Highlights 2021

2

profiles 

12 

25 

39 

CONTENTS 

Tech Careers 

Aren’t for 

Everyone, But 

Are an Option 

for All Women 

Spring 2021: The 

Tech Savvy Women Issue. 

It’s Finally Time to Breathe! 

Summer 2021: The Women and 

Wellness Issue. 

Working Towards an Equitable 

World for All 

Fall 2021: The Women and Justice 

Issue. 

features 

8 

7 

A Letter from the 

President 

Emily van Eerten 

introduces the issue. 

Spring Archives: 2017, 2018, 2019, 

2020, 2021 

Elsie Bose takes a look through the 

Spring archives. 

16 Team Favorites 

Elsie Bose, Liz MacNiven, Karen 

Boeker, Berit Torkildsen and 

Michele Hendrikse Du Bois pick 

out some of their favorites from the 

last five years. 

54 

Hospitality is 

Simply Love 

on the Loose 

Winter 2021: 

The Women 

and Hospitality 

Issue. 

21 

Summer Archives: 2017, 2018, 

2019, 2020, 2021 


Summer archives. 

3

29 That’s Inspired 

Georgia Regnault, Sallie 

Chaballier, Cynthia Smith-Ayed, 

Rick Chizmadia, Margaret 

Hilditch, Mary Stewart Burger and 

Liz MacNiven tell us what and who 

inspires them. 

35 

44 

50 

Fall Archives: 2017, 2018, 2019, 



Fall archives. 

Souvenirs from 

Around the 

FAWCO World 

A series of photos 

from FAWCO 

members. 

Winter Archives: 2017, 2018, 2019, 



Winter archives. 

59 

A Club Inspires: 

AWG Paris 

64 Sharing Inspiring Women 

Liz MacNiven explains how and 

why you should share the magazine. 

65 

69 

The Evolution of Our Feature 

Articles 

Liz MacNiven and Michele 

Hendrikse Du Bois highlight the 

changes in the Inspiring Women 

feature articles since the magazine 

first began. 

“The Right Amount of Sleep is a 

Foundation For Living a Full and 

Meaningful Life.” 

Brenda Nielson tells us about 

how best to get some sleep. 

in every issue 

5 

6 

71 

A Note from the Editor 

Liz MacNiven 

Five Years On, How We Got Here 

More about what you can find in this 

issue from Elsie Bose. 

Invitation to a Garden Party 

72 

Inspiring You 

73 

75 

More About This Issue 

Our Advertisers 

4

“W 

e 

who make a 

must find time 

to stop and 

thank the people 

difference in our 

lives.” 

A Note from 

the Editor 

John F. Kennedy 

After five years of creating Inspiring Women four 

times a year, there are certainly a number of 

people I should stop and thank! 

1. The FAWCO Board: I’d like to especially thank 

the board that first agreed to the proposal to start 

the magazine back in 2017, led by Sallie Chaballier. 

The current board continues to support our 

efforts and new ideas and we very much 

appreciate this. I would especially like to mention 

Ann Marie Morrow, VP Communications, who is 

our boss. She is always quick to come to our 

rescue when we are having technical struggles and 

helps us generally with whatever it is we need. You 

really make a difference in our lives Ann Marie, 

thank you! 

2. The IW Team: This has grown from two to six 

willing members since the first issues. So a “shout 

out” to each of them. 

 

 

 

Elsie: this magazine wouldn’t even exist 

without your drive and vision. It is an honour 

and a pleasure to work with you. Thank you. 

Michele: the change since you joined the 

team in the variety of feature articles is huge. 

Thank you for all you do on that. 

Karen: without your work the subscribers 

and FAWCO members wouldn’t get their 

copies of the magazine via email. 

Thank you. 

 

 

Berit: thank you 

for being willing 

to bring your 

knowledge of 

social media to a 

group that was 

struggling with it! 

Hayley: You’ve not been part of the team for 

long but thank you for being so willing to 

take over some of the work from me. 

3. The IW Proofing Team: Each member of the 

team (Carol-Lyn, Celeste, Janet, Janis, Jenny, Karen, 

Lauren, Laurie, Mary D, Mary Stewart, Sallie and 

Tamar) is invaluable. Your red pens make all the 

difference to the quality and professionalism of 

our output. Thank you! 

4. The IW Readers: We work hard to make this 

magazine the best it can be and we appreciate 

each and every one of you that reads it. We are 

especially grateful to those of you who have 

become direct subscribers and persuaded many 

of your friends and family to become subscribers, 

too (see p. 64 for more on this). Thank you. 

5. Our Advertisers: Each one of you contributes 

to the work of Inspiring Women and thus to the 

work of FAWCO. Thank you. 

Liz x 

Inspiringwomen.editor@fawco.org 

5

Five Years On, How 

We Got Here 

Inspiring Women Magazine founder Elsie Bose 

considers the four Cs. 

When purchasing a diamond one considers the 

four Cs: Cut, Clarity, Color and Carats. (Notice the 

“s” on Carat…) 

Inspiring Women has its own four Cs. I realized 

this after spending the last few months reviewing 

each issue of the magazine in anticipation of our 

five-year anniversary. As I re-read them, I realized 

that we have established four important planks 

that form the foundation of our work. 

1. Communication Our 6-woman team lives in 

four different time zones. Many FAWCO teams 

operate with the same time issues so they will 

recognize the challenges. We plan our meetings in 

advance; we ask everyone to be on time. (It 

doesn’t always work out that way!) We give 

everyone the time they need to express their 

thoughts and opinions. WE STAY POSITIVE. 

2. Creativity With each issue we always expect to 

have something different: a new element or 

improvement of an element from previous 

issues. I love to pose the question, “What if?”. (If 

one could hear eyes rolling, I am sure the sound 

would be thunderous!). Our “what if” sessions 

are not meandering missions to nowhere. We 

work with purpose and passion! We listen and 

value every new idea. Sometimes it takes a while 

to get to a place where we can all agree, but THE 

TEAM IS PATIENT. 

3. Collaboration This team does not dawdle! To 

successfully get the magazine out on time we 

always remain open to the idea of working 

together on some projects. We are not shy about 

giving input during the process on things we like 

and things we don’t. Real life, good and bad, 

also goes on for each of us. If someone needs 

help, another one of us pitches in without missing 

a beat. 

4. Community The magazine wouldn’t exist 

without the very special members that we 

showcase in each issue. We have said before that 

we are astonished and amazed at what these 

women have achieved. Their stories are the 

reason for the success of the magazine. The 

feature stories submitted by members help us 

further explore the themes of every issue. We 

would not have lasted five years without the 

support of the FAWCO boards. The leap of faith 

they take to “let us do us” boosts our confidence 

and enthusiasm for the project. We are grateful to 

all of our advertising partners who invest in the 

magazine because they believe that our readers 

hold the values their brands represent. And we 

are thankful to our enthusiastic subscribers who 

have cheered us on at every opportunity. 

For me, I am incredibly grateful to our team. Each 

issue is a fantastic experience. We work so well 

together! I won’t say that we are without drama, 

but the drama always revolves around how we 

can make each issue and each one of us better. It 

is an absolute privilege to work with each one of 

them. Together we have crafted from our four Cs 

a diamond of a magazine. 

Which brings me to my fifth “C”- to Liz, Michele, 

Karen, Berit and Haley, the next time we see each 

other in person, the Champagne is on me! 

Elsie 

advertising@fawco.org 

6

A Letter from 

FAWCO’s 

President 

One of the pleasures of being involved with FAWCO is the opportunity to meet interesting people who 

have lived similar lives, just in different countries under different circumstances. The details varied but 

the themes were the same, and the cumulative delight at the variations in the human experience was 

humbling and INSPIRING. At my first FAWCO conference in 2000, I would go back to my hotel room at 

the end of each day pinching myself over the extraordinary women I just happened to be talking 

with. With a few more conferences under my belt, I simply expected that every woman I met would 

reveal herself to be amazing in her own unique way within the first few sentences. And that expectation 

was met time and time again. It might turn out that the woman next to me at a gathering had been the 

executive editor of a major international newspaper (!) or someone who ran cooking classes for refugee 

boys (!) or worked at the UN in a field I support (!) or perhaps had just researched and written a book (!) 

or sung at Covent Garden (!) or had survived a terrorist attack (!) or blogged about her yearlong tour 

around the world (!) or had fled a war torn region (!) or … the possibilities were endless, and endlessly 

fascinating. I wanted to meet everyone. 

Clearly, my experience was not unique. In 2017, with the founding vision of Elsie Bose and Liz MacNiven 

and the support of many others, FAWCO set out to highlight the accomplishments and fascinating 

stories of a wide cross section of FAWCO members from all of our clubs. Setting a theme for each 

quarter, the magazine has given all of FAWCO the opportunity to get a better understanding of the 

entire organization through the lens of those who are drawn to the mission of FAWCO and their own 

clubs. We are a group that endeavors to help each other settle into new lives, and we in turn extend our 

support to help our communities, local and global. And we bring our impressive intellect, our significant 

skills and our purpose-filled passions, inspired by each other, to accomplish more together than we 

could on our own. We LEAN ON our club members when we need support ourselves, and we LEAN IN to 

our clubs and FAWCO community as we give of our individual talents for the betterment of society. 

Congratulations to the Inspiring Women Team for five years of helping us connect with so many of 

the extraordinary women in FAWCO! May the magazine and the ideals of those profiled within continue 

to flourish! 

Emily 

Emily van Eerten 

FAWCO President 

president@fawco.org 

7

Spring Archives: 2017 

“We Hope You 

Like It and 

Recognize 

Yourself in It!” 

Inspiring Women launches its 

first issue. 

The magazine started its journey in the summer 

of 2016. With a very simple idea … “Introducing a 

new online magazine highlighting the 

achievements of individual FAWCO club members 

worldwide. The intent is to create a fun and 

informative magazine.” 

The original plan was very simple. Select a theme 

for each issue and send out a request to the club 

reps and presidents asking for nominees. The IW 

“Team” would create a questionnaire (how hard 

could that be?) and send it out to the 

candidates. They would return the forms filled 

with pithy prose as well as include dozens of 

studio perfect photos and we would copy and 

paste it all into layout – JOB DONE! 

Well, not exactly. Through the next few months, 

we established processes and set up guidelines. 

Some of our big ideas didn’t quite work out and it 

was back to the drawing board from time to 

time. The launch originally planned for December 

2016 was moved to March 2017 in time for the 

FAWCO Conference in Mumbai. 

Fun facts about/from the issue 

• This issue is the SHORTEST issue to date, only 

40 pages. It contained eight profiles and four 

features in total. 

• The cover shows Alena Nesbitt, daughter of 

former FAWCO Foundation President 

Suzanne Wheeler. 

• The first issue is the only regular issue that 

was printed. All quarterly issues are published 

solely online. 

What inspired us about the issue 

Grace Wong-Folliet (AAWE Paris) and her freshly 

baked macarons. 

The profiles clearly illustrate the “How It Started” 

to “How It’s Going” story. From fund manager to 

wine maker, trade association executive to 

freelance photographer, these women’s personal 

values, “their brands” were validated by the 

choices they made. 

8


“I Run Like 

a Girl – Try to 

Keep Up!” 

Pushing ourselves beyond 

expectations: Women in Sport 

and Fitness. 

There is something unbelievably surrealistic when 

we are able to stretch our physical capabilities. It 

is powerful, it is satisfying, and it makes us want 

to push ourselves to the next level of success. 

Women in sports in this moment is a topic that is 

more exciting and challenging than ever. We are 

participating in so many different sports, 

something that would have been unheard of ten 

years ago. For this issue, we were looking for 

women who achieved success as a champion, a 

participant, a coach, or an organizer in the sport 

of their choice. Or perhaps someone for whom 

going for the gold was more significant than 

winning the gold. 

The women in this issue had different reasons for 

participating and excelling in their sport of 

choice. They ran faster, jumped higher, and as a 

result achieved their “personal bests” both in and 

out of sport. Their stories describe winning in 

their own personal way. 

Fun fact about/from the issue 

• We were pleased to showcase 11 profiles in 

the magazine featuring eight different 

sports. Something for everyone to enjoy! 


Whether winning a decisive victory or achieving 

their personal best, participation in sports has 

proved to be life-transforming for many 

women. Success in competition provides a new 

dimension to non-sport activities. Sports can 

unite us as teams on the field and as well as in 

daily life. 

Samantha Day (AWC Vienna) posing in her very unusual 

cycling “kit”! 

9


“The Beauty of 

Showing 

Compassion” 

So many great stories, it required 

two issues: Women Who Persist 

Part 2. 

We began our third year of Inspiring Women 

with a theme that resonated loudly with our 

readers. We first presented “Women Who Persist” 

in our fall 2018 issue. The magazine received 

more profile nominees than any previous 

issue. Each story was so compelling, so 

empowering, that the editorial staff felt it was 

important to run two issues in order to be able to 

include all of them. 

These women are committed to a wide range of 

causes in all corners of the world. Sometimes, 

their missions take them to painful places with 

spirit-crushing obstacles. But still they 

persist. And they succeed. 

We asked: 

“Big issue or small, what is it about these women 

that motivates them to step out on the ledge of a 

troubled world and join the journey to make it a 

better place. There are challenges everywhere we 

look. What made these women different that 

they did not look away?” 


• With the launch of this issue, the mighty 

Inspiring Women team had published over 

500 pages of content. That’s a lot of profiles, 

features, quotes, photos and ads! 


Sarah Wallace (AWC Genoa) campaigning for human rights. 

These “Sheroes” have much common; they have 

passion for their causes, the courage of their 

convictions and unbounded energy and 

determination to right the wrongs. While they 

may not reach consensus on how to achieve 

the goal, there is never any compromise on 

achieving it. 

10


“Their Boundless 

Energy Helps to 

Make Our Clubs 

Relevant and 

Ready for the 

Future” 

Getting to know the members 

who are the future of FAWCO: 

Gen Y and Millennial FAWCO 

Women – The Under 40s. 

For our first issue of 2020 we turned our focus to 

the younger members of our clubs. We asked, 

“Who are they, what interests them and how will 

they contribute to our clubs?” We were curious 

about who has inspired them. What was their 

vision for the future? How, in their opinion, can 

our individual clubs and FAWCO remain relevant 

and play a role in that future? 

The women profiled in this issue add a further 

dimension to life under 40. Many live in a place 

very different from where they were raised. They 

have jobs and careers in fields that were unheard 

of just 10-15 years ago. While failure is not an 

option, a few mistakes have helped them along 

their way. They have been told that they were 

brave to step outside their comfort zone. 

Perhaps they possess (or are possessed) by an 

elevated sense of curiosity. They are fearless, 

but not reckless. The profiles proved that this 

group is living and thriving and ready to make 

their mark. 


• We published our first poetry feature, 

Fickle+n written by Jane Mobille (AAWE, Paris). 

• 24 Hours in Luxembourg, a club’s guide to the 

city, was featured in anticipation of the 

Interim Meeting, scheduled for Luxembourg 

in March 2020, which was cancelled. We hope 

it will prove useful in 2022! 


