The 20 businesswomen overcoming the pandemic 2021 compressed

VOL 03 | ISSUE 04 | 2021
Team
TELUS
Improving the Lives
of Canadians
THE20
BUSINESSWOMEN
Overcoming the
Pandemic
2021
RISING AND
CONQUERING
LEADERSHIP IN THE
TIME OF PANDEMIC

Who’s Afraid of
Taking Risks
ever afraid of opportunities – women are always up
Nand running to create something big in business.
They are not afraid of taking risks or failure to
grow, as it goes hand in hand. They are aware of the fact
that success and failure are just the 2 parts of the same coin.
To overcome this fear of failure, they rely on the team of
inclusiveness and diversity, where people from all walks of
life can share their experiences.
There is no doubt that challenges and hurdles are a part of
any leader’s journey. But the passion to do something for
others and bring a change in someone’s life is much bigger
than that. It is this passion that drives them. If we consider
the pandemic situation women have stood tall in driving the
change for their communities in these unprecedented times.
Whatever challenges pandemic threw at them, they not only
overcame those storms but also emerged as a strong yet
empathetic leaders.
The best instance to this is of New Zealand’s Prime
Minister Jacinda Ardern. Her response to pandemic set a
noteworthy example for the world. It was her eight-minute
televised statement in which she announced a four-level
Covid-19 alert system that engendered public support and
rest everyone knows. The current cumbersome world needs
leaders with unwavering courage, compassionate way of
communicating messages, and empathy towards people.
Women are believed to have it all. While businesswomen
continue to bring the transformation in the society by
helping others, it will build a culture of women
entrepreneurs unquestionably taking charges. Women
entrepreneurs will not be afraid of start-ups and of higher
leadership roles by looking up to other successful
businesswomen.
Editor’s Desk

There have been many businesswomen who with
their exemplary leadership skills and novel
approaches dealt appropriately with the pandemic
crisis. In order to bring admire such businesswomen,
Insights Success has compiled a list of “The 20
Businesswomen Overcoming the Pandemic”. This
edition features twenty such businesswomen who
have changed the way businesses work.
Featuring on the Cover of this edition is Team Telus-
Jill Schnarr - Chief Social Innovation Oﬃcer,
Stephanie Franco - Head of Corporate Giving and
Volunteerism, and Nimmi Kanji - Director of
Community Investment.
Being at TELUS for 29 years, Jill has held leadership
positions in marketing, communications, product
management, customer service, internet services,
business development, and human resources.
Stephanie joined TELUS in 2008 as an executive
assistant and spent the last 12 years climbing the
corporate ladder, inspiring remarkable community
impact along the way.
Nimmi started her career at TELUS nearly 22 years
ago while attending the University of Calgary.
hitesh@insightssuccess.com
Hitesh Dhamani

TEAM
TELUS
Improving the Lives
of Canadians
10
COVER STORY
Abir Chermiti
An Enthusiastic Award-
Winning Women In Tech Ally
Brenda L. Jimenez
Scaling Mentoring in a
Time of Crisis
Connie McInnes
Striding to Bring Change through
Combining Music, Art and Yoga
Leader’s Viewpoint
Best Practices in The
Event Services Industry
ARTICLE
Rising & Conquering
Leadership in the time of
Pandemic
42 64
26
22
18
C O N T E N T S

Edith N. Nordmann
Empowering Clients To
Achieve Best Results
Emma Dickison
A Successful Franchise Industry
Veteran Leader
Jaclyn Tsai
Influential Thought
Leader in Technology
Jeanniey Walden
The Definition of
Strategic Partner
Kristi Herold
Helping People and Company Teams
Connect Through Play –
Unlocking Profit and Productivity while
Enhancing Corporate Culture
Laura Mensch
Leveraging Technology to
Improve Health Experiences
Laurie Allen
Recognized for Dedication &
Professional Excellence
Lucie Barron
A Trailblazer in the Legal Industry,
an Inspiration in Real Life
Monique Allen
An Effective
Decision-Maker
Natalie Ruiz
A Strong, Authentic
Leader
Neena Vlamis
A Visionary Mortgage Leader
with Focused Mindset
Tina Tehranchian
A Renowned Name in Wealth
Advisory in Canada
80
76
72
68
60
56
52
48
44
38
34
30

sales@insightssuccess.com
March, 2021
Editor-in-Chief
Senior Sales Manager Business Development Manager
Marketing Manager
Technical Head
Technical Specialist Digital Marketing Manager
Research Analyst
Database Management Technology Consultant
Sumita Sarkar
Managing Editor
Anish Miller
Executive Editor
Hitesh Dhamani
Assistant Editors
Jenny Fernandes
Visualizer
David King
Art & Design Director
Asha Bange
Associate Designer
Kartik Balapurkar
Kshitij S Peter Collins
John Matthew
Sales Executives
David, Martin, Aditya, Dharmendra
Business Development Executives
Steve, Joe, Sagar, Binay
Jacob Smile
Aditya Marry D'Souza
SME-SMO Executive
Amol Wadekar Frank Adams
Circulation Manager
Robert Brown Stella Andrew David Stokes
Kushagra Gupta
Co-designer
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Brief
Company Name
Home Helpers
homehelpershome
care.com
Emma Dickison
CEO
Home Helpers® Home Care provides one-on-one in-home care
services to seniors and other individuals in need of continuing
and recuperative home care.
EllePod
ellepod.com
Abir Chermiti
CEO
EllePod offers members exclusive access to EllePod online
community to connect with other women in tech & business,
share their ideas and get the support they need.
Edith Nordmann
Managing Partner
ACG International
acginter.com
ACG International has national and international experience
and has a worldwide personal network of lawyers and advisers
who are engaged for its clients.
Colleen Lindholz
President
The Kroger Co.
kroger.com
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, The Kroger Co. is one of
the largest retailers in the United States based on annual sales.
The information below is current as of November 30,
2020.Fresh for Everyone is Kroger’s brand ethos.
Dailypay
dailypay.com
Jeanniey Walden
Marketing Officer
DailyPay is the award-winning, recognized gold standard on-
demand pay platform offering comprehensive pay experience
solutions to world-class companies and their millions of
employees including Adecco and Berkshire Hathaway.
Jaclyn Tsai
CEO
Lee Tsai & Partners
leetsai.com
Lee Tsai & Partners resolves to undertake and unceasingly
refine our legal professionalism with in-depth knowledge of
technology, to assist overseas client in entering into China, and
assist domestic clients in entering into ventures worldwide.
Brenda Jimenez-Peralta
CEO
MENTOR New York
mentorkids.org
Since 1993, MENTOR New York , formerly The Mentoring
Partnership of New York and Long Island, utilized local
outreach strategies and on-sight training of mentoring
volunteers and professionals, using our research-based methods
to successfully train over 1500 individuals annually and
supported over 400 programs serving 57,000 youth
Cara Cunha
Mortgage Loan Officer
PNC
pnc.com
At PNC, the comapny is proud of its longstanding history of
building strong communities that create financial opportunities
for individuals, families and businesses.
Jennifer Green
Director
Skills Ontario's
skillsontario.com
Skills Ontario is a not for profit organization dedicated to
promoting careers in the skilled trades and technologies as
viable, first-choice career options for young people.
Connie McInnes
CEO
R Studios is a brand of movement studios in Halifax &
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia built on a collective of like minded
people blending fitness and fun. Offering the widest variety of
classes of anywhere in the city, R Studios has something for
everyone whether you are looking to restore, rebuild, or really,
really sweat.
RStudios Halifax
rstudios.co
Featured Person

Brief
Company Name
A and N Mortgage
Services
Inc,anmtg.com
Neena Vlamis
CEO
A and N Mortgage Services, Inc., offers a wealth of different
loan programs. And because everything is managed under one
roof (ours!) — from application to funding — the loan process
is streamlined. So you get fast, efficient service and the best
rates available. Plus exceptional customer care.
Sport & Social Group
sportsocialclub.com
Kristi Herold
CEO
Sport & Social Group is one of North America's leading
providers of adult sports leagues and events.
Natalie Ruiz
CEO
AnswerConnect
answerconnect.com
AnswerConnect provides live answering services 24/7 to help
grow businesses & work anywhere.
Lucie Barron
Founder and President
ADR Services
adrservices.com
ADR Services, Inc. provides the highest level of quality,
integrity, and efficiency in dispute resolution services through
experienced mediators, arbitrators, referees, and private judges
with a proven track record of success.
Vodafone
Vodafone.com
Sujata Dutta
Senior Vice President
Vodafone is the largest mobile and fixed network operator in
Europe, is the world’s largest IoT connectivity provider.
TELUS
telus.com
TELUS is a dynamic, world-leading communications and
information technology company with $16 billion in annual
revenue and 15.2 million customer connections spanning
wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video and
security, healthcare and agriculture.
Laura Mensch
VP of Health Benefits
Management
TELUS Health
telus.com
TELUS Health offers powerful digital healthcare tools for
general practitioners and specialists. Its EMR solutions help in
optimize the practice and facilitate continuity of care.
Laurie Allen
CEO
ACMS
acmsnw.com
ACMS is an Oregon-based, women-owned construction
management and civil engineering firm that provides
professional services to public agencies and private-sector
clients.
Tina Tehranchian
Product leadership
Assante Capital
Management Ltd
assante.com
Founded in 1995, CI Assante Wealth Management is one of
Canada’s largest firms providing wealth management solutions.
Monique Allen
President
ACMS is an Oregon-based, women-owned construction
management and civil engineering firm that provides
professional services to public agencies and private-sector
clients.
ACMS
acmsnw.com
Featured Person
Jill Schnarr - Chief Social
Innovation Officer
Stephanie Franco -
Head of Corporate
Giving and Volunteerism
and Nimmi Kanji -
Director of Community
Investment

