Year you became a member with ABWA:  2015


What do you like best as a member of the ABWA and NDBW?
I love the opportunity to grow as a person and as a business woman in a supportive environment.


What is your involvement in the NDBW?
Since recently joining I have had the opportunity to help with Woman of the Year committee.


Which was your favorite event & why?
I have loved the monthly meetings, they are encouraging and educating and inspirational.
 

Tell us how membership has helped you?
Membership in ABWA has helped me with personal development, and the ability to see possibilities of my successful future.


What do few people know about you?
I went to school for Fashion Design and hope to one day create my own line of clothing.


What is your proudest moment?
When I ran a 5k this March! I have not even been able to walk that far in the past and I was able to run it after much training and getting my body healthy!


What was the best advice you ever received?
Everyone is just as worried about impressing you as you are impressing them!


What is your passion beyond business?
Gardening, Health, Sewing, Crocheting, Knitting, and being environmentally nice J

North Dallas Business Women has made a contribution to the Stephen Bufton Memorial Educational Fund (SBMEF)! What does this mean to you?! You may know someone who could be chosen by NDBWto receive a $1500 outright grant!

 

Qualifications: Candidate Eligibility Requirements

• Must be a female U. S. citizen that has completed a minimum of 60 credit hours.
• Must be attending an institution that is authorized to confer degrees at the baccalaureate level or higher in the United States.
• Must provide a biographical sketch, three professional letters of reference and an official college transcript.
• Must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 grade point scale.

To submit an applicant we just need their name & email address, please contact Kimberly Williams by May 15th for more information.

Year you became a member with ABWA:  2013


What do you like best as a member of the ABWA and NDBW?
I really enjoy the lively educational atmosphere and getting to network with professional women from all industries and professions.


What is your involvement in the NDBW?
I am a member of the membership committee


Which was your favorite event & why?
My favorite events are the member orientation s and the mix and mingles.  They both really give an opportunity to get to know other members better. 


Tell us how membership has helped you?
My membership in NDBW has allowed me to gain confidence in dealing with other professional women. I often play to my strengths at work to maintain a sense of confidence.   It is a true blessing to have a forum where I can develop my weaker areas in a safe and encouraging environment. I can practice and make my mistakes here so that when I use skills at work they are flawless.


What do few people know about you?
Few people know that I am really into all things adventurous.   I am taking a course to earn a scuba diving certification, working to get in shape to participate in more 5k events, and training for backpacking/camping adventures through ropes courses climbing sessions.  It is also one of my dreams to be able to skydive. 


What is your proudest moment?
My proudest moment was having my terminally ill Father be able to see me finish a supervision training course that Ultimately, led to a promotion at work.  After having to miss both my high school and college graduations, it was very special to me that he fought through the pain to be there and share with me how proud he was. 

What was the best advice you ever received?

The best advice I have ever received came from my mother.  She taught me to make decisions based on two questions.  Does it make you happy? Can you live with the outcome? In every decision I make, I think of those things.  For instance, something might make me happy, but I know that I could not live with hurting people, so I try not to make decisions that would cause harm to others.


What is your passion beyond business?

Beyond business, I just want to bring light to the world and do everything I can to make an impact. I don't want to leave this earth feeling like there was more that I could have done to help.

 

Year you became a member with ABWA: 2013


What do you like best as a member of the ABWA and NDBW?  Connecting with smart, driven women who encourage and support one another in all aspects of their lives.  Also enjoy the educational aspect of the meetings because I am committed to constant and never-ending improvement.


What is your involvement in the NDBW?  I am committed to attend all the events—luncheons, orientations, mix & mingle—when I am in town.  I serve on the Membership Committee and make it my goal to call as many guests and new members each month as time allows.


Which was your favorite event & why?  Mix & Mingle is at the top of my list.  Socializing with the members & guests helps me relate to people in all areas of their lives, not just business.


Tell us how membership has helped you?  Connections and growth.  I have connected with women I would never have met without NDBW.  Growth in the learning that comes from the meetings as well as learning from the other members when we meet one on one.


What do few people know about you?  For five years, I traveled all over the world supporting Personal Development Icon, Anthony Robbins.  One year I spent four different months at his resort in Fiji managing events.  Such a great experience of growth and made friends who are still my closest goddess girlfriends in the world.  So grateful that a nerdy  CPA like me had the opportunity to live far outside my comfort zone.


What is your proudest moment?  I was honored to be the president of HomeAid Dallas for several years.  HomeAid is a charity that builds shelters for other charities.  We had the honor of building a teenage dormitory for Nexus Recovery Center and a four-plex with large apartments for The Family Place during my tenure.  Giving back to the community at such a high level and helping others through difficult times is humbling.
 