Opera singer Brenda Turner (AWC Berlin) in performance. 

These women have accomplished so much 

already – it was quite breathtaking! And they 

aren’t finished. Many are continuing up the path 

where they started their life’s journeys while 

others have discovered a different route. 

Regardless of the direction, they are all 

determined to be successful at whatever they do. 

11

PROFILE 2021 

Tech Careers Aren’t for Everyone, 

But Are an Option for All Women 

Spring 2021: The Tech Savvy Women Issue. 

The introduction of tech into our lives for many of us was a combination of curiosity, amusement, 

frustration, and eventually, acceptance. And while most of us were working out what was happening, 

the industries that are “technology” marched forward. 

Unfortunately, women were not part of the parade. 

We asked,” Are there members who have moved along the technology tide, coders, website designers, 

those who are creating the ‘internet of things’? Those who are redefining reality, virtual or 

augmented. We are interested in those creating content for digital platforms. Do you know any of the 

influencers who dominate popular media? Finally, where have women climbed high enough in these 

industries to break the glass ceiling?“ 

The women profiled in this issue are changing that. A glance at their backgrounds and experience truly 

blows the mind. They are software engineers, web security experts, logistic specialists, web designers, 

graphic designers, social media mavens, and more. What they “do” is incredibly interesting and, at 

times, unbelievably mind-boggling! But the vital piece in all of their stories is how they use 

technology and their skills to bring others along. 

Specializing in 

Web Security 

Susan Spälti, member of the AWC 

Bern, Switzerland, describes her 

roles in operations research and 

internet security. 

Although I was born in Pittsburgh, PA, my family 

moved every five years between Pittsburgh and 

New Jersey. I am one of eight siblings – five girls 

and three boys – and my father jokingly referred 

to me as “number three child, number two 

daughter.” Since we moved so often, we quickly 

learned that home was not a house or place, but 

where the family was. 

I am a child of the 60s and 70s. Very turbulent 

times to be sure, but gender roles really had not 

evolved. Commercials told women to “bring home 

the bacon,” but they still had to “fry it up in a pan.” 

Men got the Marlboro man. True, my father went 

to work, and my mother stayed at home, but both 

Susan Spälti 

had bachelor degrees, and my mother worked for 

four years in her field until the children came. 

They expected their children, regardless of sex, to 

help with the housework, take care of the younger 

siblings, earn their own pocket money and apply 

themselves to schoolwork to the best of their 

12

mathematics as soon as I graduated. OSU was 

quite a shock. I went from attending a school with 

three departments in one building to one with 

three buildings per department. Plus, pure 

mathematics was a little too esoteric for me. I quit 

after two semesters and got a summer internship 

in Washington DC. 

Discovering OR 

I loved DC and decided to look for a full-time job 

there. In 1979, the Cold War was still “hot,” – and 

the Department of Defense and its contractors 

were offering many jobs for people with my skill 

The first desktop computer I used. 

abilities. We were encouraged to read, explore 

new things, go outside to play, and have lots of 

fun. We all understood that we would go to 

college if we wanted and were able to. My mother 

said, “you raise children to leave home” and my 

parents were determined to provide us with the 

necessary tools. 

Leaving home 

I left home when I was 17 to attend Allegheny 

College, a small liberal arts school in northwestern 

Pennsylvania. I thought I wanted to be a medical 

doctor, and Allegheny had a good pre-med 

program. As part of pre-med, I had to take many 

science courses, including mathematics. After one 

college-level course, I was hooked and majored in 

math. I loved its beauty and logic. I enrolled at 

Ohio State as a graduate student in pure 

With my father, husband and Professor Liebling at my 

PhD Defense. 

With my father, husband and Professor Liebling at my PhD 

Defense. 

With my family in about 1972. 

13

Consulting from home 

While caring for two small children, my husband 

and I started a small consulting firm that 

developed algorithms, database models, etc. for 

the Swiss version of Social Security. Our office was 

at home so we could be with the children. After 

almost 20 years of working at home, I took a new 

job. I enjoyed going to an office outside of my 

house and honing my skills in Identity and Access 

Management, an internet security field. I worked 

in this field until I retired in 2020. My husband 

continued with our consulting firm until he retired 

a few years ago. 

set. I accepted a job with a defense contractor, 

devising algorithms to solve logistics problems 

and “discovered” Operations Research (OR), a type 

of applied mathematics. I loved OR and decided to 

go back to graduate school part-time. I got my 

masters in OR from George Washington University 

in DC and then decided to go full-time for my PhD. 

I got a fellowship for the PhD program at Carnegie 

Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh and moved 

there in 1984. 

Moving to Switzerland 

At CMU, I met my Swiss husband, Karl, a visiting 

research fellow from the University of Bern. He 

specialized in OR, and we “clicked” on more than a 

professional level. As he only had a one-year 

fellowship, one of us had to relocate. Since he had 

a job and I was just starting out, I applied to and 

was accepted at the École Polytechnique Fédérale 

de Lausanne. We married in July 1985, and I 

moved to Bern in September. The plan was to 

finish my degree, and then we would move back 

to the States. 

After my retirement, we had planned to travel, 

play golf and enjoy life. Although the traveling 

and golf plans are now on hold, we enjoy walks to 

see the llamas in our village (yes, we’ve got llamas, 

or are they alpacas?), talking with each other, our 

friends, and our relatives (albeit remotely) and just 

being together. 

The future for the industry 

Although I started out as a mathematician and 

was formally trained as a STEM (Science, 

Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) 

student before that became an acronym, I ended 

my career as an IT specialist in Identity and Access 

Management (IAM). Most understand the concept 

of authentication. When you try to log onto an 

application, you are asked your username and 

password to “authenticate” who you are. IAM asks 

the following questions: Are you allowed to do 

what you want? What resources can you “access”? 

In today’s world of increasing data breaches and 

more rigorous compliance requirements, IAM, a 

relatively new field, is constantly evolving and will 

continue to do so. Privileged Access Management 

(PAM), a subcategory of IAM, is the new hot topic. 

In an enterprise, PAM deals with user accounts 

that have special access above that of a standard 

user, such as system administration accounts. 

I was granted my degree in June 1990 but still 

have not moved back to the States. While I was 

finishing, I was completing another project. In 

September 1990 I gave birth to our daughter, 

Nina. Fifteen months later, in December 1991, we 

welcomed our son Jacques. 

My mentors 

My earliest mentors were my parents. They 

encouraged me to explore many fields and always 

be curious. My doctoral advisor, Prof. Thomas 

Liebling, was a wonderful mentor who provided 

guidance on how to thoroughly analyze problems 

and present my results in a comprehensible 

fashion. Finally, my husband Karl. Perhaps not a 

mentor, but he and I worked as a team, both 

professionally and privately, so that we could give 

our customers quality solutions while 

simultaneously raising a family. 

Enjoying Swiss Glüwey with my daughter Nina in 2019. 

14

Many famous security breaches involved these 

special access accounts, and PAM controls, 

monitors, and audits such accounts. 

Quick-fire questions for Susan 

1. What things about your career in technology do 

you apply to your daily life? Being in IT Security, I 

find myself very cautious when dealing with all 

things involving the internet. I have learned not to 

“click” on something just because I can; I keep the 

software and operating systems on my computer 

and all devices up to date. I also believe in reading 

the manual. In my career, I have spent a lot of 

time cleaning up “issues” that could have been 

avoided if someone had just bothered to read the 

manual first. 

2. If you could work with one famous person, past 

or present, who would it be and why? I would have 

loved to work with Grace Hopper (1906-1992), an 

admiral in the US Navy, mathematician, and 

computer scientist who, amongst other things, 

invented the compiler, an intermediate program 

that translates English language instructions into 

”computer” language. And better yet, she coined 

the term “bug” for an error in your program after a 

moth got into the circuits of the Mark I, a 

precursor of electronic computers, which she 

helped design. I spent a lot of time “debugging” 

my code. 

With my husband Karl in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. 

15

16 

FEATURE 

Team Favorites 

We asked the Inspiring Women team to go back through the issues, each taking 

one year from the last five and answer the same questions. 

What was your favorite overall issue theme and why? 

ELSIE (2017) Women Rebranded, Spring 2017: It was the first theme for the very first issue of Inspiring 

Women. Initially, we selected it because FAWCO had recently rebranded itself, but moreover, the theme 

encapsulated life’s journey for many of us - starting out in life imagining how our careers, vocations and 

passions were going to play out and how moving away from one’s home country (or joining an 

organization of women from another country!) changed that journey. 

LIZ (2018) Women Who Persist issue, Fall 2018. We were overwhelmed by how many incredible women 

were nominated for the issue, to the extent that we had to split the issue in two and run a part two early 

in 2019. The women in this issue do the most extraordinary work and they are all very modest about 

their achievements. 

KAREN (2019) Women Who Persist II, Spring 2019. We had so many women 

who fall under this category that we decided to run two issues for the same 

topic, which speaks for itself. For me, this issue (and part I in 2018) 

represents FAWCO so well. Many of the women who persist had lifechanging 

experiences, and they used them to turn them into something 

good for the world around them. What an example, what role models, what 

an inspiration! 

BERIT (2020) Visualizing A Point of View, Fall 2020 which highlighted the 

talented photographers of FAWCO. Having taken four years of photography 

in high school and attempted a photography degree in London many years 

ago, this really teased out the shutterbug in me that had been lying dormant 

for the better part of two decades! 

MICHELE (2021) Women and Wellness, Summer 2021 perhaps because of the 

times we are living. Focusing on wellness – mind and body - was perfectly 

timed and I enjoyed reflecting on the different perspectives offered. 

What was your favorite feature article and why? 

ELSIE (2017) What to Wear: When we started the magazine in 2017, our focus 

was on elevating the exceptional women in FAWCO clubs. The process of 

nominating and selecting seemed daunting and we didn’t think we had enough 

woman power to also research and develop features. An article about a club or 

a region and maybe an interesting recipe or two were about all we thought we 

could handle. Liz had an excellent relationship with two terrific writers, Robin 

Meloy Goldsby and Jane Mobille and asked them to help us out. Each contributed wonderfully crafted 

and insightful articles in our early years. 

It was difficult to select a favorite from their articles but in our Summer 2017 “Designing Women” issue 

Robin wrote about the role that the clothes she wore and the outfits she designed for herself played in 

crafting her professional persona as a pianist from her early years to now. This really resonated with 

me, not only in terms of her evolution; I also certainly related to some of the trendy things she wore 

(and why) during her early years!

LIZ (2018) We have been very fortunate to have Robin Meloy Goldsby write various essays for us. I 

particularly like “Don’t Eat Pie”, Spring 2018. In this essay she regales us with tales of her time as an 

exercise instructor in New York. It’s laugh out loud funny. 

KAREN (2019) “Saudi Arabia: Empowering Nurses” by Angela Wilkins-Bassett., 

Fall 2019. It has all the right keywords for me: equality, appreciation for 

diversity and difference, teamwork, compassion, working abroad to improve 

women’s health and at home for uninsured and underserved patients and 

while doing this, coming to the conclusion that we all can learn so much for 

ourselves while teaching them. Rereading it struck a nerve because little did 

we know then HOW critical nurses and medical personnel would become. 

BERIT (2020) Cyndy B. Waters feature article Seaweed, Fall 2020 has to be my 

favorite feature article from the year. Her photographs capture an 

indescribable beauty that is women working together for a common goal, to 

release themselves from the constraint of their homes and being able to 

provide an income to support their children's education. Their story is a moving one. Cyndy's keen eye 

evokes a sense of being in Zanzibar with these amazing women with waves crashing at your feet and the 

sun bouncing off the water - truly awe inspiring. 

MICHELE (2021) Recipes for Wellness, May 2021. I love the variety of ideas and creativity that the 

authors used to present their recipes. 

Do you have a favorite cover photo from the year and what is it you like about it? 

ELSIE (2017) Our cover for Women Rebranded, Spring 2017. For the launch, I wanted a cover that 

conveyed three things: energy, fearlessness, and fun. I probably drove Liz to distraction talking about 

“my vision” for the cover. I was constantly grabbing photos off the internet, sending them to her, “like 

this!” I’d write. But the reality was, we had no staff photographer and 

screen grabs were a first-class no-no (GDPR and copyright issues were 

setting people’s hair on fire at the time). 

During one of my many stays at former FAWCO Foundation President 

Suzanne Wheeler’s home in Paris, I was blathering on about “my vision” 

and how frustrated I was because I was sure there was a perfect photo 

somewhere within FAWCO. I asked her if she had anything. She pulled out 

her phone/camera and we started to plow through. We found a photo of 

her daughter, Alena, doing a cartwheel on the beach. “Yes, something like 

this.” Liz and I played around with it, cutting out some background, and lo 

and behold, something “like this” became it! 

I love working on the covers because we know that the right photo grabs 

our readers. We beg and borrow (we do not steal!) to get the right one for 

each issue. But the first one really set the bar for all the rest that followed. 

LIZ (2018) The cover for Winter 2018, Women in Music, was of Christine Federspiel-Huvos. I love the 

power you can see in her face and hand as she sings. I find myself hearing her voice in my head just by 

looking at the photo. 

KAREN (2019) The cover for the Health and Well-Being, Fall 2019 is my favorite. At the Inspiring 

Women team, we constantly try to improve the magazine, including the layout. Don’t forget, none of us 

has a professional background in publishing a magazine, and we most certainly have limited resources. 

If you look at the magazine cover before and compare it with No. 3 in 2019, you hopefully notice a 

change – it is a much lighter more inviting cover. This, for me, was the beginning of the ever-improving 

17

layout of Inspiring Women; I am proud of all of us. Of course, that’s not the only reason! The woman 

on the cover, Carol Brazle, started the Caring Hearts Pillows Project with Rozanne van Rie, is a cancer 

survivor. The photo was taken by Brigitte Meuwissen, a member of AWC Antwerp. In my opinion, Carol 

looks outstanding; she is at peace with herself, smiles, is calm and healthy. She is a role model in that 

respect. I wish we women would always feel and look so comfortable with ourselves; that is true beauty. 

BERIT (2020) I am a bit of a magpie in that I love vibrant colors, so it might not come as a surprise when 

I say that my favorite cover from the year has to be Sisters Act: Women in Drama!, Winter 2020. 

Verónica Isola is absolutely stunning in her red dress and her expression captures the joy that she gets 

from being on stage. Admittedly it was the first issue that I worked on as part of the Inspiring Women 

Magazine team, so it will always hold a special place in my heart. 

MICHELE (2021) This is a tough question. Choosing the cover for every issue is 

a challenge as we often like multiple covers, each for different reasons. This 

holds true when choosing a favorite from the year. If I really have to choose 

one, I think it is the November 2021 cover: Not only is it a beautiful photo but 

it celebrates celebrations. It’s a happy photo. 