COVER STORY
Our mantra is we must
make the customer’s life
better! If done right, you
will win against many
long-standing brands
who aren’t transforming
as they should,
especially during this
time of major industry
and business upheaval.
- Jill Schnarr
Head of Corporate Giving
and Volunteerism

Digitalization and globalization have changed the
way businesses work. In addition, the pandemic
brought in many disruptions along with it. This has
put leadership roles to the test in terms of practicing
innovation and heading business towards its vision. This
dilemma has led to a growing need for individuals who can
lead this evolution and drive a positive change.
The team at TELUS has stood tall in driving the change for
its communities in these unprecedented times. Among its
elite team, Jill Schnarr, Stephanie Franco, and Nimmi
Kanji, have set a noteworthy instance of mindful
leadership.
TELUS is a dynamic, world-leading communications and
information technology company with $16 billion in annual
revenue and 16 million customer connections spanning
wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video
and security, healthcare and agriculture. The company has
made its way to become both Canada’s leading
telecommunication services provider and one of the world’s
most philanthropic companies.
Jill Schnarr: An Epitome of Progressive Leadership
Jill Schnarr is the Chief Social Innovation Officer at
TELUS.
Being at TELUS for 29 years, Jill has held leadership
positions in marketing, communications, product
management, customer service, internet services, business
development, and human resources. While she was going to
university, she started here as a telephone operator working
part time and was hired full time as a marketing analyst in
mobility marketing. From there, after numerous moves and
promotions, she worked her way up to Vice-President,
Community Affairs, a position she held for more than 11
years. In 2020, she was elevated into the executive
leadership team as Chief Communications Officer, where
she leads the company’s Corporate Citizenship &
Communications team including corporate
communications, media relations, social media, community
investment, volunteerism, sponsorships, brand marketing
and corporate events.
Jill believes that leaders should exhibit flexibility and
decisiveness concurrently. To be respected and trusted, they
must learn to be open and adaptable but also to stand by
their principles. It’s also really important to elicit feedback
from around the table and collect diverse opinions from all
levels because leaders don’t always have the right answers.
The outstanding leaders listen, collaborate and hear
everyone’s voice first, and then thoughtfully make a final
decision that benefits stakeholders and the business.
Secondly, Jill is of the opinion that leaders must foster a
growth mindset and be open to continuous learning. What
worked 20 years ago in business is not necessarily going to
be successful today. Things are changing quickly, and we
need to be adaptable and resilient. This is why Jill returned
to school only 5 years ago to get her MBA. Many people
asked her why she went back to get an MBA after achieving
an executive role at TELUS. She felt she had an
accountability to dedicate the time to continuously learn the
latest best practice approaches in the business world.
In her advice to upcoming business leaders aspiring to
make an impact on the world, she says, “First, find your
purpose and have a voice. Know that you can help solve
societal problems and that you have an obligation and
expectation to not only do well in business, but to look at
Improving the Lives of Canadians
Team
TELUS

leveraging your business to address social issues. If more
business leaders had this mindset, we could unite public,
private, government and academic industries together to
work towards addressing homelessness, food insecurity,
unemployment and many other impending social issues
facing the world.”
“Also, join a not-for-profit board. You get to sit around a
table and learn from incredible business and community
leaders, while you all work towards a common social goal.
I was so fortunate to learn and grow from just watching
others outside of the day-to-day workplace. Plus, you get to
drive an incredible social impact for your local community
as well,” she adds.
Stephanie Franco: Building Healthier, Safer and More
Caring Communities
Stephanie joined TELUS in 2008 as an executive assistant
and spent the last 12 years climbing the corporate ladder,
inspiring remarkable community impact along the way.
Now, as Head of Corporate Giving and Volunteerism,
she leads its global giving office, making significant
contributions to the advancement of society by building
healthier, safer and more caring communities. Under her
leadership, TELUS has donated more than 1 million
volunteer hours annually for the past four years.
Remarkably, in 2020 her team rallied to help the company’s
most vulnerable by donating 1.25 million volunteer hours,
1.2 million safe acts of giving and $1.22 million in financial
support of COVID-19 relief efforts.
Giving back is core to Stephanie’s nature. She remembers
being 11 years old and her mom encouraged her to
volunteer as a candy-striper at their local hospital. She spent
six years volunteering every week, getting to know patients
in palliative care and facilitating interactions with a certified
therapy dog.
Stephanie never considered turning her passion for giving
into a career until she met Jill Schnarr in 2010 who at the
time was TELUS’ Vice-President of Corporate Affairs. Jill
was leading a small team dedicated to corporate social
responsibility with a greater vision, shared by the
company’s CEO, of cultivating TELUS as the corporate
leader in giving back to create a stronger, healthier Canada.
Working under Jill, Stephanie has had a direct impact on the
communities in Canada, including growing the company’s
premier volunteer network, TELUS Community
Ambassadors, by chartering new clubs and nearly doubling
its membership. Today, TELUS has 23 clubs from coast-to-
coast and more than 5,000 team member and retiree
volunteers who give back year-round. During COVID-19,
the company’s outstanding volunteer network stepped up to
hand sew and donate more than 150,000 face masks to keep
its most vulnerable safe. Additionally, not only did the
company surpass its annual volunteerism benchmark, but
Stephanie also led her team to quickly evolve TELUS’s
volunteering model into an innovative virtual and safe act
of giving program, earning international recognition and
accolades.
Stephanie’s way of leading involves being open, authentic,
and clear but always kind and empowering. She never fails
to add in a little fun. She engages in active listening,
purposeful coaching and connecting with her team and her
leaders. In her experience, connection, collaboration and
genuine compassion for your team equates to a highly
engaged and motivated team who will move mountains
with you.
According to Stephanie, the upcoming leaders should
harness the passion of their people, as it’s more important,
now than ever, to show up, connect and harness everyone’s
unique perspectives. She advises, “Anyone who knows me
can attest that I often remind them ‘you have more power
than you think’. Speak up, because your opinion counts.
Share your stories, we can all learn for your experiences.
And be yourself, because you matter. We all have the power
to make positive change.”
Further on striking the right balance between high-tech and
high-touch, she says, “Today, it’s easy to conduct business
efficiently and at a higher pace through email and digital
sharing platforms from the comfort of your home. Yet, doing
business exclusively through technology can lead to an
alarming loss of human connection and sense of
community. We see this amplified by the global pandemic
with increasing feelings of loneliness and isolation. We need
to be purposeful in connecting with our teams, colleagues,
partners and community members. By balancing the use of
technology with high-touch forms of communication,
together, we can cultivate and protect our sense of
community and connection.”
In a time when the world needs hope, Stephanie is even
more inspired to leverage TELUS’ leadership in social
capitalism to do more good and continue creating
remarkable human outcomes where all citizens thrive.
Nimmi Kanji: Leading By Example
Nimmi Kanji is the Director of Community Investment at
TELUS.
Nimmi started her career at TELUS nearly 22 years ago
while attending the University of Calgary. She was looking
for a part-time job so she could pay for her books and
tuition. She started at TELUS as a telemarketer in the
Consumer Solutions department, where her role was to call
customers to share information about the company’s home
solutions.
COVER STORY

No great change comes
without courage, risk and
resiliency to try again.
- Stephanie Franco
No great change comes
without courage, risk and
resiliency to try again.
- Stephanie Franco
Chief Social Innovation Ofﬁcer

Successful business
leaders are inquisitive
yet focused, conﬁdent
but approachable, and
disciplined yet open-
minded.
- Nimmi Kanji
Director of Community
Investment
COVER STORY

