spirit
“During the few months I have been in FCCPS, I have focused on learning the stories of the amazing people who make up this wonderful community. I look to Finding Nemo for guidance.” — Dustin Wright, Chief of Schools
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“The secret sauce truly is the people.” — Timothy Kasik, Principal at Mount Daniel Elementary School
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“Collaboration and shared values turn advocacy into action.” — Kristen Michael, Chief Operating Officer, Falls Church City Public Schools
Enter Name“A Hierarchy Without Rigid Boundaries” — Jennifer Santiago, Director of Equity and Excellence at Falls Church City Public Schools
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“FCCPS is a group of people willing to roll up their sleeves and heed President Kennedy’s famous maxim to always ask what they can do to make their community better.” — Peter Laub, Principal of Meridian High School
FCCPS is a DIY school system. It was created by people willing to work late nights to read and create state code, establish a council and school board, and write policy and zoning regulations. The government was the neighbor, and everything was, and remains, hyper-local.
“At the heart of FCCPS is a commitment to preparing students for the future.” — Dr. William Bates, Chief Academic Officer for the Falls Church City Public Schools
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“Our teachers go beyond teaching calculus or history. They contribute to developing our students into kind people.” — Amy Hall, Director of Human Resources of the Falls Church City Public Schools
Both of my daughters have since graduated from Meridian High School with the knowledge to take them on their continued educational journey and with a genuine attentiveness to the acceptance and well-being of others.
“All hands on deck: There isn’t a single person in our district who is not willing to step in and support our students in ways that go beyond their usual responsibilities” — By Jen Fessenden, PK-12 Mathematics Coordinator, Falls Church City Public Schools
Enter Name“Due to our staff’s kindness and genuine caring culture, they embrace each day with lots of enthusiasm and share their joy of teaching with students.” — Marty Gadell, Executive Administrative Assistant and School Board Clerk
Enter Name“The day my life changed.” An interview panelist asked, “Would you accept the position of second-grade teacher with us next fall?” — Gail Bodner, 2nd grade teacher
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About Cynthia de Lorenzi, artist, activist, peacemaker and founder of Success in the City, an international networking group that she launched in 2006 in Washington, DC
Cynthia is also an International Motivational and TEDx Women Speaker, former tech CEO, and art curator living in Las Cruces, NM
Ep5 Illuminate Philanthropy — Trend 5: Growing Mistrust with Daylight’s Director of Strategic Impact Crystal Thompkins
The keys to adapting: Cultural dexterity, transparency and ethics.
“Changing Lives and Changing the World, since 1949” — Marybeth Connelly, Director of Strategic Planning and Community Engagement
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” Anthropologist Margaret Mead would appreciate the FCCPS Secret Sauce project.
Stephanie Clohesy, Former Board Chairman of the Women’s Funding Network
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Dr. Helen LaKelly Hunt, founder and president of the HLH Family Foundation
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Jessica Tomlin, Chief Executive Officer of the Equality Fund
Jess leads an effort to resource feminist movements worldwide, working to change systems, shift power, and dismantle barriers.
Ep4 Illuminate Philanthropy — Trend 4: Questioning Norms with Daylight’s Director of Strategic Impact Crystal Thompkins
How to adapt to Trend4: Questioning Norms — Modifying planning assumptions, involving new voices, and goals that are less donor-centric“Unshakable Belief” — Rebecca Sharp, Executive Director of Special Services
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Professor Cindi Gilliland, Ph.D., teaches us about “The Power of Love” — Attend, Mend, Ascend
In her latest TEDx Talk, "The Power of Love," Professor Cindi Gilliland, Ph.D., knows love has the power to transform us, others, and the world.
October 2024: Classmate Ron Mahoney and his wife Peggy are the proud owners of the 4th Street Cafe in Bridgeport, PA
Fun fact: Ron met his wife, Margaret Mahoney (Peggy), on his 18th birthday while walking down the street. "I told her it was my birthday and got a kiss from her." They married in 1985.
Dien Yuen, JD/LLM, CAP®, AEP® CEO of Daylight, is working to maximize philanthropy’s potential for transforming lives by advancing the sector’s training, research, professionalization, and diversity
Illuminate Philantropy Show — Trend 1: The Changing Client Base with Daylight’s founder Dien Yuen and Daylight’s Director of Advisor Practice Tony Macklin
It is her deep commitment to community that inspires Lydia Oh Manager, Programs and Marketing at Daylight
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Author Christine Grumm tells us about her new collaborative book, “The Uprising of Women in Philanthropy”
Written in a collective voice, this book is an important human rights document. It offers a roadmap to achieve a thriving democracy. This book marks the first time that women’s rights philanthropists have united, in book form and in one voice, to call for massive investments in women’s rights for social justice change. Undoubtedly, this book will be an essential addition to the works of the few but highly influential feminist collective authorships.
