Power to Change Stories

By Bethany Corbin, JD. I began getting involved with femtech around 2018-2019 when I was teaching at Wake Forest University School of Law. I finished my healthcare LL.M. at Loyola University of Chicago and my thesis focused on liability for the internet of medical things (IoMT).

When I was at Wake Forest, I became interested in the intersection of connected health devices/IoMT and women’s health. As I researched this area, I realized there was a gap in the femtech discussion from the legal community.

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By Rania Nasis, MD, MBA. While in medical school, I met countless doctors who wanted to help patients but who were thwarted from doing just that. In particular, I saw how doctors weren’t empowered by technology; they were held hostage by it. This didn’t sit well with me. I knew tech could be a transformative force. So, I set off to find innovative approaches outside of traditional healthcare to make a real difference in the lives of real people.

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By Susan Salenger. As I was wheeled into the cold operating room, attached to various tubes, I felt angry at myself for agreeing to have surgery I was convinced I didn't need. It turned out I was right—and to this day, many years later, I still feel bad that I had been so passive. But after talking with other women about their healthcare decisions, I found that many of them had acquiesced in the same way and felt similar regrets. These experiences forced me to wonder what makes women agree to do something to our bodies that we fundamentally think is wrong.

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By Kari Pearce. I set my attention on creating a program that could provide a full workout, in a limited time. All of the results, without the countless hours at the gym. I have now created over 24 programs in a way to get the most out of your time.

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By Dr. Tara Lalvani. I wasn’t from a business background and I am a testament that your past should never define your future. It has been a joy to see the impact Beautifect has made globally already and my wish is for more women to go after their dreams and fulfil their potential. It’s never too late to make a change.

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By Julie Danis. My reinvention journey gave me the power to be who I am in my 60s and beyond: a writer and storyteller working on a play I believe will make others realize they’re not alone in what they experience and feel. My words do matter and my happiness and success is linked to being me.

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By Kim Hunt. Though the ACA came too late for Rhonda, her story gives me the power to change the narrative for those who face similar challenges and ensure access to quality affordable health care. Her story inspires my advocacy for the current HB4430/SB3209 legislation, which increases access to two highly effective methods of HIV preventative healthcare, and my efforts to support marginalized and underrepresented individuals.

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By Danielle Dao. My passion to work outside the box has strongly driven the last few decades of my career in cannabis. As this industry continues to evolve and adapt to increasing regulation, we’re seeing exciting steps forward, but we’re also seeing areas where we can still improve.

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By Jasmine Beverley. The start of a year is a new beginning. My baby would be due in a few weeks, and I could not continue to cry and suffer in silence. I had to make the decision to be happy, to choose life and happiness. I wrote this book, The Unseen Veil, to help women who have never had a voice, women who have been silent, and those who have stayed silent.

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By Samantha Smith. My philosophy on hiring is straightforward: hire the best. But upon reflection, did I have access to the best? Was I spending enough time looking at candidates who didn't use keywords that would appear on candidate searches? Did I widen my scope enough to attract a diverse candidate pool for my team?

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By Asha Dahya. I focus on reproductive rights, gender equality, and the representation of women in media. I am passionate about empowering women, girls and femmes to take up space, raise their voice and share their story with the world.

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By Mahja Sulemanjee Bortocek. I'm the CEO and Founder of High Haven Cannabis, a minority-owned, woman-led cannabis multi-state company. At High Haven, we admire the cannabis plant and want to bring universal acceptance of its consumption and use. Normalizing cannabis has always been my guiding light.

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By Brittany Ristucci Warner. I chose to take that "too positive" energy to create my own opportunities, which included completing an accelerated MBA program while working full-time, starting a private consulting firm, partnering with a well-known scientist to create a biologics company, completing an Ironman Triathlon, opening a private surgery center, being selected to the Board of Directors for The Volunteer Center of NE Chicago, serving as assistant Mission Director for Face the Future Foundation and even more.

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By Aiysha Johnson. I decided to combine my expertise connecting others to resources with my desire to help other women and founders of color. As a result, I founded the Global Brand Expansion (GBE) Lab, a tech-enabled educational and financial startup, to close opportunity gaps for women and founders of color through training, resources, and access to capital.

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By Jessica Shaw. In recent years, we have witnessed a tremendous shift in the way we view mental health and wellness as a society. However, an area that is often left out of this discussion are the physical spaces in which we inhabit. The places in which we live our lives are strong factors in how we feel. One-third of our time is spent at work and 90% of our time is spent indoors. So, whether you work in a traditional office setting or from home, the design of these spaces is definitely something to consider.

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By Jeannette Ceja. I vividly remember moments from my childhood spent sitting in front of the television after school, learning and absorbing everything I possibly could. I would ask myself: “How come the hosts who were showing me a diverse world of destinations, cultures, and languages, were not diverse themselves?” The absence of representation on television and in travel media left a lifelong impact. It’s why I pursued a degree in broadcast journalism. I wanted to make a change that I did not see in the states.

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By Allié McGuire. I was introduced to Mehr Mursal Amiri, a 24-year-old female Afghan reporter, with a phone call, while she was hiding from the Taliban in Kabul. My name is Allié McGuire. I'm the Editor-in-Chief of AwareNow Magazine. A journalist made this introduction along with the suggestion for an interview, as she thought I could help Mehr have her story seen and heard. In that first conversation, we connected in a way and on a level that neither of us could have expected.

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By Fatima Henson. This technology gap is a national crisis for U.S. students who face a myriad of difficulties accessing education during the COVID-19 pandemic. My school district has spearheaded an effort to close the
technology divide by implementing the “Digital Dreamers” program and providing students with personal computers to create a one-to-one technology learning environment.

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By Gloria Lau. I moved from Hong Kong to the U.S. when I was 18. New life chapters unfolded, including becoming a mother. It wasn’t until I was navigating care for my youngest child that I learned about the difficulties within the U.S. healthcare system. The more I talked with other moms, colleagues and friends, the clearer it became that women almost exclusively shoulder the burden in the healthcare world. I wanted to rebuild the healthcare system for women. Alpha Medical was formed with the goal of providing access to quality medical care — regardless of whether you have insurance, or are close to a doctor or pharmacy

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By Alexis La’Shay Smith. I was born with cerebral palsy, a physical disability that is a brain injury caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain during birth. As a result, all four of my limbs are affected. I am a student volunteer for an organization called Hey U.G.L.Y.(Unique Gifted Lovable You) where I monthly post videos on my YouTube channel called Advisable Alexis in effort to prevent suicide, which is caused by bullying.

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