Fast forward a few years and after graduating with a
Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing and a Bachelor of Arts
in Psychology, Nimmi transitioned into a B2B sales role,
with the ultimate goal of joining the TELUS Marketing
team. By 2004, she joined the Small Business Marketing
team and from there journeyed into a series of B2B
marketing roles including Enterprise Marketing, Brand
Marketing, Vertical Marketing, Marketing
Communications, Marketing Operations and Channel
Readiness, acquiring invaluable skills, knowledge and B2B
marketing experience.
Approximately five years ago, she decided it was time for a
new challenge and was eager to get more involved in
TELUS’ social purpose initiatives. As a mother of two
children, who, like many other kids have an insatiable thirst
for screens, Nimmi jumped at the opportunity to take over
TELUS’ digital safety and education program, TELUS
Wise, in 2017. In 2019, her portfolio expanded to include
TELUS’ innovative Connecting for Good portfolio -
including Internet for Good, Mobility for Good, Tech for
Good, and Health for Good programs - which aim to bridge
the digital divide and remove barriers to access for
marginalized Canadians. With the COVID-19 pandemic
challenging organizations and leaders to step up, these
programs could not be more critical and Nimmi is honoured
to manage and expand them with her elite team.
For Nimmi, impactful leadership, simply put, is about
driving positive change for your team, for your customers
and for your community. It’s about leaving the world (or
your small part of it, such as your team, department, or
organization) better than you found it.
Nimmi finds that it is better to adapt to suit the situation.
That said, she consistently leads by example and with EQ
(emotional quotient). This means always putting her best
foot forward. She is not afraid of hard work and willingly
roll up her sleeves to work alongside her team in the face of
challenges or obstacles.
Leading with EQ is about making an effort to know team,
stakeholders and customers; understanding how they work,
what they value, and what motivates them. Nimmi is
always respectful and empathetic in her interactions and
while she holds others accountable and can have tough
conversations when necessary, she finds that it all comes
easier when you lead with kindness and focus on driving
positive change.
When looking to make an impact, Nimmi believes
authenticity is the key. In her advice to aspiring leaders she
says, “Select an area of focus that is well-aligned with your
core business capabilities and organizational strengths so
that you can be most effective with your efforts. Remember
as well that while big, bold and audacious goals can help
us achieve incredible things, every change effort starts with
a single step. Don’t underestimate the power of smaller,
time-bound goals to help you achieve your larger and
longer-term impact goals.”
Nimmi mentions that her team’s mandate is about
addressing socio-economic inequalities, keeping Canadians
safe in our digital world, and helping Canadians get
connected and reach their full potential. She wants to have
played a role in creating a Canada where no one is left
behind and everyone has access to the tools and technology
they need to thrive in this increasingly digital world.
Personally, she wants to use her work to demonstrate to her
kids that change is possible and that helping those who are
less fortunate is critical work that we all have accountability
and responsibility for.
A Year of Immense Growth
Fuelled by its social purpose and the desire to want to help
its communities during the pandemic, 2020 has been a year
of immense growth for TELUS’ Connecting for Good
programs. For instance, in the spring and again in the fall,
the company provided expedited access to TELUS Internet
for Good through partnerships with school boards and
educators, enabling students in need to continue learning
from the safety of their homes. Further, it extended Internet
for Good to low-income people with disabilities and made
its Mobility for Good for youth leaving foster care program
available nationally. To conclude the year, it launched
Mobility for Good for Seniors, providing in-need and
isolated seniors with a critical lifeline during this
challenging time.
At a time when Canadians needed it most, TELUS stepped
up. The company led the inaugural development of TELUS’
Critter Masks to ensure its 28,000 employees received the
reusable face masks they needed to stay safe amidst the
pandemic and help keep its communities safe. To date, it
has raised $600,000 through the sale of its branded masks
in support of COVID-19 relief efforts through the TELUS
Friendly Future Foundation. It also donated more than
250,000 masks to community organizations to keep its most
vulnerable citizens safe.
Every year, the company brings together more than 44,000
volunteers across nine countries during TELUS Days of
Giving (TDOG), its global signature volunteer movement.
When COVID-19 first struck, TELUS was two weeks out
from launching its 15th annual TDOG. The initial reaction
was to cancel with the health and safety of its team and
community being its top priority. Jill was agile and quickly
led the team to pivot and adapt to safe 100% virtual acts of
giving, enabling more than 200 virtual volunteer activities
in a few short weeks.

kimberly Khoury
Paving her Way in Sustainability Development
&
&
The
20
BUSINESSWOMEN
to Watch, 2020
SUCCESSFUL
Most

18 | March 2021 www.insightssuccess.com
Abir Chermiti,
Founder & Podcast Host

Abir
Chermiti
An Enthusiastic Award-Winning Women In Tech Ally
Have you wonder you can do
what you always wanted, or
you should be in a different
place, but don’t know where to start?
“If you want to do it, just do it”, says
Abir Chermiti, the Founder &
Podcast Host of EllePod.
When Abir Chermiti started her
podcast, she knew she was not the first
person talking about women in tech or
women in business, but she had the
audience & Abir was able to share
stories of amazing women that nobody
has heard of. EllePod started with her
and with time it is growing and
expanding to a community that helps
uplift women in tech & business.
Thirst of Creativity
Abir grew up in a community where
access to information was hard and
extremely limited. She watched others
trying hard to break through these
challenges and fight for themselves
with no support system to help them
bring their creative ideas to the world.
EllePod is a podcast series for women
in tech and business. The podcast is a
weekly show that features the stories of
women leaders, engineers, designers,
founders, VCs, and all types of
different females in tech and business
who are succeeding in their careers.
This has always been Abir’s drive — to
break through and support others, to be
the support system that she did not
have, and to be there for other women
who are like her. She also looks up to
women in science and technology and
leaders from whom she feels inspired
by their stories of persuasion, hard
work, persistence, supporting others,
and building communities are the
source of energy that she wants to
spread to others.
A Mastery of Interpersonal Skills
Abir believes in the power of voice,
and she always wanted to build a
bridge that both helps support women
in tech and business & inspires young
girls from around the world to be
whoever they want in their careers.
Founding EllePod was the result of her
experience in the tech field working as
a Software Engineer for years in
different workplaces — where she saw
the impact and importance of having
women making decisions in the
workplace — and her passion to
empower women in tech, encourage
and support them to get into the tech
industry and build their own careers.
Abir also enjoys listening to their
stories and being inspired.
A Problem Solver
The hardest challenge when you are
starting a business, or a podcast,
comes from within; the fear of failure
and the lack of confidence in the belief
that you too can launch and be able to
scale a business in a fast-growing
sector — a sector that can be
challenging for female entrepreneurs
especially”, probes Abir.
Since launching EllePod in 2020, and
especially during the pandemic, Abir
has felt that it is her responsibility to
show up and support her community,
and she has been actively mentoring
students and young professionals in
Africa to help them manage the stress
and challenges that they are facing
now. Abir knew EllePod could help by
mentoring, coaching, and offering
knowledge for both women and men in
tech to challenge the pandemic and
breakthrough.
Ability to Inspire, Engage &
Empower
“Your podcast might not be the top
podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
but if that is your passion and you feel
you have something to offer the world,
whether it's a product, advice, or a
story … go ahead and do it. There will
be always people who will listen to
your podcast and appreciate the
information you are sharing”, asserts
Abir. If there is one thing that COVID-
19 taught, it would be that we are
surrounded with opportunities and it is
for you to grab them, she says.
Abir started her podcast in the middle
of a global pandemic, to prove to
herself and every other girl that it is
never too late to start your own
business and pursue your dreams. All it
takes is courage and confidence, and
that is the key to success.
A Proactive Team Player
The global pandemic has resulted in a
huge shift to online platforms and an
explosion in the Broadcast Media
Industry. During the first half of the
year, according to insideradio.com,
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The 20 Businesswomen Overcoming the Pandemic 2021

about 383,678 new podcasts debuted. This has meant that
there has also been a remarkable increase in the number of
podcasts listeners around the world and particularly in the
US.
At EllePod, Abir is still the only one on the team and a
positive attitude and culture is what keeps her going every
single day. Considering this unprecedented time, where
businesses are shutting down, people are losing their jobs,
and with thousands of podcasts launching, it is crucial to
have a positive work culture for you to succeed as a solo-
entrepreneur or as a team.
As challenging as it looks, this situation has created more
opportunities for podcasters to gain more listeners. The key
for success in the podcast industry is consistency, and that’s
one of EllePod’s pillars — showing up for the company’s
audience and providing useful content and support to her
community means that the company is capable of
overcoming the challenge of not being the only one doing a
podcast.
An Incubator for Women in Tech & Business
Abir envisioned EllePod a platform that connects
women in tech and business across the world, from the
smallest village in Tunisia to the greatest city in the
world, New York. EllePod will continue sharing the
stories of amazing women in tech and business from
diﬀerent regions, cultures, and backgrounds, and will
make it accessible for everyone. Abir started EllePod
with the vision to become an incubator for women who
want to start their own businesses and she continues to
work towards that every day.
All it takes is
courage and
con idence, and
that is the key to
success.
“
“

