ADVANCE: Montgomery Women's Leadership Digest

December 2023

A Message from Leadership

Hello December!

It's that time for year-end reflections and new year look aheads. I hope you experience your December celebrations, meetings, family and friends time, and other busyness in ways you hope and enjoy. Please make time - yes, make time - for yourself. We women seem to take on the burden of giving to others especially at this time of year. When in leadership positions professionally, we give even more. Make time for yourself for quiet and stillness.

At our First Fridays Power Breakfast this month, Program Chair and Laughter Yoga expert Larissa Johnson shared cards with quotations and questions for us to reflect on out loud. There was an overriding theme to the cards: happiness and appreciation. These are great themes to carry us through the remainder of 2023.

On a note of appreciation, please acknowledge your appreciation and thankfulness when you see members of our Montgomery Women Board. We're out and about everywhere in the county (and beyond). As you receive and read this e-newsletter, give a shout-out to our Communications Chair Althea Lloyd-White in appreciation. She makes it happen month-by-month.

Back in October, Past President and current Governance Committee Chair Jennifer Russel (along with other Board members who lead additional non-profits) attended the Maryland Nonprofits Conference at Montgomery College (MC). What a great conference! One of the benefits of attending was an offer extended to each organization to record a 30-second video either about our organization or about a significant upcoming event. MC media students recorded and edited the videos. Being the shy and introverted person I am (anyone laughing yet?), I jumped at the opportunity and recorded a video about Montgomery Women rather than an event. I wanted the video to be evergreen, relevant long past any one program. Be some of the first people to see it below. The photos were grabbed from our Facebook page which is already public viewing. Scripting for a 30-second message was so much harder than for a 2-hour webinar.

I end my message - and the year - wishing you all a safe, healthy, fulfilling, food-filled, emotionally prosperous December. If you are missing loved ones either permanently or far away, our hearts are with you. If you are directly affected by world events, and who among us aren't in one situation or another around the globe, be strong. Be an advocate in whatever way you can as a gift to the world. Here's a grand farewell to 2023!

Until next time,

Sylvia Henderson

President, Montgomery Women

Member Spotlights

Villy Iranpur

Realtor, TTR Sothebys International Realty

Villy is a Realtor with TTR Sothebys International Realty and currently serves as vice chair of GCAAR’s Public Policy Committee. Licensed in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, Villy is constantly recognized for her enthusiastic and thoughtful approach to real estate. Soon after attending the University of California, Irvine, Villy spent many years working with clients within the Permanent Supportive Housing Program in Washington, D.C. Villy’s excitement for real estate and for improving the communities in which we live has translated into being an active real estate investor herself. This active engagement in the market brings a different level of expertise to the table as she guides and educates clients through the buying, remodeling, renting and selling stages. She is very passionate about the industry as a whole and prides herself on being a partner and an advocate for her clients.

Cheryl Kagan

State Senator, Gaithersburg & Rockville (D-17)

Senator Cheryl C. Kagan (D–17) has served in the Maryland Senate since 2015, where her energy, dedication, and experience in all sectors– public, private, and nonprofit– have made her an effective advocate for the residents of Gaithersburg and Rockville. In 2019, she was appointed Vice Chair of the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee. In 2022, the committee was reconfigured as Education, Energy, and the Environment. Senator Kagan represented District 17 in the House of Delegates for two terms– from 1995 to 2003. After choosing not to seek reelection, she stayed involved in the community as the first-ever Executive Director of the Carl M. Freeman Foundation. With her guidance, the Foundation contributed over $1,000,000 each year to deserving nonprofits, primarily in the DC-metropolitan area.

Quick Tips

For the Everyday Leader

Self-reflection, at its simplest, means taking time to slow down and think about you and your experiences, as part of increasing your self-awareness, learning and growth. Self-reflection in leadership means devoting time to think about yourself as a leader and is critical for your leadership development. It involves contemplating your current level of skills, strengths, weaknesses, behavioral patterns and how you seek to influence others. It is also about exploring and getting clarity on your values, goals and ambitions. All this serves to increase your self-awareness, alignment, authenticity, learning and growth. Self-reflection also accelerates improvement in your leadership skills and practice — including your emotional intelligence — and enables you to better understand others. Learn more about the power of reflective leadership in this article.

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Key Updates

Membership Renewal and End of Year Survey

Montgomery Women is excited to offer more enriching experiences, valuable networking opportunities, and impactful initiatives in the coming year. Your participation is vital to our community's growth and success. Here are two ways to continuing supporting our mission:

(1) Renew Your Membership: Each member of Montgomery Women will receive email reminders to renew their membership prior to the one year anniversary date of their current membership period. If your membership expires, you will receive an email informing you of this status and instructions for reinstating your membership. Keep an eye on your inbox for these important emails or simply renew on our website at any time.

(2) Complete our End of Year Membership Survey: To ensure we meet your needs and expectations, we kindly request your input through our End of Year Membership Survey. Your feedback is invaluable in guiding our plans and initiatives for the coming year. Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts with us!