Ep5: The Sharing Economy — Learn about the challenges of scaling the sharing economy with Julie Winkle Giulioni, author and champion of workplace growth and development
How the Sharing Economy inspires two Berrett-Koehler authors
August 2024: Classmate Ho Chin, who operates a fractional CFO company serving private companies that are backed by outside investors, says: “Enjoy the journey and not push off the enjoyment life can bring until xxx is achieved. I have come to realize that roses do have a wonderful scent.”
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July 2024: Sandy Ziegler knows, “Don’t take short cuts. Push through, take accountability, and take risks. If it doesn’t work out, you still experienced and learned something.”
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Ep5: Women of Color Empowered embraces the gift of Allies — The importance and nurturing of your most powerful connections with Alice Kim of PerfectDD and Bernardine Wu of Fez Ventures
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June 2024: Catch up with multimedia crafter and mom of 3, Zoe Bedrossian Chapjian
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Ep4: You will be blown away by the courage and determination of our guest Jo Miller — on the June episode of the Women of Color Empowered show
Meet the Program Coordinator at Ready to Werk, Fashion Educator at Hocking College, and Board Member at Passport 2 Fashion
Ep3: You will be inspired by the story of Brandice Daniel, CEO and Founder of Harlem’s Fashion Row and the nonprofit ICON360 — on Episode 3 of Women of Color Empowered
Learn how this entrepreneur is giving a voice to multicultural designers and provide them with the same business opportunities and connections enjoyed by others
Infant Massage USA Trainer Jody Wright: “A Story of Infant Massage and Adoption”
Bonding and attachment is vital for any parent and baby, but with adoption or fostering, family-building practices like massage, sleep, feeding, carrying, bathing, become vital to support the establishment of a new family relationship. When we act like family, and do the intimate things that families do, we soon feel like family.
Ep1: Women of Color Empowered, hosted by Kimberly Lee Minor, CEO, Women of Color Retail Alliance
What it means to empower and be empowered!
10 Questions: A Q&A with Kimberly Lee Minor, CEO, Women of Color Retail Alliance, and host, Women of Color Empowered
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Meet Rising Musical Star Jonathan “JDitto” Minor
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About WOCRA: Women of Color Retail Alliance — A Note from the CEO, Kimberly Lee Minor
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February 2024: Voted Best Personality and Most Friendly in the Class of 1982, learn what former Eagles cheerleader Cindy Dawson Moore is doing now
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Coming Summer 2025: Panama Yoga on the Isthmus Linking South and Central America
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January 30, 2024: Meet our 2024 National Conference Speakers
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Jan. 23, 2024: Help us ramp up for our 2024 National Conference, June 17-20
Enter NameChakra Jewelry by Hope
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December 2023: Award-winning esthetician Linda Lee, The Skin Rejuvenator, offers solutions for celebs and everyday gals who want to look their best!
Meet the Skin Rejuvenator
Brown and Black: Dream and Believe in yourself and your intuition with these two Spirit Chakras — Astaroth
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Red: Embrace Your Power with the Root Chakra — Muladhara
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Life Coach Martha Beck teaches about “Tracking Your Spirit” in The Gathering Pod
This week, we all go tracking: Your spirit is leaving footprints everywhere!
Season 1: Episode 1 — Are you embroiled in a Silver Divorce? Actuary Peter Neuwirth and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, CFP® professional Marguerita Cheng can help
Silver Divorce: Insights from Marguerita Cheng, CFP® Pro, a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, CFP® professional
October 2023: Kimberly Lee Minor, CEO of Women of Color Retail Alliance, adjunct professor at Ohio State University Fisher School of Business, wife, mother
Kim says, "Don’t let naysayers get in your head. Apply to your dream schools, stay the course, and bet on yourself."
August 22, 2023: Meet USDLA Sponsor — Padlet
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Episode 105: Margaritas with Marguerita — Meet Corey Beal, CEO and Director of Joy, at Empowering Finance
Financial planning for the bold, the ambitious, and the badass
August 2023: Scooter Johns, NBCUniversal room producer, proud father, who says, “Do what you love. Be happy. Surround yourself with those of a similar mind.”
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August 1, 2023: Gamification Guru Monica Cornetti Stars on the Distance Learning Roundtable
Meet the author of Lipstick Lessons, What Were You Thinking?, Totally Awesome Training Activities Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, and co-author of Deliberate Fun: A Purposeful Application of Game Mechanics to Learning Experiences