Brenda L. Jimenez,
Chief Executive Ofﬁcer
MENTOR New York

BRENDA
L. JIMENEZ
Scaling Mentoring in a Time of Crisis
One in three young people in the USAgrows up
without a mentor - something known as the
mentoring gap. And Brenda Jimenez, CEO at
MENTOR New York is working diligently to change this
reality across the state of New York. The organization
bridges the gap between caring adults who are ready to
make a difference and the mentoring opportunities available
to them. Whether you are the teacher, the coach, the
program coordinator, the supervisor, the police officer, the
librarian, the bus driver, or the lunch mom, any person who
interacts with young people can be more intentional about
how they engage with and build relationships for the
betterment of themselves and young people in their lives.
MENTOR New York's mission is to fuel the quality and
quantity of mentoring relationships for young people and
close the mentoring gap in New York State. Its vision is to
create mentoring cultures and foster mentoring relationships
wherever young people live, learn, work, and play. The
company does this by helping the community, private,
public, and non-profit organizations build mentoring
programs or infuse mentoring practices into their current
work with young people. Through its customized training
and consultation, the organization helps adults think
differently about their interactions with and impact on
young people's lives.
A Mentoring Maven Leads through the Pandemic
Brenda Jimenez is CEO of MENTOR New York, a local
Affiliate of MENTOR National. She was appointed to the
position in December 2019 and has been leading the
organization through this time of a global pandemic and
racial unrest. She has successfully pivoted and expanded
services to be responsive to its longtime partners while
reaching new partners and expanding their service portfolio
by 55% over 28 weeks and a 3% revenue growth.
When Lived Experience and Preparation Converge
Brenda Jiménez was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, and
raised in a military family stationed in Germany, Texas, and
various other states. Her family settled in the Bronx in her
adolescence, where she attended the prestigious Cardinal
Spellman High School. She received a Bachelor's degree in
Psychology from Seton Hall University and later pursued a
Master's in Public Administration with a Non-Profit
Management concentration from the Robert F. Wagner
School for Public Service at New York University. She is
currently pursuing her Doctorate in Executive Leadership
from The Center of Leadership at The University of
Charleston.
Since her days in college, Brenda's commitment to women's
and children's issues has driven her service in the
community and been the catalyst to her professional
choices. Her life's work has always focused on helping
young people have a fair chance at succeeding regardless of
their racial/ethnic background, their social-economic
circumstances, and the adversities they face. Brenda
effectively leads the change she knows this organization can
make to support young people across the state to tap into
their greatest potential.
A Legacy of Successful Leadership
For five years preceding the appointment to CEO, Brenda
was Director of Operations and Growth Strategies for
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MENTOR New York, where she developed a clear tactical
growth strategy that has resulted in the organization
successfully deepening its services within the New York
City and Long Island communities while expanding
services to Upstate New York. Her efforts helped the
organization become independent, open an office in Buffalo,
NY, expand staff, and raise an additional $2.3 million over
the past five years. She has expanded staff capacity and
efficiencies and developed quality controls and processes
that support the organization's sustainability. Her efforts
established an organization poised for long-term financial
and programmatic growth. Her work ensured that an
additional 35,000 children across the state are engaged in
mentoring relationships during that time.
Unstoppable Even During Uncertain Times
During these difficult times, MENTOR New York has
provided more services and had a greater impact than ever
before. This has been a direct result of Brenda trusting her
team’s talent and expertise and allowing them to take
initiative, implement ideas, and leverage their expertise on
the local and national level as they navigate this new reality.
Her focus for the past 9 months has also included projects
that range fromcreating a network of experts who advise
youth development practitioners to designing a racial
justice framework for the New York Mentoring Movement
that has resonated across the country, providing relevant
and responsive services that matter. Under her leadership,
she has increased partner engagement and developed
resources, tools, and services that have aided over
1,300 mentoring and youth development programs
throughout New York in continuing and enhancing
their services during these challenging and
unprecedented times.
Leveraging the Power of Leadership
As a professional in the non-profit sector, Brenda's
expertise in executive leadership, fund development,
board development, and organizational management
has supported non-profit Executives and Board of
Directors to transform their organizations by
increasing their reach and impact for the past 15
years.
During her time at MENTOR New York, she
has personally mentored the young, talented
up-and-coming leaders in her staff that have
gone on to leave their mark in the world,
which she considers one of the most
rewarding parts of her work.
Brenda volunteers for organizations whose
mission she is passionate about. From 2011-
2016 she was Board President for AllCare Provider
Services, Inc. and is the former Board Treasurer for Latinas
United for Political Empowerment Political Action
Committee (LUPE PAC). In 2011, she was Vice-Chair to
th
Comité Noviembre 25 Annual Gala. Brenda has received
numerous recognitions including Comité Noviembre, “Lo
Mejor de Nuestra Comunidad”: “The Best in Our
Community” Award 2010, and El Diario/LA PRENSA
Latinas Destacadas 2004 Award.
Recently, both Brenda and MENTOR New York were
awarded several 2020 Stevie Awards for Women in
Business. MENTOR New York received the Silver Stevie
Award for Organization of the Year – Government or Non-
Profit– 10 or Less Employees.
Brenda also received four awards in the silver and bronze in
the following categories:
• Silver Stevie Award for Female Innovator of the Year –
Government or Non-Profit –10 or Less Employees
• Silver Stevie Award for Woman of the Year -
Government or Non-Profit
• Bronze Stevie Award for Female Executive of the Year –
Government or Non-Profit –10 or Less Employees
• Bronze Stevie Award for Most Innovative Woman of the
Year - Government or Non-Profit

“
“
Photograph by Nkechi of ION Love Photography
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Connie
McInnes
“The industry has majorly suﬀered - and with
the majority of gyms and studios dealing with
mul -month closures and strict restric ons,
there has never been a more prevalent me
to understand the “essen al service” of health
and wellness,” says Connie McInnes. She is
the Owner/Creator of R Studios and a former
compe ve gymnast.
Striding to Bring
Change through
Combining Music,
Art and Yoga

C
onnie believes that there is a fundamental link
between physical and mental health and the stress
of the pandemic has only heightened the concern
around issues of mental health. She further adds, throughout
the pandemic, especially during phases of lockdown, it was
easy to identify just how critical maintaining a degree of
movement was for people. She asserts “We witnessed a rise
in online platforms as the importance of reaching the
population anywhere, at any given time became of pivotal
priority.”
In an interview with Insights Success, Connie shared the
changing aspects of wellness and fitness industry during the
pandemic and how she improved her organization’s
offerings to provide healthy life style to individuals.
Below are highlights of the interview:
Give us a brief overview of your position at R Studios,
its vision, and your journey since inception
RStudio’s was born in Halifax in 2014. The first studio,
RIO, started as an “underground” pilates and yoga studio in
the back of a building in an area that was still very
underdeveloped but becoming the trendy area of the city.
The space was an open concept room with space for 15
people. I wanted to create a brand that would break down
the walls of these traditional movement practices, and
introduce music and art and host a variety of community
events that would bring people together for more than just
movement. The plan was always to build this one studio
with no vision of expanding further, as at the time this
dream seemed big enough.
Within a year we outgrew the space, added an additional
space next door and introduced more strength based classes.
Organically, we continued to build our community to the
point where we were too big to operate under one space and
RIO’s sister studio, ROGUE was created in a new location
nearby. ROGUE became our high- intensity studio and
classes were full from day one.
In 2019 we decided to tap into a new area and opened
REBEL, a twist on the two other studios, but with even
more flavor. We are about to open the 4th location in our 6
years, adding a spin studio to our diverse range of classes.
The pandemic pushed us to focus on thriving, rather than
merely surviving.
What is your opinion on the advancements for wellness
and fitness services to improve the offerings with newer
technological developments, especially when it comes to
building a population of healthy individuals?
The one challenge with bringing fitness into the homes of
individuals is the immediate loss of a “curated space” that
fitness facilities provide. So, establishing a higher level of
quality through sound, visuals and accessibility has elevated
this experience so clients can feel more connected and in
touch with a more replicable version of their studio space.
The number one thing we learned almost instantaneously
was just how integrated our sense of community was in our
classes and for our members in being a part of Rstudios.
The challenge was in finding a way to incorporate this sense
of camaraderie and connection in moving to online
platforms, so this element was not left out of the experience
for our clients. With these advancements, the result has
been an expansion of what we are capable of now offering
to a wider scale. We can now bring an easily accessible and
affordable platform to people, and stretch to a wider
geographic range.
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Not only that, clients now have the ability to now access
their choice of class, on their own schedule, and select their
classes based on their particular desire or need that day.
In your opinion, what could be the future of
personalized healthcare post the COVID-19 pandemic?
And how are you strategizing R Studios' operations for
that future?
Throughout the pandemic we have been pushed as a society
to move away from “group” to “solo” or “small”. Staying
home, avoiding gatherings, and remaining “six feet apart”
have been labelled “safety”.
The “group mentality” has started to waiver in the sense
that people are being forced to be more disconnected, and
the shift from collective to individual is happening. That
being said, I do strongly believe that the gap in all of these
great advancements of fitness being accessible from the
comfort of your home, is not necessarily where people will
choose to stay in the future. While the convenience has
been a gift, and will continue to play a role in busy lives
and for people more confined on a day to day basis to their
homes, it will never replace the idea of “group fitness” as
the elements that make these classes enjoyable cannot be
replicated with these new platforms. The need for
connection and community is stronger now, more than ever.
What is your idea of Corporate Social Responsibility?
Everything we do should contribute to making an impact.
Our mantra is always, to find a mission bigger than
ourselves. The collective needs us right now. This pandemic
has not impacted one person, one place, or one industry. It
is our JOB to put ourselves a side in a time like this, and put
our focus on bettering and contributing to the bigger
picture. We identified and addressed health care and front
line workers from the very beginning, offering free
memberships, having the virtual classes applaud our front
line workers before every class, and ensuring we could do
what we had the ability to do to recognize and appreciate
them.
This responsibility is not required to always be in the form
of donation or even a massive commitment of time or
demonstration. Spreading a more positive message, sharing
a “good” news story during a negative time, putting a smile
on a face of someone in desperation, these are what we are
responsible for.

As an established Fitness leader, what would be your
advice to the budding women healthcare leaders
aspiring to venture into the wellness and ﬁtness
Industry?
One thing is for sure, this industry is not going anywhere.
More than ever health is of pivotal priority and importance.
Every single person has become woke to this through this
contagious virus. We have impacted, even if we have not
been directly infected.
Make sure your message, and your purpose is clear. This
industry is prevalent and has taken a huge transition; in
some cases it has become diluted. So, your reasoning, your
intent, and your desire to make change have to be at the
forefront.
How do you envision on sustaining your holistic care
competency in a cutthroat and volatile world of wellness
center? Where do you see your virtual healthcare in the
next ﬁve years?
Still present. Though, the companionship and connection
from surrounding yourself with likeminded individuals will
never go out of style. Our global access to leaders in this
industry and an understanding of wellness as a whole has
expanded. We are learning more, understanding the
importance of all- inclusive health and wellness, and
hopefully the rise in care for ourselves and our individual
health continues to be prioritized.
Connie McInnes, Owner/Creator of R Studios
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“
“
Edit N. Nordma
EMPOWERING CLIENTS TO ACHIEVE BEST RESULTS
I feel very privileged
being able to do
what I love, working
with wonderful
interna onal clients
and helping them
solving their
problems in a
professional and
pleasant way.