What was the best advice you ever received?  Discipline your disappointments.  Life both personally and professionally can have moments that are sad, frustrating and disappointing.  Don’t ignore those feelings.  Have the experience.  Don’t dwell on those feelings so much that you get stuck.  Learn from your disappointments then use your resourcefulness to move forward.


What is your passion beyond business?  Helping others improve their skills & attitude so life is truly rich for them.  ALSO:  I love and adore having quality time with my husband, Bob.  I am an avid reader.  Play tennis as often as possible.  Traveling with my goddess girlfriends.

Year you became a member with ABWA:        1987

What do you like best as a member of the ABWA and NDBW?
The relationships I have built over the years and the fantastic learning opportunities (on line and at conferences).  I love the fact that we can meet in various cities across the US at conference.  Obviously (I’m lucky), I love the local and national recognition. 

What is your involvement in the NDBW?
I joined NDBW to support a new Express Network. If I think of a word to describe my involvement, it would be encourage:  encourage participation, encourage stepping out of your box, encourage building relationships.  I have met some very unique women in NDBW.  This last year I have been a mentor and was chairman of the Audit Committee.

Which was your favorite event & why?
I think NDBW’s chartering event was the most meaningful.  As a second favorite, I’d choose the speaker from Southwest Airlines.  It was amazing to see how closely SW’s mission was to ABWA’s and how much emphasis they put on employee “happiness/well being.”  Of course, the two travel vouchers sure did put this event high on my list.

Tell us how membership has helped you?
Being a member of NDBW has prompted me to stay very active in ABWA, taking advantage of all educational opportunities that arise.  I love to meet new members/guests and have the opportunity to “spread the word” about all of the advantages of  belonging to ABWA.

What do few people know about you?
My life is a pretty open book but:  I’ve done finger printing for NY Securities and Exchange, been a short-order cook and barmaid, delivered a baby on a main highway, and a few other things.

What is your proudest moment?
My proudest ABWA moment was being chosen OPEN’s first Woman of the Year.  I am also very 0proud of the fact that I have almost 400 Continuing Education credits. 

What was the best advice you ever received?
You can do anything you set your mind to.  Never give up. And in the same breath, learn how to say “I need help.”

What is your passion beyond business?
I have retired but stay young minded by working and playing with “young” people. I have not missed a day of work. My passion is to be remembered for my passion. 

Year you became a member with ABWA:
I joined in Thousand Oaks California in 2009

What do you like best as a member of the ABWA and NDBW?
I appreciate the opportunity for professional development and personal growth.  It is a safe environment to share career experiences that have affected what we are today.

What is your involvement in the NDBW?
ViewPoint Bank and NDBW hosted a joint Mix and Mingle Event.  The partnership was very successful.  So successful, we are looking forward to hosting another event in the spring.

Which was your favorite event & why?
I really look forward to the meetings.  There is a sharing of friendship among professional women.  It is also the exchange of ideas, with the opportunity to learn.  The educational potential of ABWA is truly an advantage of belonging to the organization.

Tell us how membership has helped you?
Everyone that is working goes through the ups and downs throughout their career.  Women especially face additional challenges. ABWA has helped me realize that I am not alone

What do few people know about you?
My passion for women’s issues comes from my own life experiences.   Women and children should not have to live in fear every day.

What is your proudest moment?
I was named Women of the Year in Carson City Nevada by the Carson City Chamber of Commerce.

What was the best advice you ever received?
When you fall, it may take you a while to get up, but once you do, stand tall and keep moving forward

What is your passion beyond business?
Due to my involvement with Soroptimist International, I continue to be involved in community service projects. I want to whatever I can to see that women and children get the assistance they need to sustain their livelihood.  In addition, everyone should have the opportunity to seek educational opportunities that will empower them for the future.

Year you became a member with ABWA: 2013, Charter Member of NDBW


What do you like best as a member of the ABWA and NDBW? The overwhelming support I receive every day from my ABWA sisters.  After every interaction with this wonderful group of women, I feel energized and inspired.  They make me believe I can take on the world!


What is your involvement in the NDBW? I am a charter member, the DACA delegate for NDBW and I consistently seek out other opportunities to get involved and help grow our newly formed chapter.  

 
Which was your favorite event & why? Hands down, the Regional Conference held in Sugarland has been my favorite event.  It was my first conference, which will always make it a special and significant ABWA experience for me.  This event was a lot of things all rolled up together, but my favorite part was getting to know my fellow NDBW sisters and becoming fast friends with each of them.  The connection and bond we built during the caravan down to Sugarland has continued to get stronger every time I see these wonderful women.  It makes me proud to be part of such an amazing group.  I can’t wait to attend more conferences and build relationships with more ABWA sisters that I know will always support me!