Tell me who your favorite three nominees from the year were 

ELSIE (2017) Megan Morris, Fall 2017: While all the women in this issue were 

extraordinary in their commitment to education, Megan’s story made me feel 

very upbeat - a young woman, committed since childhood to help others. Her 

passion for teaching seems to be integrated into her being. A woman who 

makes the most crucial of professions seem effortless and fun. I loved the photo of her in the ladybug 

costume, teaching her students. 

Sunny Eades, Winter 2017: This was a wonderfully exuberant and visually rich issue. Sunny is a friend 

and her name suits her beautifully, a woman with charm and grace and full of talent. Her personality 

comes through in her gorgeous paintings, joyful and serene. She would have also been a great 

candidate for an earlier issue that year, “Designing Women,” having worked designing interiors for both 

autos and aircraft in her early years. 

Carolien Krijnen Summer 2017: Let’s be honest, who isn’t inspired by 

someone who lives above her very own chocolate workshop? I loved 

Carolien’s story for many reasons, living in Antwerp, one of my truly favorite 

cities. She took her passion for chocolate and turned it into an exciting, 

delicious business. I was struck by her comment when referring to her life in 

Antwerp: “Since we’re centrally located, people drop by every once in a while, 

and if I am not running from one appointment to the next, I am happy to 

pause and have a coffee with them.” What a charming and talented woman 

she is! 

LIZ (2018) Krishna Thakrar, Spring 2018: I had never heard of pickleball 

before I read about Krishna. I loved the fact that she quickly became so 

interested and involved in it that she even set up a club in her host country, 

the Netherlands. 

Anna Eklund-Cheong, Summer 2018: I am basically in awe of anyone who can write poetry and there is 

something very special about a good Haiku. So to read about someone who has won an “honourable 

mention” for a haiku she wrote is very special. The haiku is also listed in the Living Haiku Anthology! 

Katrin Thürbach, Fall 2018 : I know Katrin personally as she is a member of my club, AIWC Cologne, so 

yes, I am a little biased. But what I like about her story it really shows us how one woman can make a 

18

difference by taking small actions. Not everyone is destined to be Malala or Greta Thunberg. But we can 

all make a difference in the world as long as we try to. 

KAREN (2019) Rosemary Singleton Rauber, Spring 2019 : Rosemary was asked to write about her 

experiences being a first-time attendee at a FAWCO Interim Meeting. What she wrote exactly described 

my impressions when I attended my first FAWCO Biennial Conference in Mumbai in 2017, and I am sure 

many felt the same their first time. I just hope many more women in the FAWCO world will have the 

chance to attend FAWCO conferences, interim and regional meetings, and enjoy the professionalism, 

competence, appreciation, and friendship that occurs when FAWCO women meet each other. 

In addition, I was so impressed with her artwork “Calculated Risks” that she showed at the interim 

meeting: It is an art project contrasting images of people seeking refuge. They have calculated the risk 

of leaving their homes, often taking perilous journeys, against the calculated risks people make in their 

everyday life going on vacation. These are eye-opening paintings. https://www.artplace.ch/calculated-risks 

Rebecca de Fraites, Summer 2019 : Although she wrote in the travel issue “Women Inspired by Their 

Cities” about the tragic fire that destroyed significant parts of Notre Dame 

in Paris, it is also a story about perseverance, hope, coherence, and good 

storytelling skills with a pinch of (gallows) humor. 

Juliah Rais-Morres, Winter, 2019 : Reading about Juliah and her life was just 

great from beginning to end. If you haven't read it yet, please do - it is time 

well spent! As a German and a teacher who is passionate about reading 

and making a positive impact on teenagers' lives, now living in Singapore 

and thus close to Malaysia, there are so many little pieces to Juliah's story 

that captivate me and make me smile inside. Looking back at Juliah's life 

journey, it's easy to see the common thread woven into her life story. 

BERIT (2020) I really enjoyed Tamara Krautkramer's profile piece, Kenya 

Culminates A Photo Journey, Fall 2020. For me, a great photographer has 

the ability to transport you to where the photo is taken. I feel Tamara does 

this with ease. Her bold use of color truly appeals to me. Even in her photos where color isn't 

predominant, the lighting is exquisite, telling a story with ease. 

Another favorite from that issue is Haley Green's Finding Myself In London Through A Lens, Fall 2020. 

Since the age of 17 I have been a self proclaimed Anglophile. Having lived in London for a short stint, 

and been back to England on numerous occasions to visit friends and family, Haley's photos evoke such 

wonderful memories. She captures everyday life with such ease. I particularly love the photo of the man 

walking his dogs in the rain under his umbrella; it transports me back to the rainy autumn days I 

enjoyed so much. (I had the honor of meeting Haley in Edinburgh at our Biennial Conference in 2019, 

where she shared with me her Instragram handle, postcards.from.london. If you are an Instagram user, 

I highly recommend you follow Haley. Her photos are Absolutely Fabulous...pun-intended!) 

Lastly I really enjoyed Tammy Mayer's profile Living Zero-Waste, Spring 2020 

in France and her feature article Zero Waste, from. I will always be fascinated 

by the lives of others and how we end up where we do. Sometimes it can 

feel inevitable where we end up, while with others it's all a bit of chance! 

After reading about Tammy's journey to France, it seems like she falls into 

the former category, rather than the latter, with a little bit of chance thrown 

in for good measure. How fitting is it that she would find a social club whose 

core is dedicated to the UN SDGs, something that was dear to her? 

Tammy's tips on how to live a Zero Waste life I found to be immensely 

intriguing, inspiring, yet overwhelming! (Admittedly I was relieved to read 

that she herself wasn't completely zero waste, as this made me feel like I 

19

wasn't a dreadful person for not doing everything on the list!) We could all do with consuming less and 

I’m happy to say I have managed many of her suggestions since reading them. 

20 

MICHELE (2021) Stacey Harris-Papioannou, Winter 2021: Greece is one of my 

happy places. The culture, including the warmth of their hospitality toward 

strangers, is one of the many things I love about Greece. I loved reading 

about Stacey’s journey and the experiences she shared about living, 

integrating, and thriving in Greece. 

Cat Conner, Spring 2021: I worked with, well really relied on, Cat when I was 

president of the FAWCO Foundation. Her technology skills, determination to 

solve issues, and patience were quite impressive. I loved reading about how 

she didn’t start out in technology and how she has created a career out of 

doing something she enjoys but wasn’t part of her official education. 

Lindsay Nygren, Fall 2021: “I’ve learned through my involvement with justice, 

that no task is too small or insignificant.” Reading about all the things Lindsay has already done and 

what she still wants to do inspires hope - hope that future generations will carry on and do more. 

What do you like most about the magazine in general? 

ELSIE (2017) When we start out each year planning the themes for each issue, we always feel like we 

know what direction the profiles will take. When we did an issue on food, we profiled chefs, of course! 

For our issue on sports, we profiled runners, EXACTLY. And for Women and Drama, we profiled 

actresses, precisely what we hoped for. And in all cases, these women have achieved so many amazing 

things in their lives. However, the little gift package that we unwrap with every issue is the profile or 

feature about someone who took a different path and made considerable impact in those fields in a 

totally unique and innovative manner. 

LIZ (2018) I love the wide variety of women we profile. Each issue has a theme which makes them 

different anyway, but even within the theme, we rarely get two candidates the same. The women are so 

inspiring to me whatever they do. They find themselves, often living outside their comfort zones, 

making a good life and usually being quite humble about what they have achieved. When I first contact 

the candidates, I regularly get the response “but I’m not inspiring.” I disagree. 

KAREN (2019) Although I am passionate about reading, I sometimes have to make an effort to open the 

magazine (even though I am part of the team). But when I am ready to open it and start reading, I am 

ALWAYS so inspired by the featured women's lives, stories, passion, and achievements that I can't stop 

reading and thinking and admiring them for what they do and share. Reading about FAWCO women 

around the globe is a constant reminder for living and enjoying (if possible) your life to the fullest. 

BERIT (2020) My mother has always said I am like my maternal grandmother 

(I should hope so, I am her namesake) … and that like her, I love reading 

about other people's lives. Being a part of a FAWCO club is inspiring in itself, 

but there is something to be said about having a publication like Inspiring 

Women Magazine. It grants us access to women all over the globe that we 

normally would not have known about or been privy to. Their stories are 

uplifting and motivating and encouraging, something we all need in our 

lives! Long live Inspiring Women Magazine! 

MICHELE (2021) The diversity. I love the variety of themes and the diversity 

of the women chosen to represent the themes. Some themes are more 

serious, but all the issues have a balance of hearty and lighter stories. All the 

issues are educational and uplifting. Truly, each issue is a collection of some 

of the best examples there are of inspiring women.

Summer Archives: 2017 

“Anything Is 

Possible If You 

Allow Destiny to 

Cross Your Path” 

FAWCO creativity on show for our 

Designing Women Issue. 

The theme for this issue was about women who 

design – taking an idea beyond the point of 

creation. We were interested in the process of 

vision, to design, to fruition. We wanted to know if 

the women’s exposure to different cultures 

moves them from their vision or enhances it. And 

what defines a designer’s success? 

We asked: 

“Is there a member of your club involved in the 

wide world of design? Perhaps they are an 

architect, a town planner, a graphic designer, 

dress maker, engineer, interior designer, 

landscape/floral designer, textile/fashion/jewelry 

designer? In their field, have they done 

something of particular interest? We are looking 

for someone who designs and has done 

something with it, for instances where the design 

became more than just a sketch on a pad.” 

We weren’t surprised that we received profiles of 

such accomplished designers. They dared to face 

the challenges of never-been-done-before 

skepticism. Their ultimate success in a wide 

range of “disciplines” redefines that word. 


• The cover was by Clydette DeGroot from AWG 

Paris. The image of the singer remains a 

complete mystery! 


“ChocAlicious” Creator Carolien Krijnen (AWC Antwerp). 

Creativity breeds creativity! The women profiled 

in this issue weren’t successful in only one field 

of design. Their achievements in one area 

motivated them to try other things. Culture, too, 

played a big role in their process, whether the 

culture was home grown or came from their 

host countries. 

21


“She Has a Way 

With Words...” 

A profound influence and impact: 

Women of Words and Language. 

The word is … illuminating. Fascinating. Funny. 

Frustrating! How does one become successful in 

the world of words? We were interested in 

finding out what makes people pick up their pens 

and articulate their thoughts and visions in a way 

that makes its mark on others. 

A good cookbook writer can make your mouth 

water. A romance novelist should make you cry, 

and critical writers should make you think. We 

wanted to know: how do they measure success? 

And what about “the process”? Do ideas come in 

the shower, on the subway, in the garden, or 

sitting in an office from 9 to 5? Does chocolate 

really help? 

Our profilees live with words and work in a 

variety of genres – fiction, non-fiction, writers of 

columns, curriculums, and haikus. We explored 

the beauty of the spoken word as well as how to 

effectively use the “best” words online via the 

various social media. 


• The Inspiring Women team was so inspired 

by the achievements of all our profilees in this 

issue, we stretched our own “creative 

envelope” and wrote new and unique titles 

for all of our profiles and features. 

• We added a new member to our Inspiring 

Women team, Karen Boeker, AWC Denmark, 

as our Distribution Manager. 


You cannot truly appreciate the depths of talent 

of those who are “good writers” until you attempt 

to write yourself. A guiding principle for good 

communication is saying more with less. What 

distinguishes these excellent writers from others 

is the ability to use beautiful words in a way that 

vividly paints the picture they want you to see. 

Victoria Kellaway (AWC Bogotá), a journalist at home 

amongst “friends”! 

22


“Letting No Grass 

Grow Under Our 

Feet” 

The travel issue: Women Inspired 

by Their Cities. 

Welcome to our first “travel issue”! We thought 

that the best way to get readers around the world 

was to ask FAWCO members to tell us about how 

they came to fall in love with the cities they live in 

and how they have been able to convert that love 

in way that can be shared with others. 

We asked: 

“Please send us candidates from your club who 

make your city come alive for visitors. These 

members either do this as a passion or do it for a 

living. They can specialize in the mainstream or 

the quirky features of your town.” 

One of the wonderful aspects of being part of 

FAWCO is talking to members of clubs from other 

cities. We know that we all have at least one thing 

in common: the desire to take adventures 

beyond our borders and experience things that 

make us grow and expand our personal 

horizons. We are curious. But we are not afraid. 


• Members were asked to submit their favorite 

photos of their host/home countries for our 

“Project 62” photo competition. We presented 

some of the photos at the FAWCO 

Conference. And – yes! There was a quiz! We 

asked readers to test their “world traveler” 

knowledge. 


Mary Stange (former AWC Bogotá member, now Individual 

FAWCO member) hugging the Tree of Wishes on a hike to 

La Chorrera Falls, Colombia. 

Contributors to this issue were not at a loss for 

words when talking about the places they lived! 

No matter how remote or exotic a place is, to 

them it is their home away from home and there 

is something unique about it that they willingly 

share with others. 

23


“This Wasn’t 

Exactly the 

Summer We 

Expected” 

The COVID-19 issue 

FAWCO Women: Isolating Apart, 

Learning Together. 

The world was facing one of the biggest 

challenges in modern history. How we acted and 

reacted would set the agenda for us as we moved 

ahead. After originally planning a “Women and 

Photography” issue, the Inspiring Women team 

felt that it was important to capture what was 

happening at that moment and share it with 

our readers. 

For this very special issue we wanted to profile 

FAWCO club members who were called to take 

action in some way because of the COVID-19 virus 

pandemic. We asked, “Who are the medical 

professionals, teachers, community leaders in the 

forefront of the fight against COVID-19? Are there 

women in our clubs who have chosen to use their 

skills and talents in a unique way to assist others 

in getting through the pandemic?” 

This issue offered profiles in courage, patience, 

and hope. We learned about members who 

performed with grit and grace in nearly the same 

breath. And there was caring and kindness on 

every page. 


• The Luxembourg Interim Meeting was 

planned for March. The last time FAWCO 

cancelled its meeting was in 1940, at the 

advent of World War II.These decisions are 

not taken lightly and those empowered to 

make them had to take the health of the 

members and the organization into 

consideration. Not something anyone 

expected when they volunteered to help 

coordinate the event! 

• We officially introduced two new members of 

the Inspiring Women Team. Berit Torkildsen 

(AWC Oslo) is our Social Media Manager, and 

Michele Hendrikse Du Bois (Munich IWC, 

FAUSA) is our Features Coordinator. 


Joannie Guy (AW of Aquitaine) ready for work in an LA 

hospital during the COVID-19 crisis. 

Smart women made sacrifices to help others. 

Their achievements made a difference in their 

towns, hospitals and schools. Generosity 

abounded in this issue. Members gave their time 

to help others. They shared their ideas, their tips, 

and their humor. When others fell, they lift them 

up again. 

24


It’s Finally Time to Breathe! 

Summer 2021: The Women and Wellness Issue. 

What a challenge 2021 was for us to maintain personal wellness! The COVID-19 pandemic is a 21stcentury 

scourge. It remains to be seen what this virus’s damage will be to health and wellness. 