an
The greatness of a person has to be established by his or
her ability to thrive even in tough times. When going
gets tough, the tough gets going. The challenges like
covid-19 reveals the substance of great leaders. To run a
successful business even in the times of pandemic is not an easy
task for a leader. Edith N. Nordmann is one impactful
businesswoman who is able to run ACG International
successfully even in tough times like this pandemic. She likes to
do what she loves, and she works with international clients to
solve their issues in a professional and pleasant way. Edith
believes that the most important thing is that people really love
what they do, only then they can do their job well and keep
doing it well.
Edith is Managing Partner at ACG International and in her
role, she selects the best team for each assignment. This is quite
different than in any other law firm as she really looks for the
best team for each and every job searching at various firms to
get just the right people. She wants the best result for ACG
International’s clients and does not like to keep her own lawyers
busy if they are not the right fit for an individual project. This
works really well, and she can use her enormous network that
she has built up personally in the last 20 years with trusted
colleagues all over the world.
Experienced Corporate and Commercial Litigator
Edith is an experienced corporate and commercial litigator, with
an expert qualification in employment law and is an
international ADR certified mediator. She is specialized in cross
border business transactions and combines all these skills and
expertise for the benefit of her international clients assisting
them in getting deals done and finding solutions that achieve the
best results for their actual needs.
Assisting Clients in Unique Way
Edith is fluent in German (native speaker), English, Dutch,
French and Italian and understands difference in mentality,
culture and legal systems, assisting ACG International’s clients
in a unique way. She is a public speaker on various international
conferences and engages in many charitable and social
organizations using her professional expertise, not only helping
others but also empowering them in their endeavors.
ACG International’s special approach to assembling the best
team for every single assignment is choosing cost-effective
people if the client needs something simple, a junior and less
expensive person can do the job. But if the task is complex,
ACG International easily gets a team of the best experts on the
various aspects within just a few days. This tailormade
approach not only to the individual client but also to each of his
individual assignments has led to the fact that ACG
Photo Credit:
Suzan Alberts
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International’s clients have stayed with the organization for
many years.
Impactful Leadership
Edith always tells her new employees that once they don’t
like what they do anymore, no matter how much revenue
they create, they should leave. Edith likes to work with an
enormously dedicated group of people, highly enthusiastic
about their work and delivering top notch quality. She
believes that good communication is key part of impactful
leadership. Edith believes that to cope with the pressure in
the business it is important to have a pleasant atmosphere in
the business premises and she supports and creates such
pleasant atmosphere in ACG International.
Smooth Continuation of Operations in Pandemic
ACG International worked remotely right from the
beginning of the pandemic. All its people have laptops, and
it has a secure online database. The team uses MS Teams to
be in touch and that works great. The adjustment for ACG
International in the pandemic was actually just to schedule
team meetings but apart from that all was already in place.
Explaining upfront how things are going to be, makes
clients at ease and they trust the organization, which ACG
International highly appreciates. This all leads to smooth
continuation of the operations and comfort to its clients.
Edith is happy to say that sustaining operations so far
during the pandemic time has not been a problem for ACG
International. As ACG International has been working with
clients for many years, business just goes on. Court work
has changed so far as it has got online court sessions and
physical court hearings. The online hearings were different
in so far as for some of them Edith and her team could sit
with organization’s clients in its conference room and use
the big screen, which was really pleasant and for clients
abroad that needed different logins
which was a bit more challenging
especially if a translator was
involved as well, but it all worked
fine.
Understanding Perspective of
Clients
Edith believes that what the
pandemic teaches us is that more
than ever a trusted personal
relationship is important.
Especially in cross border business
one fully needs to understand the
cultural differences in order to
being able to assist clients in the
best possible way. Everyone thinks that his home situation -
business wise as well as legally – is normal. That’s why she
thinks that lawyers in their relationship with their clients
need to understand what their clients think that “normal” is
and explain them how the current situation deviates from
their “normal” and what this means for them. Edith
considers that if we just carry on with our routine not taking
this into consideration, we will lose our client’s trust along
the way.
Getting with a Motivated Team
Edith advises aspiring women entrepreneurs to be very
honest about what they are really good at and what their
burning desire is. According to her, a burning desire means
that one will go for it day after day, go to sleep with it and
wake up with the spirit to work on it. She considers that
money is not a burning desire; it’s a result of one’s choices
and perseverance. Therefore, she advises to focus on one’s
moonshot, one’s qualities and one’s burning desire – and be
honest about it, especially to oneself! Getting at a case with
a motivated team and a strong adversary puts a big smile on
Edith’s face every morning.
Being Sharp in Business Analysis
Edith believes that it is important to revisit one’s business
model and think what one’s business is really good at. Too
often due to circumstances businesses start off with a great
mission but lose their focus along the way because other
opportunities present themselves. Edith considers that now
is the time to be really sharp in the analysis of what one’s
business excels at and to focus on this excellence getting rid
of what one is not so good at and what does not fit one’s
DNA. That’s the only way she believes to thrive in the
coming years.

Edith N. Nordmann
Managing Partner,
A orney at Law
ACG Interna onal
Photo Credit:
Suzan Alberts
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March 2021

Emma
Emma
Emma
Dickison

As life is becoming more challenging amid the
pandemic, and the ever-increasing complicated
business world, have you ever felt like it has
become increasingly challenging to spend time with your
loved ones. at
Emma Dickison - CEO & President Home
Helpers Home Care is here to put your worries at ease.
According to her, “Time with loved ones is precious and it
is ok to slow down a bit and nurture valuable relationships
be it, family or friends”.
Emma has over 30 years of experience in franchise
leadership, including helping build two of the country’s
iconic franchise brands. As inspiration, she has a picture
that shows two ballerina feet. One of the ballerina’s feet
wears a ballerina slipper while the other foot is bandaged
and bruised. The images are quite drastic. The caption says,
“Everyone wants to be successful until they see what it
actually takes.” You have to ask yourself are you willing to
do whatever it takes (morally, legally, and ethically) to be
successful.
Open to New Ideas
The mission of Home Helpers Home Care is to be the most
trusted provider of comprehensive home care services and
support for individuals who choose to remain independent
living their best lives in their home. In Emma Dickison’s
role as CEO and President, she focusses on innovation,
creativity, brand growth, business development & building
a great team so that the company can serve franchisees and
their clients all across North America.
Home Helpers Home Care is the only in-home care
company to oﬀer Direct Link, the company’s suite of
medical technology monitoring solutions in the home. The
organization has always thought that technology solutions
could enhance the in-home care experience and help
support healthier outcomes.
Positive Inﬂuence on Seniors in the Mist of a Pandemic
The pandemic has highlighted the important role that the in-
home care industry serves in the health care continuum. In-
Home Care typically provides care in a one-to-one care
setting which is not only the safest, but also the most
economical and personalized. The industry has helped
seniors spend their sunset years in the safe and familiar
environment they have come to love, while also helping
diminish the spread of the virus. The industry, which
already had strong tailwinds to grow, has realized
unprecedented, accelerated growth due to the pandemic.
Driven on Getting Results
Emma runs Home Helpers by developing short- and long-
term strategic plans. She ensures these plans are executed
by relying on well-trained top talent. Emma understands the
need to have a strong supporting Senior Leadership team
and has even reinvented top level positions to meet the
growing demands of the company. She is dedicated to
running a company that is not only the in-home care
provider choice, but as be an employer of choice.
Her dedication to drive care for seniors and others in need
for the services Home Helpers provides is unparallel in the
industry. Home Helpers Home Care’s goal is to support
those that need help with their daily activities while
ensuring their clients maintain their dignity, and the
familiarity of their beloved homes.
It is an awesome responsibility, especially while operating
during a pandemic. Its franchisees train on infectious
disease control. Additionally, the companies follow all CDC
guidelines as well as making sure it utilizes the appropriate
Personal Protective Equipment. The organization also
increased its partnerships with various referral sources,
including hospitals, to support their goals of healthy patient
care post-discharge.
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A Motivative Team Leader
Harriet Beecher Stow said, “Women are the real architects
of society.” That quote really resonates when you reflect on
all the great women of history. The challenges they faced,
the roles they filled, the strength they did not know they had
until they stepped up.
In Emma’s words “First you have to love what you do. You
have to enjoy working with people and be willing to work
hard. Find a good mentor in the field and put in the work
towards personal and professional development.”
She also adds, “When a Woman Steps Up it enables her to
step up, show up and step into their best selves. To their
highest possibilities. It opens avenues for personal and
professional development, inspiration and encouragement
to step outside of their comfort zone and make bold choices
to open up to new opportunities, learn more, inspire and
lead.”
It has been true
throughout history
demonstrating the
incredible things that
happen when women step
up, show up and step into
their best possible selves.
‘‘
‘‘
Emma Dickison,
CEO & President,
Home Helpers
Home Care