Tell us how membership has helped you? Being a NDBW member has helped me realize that I don’t have to do everything on my own.  My fellow members have supported me in big decisions in my life and have given me the self-confidence and strength to move forward and know that they are there to hold me up, pat me on the back and even give me a shoulder to cry on.  Being a part of the ABWA family has positively influenced every aspect of my life both personally and professionally.


What do few people know about you?  Few people would believe that I am an introvert.  I get extremely nervous in large crowds, not because I am shy but because I easily get overwhelmed with so much activity going on around me.  I, however, often seek out these situations so that I can try and overcome my fear. 


What is your proudest moment?  To this day, my proudest moment is still the day I walked across the stage and received my bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin.  I am the first in my family to get a college degree and I will never take that for granted.  My parents sacrificed a lot for my dreams and I will forever be grateful for this selfless act of love.  


What was the best advice you ever received?  People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.  When you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person.


What is your passion beyond business?  My passion is to educate, help and mentor ones who need my help.  This passion also happens to coincide with my professional career!  I am a CPA specializing in non-profit accounting.  You will often find me educating board members of small non-profit organizations on understand their financial statements and also helping train their staff in non-profit accounting.  Although my work in this area is pro bono, I would one day hope to do this full time (sshhhh don’t tell my employer!).   The non-profit world holds a special place in my heart.  I respect those who are philanthropists but I admire the ones that sacrifice their time and energy every day trying to make a difference in the world.  

Year you became a member with ABWA:  2013

What do you like best as a member of the ABWA and NDBW?
I enjoy meeting, learning from, and creating new friendships with liked-minded women.

What is your involvement in the NDBW?
I am a charter member and currently serve on the Membership and Program committees. 

Which was your favorite event & why?
I enjoyed the Mix & Mingle because it was a relaxed environment where you had more time to visit with and get to know the other members.

Tell us how membership has helped you?
I have developed new friendships and received a couple of new customers.

What do few people know about you?
My little girl dream was to be a professional ballerina. 

What is your proudest moment?
My proudest moments have been watching my daughter, Alexis, grow into a phenomenal young woman.  She made the decision to leave Texas at the age of 18yr and move to California because she knew staying here was not the best decision for her personal growth.  I am in constant awe of how she embodies everything I am trying to be. 

What was the best advice you ever received?
One piece of advice that has stuck with me over the years was something my dad said to me when I was unhappy at a job.  He told me if I was not happy with the situation, then I shouldn’t wait around for someone else to make it better. I am responsible for making a change in not just my environment but in how I feel about life and myself.  In fact, it is this advice that helped me finally transition out of corporate America into my own Isagenix business. While running your own business is never easier, I would trade a month of “hard” days in my Isagenix business for one hour of my “hard” in corporate America.  We really do choose our own level of joy and fulfillment.           

What is your passion beyond business? 
I am passionate about volunteering my time and talents to organizations that provide resources and education for families impacted by domestic violence.

Year you became a member with ABWA: 2008

What do you like best as a member of the ABWA and NDBW?  ABWA lives its Mission Statement from the top down.  That is a great strength of the association and where many organizations strive to do this one thing most are not as successful as ABWA and NDBW.  North Dallas has epitomized the ABWA mission since its inception in May 2013.   Because of this I delight in coming to the monthly luncheon meetings.

The leadership of NDBW is to be commended for the support, care and concern shown to the members and guests.

What is your involvement in the NDBW?  Supporting NDBW in all their endeavors to continually increase their membership, and help them to achieve their goals.

Which was your favorite event & why?  There isn’t one favorite as each meeting has brought excellent speakers, opportunities to meet new people and good laughs!

Tell us how membership has helped you?  Being on the ‘launching’ team for NDBW gave me new insights on the dedication necessary to help make this Network not only successful but outstandingly successful.

What do few people know about you?   Most people know a lot about me as I am pretty much an open book!  I have 11 children through a blended family, was married for 33 years and now widowed.  My faith comes first, then my family, then my friends.

What is your proudest moment?
My proudest moment was May 2000 when I graduated with a BS in Business Management and Ethics from Dallas Christian College with my whole family there to support me. 

What was the best advice you ever received?  4 points…

1.       Always give others the credit as no one has done it alone

2.       Your integrity is your character and ethics, don’t lose it or give it away.

3.       When making a decision, make the best decision for everyone not just for yourself.

4.       Do the job no one else wants to do and give it your very best

What is your passion beyond business?  Helping people