but because they lacked direction, confidence, and the right support during periods of change. Read More>>
Amanda Reeves
I have always found humans beautiful and complicated. Every single one has a story to tell. My passion for photography comes from my love of people and wanting to immortalize their moments and stories. Read More>>
Nadine Zaccheo
I started as a full-time classroom teacher, and even then, I was always drawn to the heart of what helps people grow, clarity, confidence, and feeling seen. Read More>>
Stacy Brown
I began my entrepreneurial journey as a graphic designer, which naturally evolved into interior design. My introduction to wedding planning came through designing my own wedding, and it immediately felt like the perfect convergence of all my talents. It allowed me to merge my design background with my ability to transform spaces and curate meaningful experiences. Read More>>
Cara Johnson-Graves
My journey began in Baltimore at Morgan State University, where I started my collegiate path and developed a deep understanding of identity, community, and responsibility. Being shaped within an HBCU environment was transformative. It instilled pride, cultural awareness, and a commitment to creating work that serves something bigger than ourselves. Read More>>
Joy-Jasmin Brunnelson
I started with Let Mommy Sleep fourteen years ago as a caregiver, supporting new parents with breastfeeding and those first long nights home with a newborn. I didn’t expect it to become a lifelong calling, but something clicked for me right away. There is something incredibly meaningful about being invited into a family’s home during such a tender, vulnerable moment. Read More>>
Sandra Brown
My journey began as a working mother trying to do everything “right,” only to realize that the childcare system wasn’t built to support families like mine. As a mom of four, I experienced firsthand how difficult it was to find reliable, trustworthy childcare that extended beyond traditional daycare hours. Read More>>
Anna Collins
Fate has blessed me with an adventurous life. I’m one of twelve children in a blended family, and grew up at various times in both the USA and Europe. Read More>>
Miriam Perlacio
My name is Miriam Perlacio, and I am the founder of Little Bites Catering, a business that offers both sweet and savory products. I specialize in Peruvian appetizers and desserts, as well as lunch boxes for corporate meetings and family events. I started my business in 2016 while studying Hospitality Management at UDC Community College and raising my two children. Read More>>
Katie Hartley
When I was growing up, I took a lot of local art classes. I was drawing all the time – on whatever I could find. When I was 16, I visited the Centre Pompidou museum in Paris, where I saw my first painting by Wassily Kandinsky. Read More>>
Nailah Queen
I’m Nailah Queen, wife, mother, CEO, philanthropist, innovator, self-care advocate, business mentor, influencer, travel enthusiast, and serial entrepreneur. I’ve always had some sort of side hustle growing up and decided in 2015 to step out on faith and become a part-time entrepreneur. I did this so that I could leave a legacy for my son and family so while still working full time, I started Royalty Escapes Travel Agency and since then have opened Realeza Styles Travel Clothing and Accessory Line, the successfully emerging Regally Insane Hair, and Body Health Line and “It’s Nailah” the hub for Nailah “The Brand” coaching and business services. Read more>>
Kali Baklor and Erika McMahon
We met 3 years ago while substitute teaching during the Pandemic. Through a challenging time, we became fast friends and realized we worked really well together. While on a birthday trip to San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico, we discovered these incredibly unique, colorful, and fun tote bags, made by local artisans. We established relationships with several of the artists and knew we wanted to share their work with our friends and family back in Baltimore. With our combined knowledge of business, marketing, and the arts, we began to think bigger and decided to start our own business. We are excited to be on this journey and can’t wait to see what is to come! Read more>>