Jaclyn Tsai,
Co-Founder,
Lee, Tsai & Partners
Attorneys-at-Law

Jaclyn Tsai
Influential Thought Leader in Technology
oday, people are spending significantly more time in
Tthe virtual world as compared to before, and the
virtual world is borderless. However, each country
has its own regulations and laws. This presents a practical
difficulty for global organizations in comply with the
different regulations. One of the biggest hurdles is that the
legislative process is somewhat inefficient to keep up with
the rapid changes in technology, and most of the legislators
often do not have a sufficient grasp of the technology to
promulgate laws that are appropriate. As a default, many
legislators tend to overregulate in the face of this
uncertainty, which is frequently at odds with technological
advancement. As such, a new concept/method of
rulemaking is needed for the virtual world, rather than
modifying the existing methods for governing the
rulemaking process applicable to the real world.
Jaclyn Tsai has always been fascinated with how
technology impacts how we live – both positively and
negatively. She has been an advocate for allowing certain
industries, such as fintech, to self-regulate on a global basis
and for the implementation of regulatory technology to
satisfy regulatory requirements. The underlying idea is that
industry players are more aware of the real issues and
governance required for their industry to survive. Jaclyn
Tsai is Co-Founder of Lee, Tsai & Partners Attorneys-
at-Law. COVID-19 has impacted the legal industry by
requiring law firms and lawyers to embrace technology. For
the most part, the legal industry has been slower to embrace
technology than other industries. There are exceptions, of
course, and Lee, Tsai & Partners Firm has been one of
them.
Understanding of Diverse Subjects
Jaclyn Tsai started Lee, Tsai & Partners, with her partner,
Dr. Chung Teh Lee, in 1998 after working as a judge and
the General Counsel of Greater China IBM. In 2013, Jaclyn
was appointed as the Minister without Portfolio in the
Executive Yuan (Cabinet) and became one of the few
female ministers in the government. During her term as
Minister without Portfolio, she was responsible for a
number of inter-ministry affairs, such as the reformation of
laws relating to virtual world development, e-commerce,
the sharing economy, digital convergence, the startup
environment, open data, and data governance.
Although Jaclyn returned to the Firm in 2016, she has
continued to serve the community as a commissioner of the
Smart City Committee and Data Governance Committee of
the Taipei City Government. She is frequently sought by
public and private sectors as an influential thought leader in
Taiwan's technology sector for policy-related issues, such as
government preparedness response to 5G, fintech
regulation, and cryptocurrency regulations, etc. Her recent
talks included COVID-19 related issues, including uses of
artificial intelligence to combat the spread of COVID-19,
distance medicine and distance education, and privacy and
security implications using Skynet technology.
Ensuring Continuity of Services in Pandemic
Lee, Tsai & Partners has been relatively fortunate in Taiwan
in terms of the Covid-19. The number of infections has
been low compared to other countries. Due to the limited
number of community spread cases, the government has not
imposed any restrictions that would affect most businesses
in Taiwan. Like the rest of Taiwan, the Firm's preparedness
for Covid-19 began during the SARS pandemic. Lee, Tsai
& Partners learned then that, to ensure the continuity of its
services to its clients, it needed to invest in equipment and
technology to ensure that the Firm's employees could work
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remotely while ensuring that sufficient security measures
are in place to protect client information. Since from
inception, the Firm has always had a dedicated in-house
MIS team. As a result, Lee, Tsai & Partners was able to
ensure that its employees could continue their work
virtually quickly. Besides ensuring continuous operations
during pandemics or other catastrophes, working remotely
has also allowed its lawyers to continue their career paths
while attending to matters outside of work.
Implementing Up-to-date Technologies
The pace of business in the modern world requires critical
decisions to be accurately and quickly made. Jaclyn
believes that the next big change/future of the legal industry
would be technological. She believes that keeping up with
technological changes and understanding the legal issues
that arise from new technology is now a requirement for
succeeding in the M&A and IP law industry. Besides
equipping itself with knowledge of the current laws and
regulations, Lee, Tsai & Partners also implements up-to-
date technology, including data management solutions and
AI, so that its attorneys can quickly access data and
information, allowing them to provide reliable, timely, and
thorough advice to its clients.
Promoting Innovation while Protecting Public Interest
With regards to companies in International Trade and
Innovation, protection of Intellectual Property Rights is key
to ensuring not only the growth but also the survival of hi-
tech companies. Given Jaclyn’s background as General
Counsel of IBM Greater China, she has counseled a number
of clients on their intellectual property portfolio
management and IP strategy to reduce their risk in
deploying their products in jurisdictions with varying legal
protections. Within the Firm, Jaclyn resumed the position as
head of the intellectual property and technology and
fintech/blockchain practice groups. She also founded and
currently leads the Firm's division, Innovation Law Lab, a
team dedicated to researching laws and regulations
regarding emerging technologies and proposing regulations
that promote innovation while ensuring that public interests
are sufficiently protected.
Holding Responsible Leadership Positions
Outside the Firm, Jaclyn regularly holds leadership
positions in various organizations and government
positions. She is currently the Chairwoman of the Taiwan
Women on Boards Association and Taiwan Fintech
Association. Through these organizations, she promotes the
advancement of women to leadership positions. Lee, Tsai
& Partners also encourages its lawyers to participate in pro
bono work. A key example is Lee, Tsai & Partner's
involvement in the Taiwan Foundation for Rare Disorders.
Lee, Tsai & Partners drove the establishment of the
Foundation in 1999. Dr. Chung Teh Lee, the Firm's Senior
Partner, has acted as the founding chairman of the
Foundation.
Utilizing Technology for Betterment of Society
As a practicing Buddhist, Jaclyn meditates daily to still her
mind and keep perspective while society/world is rapidly
changing due to technological advancement. This spiritual
practice keeps her grounded and focused on the big picture
that what Lee, Tsai & Partners does in its professional and
personal lives should be aimed at serving its community. It
is Jaclyn’s firm belief that law (and technology) must
always take into consideration humanity/compassion. Her
vision for Lee, Tsai & Partners is to cultivate more young
talent and have them take a bigger part of the leadership
within the Firm and outside the Firm, promoting laws and
regulations that allow technological advancement for the
betterment of society.
Be the first choice among legal professionals
when a company faces challenges from new
technology.
“
“

It’s said that when times are tough, it’s for the tough to
test the times. And the tough needn’t always be
torrential downpours that leads to entire mountains and
valleys emptying out. It could well be caused by something
humanity can’t even see with its naked eyes. The virus that
caused the Covid-19 pandemic almost flattened the earth
and put every human everywhere on the same plane. Either
run for cover or perish it decreed. Most humans did as was
expected, leaving public places eerily empty including
services essential to the survival of life, human or
otherwise.
But for how long? It’s more than a year now and humanity
is still to come to terms with its incapacity to overwhelm a
virus and regain back its freedom. It’s in times such as these
that the brave (and intrepid!) among us have come forward
and brought relief. In doing so, they have charted new
paths, brought new insights and found newer ways to either
implement existing technologies or invent entirely new
ones.
Why then is rising up from a disaster and conquering so
essential? It is, for the following reasons.
The first mover gets it all
Google had planned to launch its cloud services over a
couple of years ahead. Due to the pandemic that time was
crashed down to a few months. In the middle of the
pandemic, it was ready to roll out new services over the
cloud! And from the looks of it, the response has been
great! Same goes for the likes of Amazon and a lot many
who, taking advantage of the right time, put forth the right
service, and are getting the right results! Moral of the story?
The early bird gets to do the cherry picking the right way
with the most plum of cherries going into its kitty!
The first mover is forever remembered and respected in
equal measures by everyone from clients to funding
agencies.
The pandemic turned Byju’s from a Unicorn in 2018 to a
decacorn that crossed the $10.5 billion valuation in 2020. A
decacorn incidentally is a firm that in the global order is
valued over USD 10 billion. In the Indian scenario, it is
close to digital payments platform Paytm’s USD 16 billion
valuation and ahead of Oyo, a budget-hotel aggregator at
$10 billion.
The last round of funding came about when investors from
the US were convinced of its worth seeing students joining
online in droves due to the lockdown. How did Byju’s get
its act together? By upping content production, making its
app free for all, and also having live classes for further
engagement. All this helped it cast its net over 13 million
students by April 2020. In doing so, Byju and its founder-
CEO Byju Ravindran have secured their place in the
worldwide concept of ‘Classroom of tomorrow’ where tech
forms the core and students move to active learning against
the passive mode they are subjected to presently in most
parts of the world today.
The first mover learns a lot, much more than the other,
and continues to remain a thought leader
The pandemic saw a worldwide shortage of ventilators, an
essential to save lives of those affected by the Covid-19
virus. While in the normal course ventilators are mechanical
machines of substantial size that due to its size can be used
only in ambulances and hospitals. They push in oxygen-rich
air of desired density into the lungs at designated intervals
through a mask that covers the mouth and nose.
Given its restrictive size and cost, a cheaper and smaller
alternative was much in demand which was brought about
by Dr Rhys Thomas of the Glangwili Hospital in Wales,
UK. Simple yet robust, it is very small in size and could be
carried easily. It’s USP, besides its size is that it can kill the
virus – even in the room where the patient is admitted! It
has given patients their much-needed freedom, and so too to
the much-harried medical staff- besides being much, much
cheaper than conventional machines!
Humanity in general might rebel and feel repelled at the
thought of anything like the pandemic. But as always, it’s
times such as these that bring about much-needed course
corrections in the history of human existence. It’s in these
times that humans feel compelled to do something drastic,
and bring about unheard of or unimagined changes, mostly
for the better.
Leadership in the time of
Rising & Conquering
43
|
March 2021

JEANNIEY
WALDEN
The Definition of Strategic Partner
Arecent Harris Poll showed that 36% of
employed Americans say they rely on financial
assistance programs offered by their employer
for financial guidance and advice. Thus, this is a real
opportunity for the FinTech industry to spread the word
about how they can help, hopefully helping the industry
to rebound while supporting the American worker.
Everyday Jeanniey Walden, the Chief Innovation &
Marketing Officer at Dailypay supports American
workers by giving them the power of choice and control
over their pay.
An Interview conducted between Jeanniey Walden and
Insights Success talks about how DailyPay plans on
continuing to innovate its product offerings to meet the
demands of the most technologically advanced
generation.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Please brief our readers about your leadership
position at DailyPay
As the Chief Innovation and Marketing Officer at
DailyPay, I oversee and strategize marketing campaigns
that elevate DailyPay’s brand value and image. I like to
approach every project with a critical, analytical mindset
to attract new prospects and to increase our partners’
engagement levels.
Working at DailyPay is challenging yet rewarding
because I know that everyday I have an opportunity to
drive an impact that makes the world a better place.
DailyPay empowers employees to achieve financial
wellness by equipping them with the most advanced
technology that enables them to access their earned pay
before payday. Marketing our products and representing
DailyPay on national TV and radio channels to help
individuals is simultaneously life-changing and
enjoyable.
Apart from my position as a CIMO, I am dedicated to
supporting young female professionals at DailyPay and
am involved in DailyPay’s women employee resource
group, DailyWomen.
What were the challenges and experiences you came
across prior and after becoming Entrepreneurial
Chief Marketing Officer, Author, and Mentor?
Nothing happens overnight. I started from the bottom
and took on all sorts of positions. I got the opportunity to
run my own start-upwhere I was forced to wear many
hats. Learning how to do tasks that didn’t fall under the
traditional marketing role was foreign to me. It was an
arduous process, but I was able to gain a lot of
knowledge in a short time span and it gave me a fresh
approach to a problem, compared to other marketing
professionals who only had a career in marketing. I am
able to efficiently lead my team at DailyPay since I have
a better grasp on my team’s capabilities and have been in
their shoes. I was also able to turn my experiences into a
book.
Looking back at my career, I am where I am today
because I leveraged my past experience as a stepping
stone for my next position. Even after becoming a C-
suite executive member, author and, mentor, I am

