Rear Admiral Denise Hinton is the current head of OCS at the Food & Drug Administration. With a track record of military service, healthcare advocacy, and a firm dedication to her morals and values, RADM Hinton holds a wealth of insight and experiences that have informed her career. The Fem Word had the privilege of sitting down with Ms. Hinton to talk about these values and experiences, and to explore the advice she has for the next generation of empowered women and girls seeking out careers in STEM.
Sam Feher is an influencer, small business owner, and an editorial assistant at Cosmopolitan Magazine where she began working straight out of college in 2018. Sam talks to us about the pressure to perform, self-reflection, authenticity, and gives us an exclusive scoop about her future plans.
According to the US Department of Labor, nationwide only about 4% of firefighters are women, and many fire departments still have only one woman firefighter or none at all. Chief Joanne Rund is the first woman to permanently lead the Baltimore County Fire Department in Maryland. She’s on a mission to recruit more women into the field, even if she meets you at the grocery store.
Farah Alibay is an aerospace engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab in the Mars InSight Mission. She’s a trailblazer who is conquering Mars and bringing women along with her. The Fem Word’s Monika Samtani speaks with Farah about her cool career and even cooler ambition to become a leader in her field.
Chelsie Hill is the founder of Rollettes, a dance team for women in wheelchairs. At age 17 Chelsie was involved in a car accident which left her paralyzed from the waist down. She pursued her dreams and moved out to Los Angeles where she started Rollettes. She has created a sisterhood with so many women from around the world and has learned to “Be Boundless”.
Elsa D'Silva is the founder of Safecity, a global organization and online platform that is creating safer spaces for women. Through Safecity, women can safely report cases of harassment and assault on a crowd map. As a social entrepreneur, D’Silva has earned numerous accolades and is a Vital Voices Fellow.
Samaira Mehta is a 12-year-old CEO, founder, and inventor. At age 6, Samaira created CoderBunnyz, a board game company to teach people of all ages the basics of coding in the simplest way possible. Mehta is proof that anyone can start their own business and become a role model for their peers.
Artist Leslie Lee set out to raise awareness of the U.S. gunfire epidemic and founded the Soul Box Project, which collects and exhibits thousands of hand-folded origami boxes. Each box honors one victim, offering healing through art for those seeking solace, and visual support for all initiatives working for a safer, more civil society.
Laura McKinney graduated as the student body president of Penn State University - and had the added responsibility of uplifting her peers during COVID-19. Monika and Natasha Samtani catch up with The Fem Word’s first intern about these unusual times, and her work with Haitian families during the pandemic.
The Fem Word high school correspondents Meera Dahiya and Saira Rathod have a real, raw, and brutally honest conversation with student activists after a Black Lives Matter demonstration in a predominantly white suburb of DC.
Linda McGhee is a clinical psychologist who speaks about disparities, treatment, and race. Andrea Roane is an award-winning journalist. With the current state of affairs in our country right now, they discuss what non-black people can do to be better advocates for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Ninfa Diaz is the owner of Midtown and MiMo Garden Centers in Miami, FL. Bold and passionate, Ninfa shares her story of building an oasis in the middle of a major city. She encourages all woman to step up, embrace their independence and secure personal financial freedom.
Sandy Alibo and Kuukua Eshun are the Co-Founders of Skate Gal Club, the first club connecting & empowering girls and women in Ghana through skateboarding. Sandy and Kuukua talk tell us that skateboarding is more than just a sport, it's a social environment in which women can dare to be vulnerable..and lift each other up through this inspiring community.
Diana Hosford is the Vice President of Sports & Entertainment for TAPS, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. This organization provides comfort, care, and resources to all those grieving the death of a military loved one. Now, as COVID-19 has impacted lives all over the globe, Diana and the TAPS team have pivoted to provide care to those in need all across America. She discusses her experiences with TAPS, as well as her own battles with loss and adversity.
Patricia Nzolantima is advocating for women's economic empowerment in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during COVID-19 and beyond. Her focus during the coronavirus has been to train women in the Congo to start their own business and become 'Women of the Future'.
Lexi Wood is a model living in Los Angeles, CA. She discusses her journey from becoming discovered as a teenager in a small suburb in Canada, overcoming severe bullying growing up, breaking out of her shell and realizing the power of authenticity and kindness.
Meet Je’net Kreitner, the Founder & CEO of ‘Grandma’s House of Hope,’ with 17 homeless shelters in Orange County, CA. During COVID-19 the staff is working even harder to ensure the safety of those in most in need. Once homeless herself, Je’net founded GHH in 2004.
Yollanda Zhang is the founder of Girl Strong, an organization that empowers young girls through STEM, entrepreneurship, public speaking, and more to be unstoppable women. Yollanda has lived in Toronto, Canada since the age of 10, and is fluent in Mandarin.
![Lauren Franco, Executive Director at [gather] | NYC](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5cfffdde9f31270001b78d96/1574181022399-TU8NR57DUZR67FFJFY3T/A38A156A-3C87-407A-9743-8E05193DD674.jpg)