We wanted “to profile women who promote the significance of wellness in daily life and offer the means 

to achieve it. We wanted to profile women who work in traditional or naturopathic medicine, exercise, 

or meditation. Or they may work in mental health or the arts, nutrition, or diet and they might offer a 

means to restore personal order or seek adventure.” 

We profiled members who are in tune with the many facets of wellness. Their stories explain how they 

made their journey—topics such as promoting good health by pushing the boundaries of our physical 

limitations or changes to diet. There were articles about members who support mental health. The 

search for wellness spans many disciplines, but they all have one thing in common: they are offering an 

opportunity for others to find the key to personal peace and calmness. 

“Yoga Brings Me 

Zen in an 

Instant!” 

Maija Airas-Ceri, member of ICW 

of Torino, discovered the magic of 

yoga when she was pregnant. 

Today she teaches it both 

on- and off-line. 

Maija Airas-Ceri 

I grew up in a single-family house in a residential 

area of Hollola, Finland, a village close to Lahti 

which is a city famous for its winter sports (ski 

jumping and cross-country). We spent our winters 

cross-country skiing and ice skating. In the 

summer we played in the forests and swam in the 

nearby shallow lakes. When I was seven years old, 

my family moved to Toronto, Canada, for a year. 

Since in Finland, children don’t start school until 

age seven, my very first year of school was in 

Canada, learning to speak, read and write English. 

25

Germany and recruited me to work for her 

company in the automotive industry. 

Feeling homesick 

After a few years in Munich, working in a very 

international role in the automotive industry and, 

traveling from Malaysia to Brazil, I got homesick. I 

transferred to work in Ulm, Germany for the 

Finnish telecom company Nokia. I ended up 

staying there for 13 years, in the beginning doing 

marketing and traveling the world, launching new 

mobile phones; later I transferred into research & 

development leading an innovation team. 

Enter Cupid! 

I met my husband, French-Italian Alexandre/ 

Alessandro in Ulm. We got married in Finland in 

the summer of 2005, and our two boys were born 

in Germany in 2006 and 2008. In 2012, my 

husband’s company transferred him to Lyon, 

France. I followed him six months later, when 

Nokia laid off its entire workforce in Ulm. 

Me in the 1970s. 

Leaving home 

After finishing high school at age 18, I moved away 

from home to study textile engineering in a nearby 

town called Tampere. I ended up traveling 

extensively during my student years - skiing and 

taking cultural trips in Europe. I also did two 

summer job trainee exchanges: one in Lyon, 

France and another one in Barcelona, Spain, as 

well as a longer one-year exchange in Rennes, 

France. After graduating, I worked for the Finnish 

elevator company Kone in the global after-sales 

department. Then an old roommate of mine from 

university called me. She had moved to Munich, 

Home today 

In Lyon, I started my own company, Gotta Joga, 

developing yoga apps for European women. In 

2016, my husband was transferred again, now to 

his hometown of Torino (after 17 years abroad). 

So here I am with my now 12- and 14-year old 

sons, living in Torino and spending the weekends 

and holidays in the nearby mountains skiing, 

hiking and riding my mountain bike. 

What is wellness? 

For me, wellness is harmony and self love. I 

started seeking wellness to take care of myself: 

practicing yoga, eating healthy, spending much 

time in nature and (pre-COVID-19) sharing 

experiences with my friends and family. In Finland 

we all live in houses that have saunas. For us, 

cleaning and relaxing in the sauna is the primary 

Teaching a yoga class. 

26

wellness activity. We use the sauna at least twice a 

week, often combined with a dip in a lake or snow. 

Becoming interested in wellness 

I grew up in the middle of wonderful Finnish 

nature. It was natural for me to spend time and do 

sports outside. In my teens, when I went to high 

school in the nearby city and later to study in the 

university, it became obvious that the time for 

sports was no longer natural. It became necessary 

for me to add sports to my schedule in order to 

feel well and fit for studying. 

I felt the mind-body connection very strongly from 

the time I began studying. I did lots of aerobics 

and stretching to keep fit. Whenever possible, I still 

went skiing, hiking or rollerblading outside. 

An introduction to yoga 

When I got pregnant in Germany, through my 

midwife, I got introduced to yoga. The preparation 

for giving birth and the post-natal gym were very 

yoga-inspired. Soon after, a Finnish yoga teacher 

came to live in Ulm, and we started a Finnish yoga 

group in a garage. It was a life-changing 

experience for me. I remember that the euphoric 

feeling after the first yoga classes reminded me of 

the relaxed feeling after coming out of sauna. I 

haven‘t stopped practicing since then. 

With my husband and kids in 2012. 

starting to teach was too difficult for me, that I had 

started too late to advance into teaching. 

I continue to practice with Amy Petty, my trainer 

from the teacher training. Thanks to COVID-19, 

she is also teaching online now. Despite the 

distance between Seattle and Torino, we are in 

touch several times a week. I also find great 

inspiration from my teacher and anatomy genius, 

Valentina Amato, from Torino. Also Anu Visuri, my 

first yoga teacher and my business partner, has 

been my inspiration in learning and teaching yoga. 

And Vanessa de Haas, my teacher from Lyon, 

France, is a yoga genius with whom I continue 

practicing today. 

Misconceptions about yoga 

Many people think that in order to practice or 

teach yoga you need to be flexible, young and 

skinny. (Instagram phenomenon?) Yoga is really 

for everybody. Teaching yoga is a professional skill 

just like any other: you do it with passion and 

continuous study. You do not have to be a 

professional gymnast to be a good yoga teacher. It 

is more important to have good pedagogic skills 

and good training. Modern yoga is very advanced 

in the study of anatomy, taking into account the 

needs of different people and body types. 

Yoga in the snow. 

After 10 years of practice (and starting my own 

yoga app business) with teachers in Germany, 

France and Italy, I attended a 200-hour yoga 

teacher training (certified by Yoga Alliance) in 

Turin, Italy. It was organized by a local yoga studio 

with the lead teacher, Amy Petty, from Seattle, 

Washington in the US. So I have formal training in 

modern postural yoga as a Vinyasa yoga teacher 

as well. 

Overcoming obstacles 

I started yoga relatively late (at almost 40 years 

old). I also have a yoga business, where I work with 

many top European yoga teachers. I felt like 

The future of yoga? 

During the last year, the online offering of yoga 

has exploded as yoga studios had to close down. 

We at IWC Torino also do our yoga classes via 

Zoom with the hope of being able to do outdoor 

classes during the summer. 

Benefits of yoga for me 

It brings me zen in an instant. Also for a busy 

mom, yoga is something you can do any time and 

anywhere. Even 15 minutes is already a good 

practice. It is important for us moms to take care 

of ourselves; we are thus in a happier place with 

our loved ones and our colleagues/clients. I am 

also happy to be able to make a living as a nomad 

via yoga; not by teaching, but through my digital 

yoga service “Yoga with Gotta Joga.” 

27

With some of my yoga friends. 

Important influences in my life 

My mom has been the most hard-working, 

generous person I ever met, giving me an example 

of someone who never gives up and always keeps 

on going. My dad was an innovator and gave me a 

good brain that is able to learn. 

A different life? 

Wellness is already my third career after 

marketing and engineering. I think that if I had 

lived in another period of time, e.g., the Middle 

Ages, I would have been an artisan. I love to create 

practical things out of concrete materials: textiles, 

clay, paper, wood and even food. 

28

FEATURE 

That’s Inspired! 

Each quarter for the last five years we have told you about FAWCO members who 

inspire us. The Inspiring Women Team decided to ask a few FAWCO friends two 

simple questions: “Who Inspires You? And “What Inspires You?” We wanted to 

know who and what motivates each of them. Thanks to those who responded! 

Margaret Hilditch, Munich IWC, former FAWCO Foundation 

Secretary 

Who Inspires You? 

I think top of my list would be – Michelle Obama. In her 

book, Becoming, she speaks about her role in the 

White House. She highlights the normalcy of life as a 

wife, a mother, a career woman and her demanding 

role and unfailing support as the president's wife. A 

major inspiration is her ability to be supportive while 

still being her own person. As a young, inexperienced 

RAF wife in the 70s, I knew there would be little 

sympathy if I decided life was too hard with my 

husband constantly on deployment and me home 

alone with the children. With hindsight, I realized that I 

became more resilient and mature, embracing the 

challenges and discovering new avenues for my 

talents. I never regretted a moment of our time in 

military service. 

The Hilditch Family in the early days. 

What Inspires You? 

People who embrace the challenges and 

difficulties in life regardless of their circumstances 

and situations. In a fast-changing world, we need 

people, like Michelle Obama, as role models who 

are inspirational, supportive, inventive and 

compassionate as we grow and change. 

The Obama Family, 2011. 

29

Sallie Chaballier, AAWE Paris, former FAWCO President 


My friend (and fellow AAWE Paris member) 

Sher Betz inspires me through her work 

running ”Les Amis de Hampaté Bâ”, a charitable 

association that provides scholarships and 

academic support to deeply disadvantaged girls 

in Niamey, Niger. Sher personally mentors 60 

scholarship girls, giving them the 

encouragement and support they need to 

complete their schooling and escape the cycle 

of dropping out of school, early marriage and 

childbirth. 

Sher Betz at the Collège Hampaté Bâ in Niamey, Niger. 

Sher says, “Year after year, I plant seeds and 

see the girls growing and blossoming: they are 

a new promise for Niger, a country that 

desperately needs, talented young women like 

them. Their success has an immense impact on 

their life path and on that of their families. 


It may sound corny, but Paris inspires me. I am very fortunate to live in the historic center of arguably 

the most beautiful city in the world, and all I need to cheer up is to walk down my street to the bridge 

on the Seine five minutes away and admire the light and the beauty. 

A spectacular view of Paris on the Seine, from the Pont Louis Philippe. Photo taken by Sallie! 

30

Georgia Regnault, AWC of The Hague, former FAWCO President 


I am inspired by my six grandchildren, ranging 

in age from 17-9, as they confront the world 

they are growing up in and their thoughts on 

improving and saving it. 

2019 photo of Georgia’s inspirational grandkids! 


I am inspired by my 12-year attendance and upbringing at the all-girls Quaker school, Lincoln, in 

Providence, RI during the 1950s. It taught me that one should stop sometimes and just be alone with 

one's thoughts and that I could do anything as a woman in the future. 

Picture of school exactly as it was when I went there -- same red door! 

31

Cynthia Smith-Ayed, AIWC Casablanca, former FAWCO Foundation 

VP Communications. 


The most inspiring thing for me as an adult was joining a group of women runners. Support, advice, 

encouragement was in abundance. Running my first marathon at age 50 (husband was waiting at 

the finish line) and dozens of other ones around the world allowed me to see a different view of many 

famous cities. More importantly it taught me not to say, “I can't” but to say, “what do I need to do?” 


My husband of 44 years, Jaloul Ayed. He is an economist, international banker, classical music 

composer, writer, and my best friend. He has always aspired to be the best version of himself and 

therefore does the same for those close to him. 

Cynthia, center, back row with Casablanca Running Group. 

Jaloul Ayed. 

Rick Chizmadia, FAUSA, former FAUSA President 


Making music, performing and sharing with 

others to make them feel good! 


My friend Tyler Collins. He passed away in 

2019. He was the most selfless, caring person 

that I have ever met. He would go out of his 

way to help you and make you feel welcome. 

32

Mary Stewart Burgher, AWC Denmark, FAWCO US Voting Chair 


It’s very brief: “my mom and Lucy”. My mother, 

Pauline Arnold Schweppe, worked to grow and 

develop every day of her life and that 

development included becoming a therapist in 

her 50s and increasing service to women and 

homeless people. 

Aretha Franklin 

Mary Stewart (R) with Lucy Laederich and Judy Furukawa. 

During my first catching of FAWCO fever I was in 

awe of the leaders I met. As voting by Americans 

overseas became my passion, Lucy Laederich 

(AAWE Paris and long-serving US Liaison) 

became a hero to me. I watched her use her 

knowledge, wit, elegance and networking skills to 

fight for the interests of Americans overseas in 

many arenas. Like many leaders, she enabled coworkers 

to develop new skills to use in the cause 

and inspired others to take up the torch when 

she had to lay it down. 


Two things: excellence and service. 

Excellence in the arts is particularly inspiring. I have been singing since age eight and I love to hear great 

singers individually, but especially in groups. Watching them is delightful too, as the best sound comes 

from good technique as well as a good voice. Favorites include Bjørk, Aretha Franklin (give yourself a 

treat and listen to her rendition of Nessun Dorma) and choirs such as Soweto Gospel Choir, Les 

Mysteres des Voix Bulgares, Chanticleer and my favorite in Denmark, Sokkelund Sangkor, have given 

me transcendent experiences. The arts also constitute service to society and many great artists serve 

society in more than one way. For example, did you know Aretha Franklin was very active in the US civil 

rights movement? 

One of my club’s and FAWCO’s primary attractions are the opportunities that they offer for service. 

These opportunities also benefit the volunteers by enabling them to develop new skills and abilities. 

33

Liz MacNiven, AIWC Cologne, Inspiring Women Editor 


I am inspired by her majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In 

2022, aged 96, she celebrates her Platinum Jubilee 

which means she will have served our country for 

70 years and is an extraordinary achievement. She 

is the longest-reigning British monarch and the 

longest-serving female head of state in history. 

Certainly not everything is rosy in the house of 

Windsor, but I am very grateful for what she does. 


In the summer of 2016 I got a phone call from the 

inspiring Sallie Chaballier who was VP 

Communications of FAWCO at the time. She told 

me that Robin Goldsby, a fellow member of 

AIWCC, musician, writer of numerous fabulous 

books and an all round lovely woman, had 

recommended me for a new position in FAWCO – 

Inspiring Women magazine editor. Robin 

thinking I was good enough for the job inspired 

and encouraged me to agree! 

Robin Meloy Goldsby. 

34

Fall Archives: 2017 

“Passion with a 

Purpose” 

The FAWCO Target Project is 

highlighted in the Educating 

Women Issue. 

The theme for this issue was a “no-brainer”. As 

FAWCO clubs entered the heart of the 

membership year, many would focus on the 

Target Program: Education, Empowering Women 

and Girls through Knowledge and Skills. Our 

theme, Women in Education, supported those 

efforts. We knew this issue had to be special. 

We asked: 

“Is there a member of your club involved in the 

wide world of education? They can be involved in 

traditional roles, in academics or, educators who 

have traveled a different path, school 

administrators who have made a difference or 

advocates working to improve education in their 

communities. Lecturers, trainer, sports coach, 

sports instructor; any kind of educator in fact! “ 

The women we selected were blessed with a 

special vision. Their mission was to bring 

education to everyone, whether in traditional 

settings or outside their comfort zone. Because 

education is absolute: with it, we have everything, 

without it, we have nothing. 


• This issue of Inspiring Women was the first 

issue on the Yumpu platform. We had an 

incredible 7130 views! 

• During this time the Inspiring Women team 

added Marie-Bénédicte Luxem from AWC 

Zurich to our team as our Cover Coordinator. 