Jeanniey Walden
Chief Innovation &
Marketing Officer
DailyPay
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continually searching for ways to use these positions to
expand my career.
What is your thought on the necessity of a positive
work culture? In what ways do you implement it in
your organization?
DailyPay and our employer Clients understand that
positive work culture, good employee benefits, and a
strong mission are absolutely critical to employees’
engagement level and job performance. DailyPay strives
to create an inclusive, positive work culture in so many
ways- we offer free workout classes, care packages,
holiday activities, and unlimited PTO. Within the
marketing team, we hold virtual happy hours and
celebrations for our employees. I also encourage my
team to take a mental health day every month to prevent
burnout.
We also have company values that determine what we’re
known for. We want our culture and values to be what
sets us apart, both as an on-demand pay provider and as
an employer. One of those values that are near and dear
is that #WeWinWithDiversity. We’re proud to offer a
number of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) at
DailyPay, which have budgets for initiatives/activities,
service works, and of course, swag.
What people, what books, what life factors have
influenced and impacted you?
My youngest daughter, Kristina, greatly influenced my
life. Kristina was born prematurely on a farm with no
sunlight, survived off of goat milk, and was kept warm
by a boiling pot of water before being taken to the
hospital. She also had to learn an entirely new language
after getting adopted by our family. But, she was able to
overcome all these obstacles thrown her way and is now
a healthy, young cadet. She continues to strive for
greatness and lets nothing stop her in her tracks. She is a
remarkable lady and I am always in awe of her
resilience.
Another important figure in my life is my old boss at
JCPenney. With no teaching jobs available after
graduating from college, I took on a part-time job at
JCPenney. My manager encouraged me to take on
different roles and helped me step foot into JCPenney’s
corporate office. Under their mentorship, I quickly
gained new skills and had a completely new path ahead
of me. Soon I was promoted to a marketing role where
MY job was to find a way to impress and attract potential
customers. I didn’t realize it then, but this opportunity
was just the starting point of my marketing career.
What is your vision for DailyPay for the next five
years?
DailyPay partners with hundreds of forward-thing blue-
chip companies and their millions of employees
nationwide and is the leading on-demand pay platform
among Fortune 100 companies.
There are 131 million working adults in America, all of
whom could use some feature in our product set.
It's still in the early days, with tremendous growth
opportunities in a new industry. While COVID was
difficult for many reasons, it enabled on-demand pay to
move from important to essential. Americans finally saw
the widespread need for flexible pay as hourly and
essential workers were catapulted into headlines in a
long-term, unprecedented emergency around the country.
In five years, we expect that at least 75% of U.S.
businesses will offer a daily pay benefit — and, of course
we hope that they work with us, the gold standard in the
industry.
With Millennials and Gen Z making up most of the U.S.
workforce, we plan on continuing to innovate our
product offering to meet the demands of the most
technologically advanced generation.
There is power in
accepting change and
using it to propel the
world into a better
future.
“
“

Kristi Herold
Founder / CEO
JAM and the
Sport Social
Group

Helping People and Company Teams Connect Through Play –
Unlocking Profit and Productivity while Enhancing Corporate Culture
tress and lack of human connection is the ultimate
Sculture-killer within the workplace and this has
worsened over the past year, due to the havoc the
pandemic has wreaked on everyone’s lives. Are you
struggling to stay connected with your remote working
team on a fun personal level? Kristi Herold, Founder, and
CEO at JAM and the Sport Social Group (SSG) is
leading the way in helping teams connect through play and
laughter. Kristi has spoken around the world on how
powerfully making time for play can impact productivity
and foster a healthy organizational culture.
“A positive work culture improves teamwork, raises morale,
increases efficiency and productivity, and enhances
employee retention. A positive culture also helps to reduce
stress amongst employees - and happier employees make
for happier customers which helps to improve the bottom
line for any organization”, advises Kristi Herold. At the
SSG and JAM, Kristi aims to hire slowly ensuring all new
teammates share the values, embrace the purpose and vision
and are complimentary to her strong cohesive team.
An Energetic, Bright, and Passionate Businesswoman
A born entrepreneur, Kristi Herold was looking to meet new
people after moving to the big city of Toronto in 1996. She
took the opportunity to combine her passion for sport,
business, and community by founding the Sport Social
Group — one of the largest adult recreational sports league
providers in the world, offering an incredible physical and
mental health benefit to over 1.3 million participants since
inception.
Kristi’s passion lies in connecting people through play as
she knows how powerful connecting through play can be
for both our physical and mental health. Her stories include
hundreds of SSG members finding their life partners and
best friends through playing in the leagues, three different
members getting the SSG logo tattooed on their bodies as
the leagues have been so impactful on their lives and one
member sharing how the leagues literally “saved their life”.
Remote Events all Over the World
When the 2020 pandemic hit and the SSG operations
(www.sportsocial.club) were mandated to pause, Kristi led
her team in the creation of JAM (www.workplayjam.com) –
a new service providing professionally hosted remote
events helping corporate teams all over the world stay
connected through play.
With the creation of JAM, Kristi and her team are now
helping many corporate cultures continue to thrive by
keeping employees connected through play with the
company’s online remote offerings like “Survey Says”
(Family Feud), JAMParty (Jeopardy), Name that Tune
Bingo, Trivia, Scavenger Hunts, Escape Rooms and more.
The company is excited to have created some
diversification within its business, knowing that JAM will
be able to continue helping corporate remote working
teams, and organizations with global offices, continue to
connect playfully, even when the pandemic is behind us,
and team sports can play again.
Continues to Focus on Being Better
Over the last 25 years there have been many ups and downs
in leading the Sport Social Group and more recently
JAM. In the early years, Kristi was a one woman show,
taking on all aspects of the business, including boot-
strapping the funding on her own. This gave her a great
handle on what customers cared most about and it is
interesting to note that what was a priority for the customers
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25 years ago remains similar today. As operations grew, her
role became more about leading a team which added
complexity, challenges and a lot of learning.
After the first 10 years, during which time Kristi had started
a family and had three young children, she stepped back to
work part time in order to focus on passion projects (like
starting an adult community theatre group, connecting
people through playing on stage in order to raise money for
charity) and child-rearing. By 2016, she had decided it was
time to focus on larger growth for the SSG and thus began
the vision to get 1 million people playing on an annual
basis.
Extraordinary Ideas on Revolutionizing Business
Kristi and her team at JAM and the SSG, focus intensely on
their core values, and they aim to make all decisions
keeping them in mind. Further, Kristi regularly shares the
detailed purpose and vision with her entire team (both full-
time and part-time) as to how she wants to see the
organization grow, so that they feel empowered and in
alignment with helping attain the goals of the company. The
organization has many examples of low cost, easy to
implement ideas that help its culture, like eating lunch
together (now over video at least once a week), High-5
welcomes and buddy system for new employees, monthly
core value awards, bi-monthly book club and veteran jersey
celebrations when someone hits their 1-year anniversary, to
name a few.
As the CEO of one of the largest adult recreational sport
leagues in the world, a very male dominated industry, Kristi
believes she’s role modelling a great example to other
young women interested in the business of sports. She
always encourages younger women to “own your voice” in
meetings – ensuring your ideas and opinions are heard. At
the SSG the company always believed strongly in hiring the
best person for the job - regardless of gender, race or sexual
orientation – the team has good diversity and its
organizational culture feels best balanced when it has an
equal split of men and women on the team.
Staying True to your Core Purpose
JAM wanted to stay true to its SSG core purpose of
“connecting people through play” - yet it could not run
soccer games or volleyball games online, so it was forced to
look at different ways of playing and in doing so they have
been able to continue helping thousands around the world
to stay connected playfully. “Follow your passion. I’ve
always been passionate about connecting people in playful
ways - thus it is easy for me to feel excited about the work
I’m doing on a daily basis!” puts forward Kristi.
Kristi has been recognized as a Top 100 Canada’s Most
Powerful Women, a top 3 finalist in the Canadian Women
Entrepreneur awards, Sport Social Industry Association’s
“Industry Impact Award” winner, has earned multiple Great
Places to Work certifications and is a Governor General’s
“Queen’s Diamond Jubilee” recipient.
Our vision is to
get 1 million
people playing
with the SSG
and JAM on an
annual basis.
‘‘

