Power to Change Stories

By Margaret Graziano

I learned early that silence protects the wrong things. Years ago, I watched a male CEO remove my protégé from a project without warning. Her questions threatened him. Her insight made him uncomfortable. When she told me, I confronted him. He told me to leave if I didn’t like his choice. Walking away would have been easier, but I didn’t. I fought for my IP. I stood for the work we built, for her, and for my own values. That moment changed my life, becoming the seed of Keen Alignment.

By Mary Sahagun

I began my career as an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer at Singapore Airlines, working in an environment where precision, structure, and accountability shaped every decision. Aviation trained me to communicate clearly, follow systems, and solve problems methodically. I expected to build my entire professional life there, but the pandemic forced a halt I could not control. The industry stalled, and suddenly, so did the path I had spent years pursuing.

By Megan Skeath

When I became a new mom, I expected the usual challenges, sleepless nights, constant feedings, all the things everyone warns you about. I loved choosing outfits for my son, but the moment I started using them, the reality set in: these items weren’t built for the hands, bodies, or emotions of postpartum women. They were created for store shelves and photos, not for the mother awake at 3 a.m., recovering, vulnerable, and trying her best..

By Daniella Levy

I occupy a space that, for years, has been considered taboo. For as long as I can remember, anything involving vaginal health came with this automatic sense of embarrassment, like you were doing something wrong by even bringing it up. Most of us learn that silence young, and it follows us well into adulthood.

By Shelby Thomas

For nearly two decades, I worked in New Hampshire’s family court system, where inequity was impossible to ignore. I watched mothers lose custody after being labeled “unstable” for protecting their children. I saw justice tilt toward those who could afford it, and immigrants signed agreements they barely understood because no proper interpreter was available.

Refusing to accept this, I spoke up. I became the first paralegal in the state allowed to represent clients in court, expanding access to justice for people who otherwise had none.

By Shelby Thomas

In 2014, during what would become the most impactful dive of my life, I watched a 100-year-old star coral colony die in just three days. That massive, vibrant reef structure turned grey and lifeless before my eyes. I knew I had to act.

As a marine scientist, I'd worked on dozens of restoration projects, but I kept seeing the same problem: most initiatives were just disaster responses funded by companies checking legal boxes, with minimal follow-up or community connection. I believed restoration should be proactive, not reactive – and people needed to feel personally connected to these underwater ecosystems they'd never see.

By Angelique Albert

It has never been a straight path, but every step of my journey has led me to this moment. I’ve worked in criminal justice, the gaming industry, served in philanthropy, and built a career as an award-winning artist. Each experience taught me something about leadership, resilience, and systems change.

When I became CEO of Native Forward Scholars Fund, I saw an opportunity to bring it all together. I led a strategic transformation for our organization - rebranding, refining our mission, and bringing in new partnerships with leading philanthropists and brands.

By Lauren Ashtyn

When I began losing my hair, I learned quickly that women’s hair loss was not treated with the same seriousness as men’s. For men, it was “normal.” For women, it was dismissed as vanity. But I knew it was about identity, confidence, and dignity, not just appearance. That’s why I’ve fought to reframe the conversation, building a team that guides women on how to get covered with insurance to ensure they can access solutions without financial strain.

By Sandy Sternbach

Returning to the dating world in your 40s and above can seem like too much work, but it can be one of the most rewarding chapters in your life. Women of all ages are in a unique position to achieve their romantic relationship goal, which was previously thought to be only in romance novels or fairytales. There are many silver linings for your next chapter and ways to improve your dating process.

By Sarah Cathrine Molema

Co-founding Deaftronics was never just about launching a product, it was about creating access, dignity, and connection where there was none.

In Botswana and across many developing regions, people with hearing loss face an invisible barrier. Standard hearing aids rely on expensive, hard-to-find batteries. Many go unused. The result? Missed school, lost job opportunities, and silence where there should be sound.

I knew that couldn’t continue.

By Natalie West

I was leaving a meeting with a U.S.-based manufacturer when he asked what sizes I offered. I said, “Extra small through extra large.” His response? “I can’t believe you’re encouraging women to be fat and out of shape.”

In that instant, I knew I couldn’t work with someone whose views were not only discriminatory but fundamentally opposed to my values.