Her contribution greatly improved our work. 


“Passion” is a word that is repeated throughout 

the profiles and features in this issue. Educating 

others is a calling. In addition to the many 

formidable skills one must have to teach, one 

must have strength, discipline, courage and a 

never-ending source of optimism. 

Megan Morris (AIWC Düsseldorf) with her students. 

35


“The Difference is 

That These 

Women Did Not 

Look Away” 

Women Who Persist, Part 1. 

This issue profiled women from our clubs who are 

walking the walk. Through their insistence and 

their persistence, they set out to right a wrong, 

elevate justice and make the case for a better 

human condition. 

We asked: 

“What is it about these women that motivates 

them to step out on the ledge of a troubled world 

and join the journey to make it a better place?” 

Big issue or small, we wanted to dive deeply into 

the psyche of those who take those very 

important steps. Women’s rights, children’s 

rights, poverty, hunger, health or the 

environment – there are challenges everywhere 

we look. The women we profiled chose their path 

and never looked back, 

As members of FAWCO, these women take the 

organization to a higher place. While they do not 

feel what they do is extraordinary, their energy 

and determination inspire us to achieve more in 

this world. 


• The Inspiring Women team received a record 

25 nominations for this issue. (A record that 

still stands today!) 


As one would expect, the response to the call for 

candidates for this issue was nothing short of 

overwhelming. Their stories were so outstanding 

that the Inspiring Women team made the 

decision to carry over this theme to the Spring 

2019 issue, so all the profiles were published. 

Jenny Ciucci (Heidelberg IWC) with young women from 

“Children First” in Cambodia. 

36


“Improving the 

State of Women’s 

Health is the 

Cornerstone to 

Improving 

Everyone’s 

Health” 

Targeting healthy lives: the 

Health and Well-Being Issue. 

Earlier in 2019, FAWCO launched Target Program 

4.0 at the Biennial Conference. “Ensuring Healthy 

Lives and Promoting Well-Being to Improve the 

Lives of Women and Girls" would be the focus of 

our next campaign. 

Soon, FAWCO Representatives and Presidents 

would begin their clubs’ education and awareness 

programs. From prenatal care for girls, basic 

access to healthcare, cancers in women, 

reproductive rights, violence against women and 

girls and mental health to aging, there was a lot 

of ground to cover. 

For the fall issue, Inspiring Women profiled 

FAWCO members who are or have been on the 

frontlines of health issues. 

We asked: 

“We want to hear stories from doctors, nurses, 

researchers, social workers – any advocates from 

your club who are working or have worked to 

improve the health of women and girls.“ 

The women profiled for this issue were 

motivated by individual life experiences. 

However, they defined their success in one 

strong, unified chorus – to help others. 


• The look of the magazine is ever evolving and 

we went big with a “new look” cover. 


Dawn Parker (FAUSA and AWEP) on the job as Director of 

Nursing Ministry of National Guard Health, Dammam, 

Saudi Arabia. 

Helping others brought about two distinct 

outcomes. The first was the satisfaction of being 

able to help patients and clients attain wellbeing. 

The other was the women’s passion to 

teach others, whether it was mentoring 

colleagues or elevating well-being awareness in 

their communities. 

37


“Visualizing a 

Point of View” 

FAWCO photographers focus their 

lenses on the world: Women and 

Photography. 

Those who choose photography as the medium 

to artistically express themselves do not have a 

blank canvas; there are pictures are all around 

them. Their art starts with reality. The creation of 

their art is in how they shape the existing scene 

through the use the light, color and perspective. 

Their artist’s palette also includes a unique item, 

serendipity, to be at a place at the exact time 

when everything or nothing is perfect. 

Photography as a window on the times is 

essential. The pictures reveal the current “state of 

play”. They help to form and inform our beliefs 

and move many people from spectators to 

participants. The photographers who take these 

pictures speak truth to power; no language or 

voice is required. 

The Inspiring Women team wanted to know 

more about the FAWCO members who have 

chosen the lens of a camera to do their 

talking. Whether as an expression of art or to 

reveal the truth, their pictures are the best way to 

illustrate their achievements. 


• This issue was our longest issue, coming out 

at 107 pages. 

• The magazine contains a record 216 photos 

in total. 


Strength and confidence in a photo by Brigit Meuwissen 

(AWC Antwerp) who was inspired by the Black Lives Matter 

movement. 

The FAWCO women who were profiled in this 

issue were amazing artists and storytellers. Their 

photos were beautiful, exquisite, and hopeful. 

They were strong, confident images but not 

lacking in grace, a reflection of the character of 

our members. 

38


Working Towards an Equitable 

World for All 

Fall 2021: The Women and Justice Issue. 

Justice was selected as one of the themes for the 2021 issues in the later part of 2020. George Floyd was 

murdered in May of that year. This horrific incident brought to a crescendo the Black Lives Matter 

movement and the tympanic roar for justice resounded around the world. How the rule of law would be 

disseminated would be a crucial measure of how we value this basic human right now and in the years 

to come. 

We were eager to profile members who have been seeking justice from grassroots or gleaming 

corporate offices. Inequities exist for women, so they view justice through a different lens. Living in 

places outside one’s home country adds other filters to the lens. And what role does culture have in 

how we view justice? 

The women profiled are “on the ground” dealing with the most difficult issues and situations; refugees 

and immigration policy, women’s rights, discrimination in education as a barrier to equality, sexual 

violence against women, to highlight a few. And because justice is at its best when there is a balance in 

the distribution of the rule of law, a program for fathers’ rights. 

These women came from various educational and cultural backgrounds. But no matter how or when 

they started their journey, they all want to achieve the same thing: a better and more equitable world 

for everyone. 

“Justice is Truth 

in Action” 

Kelsey McKay, member of FAUSA 

and founder of the non-profit 

organization RESPOND Against 

Violence, tells us about her work 

in the field. 

Kelsey McKay 

I was born in Florida, where both of my parents 

grew up. We quickly moved to Texas, then 

Australia (where we lived in Sydney and Perth), 

then England and Boston. In 1990 our family 

moved to Jakarta, Indonesia where we lived for 

eight years until I graduated from high school. I 

attended the Jakarta International School starting 

in the 5 th grade and was lucky to have a hold on 

moving through the end of high school. We would 

generally come home for three months during the 

summer, where I would get a taste of American 

life—going to the beach and making up dance 

39

psychology. There was no major for changing the 

world, but I did manage to graduate with honors 

with a psychology degree where I focused on 

research, statistics, and how they were used to 

impact social issues. At the time, I didn’t realize 

that I had fallen into what would be my career. 

Me aged about four. 

routines with my cousins, shopping at a mall, and 

going to the same summer camp year after year. 

It was at that camp many years later that I met my 

husband. I always loved feeling like a typical 

American kid for a few months every year, but I 

always knew that I was different than everyone 

else because of the other nine months. 

Leaving home 

I left Indonesia after graduating from high school 

and moved to Austin, Texas, where I attended the 

University of Texas. It was an odd transition 

because while I looked like many of the girls 

around me, I couldn’t have been more different. I 

had never worn makeup, I didn’t know what a 

sorority or khaki shorts were, and I wore flip-flops 

year-round. 

Today 

I live in Austin, Texas, with my husband, Jared, and 

an (almost) 11-year daughter and (almost) nineyear-old 

son. After college, I was grateful to stay in 

Austin for law school, and then I just never left. In 

2005 I started working as a prosecutor and spent 

the next 12 years navigating the world of criminal 

justice and learning everything I could about 

violent crime and trauma and became a subjectmatter 

expert in asphyxiation-related crimes. 

Somewhere during that time (2010 and 2012), we 

had two children and started a real estate and 

renovation business! In the seven years before 

COVID-19 I was traveling a few times a month 

across the country, training and consulting with 

different agencies. 

What is justice? 

This is a question I ask a lot when I’m training 

police officers, attorneys or advocates—all who 

work to achieve justice. For me, personally, it 

means the validation of truth. The tagline for the 

non-profit RESPOND Against Violence I recently 

started is: “Justice is truth in action.” It’s difficult 

because it seems like such a simple concept, and 

an achievable goal—but with an uneven playing 

field that punishes survivors, it’s hard to do. 

Getting involved 

At first, I thought becoming a prosecutor was 

essentially a way to do volunteer work that I was 

During college, I really became engaged in 

learning and consuming information and 

processing my perspective and thoughts. I never 

took extracurriculars like sports or art—I always 

used extra hours to take classes or seminars that 

would make me think: epidemiology, presidential 

elections, the rhetoric of utopia, political 

philosophy, and so on. 

Finding my passion 

I struggled early on, not quite knowing what to 

study, trying economics, special education, 

journalism, government, statistics, and 

Me with RESPOND colleagues. 

40

understand their perspective to be able to teach 

them effectively. 

With my family. 

passionate about but have benefits, a paycheck, 

and be an adult. I was doing “justice” every day, 

on every case to the best of my ability. Some days 

seemed more significant than others, like trials or 

verdicts that sent murderers, rapists or child 

abusers to prison. But I started to see that my 

involvement or a guilty verdict was not nearly as 

significant to the victim or the broken system in 

which I was working in. Over the years, I started to 

see routine injustice and failures that were 

ignored over and over again at the cost of people 

and lives. At first, I always believed that victims 

were only hurt by criminals who abused them. In 

time, I learned that punishment often came from 

the trauma of the system that failed to protect 

them in a meaningful way. 

I spent years working on the local level, trying to 

fix the failures one by one, only to discover that 

most parts of the criminal legal system are very 

resistant to change on the systemic level. When I 

left prosecution, I was worried about the survivors 

who might not get justice but knew that 

meaningful change just could not occur one case 

at a time. 

Different perspectives 

I love learning about a different perspective. I’ve 

been lucky to be able to focus a lot of my energy 

on the very specific topic of strangulation and 

asphyxiation-related crimes, which has also 

forced me to understand the issues and 

challenges that surround this oftenmisunderstood 

type of violence. It has forced me 

to learn about aspects of crime that I would never 

have navigated. My expertise in the area has also 

given me the opportunity to think about the topic 

from every perspective. When you walk into an 

auditorium full of doctors or police officers or 

army generals or defense attorneys, you have to 

Fifteen years ago, I discovered an issue: our 

community was not responding to strangulation 

crimes in a uniform or informed way. Since then, 

I’ve talked to anyone who would listen. First our 

cadet academy, then our paramedics and 

eventually the ERs, probation and parole boards, 

people on the plane next to me, and anyone who 

dares to sit next to me at a dinner party. As I 

found solutions, I have traveled the country to 

help the criminal system better respond to these 

crimes. Seeing that the same problem exists 

everywhere allows the solutions I’ve developed to 

be utilized universally. 

Rewarding aspects 

One of the most rewarding aspects has been 

conversations with survivors, especially those who 

exist in a world of sexual exploitation. Those 

conversations and relationships provide me an 

understanding of a world that originally motivated 

me to do this work. Growing up in Southeast Asia, 

I often saw children and women in vulnerable 

positions but lacked insight into how complex the 

situation was for them. It is the predators behind 

the shadows that force them to the front. Until we 

see in those shadows, we will continue to punish 

survivors. Talking to survivors and learning from 

them has taught me how to create policies that 

support safety rather than punish survival. 

What’s next? 

I hope the future holds a generation that 

prioritizes humanity and equality despite 

appearance and circumstances. I hope we see 

change that provides the vulnerable with a more 

consistent and reliable system to live in a safe 

world for themselves and their children. I’m 

encouraged by my colleagues around me, who I 

41

Giving a presentation. 

have found over the years who speak the same 

language as me and fight for justice in new ways. 

I often encounter defensiveness on issues where 

conversations and perspectives are the solutions. 

The way we speak to each other in this world 

becomes too adversarial (similar to the court 

system) and builds walls rather than bridges. 

Headlines themselves are rarely informative nor 

are they an effort to change the hearts and minds 

of society. But they encourage division and 

judgment. To shift culture on topics like crime, 

gender, and race, we have first to be informed by 

truth and accept that the reality for one person is 

not necessarily the experience of another. If we 

listen more, understand others, we can work 

together on issues. There is so much division in 

the world and conversations are the bridge to 

working together. 

I worry that we don’t have enough voices on our 

side, and I’m discouraged that gender-based 

violence is seen as just a women’s issue—because 

women can’t make men stop abusing them. Only 

men can do that. But I find good men are often 

defensive on the topic. What I have discovered, 

through years of training in a male-dominated 

culture (policing), is simply that men don’t live in 

the same world as I do. Men don’t fear women the 

way women fear men. So when the first 

responder to a gender-based crime is a male with 

a gun—there is an automatic barrier, and it is the 

role of an officer (not a traumatized victim) to try 

to bridge that gap. 

Injustices that I see 

After seeing thousands of people victimized by 

violence and working with both survivors and 

those charged with crimes, I learned that the 

criminal legal system often does not help. People 

are often defined as a defendant or a victim – 

without any context of their experience. As a 

result, victims who struggle to live through their 

situation are often criminalized for surviving. I see 

predators manipulate law enforcement, 

communities and judges and worry that our 

current system often empowers them by 

punishing victims. We need to humanize 

populations who face adversity and struggle, due 

to trauma, and penalize actual offenders who are 

dangerous and pose a risk to our safety. Right 

now, we see anyone who commits any type of 

crime as a criminal rather than making a 

distinction between people and dangerous 

criminals. As a result, survivors get caught up in 

the penal system as they navigate survival. 

The issues are layered and we have a system that 

silos every topic rather than dealing with the 

complexity. The root cause of addiction, 

homelessness and so many other issues is 

domestic violence and yet the conversation about 

prevention and accountability for that crime still 

remains silent. 

Policy needs to be evidence-based so that we can 

solve real problems with authentic solutions. 

Otherwise, we are just making the same mistakes 

over and over again and calling it a solution. 

When justice is attached to politics, power, or 

money – I see this all the time – avoiding 

transparency and accountability cover up truth 

and progress. At RESPOND Against Violence, we 

hope to create sustainable change through 

proven practice. 

With my daughter. 

42

A typical day for me 

My days are absolute chaos. My eyes open and 

my immediate hope is that my body rested and 

slept well enough to take on the day. Regardless 

of the reality, the morning starts with coffee and a 

few deep breaths. I’ve almost stopped watching 

the news but usually wake up around 2:00 a.m. 

for an hour and read Heather Cox Richardson’s 

historical review of the day. I get a sweet kiss and 

smile from my son, an early bird, and I get to 

work. I always dream of taking things off my to-do 

list but rarely end the day with anything checked 

off. There hasn’t been a day in the last five years 

that I’ve been able to read every email, text, or 

voicemail I’ve received. 