Laura Mensch
Leveraging Technology to Improve Health Experiences
The pandemic has been a catalyst for change, and
this is likely most evident in the rapid and
exponential growth in demand for virtual care.
When the pandemic first hit, Laura Mensch, Vice
President of Health Benefits Management for TELUS
Health was most concerned with providing adequate
support to TELUS Health team members and its clients.
With the support and guidance of a dedicated team of
national medical experts, TELUS Health has brought
essential virtual and digital healthcare capabilities to the
industry, which was catapulted to the forefront during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
The social purpose of TELUS Health is to leverage the
power of its world-leading technology to enable remarkable
human outcomes. By prioritizing investments in socially
responsible innovation and technology for the last two
decades, TELUS has transformed from a Canadian telco
into a global technology leader and catalyst for economic
growth and social good. TELUS Health is putting patients
at the centre of care and delivering improved healthcare
experiences so Canadians may live happier, healthier lives.
Delivering Innovative Solutions
Laura joined TELUS Health in 2018 to lead the company’s
Health Benefits Management (HBM) business. Under her
leadership, the HBM portfolio has grown to include both
well-established and novel, innovative solutions that are
transforming the health benefits landscape across the
country. In the first two years of Laura’s tenure, she focused
on the evolution of market dynamics within the benefits
industry and their impact on insurance providers, advisors
and the Canadian employers offering health benefits to their
people. With the industry rapidly changing, she made sure
that TELUS Health would continue delivering solutions that
supported its clients and helped guide them into the future
of health benefits. In 2020, with the onset of the COVID-19
pandemic, that foundational work proved invaluable as it
helped its clients and industry stakeholders navigate
through new challenges and demands. TELUS Health
continues to provide innovative thinking and technology to
support the benefits to community in a post-pandemic
world.
Making Healthcare More Accessible
As a business, TELUS Health found itself quickly pivoting
to ensure that virtual care options were made available to its
clients. TELUS Health helped clients gain access to Akira
by TELUS Health, a national on-demand virtual care
service that makes healthcare more accessible for
employees and their families. Available via a smartphone or
computer in both French and English, it provides 24/7
direct access to medical consultations through secure text or
video chat, helping to address common primary care
concerns as well as provide access to allied healthcare
services such as mental health support. It also contributes to
keeping Canadian workers healthy and well, lowering
health benefits costs and reducing absenteeism.
Above and beyond solutions for employees, TELUS Health
also pivoted to expand access and use of its other virtual
care offerings. In a matter of weeks, it developed virtual
care functionality seamlessly integrated into physician
electronic medical records, enabling them to conduct secure
virtual visits with their own roster of patients. It also
worked to make one-on-one virtual consultations with a
locally licensed physician available for residents covered
under provincial health plans in British Columbia, Alberta,
Saskatchewan, and Ontario, particularly those without
access to a family physician or in need of after-hours
support. Finally, it adapted its TELUS Home Health
Monitoring (HHM) solution to help clinicians remotely
monitor British Columbia residents diagnosed with or
exposed to COVID-19, in addition to supporting chronic
disease management. In other jurisdictions, the solution is
also being used to support patients recovering from organ
transplant at home.
Bringing Connectivity to Healthcare Ecosystem
TELUS has invested more than $3.2B over the last decade
to help transform Canada’s healthcare system because it
believes that a friendly future is one where all Canadians,

‘
‘
‘ ‘
‘
‘
‘
‘
‘ ‘
‘
‘
Laura Mensch,
Vice President,
Health Beneﬁts Management
TELUS Health
53
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regardless of their socio-economic status or location, have
the best healthcare support and information wherever and
whenever they need it. TELUS connects millions of
Canadians everyday through its network infrastructure.
Harnessing the power of its technology, it has brought this
connectivity to the healthcare ecosystem to help digitize
healthcare, facilitate the seamless flow of information
across care teams, enable more streamlined workflows and
enhanced collaboration, and improve health outcomes and
experiences for all Canadians.
Forward Thinking Solutions
TELUS Health is supporting collaboration and information
sharing through the TELUS Health Exchange (THX), a
national, standards-based, electronic communication
platform designed to facilitate efficient communication
across the care continuum. THX opens the doors to data-
driven, forward-thinking solutions that can ultimately
benefit the health and wellness of Canadians today and in
the future. In addition, electronic prescription services and
digitized prior authorization processes are helping to
streamline workflows for clinicians, empower them with
data to immediately address issues before they worsen and
enhance the overall patient experience. Similarly, personal
health records provide patients access to their own medical
information, allowing them to play a more active role in
their care. All this while keeping personal health
information safe.
Streamlined Flow of Information
TELUS Health is committed to continuing its work
alongside public health partners to provide digital health
solutions that complement existing health services and
enhance access to care. For TELUS Health as a whole, its
goal has always been to leverage the power of technology
to improve health experiences for all Canadians. It is
making significant steps to enhance its offerings in virtual
care, mental health, employee health and solutions that
continue to enable the efficient and streamlined flow of
information across the entire healthcare ecosystem. This
will continue over the next five years and for many more to
come.
Evolving Continuously
Within Laura’s portfolio of Health Benefits Management,
she will continue to deliver well-defined centres of
excellence to continue to scale its growth across the
country. Collaborating with its clients in the insurance
industry will provide more targeted and innovative
solutions for Canadians to stay healthy, happy, and
productive in the workforce. Rich insights and data
enablement will also continue to evolve its solutions and
allow TELUS Health to adapt to the changing needs of
working Canadians.
Enhancing Capabilities
Beyond its core digital health solutions, TELUS Health is
also expanding its reach to enhance its capabilities. TELUS
recently announced the filing of a registration statement for
a proposed Initial Public Offering (IPO) of TELUS
International. The public offering for the subsidiary will
boost its digital and artificial intelligence business. The next
five years will see TELUS growing in the international
market as a successful digital disruptor in games,
communications, media, e-commerce, fintech, healthcare
and hospitality.

LAURIE
ALLEN
Recognized for Dedication
Professional Excellence

n today’s business climate, entrepreneurs need to be
Iflexible, adaptable to the ever-changing work
environment, a strong communicator, and especially
good listener. Patience is not just a virtue; it is necessary
when entering the construction management and civil
engineering arena. One of the biggest challenges as a
woman who is a business leader in the construction industry
has been to overcome the stigma of being a female in what
has essentially been perceived as a man’s domain. Laurie
Allen is the CEO of one such women-owned, construction
management company - ACMS.
Whether it is a staff member or a new or established client,
Laurie Allen’s approach to leadership is simple – be honest,
be fair and consistent, be approachable available, and
follow-through on any open items in a timely manner.
Laurie and her team equip their staff with the tools they
need to be successful in their position, provide support
through ongoing education and certifications, and
encourage them to set goals achieve them.
Compassionate and Truly Dedicated Leadership
After filing the corporate documents to establish ACMS in
August of 2013, Laurie Allen encountered the loss of her
father to an aggressive form of cancer, left her then-current
place of employment which she had been at for 19 years.
And since she handled the close-out of her parents’ estate in
the new role of CEO to previous clients.
This “introductory period” required much effort for even
though she’d proven herself to the business community
during her tenure as VP of Operations for the Northwest
Region, Laurie Allen basically had to start over in proving
herself and ACMS’ capabilities as a start-up to the local
market. She had not anticipated this but met the challenge
straight on and despite being newly formed, ACMS still
landed small but significant jobs through the relationships
previously established.
Responsible for Strategic Planning
Laurie Allen is thankful for that call as ACMS is now a part
of the project controls team, working for hand-in hand with
the prime and essentially being groomed to pursue future
PM opportunities as a prime. Laurie sees the company
definitely moving to a larger office space at its building in
the near future. Her team has just launched ACMS Civil as
a separate company to provide civil engineering services to
public and private entities. The company has currently one
active engineering contract and is actively pursuing civil
design opportunities.
Talent acquisition is ongoing at ACMS. It welcomes
referrals from clients, employees, and are always on the
lookout for new talent. ACMS is in a fortunate position as
the work it does is considered essential. Therefore, the
company has not had to lay any staff members off due to the
pandemic and its business continues to prosper. The office
staff is working remotely but she remains connected
through weekly staff meetings held online.
Even in a remote work environment, ACMS takes the safety
of its employees seriously and encourages them to let them
know if there’s something the team can provide to make
their workday and flow better.
Ability to build Strong Relationships
In November 2018, several members of ACMS staff joined
Laurie Allen at the Gresham Eagles where the team
volunteered to either work in the kitchen or serve
Thanksgiving dinners to the guests, many of whom were
either homeless or simply down on their luck and could use
a really good hot meal.
th
Last year, to celebrate ACMS’ 6 anniversary, ACMS made
a contribution to Friends of Trees. Both Laurie and the
company president along with several staff members and
some of its vendors volunteered its Saturday and helped
plant trees in several metro neighborhoods. ACMS
continues to support this non-profit in their work.
“If I could initiate a change to benefit our fellow community
members, it would be in the form of creating employment
opportunities through hands-on inspection training
programs. It’s worked in the past and there is no better
feeling than knowing through helping someone navigate
classroom and field training and meeting milestones along
the way, that they will have a solid career and promising
living wage until retirement. To positively impact someone’s
life in this manner is priceless”, states Laurie Allen.
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Laurie Allen, CEO, ACMS
Educational Careers in Public Works
As a company, ACMS strives to contribute to the
betterment of its community. Laurie Allen serves as the
Scholarship Committee Chair on behalf of the Oregon
Chapter of the American Public Works Association
(APWA). In this volunteer position, Laurie conducts
outreach to Oregon universities and community colleges as
well as a couple of private campuses to encourage students
to apply for the scholarships oﬀered through the Oregon
Chapter of APWA. To date, a total of 264 scholarships have
been awarded since 1981 totaling $ 397,200.
The outreach process to generate and distribute the
application forms for the approximate 18 scholarships can
be rigorous but it is so worth it knowing Laurie Allen gets
to play a small part in helping a student achieve their
educational goals and launch their careers in public works
and/or engineering.
Meeting the Needs of the Industry
At ACMS, it customizes its approach to meet the needs of
each client. It listens to what is most important to them and
then drafts a work plan for their review making any
necessary adjustments for ﬁnal acceptance before
proceeding. Then it checks back with them often for further
collaboration and to address any concerns that may arise.
The clients appreciate the organization’s responsiveness and
willingness to go the extra mile!
Today, as a women-owned company, ACMS is being
noticed for its successes and now that it has been 7 years,
the business community and competition, in general, have
come to accept that the company is here and not going
away so it has overcome these challenges through
perseverance, determination, and a solid belief in its team
and capabilities.

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