Metro Philadelphia Power Women 2022

Dr. Nina Ahmad is a first-generation American scientist with a doctorate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a postdoctoral fellowship from Thomas Jefferson University. As a former deputy mayor, she established the Department of Public Engagement for the City of Philadelphia. She is the co-founder of JNA Capital, Inc., a community development and finance company. Dr. Ahmad was appointed by President Obama to his Advisory Commission on AAPI, and is the president of the Pennsylvania National Organization for Women and the Health Committee chair of the Philadelphia NAACP.

Who is a woman that inspires you?
Harriet Tubman, who not only escaped enslavement, but risked her life to free others and was an activist for women’s suffrage.

What do you think needs to be done to level the playing field for women in the workplace?
Abolish the gender wage gap, end gender based violence, and institute family friendly workplaces.

What are some challenges you have faced as a woman in the workplace/in general?
Being marginalized as a brown woman, my ideas being overlooked, and being expected to fit in stereotypes assigned by others.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
Believe in yourself, be authentic, and have a network of support that you trust and that will give you constructive criticism. Most importantly, be kind to yourself!

Stephanie Ayanian is a film producer, director, and partner at storyshop LLC, a production house focusing on documentary features, series, and visual storytelling for clients. Her public television feature, “What Will Become of Us,” focuses on Armenian Americans 100 years after the genocide of 1915 as they grapple with how to maintain their cultural identities in America. She holds a master’s degree in Film and Media Arts from Temple University and a BA in Film and Video from Penn State University. 

Who is a woman that inspires you?
My mother. She knows when to be a boss and when to remain calm, stay focused, and allow things to unfold. Subtlety can be a strength.

What do you think needs to be done to level the playing field for women in the workplace?Leveling the playing field for women must come from both directions–top-down and ground-up. Leadership needs to have the courage to create change and take risks. Women deserve to have the space to stand up and take charge without being minimized.

What are some challenges you have faced as a woman in the workplace/in general? Filmmaking remains a male-dominated industry. One issue that I’ve faced is often being encouraged into the role of producer, overseeing the entire project. Women have important stories that must be told, too. Ripples must lead to waves.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
Be bold. Have courage to stand in any room of any size, whether it’s with one person or thousands, and share your ideas.

Marian Baldini is the president and CEO of KenCrest, a human services and early learning provider throughout Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Delaware. With over 40 years of leadership in intellectual or developmental disability services, she began her career as a direct support professional in the 1970s, at the same agency where she now serves as CEO. Marian has never lost sight of her “why,” and inspires a shared vision amongst many in human services for what true inclusion could be for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Elected to City Council in 2012, Councilmember Cindy Bass represents Philadelphia’s eighth District, continuously working to improve the quality of life for her constituents in the communities of Germantown, Mt. Airy, Chestnut Hill, Logan, and parts of Olney, West Oak Lane, North Philadelphia, and Feltonville. Councilmember Bass holds leadership positions, including chair of City Council’s Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs, and Public Health and Human Services Committees.

Who is a woman that inspires you?
My inspiration has been and always will be my mother.

What are some challenges you have faced as a woman in the workplace/in general?
I’ve faced challenges from both men and other women. When I decided to become a mother, for example, one woman questioned my decision to have a child while also serving as a Councilmember.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
Prepare and invest in yourself for success. Build coalitions with other women and work together toward a common goal. Find out what skills will best serve you to lead a team to achieve successful outcomes. 

As general manager at Sofitel Philadelphia since 2014, Angela Bauer leads the hotel as a luxurious destination and viable community partner while maintaining Sofitel’s internationally renowned standards of excellence. With Angela at the helm, Sofitel Philadelphia is making its mark on the city with strategic community partnerships, innovative convention and meeting accommodations, and luxe food and beverage advancements. Angela has received several awards and distinctions in her tenure at Sofitel Philadelphia, and is the six-time recipient of the prestigious Director of Sales and Marketing of the Year Award.

Who is a woman that inspires you?
My mother is my inspiration. She managed a household consisting of 12 children along with her husband and she was her own CEO, running the household by budgeting, doing food prep, managing laundry, cleaning, and helping with homework. She was also a wife and friend and did everything while looking like a movie star every day with her lipstick on and nails always done. She was strong, smart, elegant, and resilient. I could never be who I am without having her in my life and I know all of my sisters feel the same way.

What do you think needs to be done to level the playing field for women in the workplace?
Create an environment where women can be empowered to lead, and give them more visible responsibilities. Also, understanding that gender diversity is a top priority in creating opportunities for women today, and rethinking how we work today. Flexibility is key–if we have learned anything from the pandemic, it’s that we can and we need to understand the needs of our team and create a true environment where this happens daily.

What are some challenges you have faced as a woman in the workplace/in general?
I would say fighting to be heard. I was also a bit of a late bloomer and may have been underestimated in my career, but in all those instances, I always rise to the challenge and am a competitor in life. 