Before COVID-19, I was traveling about 50% of the 

time. Since then, my days are a variation of 

helping a prosecutor, colleague, or police officer 

with a case; supporting a survivor or a family 

member understand the reality of the system 

they entered; meeting with colleagues from 

around the country to develop forward-thinking 

approaches, training, or policies; building power 

points; presenting virtually to conferences or 

communities; working on a variety of publications 

to make sure that practitioners have evidencebased 

research to support their work; making a 

smoothie; making sure the kids are alive; Zoom 

meetings; taskforce meetings; reading journal 

articles; working on curriculums; scheduling 

conferences; creating resources without funding; 

trying to keep up with emails, requests; getting a 

phone call to deal with an emergency; making 

sure the kids did school; figuring out what to do 

for dinner. And then watching America’s Got 

Talent with the kids, and we all crash. Once in a 

while, I have time to wash my hair. Other days I 

use dry shampoo. 

43

Souvenirs from Across the FAWCO World 

Jump right in! It is midnight and the 

sun still bathes a serene glow over the 

lakes and forests of Finland in the 

summer. 

Finland is known for its beautiful 

nature and is great for exploring at all 

times of year, but there is something 

special about the light summer nights 

at a Finnish mökki (cabin). 

Ann Marie Morrow, FAWCO 1st VP and 

member of AWC Finland, Region 2 

Frankfurt is a vivid mix of old and 

new architecture. This is a view 

of the Frankfurt skyline with 

Römer Cathedral in the background 

from one of six bridges right in 

town, crossing the Main River. 

Danita Waterfall-Brizzi, President, AIWC 

Frankfurt, Region 5 

44

The Eiffel Tower is one of the most 

iconic structures in the world. Just 

like the Statue of Liberty in NYC, it 

represents a city and the feelings 

and ideas associated with that city. 

For me, Paris represents creativity, 

stimulation and romance. I chose 

this photo of the Eiffel Tower because 

it was taken at sunrise, when the 

city is still sleeping; you have the 

impression you are alone to take in 

the beauty of the iron lady and keep 

her as your own personal secret and 

romance. 

Krystal Kenney, Member-at-large, AWG 

Paris, Region 3 

The streets of Bogotá are filled with 

the shouts of "Aguacate, aguacate!" 

from mobile vendors with carts piled 

high with bright green orbs. Choosing 

the right avocado is a quintessential 

skill and art form in Colombia, 

utilizing all of one's senses. You 

don't just tell the vendor the number 

you want to buy, but for when you 

want them – to ensure they will be 

perfectly ripe when you need them to 

be. "Four, please, two for today and 

two for Thursday." To me, there's no 

better souvenir than experiencing 

Colombia's rich agriculture and food 

culture in this way. 

Mary Stange, FAWCO Rep, AWC Bogotá, 

Region 10 

45

Dunnottar Castle is a must. It is one 

of the favorite locations for our 

photography club to meet, as you 

always get a different photo. 

Caroline Aylmer Sanford, AAW of 

Aberdeen, Region 1 

Sunset on the Arabian/ 

Persian Gulf at the 

Saudi Aramco beach. 

This beach is popular 

because it is one of the 

few places in Saudi 

where people can wear 

bathing suits to enjoy 

the beach and the 

beautiful waters of the 

Gulf. The people in the 

photo are dressed in 

traditional Saudi garb. 

Therese Hartwell, former 

President and FAWCO Rep, 

AWEP, Region 9 

46

Hassan II mosque. This beautiful 

mosque in Casablanca was built to 

commemorate the former king’s 

(Hassan II) 60th birthday. The 

mosque stands right at the edge of 

the water, and its 210-meter-tall 

minaret is one of the city’s major 

landmarks. The building showcases 

the talent and craft of Moroccan 

artisans. The miles-long coast of 

Casablanca and Ain Diab are very 

important to the citizens. Walking, 

running, swimming and football are 

enjoyed there every day. The minaret 

can be seen throughout this area. 

Cynthia Smith-Ayed, RC and FAWCO Rep, 

AIWC Casablanca, Region 7 

This photo, taken from Piazzale 

Michelangelo, is emblematic of 

Florence and its status as an 

open-air museum city, the 

cradle of the Renaissance. 

Diedre Pirro, FAWCO Rep, AILO 

Florence, Region 8 

47

Our favorite place to visit will always 

be the Grand Place. Filled with 

festivals all summer long and special 

events throughout the year, it never 

disappoints. One such event takes 

place every two years that is a 

carpet made of flowers. The carpet, 

measuring 77 m x 24 m, is prepared 

by about 120 volunteers who place 

nearly one million begonias in less 

than four hours. 

Heather Bloemperk, FAWCO Rep AWC 

Brussels, Region 4 

One of my favorite places 

to walk is along Elliot Bay 

and the Puget Sound in 

West Seattle. The views 

encompass Mt. Baker to the 

north, the Olympic 

Mountains to the west, Mt. 

Rainier to the south and, 

across Elliot Bay, the 

Seattle skyline. The 

outdoor art along the way 

complements the natural 

beauty of the area. 

Michele Hendrikse Du Bois, 

Regional and Seattle Metro 

Coordinator, FAUSA 

48

For months, I walked across this 

bridge over the Limmat river every 

evening to the main train station 

after my German class, so I equate 

this view with my becoming a part 

of Zürich. I guess, when I close my 

eyes and think of Zürich, this is 

what I see. 

Laurel McDonald, FAWCO Rep AWC Zürich, 

Region 6 

The dabbawalas are a lunchbox 

delivery and return system that 

delivers hot lunches from homes and 

restaurants to people at work in 

India, especially in Mumbai. 

Between 175,000 and 200,000 

lunch boxes are moved each day and 

it is frequently claimed that 

dabbawalas make fewer than one 

mistake in every six million 

deliveries, which has sparked the 

interest of many business studies. 

If you have the chance to visit 

Mumbai, go to Churchgate at 11:30 

a.m. and watch – fascinating! 

Karen Boeker, now member of AWC 

Denmark, in 2014-2015 member of ACIW 

Mumbai, Region 11 

49

Winter Archives: 2017 

“Art is the 

Beauty and 

Brightness in the 

Universe” 

The Women in the Arts issue was 

a feast for the eyes. 

The perfect theme for the dark days of 

winter. There was never any doubt that FAWCO 

clubs possessed members with amazing artistic 

gifts. The choices would be difficult! 

We asked: 

“Filling a space in a beautiful way, that’s what art 

is to me” – Georgia O’Keeffe. The winter issue will 

be devoted to FAWCO club members who have 

found a beautiful way to fill the space – and have 

made an impact through their work. Their 

accomplishments can be in any art discipline – 

we leave it for you to decide: What is Art?” 

Art is everywhere but it takes a unique talent to 

harness it and re imagine it in a different form so 

that mere mortals can enjoy it. Our collection of 

profilees were outstanding artists from a wide 

range of mediums, as well as those who worked 

to preserve art by sharing its history with others 

or creating exhibits for others. 


• The feature “Just for Fun” was introduced in 

this issue. 

• QR codes were made available enabling 

readers to use the app to learn more about a 

topic or product. 

• By the year’s end, we had profiled at least one 

member from every FAWCO region. 


Sunny Eades (North American Connection) hard at work. 

Many great artists through the ages possessed 

complicated personalities or unusual habits. Our 

profilees had none of that. The level of talent was 

extraordinary, and all our artists were warm, 

generous and unassuming, reinforcing Inspiring 

Women’s core belief – these women exist in all 

our clubs from all walks of life … they are you. 

50


“It’s Joy – It’s 

Music!” 

The soundtrack of the FAWCO 

world: Women in Music. 

This issue was a great collection of profiles and 

the perfect way to end to the year. 

A piece of music achieves greatness when it 

disrupts time. We were looking for candidates for 

this issue that dared to create the language, the 

sound, the movement that enter the most private 

parts of an individual’s soul. They say those with 

musical talent have a gift – but how did they 

receive it? 

We asked: 

“Is music their passion or salvation?” 

The people profiled in this issue have astonishing 

talent. They shared with us their stories of how 

they came to music (or how it came to them). 

How did they find the balance between 

containing and controlling their talent and 

stoking the fire of creativity to achieve artistic 

success? Some of our profilees have chosen to 

guide others in maximizing their musical 

abilities. They shared with us their stories of what 

musical success means to them. 


• Rick Chizmadia, a member of AWC Zurich and 

FAUSA, was the first man to be profiled in 

Inspiring Women. Rick has many talents, and 

it was a pleasure to include him in this issue. 

• The Inspiring Women team used the 

advantages of our online platform to bring 

sound to this issue. We asked each of our 

profilees to provide a link to their music. It 

was a special holiday gift from them to all 

our readers! 


Robin Goldsby (AIWC Cologne) at the piano. 

Those individuals who can harness the energy of 

their artistry and carefully craft it into an original 

moment have all of our respect. In music, finding 

a new way to play the notes or finding delight in a 

fresh way to use your vocal gifts not only moves 

music forward, but it also moves the world. 

These profilees helped to fuel the movement. 

51


“We Can Bridge 

Our Cultural 

Differences with 

Food” 

A fabulous “Foodies” tour 

featuring FAWCO members and 

their kitchens: Women and Food 

and … Drink. 

At the end of the year, no matter what holiday 

you celebrate or where you celebrate it, food 

plays a special part. For this issue we wanted to 

profile women whose joie de vivre comes from 

food and drink. 

We asked: 

“Do they teach a cooking class; do they make their 

own beer; have they written a cookbook; do they 

run a restaurant? While simply drinking 

champagne does not really qualify you (we would 

have too many profiles if that were the case) 

being a sommelier would! “ 

The women profiled were a fascinating and 

diverse group of who, while not living in their 

home countries, have found their passion in their 

host countries through food and drink. 

Clearly the passion starts with the wonderful 

food and dishes that they discovered while living 

in a new place. To understand the history of food 

is to understand better the history of the world. 

They showed us that food is essential for good 

health. How we eat food and deliver it has an 

impact on the environment. 


• Inspiring Women added a new feature, 24 

Hours in … where FAWCO club members 

shared insider tips about what to see and do 

in their cities. We took our maiden trip to 

Paris with AAWE and AWG Paris. 

• The team brought back an earlier feature, 

Seasonal Recipes, for this issue. Our recipes 

included everything from traditional turkey 

from the UK to bibingka from the Philippines. 


“Cooking is fun”. Barbara Abdeni Masssaad 

(AWC Lebanon). 

When the team chooses a theme for each issue, 

there is usually a subtheme that emerges from 

those featured in the magazine. In this issue, 

addition to their love of food and drink, the single 

trait that the profilees had in common was their 

passion for sharing. 

52


“Bravo! Author! 

Encore!” 

Sisters Act : Women in Drama. 

The Inspiring Women team selected drama as 

the theme for the last issue of 2020. 

We asked: 

“What is it about you that you are able to give 

oneself over to a character taken from a script 

and perform it in front of others?” At a minimum 

it requires bravery and brazenness. We also 

explored what happens when one plays a part but 

has no script. To bravery and brazenness, one 

adds a bit of bungee-jumping-like madness. Or 

consider the performer that is only allowed one 

tool – their voice, to create a character. It would 

be like describing a ladder without being allowed 

to use your hands. 

There is also more to acting than the accolades 

from the crowds. We examined the lives of those 

whose write and perform to promote wellness, 

and a sense of peace. 

And, importantly, plays can give us clearer insight 

and better appreciation of other cultures and 

countries. In the darkness of a theater, 

sometimes a new light of understanding shines. 


• Another major design change of the magazine 

was made to give it a more professional and 

modern feel. 


There is an undeniable optimism about people in 

the entertainment industry. They do not select 

their profession as a last resort. While there is 

disappointment to deal with, they get back up 

and take control of their situation. 

Caroline Wagner Jacobson (AWC Amsterdam) and a famous 

friend! 

53


Hospitality is Simply Love on the 

Loose 

Winter 2021: The Women and Hospitality Issue. 

As 2021 came to a close, getting together with family and friends for year-end celebrations was a very 

real possibility. We hoped that those celebrations would be very special as we waited so long to be with 

each other. Social events were back on the calendar and everyone hoped it would be a grand and 

beautiful experience. 

We wanted to profile women who have succeeded in making people feel welcome and special – the 

perfect definition of “savoir faire”. We asked,” Perhaps there is a member who has started a unique 

business that caters to providing hospitality services to others? Or is there a member who has built a 

reputation as a welcoming light in your community? 

Enter some of FAWCO’s hospitality experts. Not only do they know how to “par-tay”, but they also do it 

in different languages and in unusual venues. 

How one is made to feel welcome is the very essence of hospitality. Sharing secrets about one’s city is 

the best gift for any guest. And because FAWCO is a worldwide organization, we have the added 

perspective of exploring these experiences in different cultures. 

The people profiled in this issue demonstrated the ability to have “grace under pressure”, they can think 

on their feet and will do whatever it takes to achieve the dreams of their guests. 

Life With a 

Headset and 

Clipboard 

Sanya Jefferies, member of AWC 

London, on why there is never a 

dull moment as a professional 

event planner. 

Sanya Jefferies 

I was born in New York City, and I am a New 

Yorker at heart. I moved to a small town in 

Connecticut about 45 minutes outside of New 

York when I was young and stayed there through 

high school. I spent a lot of my time acting and 

dancing, and at one point spent upwards of 18 

hours a week doing classical ballet. 

One thing that sticks in my mind from my 

childhood was my parents’ ability and drive to fully 

immerse me in the world of the arts. Even though 

we were outside of NYC, we were constantly 

making the quick trip into the city to see 

Broadway shows, go to museums, experience 

54

went on to work on global experiential events for 

a stock photo company, Shutterstock. This was 

great because I got to pair my passion for travel 

with work. I was able to execute events all over the 

world including Singapore, Cannes, London and 

Berlin. This was also where I started to get 

exposed to and build my love for design. After my 

time at Shutterstock, I began working at a midsize 

event agency called Production Glue. While at 

Production Glue I was able to work on everything 

from conferences to 20,000-person festivals. 

Early days. 

different exhibits and even to stand on the red 

carpet of the MTV Video Music Awards for more 

years than my dad is willing to count. 

Leaving home 

Once I graduated from high school I moved to 

South Carolina to attend the College of 

Charleston. My love for theatre and the arts never 

waned; but wanting a career that was not built on 

auditioning over and over, I decided to major in 

arts management, which is a business 

management degree with a strong focus on the 

arts. I loved living in Charleston and getting to 

experience a new area of the country. Also, being 

15 minutes from the beach made for a pretty 

great college experience. 

During my senior year of college I decided to study 

abroad. I was never great with languages, and 

there wasn’t one specific country I was drawn to. I 

decided to do my semester abroad with Semester 

at Sea, and it was one of the best experiences of 

my life. I was able to travel by ship visiting 12 

countries over three months and met some of my 

best friends to this day. It was an experience that I 

wouldn’t trade for anything. 

Next steps 

After graduating from college, I fulfilled my dream 

of moving back to New York City. I was hired as an 

executive assistant at MTV, a place where I had 

dreamed of working since I was a young. I loved 

being able to help create the pop culture that 

everyone in the world got to experience. I then 

I married my husband, Tim, a few years after 

graduating. Fun fact: we are actually high school 

sweethearts and had been together since we were 

15! We had always wanted to live abroad and were 

waiting for the opportunity to come around. It 

finally happened when Tim’s company asked him 

to transfer to London in 2019! I took a leap of faith 

and quit my job, starting over as a freelance event 

producer in a new city. It was going great until 

COVID-19 hit; now we are finally starting to see a 

resurgence in the industry and it seems like 

people are ready to come back with a vengeance! 

Early memories of good hospitality 

I was surrounded by events at an early age. My 

family always had a party or a to-do for 

everything. Some of my earliest memories of 

events are from the Academy Awards parties 

that my parents hosted every year. The planning 

for these events took months from figuring out 

the themed invitation to the menu - the scale 

was huge! 

The year Titanic was nominated, my mom made 

the entire last meal they served onboard; when 

Babe was nominated, we served an entire roast 

pig; and for My Big Fat Greek Wedding, we went 

into Queens and rented a gyro machine. (We ate 

gyros for weeks.) The invitations were just as 

On my wedding day. 

55

attendees would cheer them on and then vote on 

their favorite at the end. 

When I was working at Shutterstock, we decided 

to fully rebrand this event, and I got to work on 

every aspect of it from the ground up. This 

rebrand really piqued my love for design and 

event design. It was so much fun to have an 

impact on every aspect of the event: choosing 

locations and venues, event design, catering and 

on-site activation. 

We took Pixels of Fury on a world tour, bringing it 

to five countries and as many US cities. This event 

really meant a lot to me because it was something 

I was able to develop and build from start to 

finish. I love working in events and seeing an 

entire project from beginning to end. 

Setting up for an event. 

creative: they were printed on dog tags (Saving 

Private Ryan), engraved into rings (Lord of the 

Rings) and even printed directly onto chocolate 

(Chocolat). The process of getting creative and 

seeing my ideas come to life is one of my absolute 

favorite parts about events! 

What I enjoy/don’t enjoy about it 

I love to see people enjoying the work that I put 

into an event. There are few jobs where you can 

actually see your creativity and thoughts come to 

life, and I love knowing that something I did is 

putting a smile on someone's face. 

The thing I like least about hosting events is 

budgets! I always wish we had enough funds to do 

everything that we wanted! 

My favorite event 

I’ve hosted a ton of different events and they’ve all 

had their ups and downs. If I had to pick one I 

would say it would be “Pixels of Fury.” It was an 

experiential event that I hosted when I worked at 

Shutterstock. The event included a live design 

competition for graphic designers whose design 

challenge had to be completed in 20 minutes only 

using stock images from Shutterstock. These 

designers would work in real time on huge 

screens situated around the venue, while 

Hospitality disasters 

We were activating a Pixels of Fury event at 

Cannes International Lions Festival of Creativity 

that would be our largest of the year. We had 

prime real estate on the French Riviera with over 

one thousand RSVPs and even more trying to get 

through the gate. With the main competition over, 

the event was still going strong - we had plenty of 

booze and a great DJ and people were having a 

wonderful time. At 11pm, the bartenders 

unanimously decided that they were done serving 

and left the site. I was shocked! We had the venue 

for another hour and a thousand guests still on 

site – and they were thirsty! Refusing to let my 

party down, I rallied the production crew and 

recruited two people to join me in tending the bar. 

For the next hour, it was me and some colleagues 

serving the beer and wine to thirsty partygoers; 

and we were able to make sure that everyone 

there had a great time and plenty to talk about in 

the morning! 

Entertaining friends 

I love cooking and baking food from my home 

country. In England, a lot of foods are similar, but 

some are drastically different. I love seeing locals 

try to “put their finger on” what they are eating. It 

is always a good laugh to see what local dish they 

can compare it to. My favorite time was when I 

made a berry cobbler, which was looked at very 

skeptically until someone decided it was just like 

an apple crumble. After that, everyone ate it 

happily, although they seemed to think it would be 

better with custard than ice cream. 

56

The importance of planning 

I am always the planner! Whether it is drinks with 

friends, dinners, birthday parties or even BBQs, I 

am always the one finding a venue or planning the 

menu. I would say that I am a walking rolodex of 

restaurants, venues and event spaces in any city I 

live in. Sometimes it is fun, but sometimes it would 

be nice to just relax and enjoy! That is why I hired 

a wedding coordinator for my own wedding. My 

friends and family were surprised, but I wanted to 

make sure I could enjoy the day and not attend 

my own wedding with a headset and a clipboard. 

A dream place to work? 

I have always dreamed of working at Disney 

World. Disney is always at the forefront of event 

technology, hospitality and creativity. Their 

attention to detail and the resources they offer 

would make working there so exciting. I think it 

would be inspiring to enjoy so much creative 

freedom and to be able to work with their 

storylines and characters. 

With camera operator (and friend) on the Red Carpet, 2013 

Video Music Awards in Brooklyn, New York. 

With co-workers after working 15 hour days for seven days non stop. We had just finished our last day and decided to go to 

the Pride Celebrations in NYC instead of going home for some much needed sleep! 

57

58

CLUB FEATURE 

A Club Inspires: 

AWG Paris 

In their centenary year, Cathy Farnan, former Club President, tells us the 

club history and Julien McKinney Young, current Club President, introduces 

us to it today. AWG Paris is one of seven clubs in FAWCO’s Region 3. 

CATHY: When and why was your club started, 

and by whom? The beginnings of the American 

Women’s Group in Paris are shrouded by the 

passage of time, world wars and missing 

documents. We know that our women’s 

association was originally started in 1921 and 

called the American Women’s Club in Paris. 

and women of nations associated with the USA in 

the Great War, to create a center of social and 

educational activity and to assist in furthering 

American philanthropy in France. Despite the 

changes throughout the world, our mission and 

philosophy haven’t changed significantly in over 

100 years! 

Sharon Nossiter (President 2017 – 2019) reached 

out to the American Library in Paris and learned 

that the American Women’s Club in Paris (AWC 

Paris) was referenced in the first edition of the 

directory published by the American Chamber of 

Commerce in 1925. AWC Paris was noted as a 

“service club that really serves”, and their 

objectives included to serve American women 

either resident or visiting in France, to encourage 

friendly relations between the women of the USA 

With the lockdowns in Paris during COVID-19, I 

turned to the Internet to learn a bit more about 

our origins. First of all, I apologize that I am neither 

a researcher nor a writer, but the information that 

I found really is quite fascinating! It would be a 

wonderful book about the evolution of women’s 

clubs and how women throughout the decades 

created something bigger than themselves for the 

greater good and to make an everlasting impact 

on their adopted communities. Beginning with 

59

quickly evolved into a service club. The younger 

(and mostly single) working women connected 

AWC Paris with the YWCA to provide 

accommodations and a social salon for the 

American women involved in the Great War or the 

social works connected to the wounded. Miss 

Constance Clark, who had studied hotel 

management and hospitality at Simmons College 

in Boston and had experience with Hostess House 

at Camp Lewis, was asked to supervise the project. 

In 1919, after the end of the Great War, with 

continued financial support from the YWCA, AWC 

Paris focused its efforts on assisting the American 

Gold Star Mothers. The mothers and sisters of the 

fallen Americans wished to visit their loved ones' 

graves, and the members of AWC Paris provided 

rooms, directions and assistance to over 100,000 

Gold Star families. 

https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ (a Library of 

Congress website of America’s historic 

newspapers), I found multiple references in the 

society pages of the New York Herald, Washington 

Evening Star and many other US newspapers. As 

an early version of Facebook, these weekly pages 

reported announcements regarding American 

arrivals in Paris with specific references to the 

American Women’s Club in Paris luncheons, 

Thanksgiving dinners and speaker events. And to 

my great surprise, I found references to AWC Paris 

as early as 1914! 

So who were these original founders of the 

American Women's Club in Paris, and how did 

AWC Paris become AWG Paris? The earliest 

reference, in 1914, to the American Women’s Club 

in Paris (AWC Paris) announces the formation of an 

“exclusive club in Paris” by Lady Randolph Churchill 

(mother of Winston Churchill) and Mrs. Charles 

Clark. While Lady Randolph Churchill primarily 

resided in London, she spent quite a bit of time in 

Paris socializing with her international friends. In 

the early 1900s, women’s clubs were popping up in 

cities all over the US and in major cultural cities 

throughout the world. Newspapers reported on 

their local clubs as well as on significant events 

from clubs overseas. However, the winds of war 

were swirling, and France and the UK became 

deeply involved in the Great War. As many wealthy 

Americans departed Paris, this elite social club 

As the economy of France rebounded in the 1920s, 

many American women followed their husbands 

overseas to live an expatriate life. Paris was full of 

joie de vivre in the 1920s: the Jazz Age, the Lost 

Generation, writers, photographers, socialites and 

travel by ship were booming. By March 1921, the 

YWCA had decided to withdraw from Paris. 

Without the funding from the YWCA, the American 

Women’s Club in Paris needed to evolve once 

again. The members wished to carry on their 

mission of service to American women visiting 

France, but did not want to charge for their 

assistance to women searching for their loved 

ones. In the spring of 1921, a clever invitation was 

sent to all the women’s clubs in the USA, offering 

local women’s clubs an opportunity to affiliate with 

AWC Paris for a small membership fee! 

AWC Paris was formally incorporated in New York 

City on March 25,1925. The first official President 

of AWC Paris was Mrs. Louise Sherwood Connett; 

Members of AWC Paris at a luncheon, tea and fashion show 

in 1933. 

60

together to discuss the need for an American 

women’s organization. These women led the 

charge to nominate Dorothy Leet as the President 

of the freshly re-organized American Women’s 

Group in Paris. 

Thus, in 1952, the American Women’s Group in 

Paris (AWG Paris) was officially reborn, according 

to a reference in the Journal Officiel de la 

République, “Groupement de femmes 

américaines à Paris, encourager et developper des 

activités sociales, cuturelles et éducatives parmi les 

femmes américaines en France et contribuer à 

promouvoir les relations franco-américaines dans 

tous les domaines possibles. ” 

Mrs, Louise Connett, who served as the FAWCO 1st VP 

from 1932 to 1934 and was the second FAWCO President, 

succeeding Caroline Curtis Brown, was also the first 

President of AWC Paris! 

First VP, Mrs. Louise E. Berry-Wall; Second VP, 

Mrs. Margaret A. Beekman, and over 35 other 

members served in various committee chair and 

board positions. 

While the AWC Paris had proved to be adaptable 

to the times, in 1936 it became very clear that it 

would be difficult for the club to continue in Paris 

with the approach of WWII. Americans were 

leaving Paris in droves, and those expats who 

chose to stay often sent their wives and children to 

safer residences in the US. According to the AWC 

Paris minutes in our archives, the last regular 

meeting of the AWC Paris was held on October 13, 

1936 at the Hotel Lancaster with only seven 

members present and primarily concerned the 

sale of the AWC club building. The Executive 

Committee determined that the club would 

continue meeting informally, but officially the AWC 

Paris would be in abeyance until further notice. 

Although we haven’t researched much beyond the 

early 1950s, the Washington Evening Star 

(November 23, 1958) reported on the “American 

Women in Paris Tour of New UNESCO Building” 

and (May 19, 1959) reported on a “Conference 

Slated for Paris,” with the American Women’s 

Group in Paris hosting the 14th Biennial of the 

Federation of American Women's Clubs Overseas. 

The more I learn about the remarkable women of 

AWC Paris who forged friendships, created 

communities and contributed to society, the more 

proud I am of how AWG Paris has remained true to 

its origins, continuing to foster and encourage 

social, cultural and educational activities among 

American women living in France and to assist in 

furthering Franco-American relations. I don’t know 

what challenges the next 100 years will bring to 

AWG Paris, but given the club’s ability to pivot over 

the years, I have great faith that the members of 

AWG Paris will continue to welcome American 

Perhaps the intrepid women of AWC Paris weren’t 

able to meet in Paris, but not even a world war 

would prevent them from gathering together. 

Declaring that the “friendships made in Paris are 

precious ones,” many AWC Paris members met in 

New York in 1938 with the intention of “carrying 

on” the AWC Paris mission. 

After the end of WW2, on November 28, 1949, a 

group of 16 American women representing 

different circles in Paris were asked to come 

Dorothy Leet in 1949. 

61

esidents and visitors for decades to 

come…”Friendships made in Paris are precious!” 

Final Note: Many of the early founders of the AWC 

Paris received recognition and Medals of Honor for 

their philanthropic and charitable works in France 

and Europe, including the Legion of Honor from 

the French government for their work with the 

Women’s War Relief Corps (a division of the Red 

Cross in France), War Blinded and the Sailors & 

Soldiers Clubs. 

JULIEN: How many members do you have, and 

what are their nationalities? We have 217 active 

members, of whom 143 (66%) are American, 27 

(12%) are French and 9 (4%) are British, and we 

also have members from Finland, India, Ireland, 

Germany, Denmark, Colombia, South Africa, 

Sweden and the Philippines. 

How does the club run? The Club has an elected 

board. Board members are suggested by the 

membership and by the Nominations Committee. 

The slate of proposed officers is voted on as a 

whole by the active membership. 

What kind of events do you have in your club? 

Our Activities Team organizes our events which 

can be paid, such as a tour of a museum, or free, 

such as the monthly Cafe Chat. For example, last 

November, they organized 29 different events 

attended by 138 members. The events included a 

sit-down potluck Thanksgiving dinner for members 

and families, a visit to an artist’s studio, a guided 

tour of Père Lachaise Cemetery, a hike in the 

countryside, tennis, French-English Conversation 

Exchange (over coffee), cheese tasting, an evening 

apéro social get-together and a weekly jogging 

group that meets in the Tuileries Garden. 

Do you raise money for any particular cause? 

We support Serve The City, a group that provides 

food and items to the homeless, and La Soupe 

(L’Église de la Sainte Trinité ) who provide free 

lunches to those in need, as well as the FAWCO 

Target Project. Last spring we held a Zoom 

“Games Night” to raise money for Les Maisons de 

Femmes, an organization that helps domestic 

violence victims. 

What else would you like us to know about 

your club? As you can see our members were 

always an adventurous and courageous group. Life 

in Paris through the years of the Great War and 

the years after were hard. The American Women’s 

Club partnered with the YWCA to help those in 

need and created a lively and warm-hearted 

"home away from home” for its members. 

Not much has changed in the ensuing century of 

AWG Paris’s existence. During the COVID-19 

pandemic – even during the national lockdown – 

AWG Paris members continued our support of the 

homeless community within Paris and FAWCO’s 

Target Project. We learned how to do things online 

and extended our social and educational activities 

to the “Zoom verse.” As soon as it was possible, 

our members met in person outdoors as much as 

possible. We happily continue the culture of 

courage, adventure and caring that has 

characterized our club from its very inception. 

AWG Paris Board Members and former President Cathy Farnan. 

62

63

FEATURE 

Sharing Inspiring Women 

Editor Liz MacNiven explains how and why you should 

share our magazine. 