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
Always help and support other women. Be a role model and a mentor. Surround yourself with the best people professionally and personally who will challenge you to be better. Also, listen to feedback… I truly believe feedback is a gift.    

Jill Beck is an attorney at Blank Rome, where she concentrates her practice on a wide range of litigation matters. She also serves as pro bono chair for the Pittsburgh office, and regularly takes on cases to help the underserved in Pennsylvania’s legal system, including victims of domestic violence, those experiencing housing insecurity, low-income criminal defendants seeking to secure the same constitutional protections as those with means, and victims of wage theft. She also advocates for victims injured by illegal gun sales, and volunteers to aid in voter protection efforts.

Who is a woman that inspires you?
My mother, Sue Lipman. She lived her life in service to others. First as an elementary school teacher, and later as a social worker in the Children’s Hospital NICU and PICU. She taught me what it means to give back to my community.

What do you think needs to be done to level the playing field for women in the workplace? Equal pay and flexibility in work schedules.

What are some challenges you have faced as a woman in the workplace/in general?
Like many women, I put a lot of pressure on myself to be the perfect professional, wife, mother, friend, daughter, volunteer–aspirations that can never be attained. Juggling work, home, family, friends, and community can be very challenging.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
Be kind and forgiving to those who come after you, and remember that you experienced your own struggles as you came to your position in leadership.

Madeline Bell is the president and CEO of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, one of the top-ranked children’s hospitals in the US that is ranked number one on Forbes’ 2022 list of America’s Best Large Employers. A bold and visionary leader, Madeline champions change with empathy and integrity, inspiring the nearly 24,000 team members who work in the hospital’s $3.2-billion-a-year health system and research institute to create breakthroughs that have worldwide impact.

Who is a woman that inspires you?
Madeleine Albright has always inspired me. I had the honor of meeting her several years ago, and she told me how important it is for women to “lean in” and be part of the discussion rather than waiting on the sidelines for their voices to be heard.

What do you think needs to be done to level the playing field for women in the workplace? We need to create more opportunities for women to take on senior leadership roles. This has been a top priority for me: Since I became CHOP’s CEO in 2015, I have increased the diversity of CHOP’s executive leadership team to include 28 women.

What are some challenges you have faced as a woman in the workplace/in general? Balancing a career with family life has not been easy, but my experience has given me a great deal of empathy for working mothers. As a society, we need to do a better job of ensuring that women have the support they need to find balance in their lives.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
When someone offers you the chance to do something new, even if you’re not 100 percent comfortable, just say yes. You’ll find your biggest rewards and your most meaningful opportunities when you step outside your comfort zone.

Deborah Block has been a consistent figure in the Philadelphia arts community for over 30 years as a director, dramaturg, producer, curator, choreographer, and educator. Deborah joined Theatre Exile in 2006 and assumed the position of producing artistic director in 2013.  Prior, she was one of the founding organizers and program director of the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe (FringeArts). She received her master’s degree at Temple University where she taught for nine years.

Who is a woman that inspires you?
Eleanor Roosevelt for her actions, and Ntozake Shange for her words.

What do you think needs to be done to level the playing field for women in the workplace?
Women have been working harder and smarter for years.  We have started to address the systemic misogyny like the systemic racism that our economy is built upon.  Now we need to be daily warriors. I believe most people want to live in a world that is just, but those who have gained from unequal systems sometimes don’t know that they are perpetuating injustices. It may be difficult, but face the misogyny when you see it and give it a name.  Sometimes the biggest change can come from a quiet conversation. 

What are some challenges you have faced as a woman in the workplace/in general?
Like most women my age, I’ve dealt with both blatant and quiet sexism in probably every category that you can think of.  Everything from sexual harassment to being minimized, belittled, and underestimated with the expectation of doing work beyond my job responsibilities. Often there has not been a pathway for having your voice heard. So I am happy that today the discussion of these issues are not as taboo as they have been in the past.  

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
Be your beautiful selves. Do not try to fit into the mold that was created by someone else.  And do your best to have support from other strong people around you. It takes a village.

Jacquelyn Bonomo is the president and CEO of PennFuture, a nonprofit that focuses on a clean energy economy and protecting land, water, air, and sustainable communities in Pennsylvania. She previously served as the organization’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. Jacqui has 13 years of experience in several leadership roles with the National Wildlife Federation, and served as vice president of conservation programs for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy for nine years. 

New Jersey native Kara Breazeale has planted roots in South Philadelphia. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Advertising from the University of Florida, and is currently the business manager at Bisnow, the world’s largest commercial real estate digital media and events company, where she is responsible for sales in the Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Toronto markets.

What are some challenges you have faced as a woman in the workplace/in general?
I have been extremely fortunate to work for companies that value equality. I know this is not the case for everyone and I would encourage women to fearlessly stand up for what they believe in, demand what they deserve, and lift up the women around them.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
Continue to learn and grow, stay open minded, and don’t be afraid to tell people exactly how you feel.