It is for this reason that we would like to ask every 

reader of this Highlights issue to ask one friend or 

family member (they don’t have to be a FAWCO 

club member) to subscribe to receive the 

magazine directly into their inbox. If you don’t yet 

subscribe yourself, why not click this link 

SUBSCRIBE and sign up now, too? 

Five years after the magazine was first launched, 

Inspiring Women continues to evolve, going from 

strength to strength. Originally, it was published as 

a PDF document sent out via email. Today, it is a 

fully-fledged, online magazine, which is published 

on the platform Yumpu. This allows us to use 

multimedia tools, such as videos, as well as the 

written word. 

We are very proud that Inspiring Women has the 

largest number of direct subscribers of any 

FAWCO publication, but we are determined not to 

rest on our laurels. Every subscriber we attract 

means the work of FAWCO reaches more people 

across the globe. It also makes the magazine more 

attractive as a place to advertise to businesses all 

over the world. This then leads to an increased 

advertising revenue for FAWCO, which then 

furthers our ability to do such good work on behalf 

of women and girls. 

The magazine is important to FAWCO for a variety 

of reasons, the main one being to highlight the 

achievements of individual FAWCO club members 

worldwide. But another important aspect of our 

work is to bring the work of 

FAWCO to a wider audience. 

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE 

The easiest way is to click this link : 

SUBSCRIBE HERE 

But, if for any reason that doesn’t work, try this: 

1. Go to FAWCO.org 

2. On the right side of the homepage under the 

yellow banner “Quick Links for Members”, 

click on Inspiring Women. 

3. On the Inspiring Women page, click on the 

blue button SIGN UP NOW on the right hand 

side. 

4. Complete the form, making sure you check 

Inspiring Women in the list of publications. 

A new development for the Inspiring Women 

team in 2021 was the launch of our dedicated 

Facebook page. We would love you to click the 

link to “like” and follow the page and ask your 

friends and family to do the same for exactly the 

same reasons, as we want to increase our 

subscriber numbers. 

Every subscriber or follower we attract represents 

a contribution to the work of FAWCO. It costs the 

person subscribing nothing, and they get a regular, 

free copy of this fabulous magazine every quarter. 

Subscribing is very easy, and it makes a difference 

to what FAWCO can achieve through its work. So, 

why not sign up now? 

64

FEATURE 

The Evolution of Our Feature 

Articles 

Editor Liz MacNiven and Features Coordinator Michele Hendrikse Du 

Bois highlight the changes in the Inspiring Women feature articles 

since the magazine first began. 

in existence over 40 years and hosts many events 

during the year. Their monthly shopping bazaar 

sounds a lot of fun, and it raises money that goes 

back into the local Filipino community, so it helps 

others, too. Read about them here: A Club Inspires 

Early prose articles 

For the first couple of years, these were written 

for us by Robin Meloy Goldsby, member of AIWC 

Cologne, Germany, and by Jane Mobille, a member 

from AAWE Paris, France. 

Liz: In 2017, when we sat down to create the very 

first issue of Inspiring Women, we knew that 

whilst we wanted to showcase the amazing and 

inspiring worlds that the women of FAWCO live 

in, a magazine with just one type of article could 

get rather monotonous. So we came up with 

three other features for the issue: one on a 

FAWCO region, one on a specific club and a special 

prose feature. 

Club features 

Our club and regional features have been a mix of 

large and small, distant and closer to home. Over 

the last five years we have featured a total of 21 

clubs from all the FAWCO Regions, under the 

banner “A Club Inspires.” 

Robin wrote mostly under the heading “Home and 

Away.” Here are highlights from my own two 

favourite articles of hers. 

Home and Away: Everyone Here Speaks English 

(click to read) – I think many of us who have lived 

in a second language can really relate to the trials 

involved that Robin so eloquently describes: 

“English had always been my protection, my 

armor, my waterproof layer of textured wool that 

keeps me comfortable and dry. German, in spite of 

all my years of practice, still feels more like an illfitting 

coat from a secondhand store, purchased 

for me by someone who wasn’t sure of my size.” 

FAWCO clubs come in all shapes and sizes, but 

we ask them the same questions, which we hope 

give our readers ideas they might copy in their 

own clubs. We also ask contributors to tell us 

some more about their city or region and give us 

some top tips of places to see if we are ever there 

in person. 

I only have space here to highlight one of the 

features, so I am going to choose one that feels far 

away and exotic to me! (Editor’s privilege maybe?) 

AWC The Philippines, in Region 10 (now), has been 

Robin Meloy Goldsby. 

65

Home and Away: Circle Back Home (click to read) – 

Robin describes life as a series of ever-widening 

circles, some of which intersect, some that don’t, 

but most of which should be appreciated. “A good 

circle brings me joy: a perfect white plate holding 

my not-so-perfect dinner; the silver-blue irises of 

my daughter’s eyes; a symmetrical pancake I’ve 

Jane Mobille. 

cooked myself; a New York City bagel, unadorned. 

(…) Circles. Curves. Loops. They define my life. 

They have led me far away. They will also lead me 

home. Eventually. Zu Hause. Home. At Last.” 

Jane Mobille, our other early writer, works as a life 

coach, so she often uses what she has learned 

from this work to reflect on the theme of an issue. 

Our February 2018 issue had the theme Women in 

Sport and Fitness. Jane wrote about how some of 

her clients had used sport as a way to combat 

other issues in their lives. 

Sport & Fitness - Antidotes to Life’s Challenges 

(click to read). While telling the client stories, Jane 

encourages us readers to think of ways that sport 

and fitness could improve our own lives if we let it. 

“We can all take comfort in the knowledge that 

sport and fitness are available as a way to work 

through the challenges and suffering that we will 

face at different times in our lives. Really, aren’t 

they the most perfect antidotes?” 

musical instrument I would be..” We ended up with 

four pianos, four cellos, two French horns, a drum 

kit, a sax, a singer and a bass! (Click here to see the 

answers: Part 1, Part 2) 

I played the cello many years ago, and it can be a 

simply beautiful sound. So I especially like what 

UK-based Robin Smirnov, a singer and member of 

Chilterns American Women’s Club International, 

said about it: “I would be a cello for sure! A cello is 

beautiful and curvy and makes the most divine 

dark and powerful sounds. Girl power at its best.” 

Features by new members 

Determined to keep things fresh, in early 2018 we 

introduced another new feature. Called “First 

Take,” it was designed to give newer club members 

a voice in the magazine. Our first one was written 

by two women (Lyn Herr and Teresa Perez y 

Landazuri), new to their club in Hamburg, 

Germany, who were so enthused after attending a 

FAWCO fundraiser and awareness evening that 

they went home and organized a fundraiser 

themselves! The family fun run was a big success, 

with more than 120 participants, and raised over 

£2000. Click here to read: First Take 

Then there was my personal favourite First Take, 

which was written by Celeste Bennekers of AWC 

Antwerp. She wrote a wonderfully evocative 

feature about the first FAWCO event she attended, 

which was a glittering fundraising concert held at 

the Hall of Mirrors at the Paleis op der Meir in 

Antwerp, Belgium. I love what she says in it about 

a FAWCO woman from Germany she met at the 

concert: “Not only is she a woman of expat life – 

the true definition of courageous, strong and 

defiant – but also what I am quickly learning to be: 

a FAWCO woman – one who takes all that 

Mixing things up 

Towards the end of 2017, we decided it was time 

to mix things up a little and added a new feature 

to the magazine. Called “Just For Fun,” it asked the 

women profiled in the issue to answer an (often 

humorous) question such as “If you were an 

animal what would you be?”, “What do you want to 

be when you grow up?” 

My own favourite question came in the December 

2018 Women in Music issue, and was “If I were a 

Celeste Bennekers in the Hall of Mirrors. 

66

knowledge and energy to transform it into 

something more meaningful and worthwhile than 

her own agenda.” Click here to read the whole 

article: First Take. 

There were two more First Take articles in total. 

One was about attending the 62nd Commission on 

the Status of Women meetings in New York for the 

first time, written by Karen Boeker of AWC 

Denmark. Click here to read: First Take. There was 

another about attending a first FAWCO Interim 

Meeting in The Hague. This was written by 

Rosemary Rauber from AWC Zurich, who had been 

invited to show her artwork, Calculated Risks, at 

the meeting. Click here to read: First Take. 

Expanding the number of features 

The feedback from readers on our increased 

number of features was very positive, so in Spring 

2019 we decided to look for new writers. Via posts 

on social media, we let FAWCO members know the 

types of articles we were looking for and 

encouraged them to send their work in to us. We 

were thrilled with the results. 

member of AIWC Cologne, it was about her 

experiences giving birth in her non-native country. 

She starts the article, “Before I begin, I’d like you to 

recall the most frightening thing that’s ever 

happened to you; something you had no control 

over and where the total outcome of the situation 

depended on someone else.” Click here to read 

more: “Everyone Has a Story. Welcome to Mine!” 

We also introduced an occasional feature called 

“24 Hours in….” where a local club member gives 

us the top tips on where to go and what to see in 

their adopted city or area. We have featured Paris, 

Luxembourg and Florence (click on place names to 

read) so far. If you would like to submit something 

about where you live, do please get in touch! 

By the fall of 2020 it had become clear that 

features would be approximately half the content 

of our magazine and that readers were enjoying 

the mix of these and the profiles. So it was time to 

get some help with commissioning more: enter 

Michele Hendrikse Du Bois! 

Michele: 

From our Travel issue of June 2019, you may 

remember the article written by Rebecca De 

Fraites about the devastating fire in the Notre 

Dame Cathedral in Paris. Click here to read: Paris, 

France: April 15, 2019 – The Fire. 

I also enjoyed the article by Jennifer Barnet of AWC 

Amsterdam, which was about some of the trials of 

hosting visitors as expats and had some great tips 

for those visitors! Click here to read: Be Our Guest. 

Just Don’t Let the Cat Out 

One of our most commented-on features was 

printed in the Health & Well-Being Issue in 

September 2019. Written by Tracie Mayer, 

Tracie Mayer with her son, Marc. 

I was thrilled to join the Inspiring Women 

magazine team, but I was immediately challenged 

by the uncertainty brought to FAWCO member 

clubs by COVID-19. What should we do with the 

new and popular feature “24 Hours in…” when it 

looked like no one would be travelling for a while? 

What about club profiles, which often focused on 

events – also on hold or evolving due to stay at 

home mandates? 

COVID-19 features 

What came out of a need to temporarily replace 

“24 Hours in…” is still one of my favorite visual 

pieces. The magazine’s theme was Visualizing a 

Point of View, so we asked members to submit 

their favorite souvenir photos. The result was 

Souvenirs from Across FAWCO’s World, a photo 

essay covering all 11 FAWCO regions and FAUSA. 

67

Following the success of the souvenir photos, we 

started including a montage feature related to 

each issue’s theme. Sometimes these were written 

by an individual; others were compilations from 

multiple members. I particularly like our Recipes 

for Wellness in the May 2021 issue and the sister 

features in the September 2021 issue, where 

members of the FAWCO Human Rights Team 

share what justice means to them and why they 

are part of the Human Rights Team. 

When the Summer 2020 issue was produced, we 

all thought the COVID-19 crisis would soon end. 

However, as we all know, that was not to be. We 

found that for the next year, many features, 

whatever the magazine’s theme, had a COVID-19 

angle. We made great efforts to balance the need 

to address the seriousness of the situation and 

how it was affecting our lives with positive and 

optimistic articles. 

symbolic, uplifting or just simply beautiful help tell 

the stories our writers are sharing. 

FAWCO Member Clubs continue to inspire 

Throughout 2020 and 2021, in true FAWCO 

fashion, FAWCO Member Clubs evolved and 

continued to offer support and activities to their 

members, even if those services were provided 

virtually. So the feature “A Club Inspires” 

continued, and in 2020 we visited IWC Sorrento, 

AWC Oslo, AWC Zurich and AWC London, and in 

2021 AWC Perth, AWC Zurich, AWA Vienna and 

AWA of Kenya. 

Finally, for the Winter 2021 issue, we reintroduced 

“24 Hours in…” with a visit to AILO Florence. With 

the hope of seeing COVID-19 in the rearview 

mirror and travel ahead of us, we are ready for 

this too once again, to become a regular feature. 

Photos, photos and more photos 

Our final issue for 2020 was Sister Act: Women in 

Drama. As in the previous issue “Visualizing A 

Point of View,” the focus on drama produced 

fabulous photos and an increase in active links 

to videos. 

The two photograph-intensive issues generated 

lots of positive feedback, so we started asking for 

“as many photos as possible” to be submitted by 

each person profiled or writing a feature article. 

The addition of photos, whether silly, poignant, 

AWC London members on a trip to a peony farm in Kent. 

Fresh ideas – expanding our writer base 

In 2021, we started looking at The FAWCO 

Foundation’s Education Award and Development 

Grant recipients to see if there were any 

connections to our themes. Of course there were! 

This new source added previously untapped 

FAWCO members and their children to our pool 

for profiles and as feature writers. Our first piece 

was by 2018 Education Award recipient Fintan 

Viebahn in the Women and Technology issue What 

is Data Privacy? 

We continue to look for new feature ideas and 

writers. For example, we were thrilled when Mary 

Adams offered to pen an original poem, In 

Character, specifically for our magazine. 

Starting in 2022, we are introducing “Inspiring 

Reads”, a short feature focused on a book written 

by a FAWCO or FAUSA member. 

Do you have an idea for a feature you would 

like to write or know someone who should be 

writing for us? Upcoming themes are 

announced in each current issue and are on 

the FAWCO website, so take a look; and if you 

have an idea, please contact us at 

inspiringwomenfeatures@fawco.org. 

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FEATURE 

The feature articles, in every issue of Inspiring Women, cover widely differing aspects of the theme of 

the issue. In the summer of 2021 the theme was Women & Wellness and Brenda Nielson sent us the 

following article about getting more sleep. It was one of our favorite articles of 2021 and a topic of 

importance to so many of us (!), so we thought it was worth reprinting for you here in the Highlights 

issue. Hope it helps you to get some more sleep... 

“The Right Amount of Sleep is a 

Foundation For Living a Full and 

Meaningful Life.” 

Brenda Nielson, holistic health instructor and member of AWC 

Denmark, tells us about how best to get some sleep. 

We all know how it feels when that alarm clock 

rings too early or, after a poor night’s sleep we are 

simply not feeling at our best. So how much sleep 

do we really need? Babies can sleep 12-14 hours 

in total a day and the need falls off until the teen 

years. Adults need from 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep per 

night until around age 70, when we’ll benefit from 

an extra hour or so, which could be a midday nap. 

Teens are a bit of a special case and can be 

confusing and frustrating to parents because they 

can be full of energy one moment and the next be 

found in deep slumber, apparently shirking their 

duties. In fact, teens possess the energy and 

recoverability of childhood but the rapid physical, 

social, mental, and emotional growth of the teen 

years is so intense that teens need more sleep 

than adults – just like their grandparents. But 

instead of napping, however, extra night time 

sleep usually works best for teens. 

A few decades ago, it became popular for career 

folks to sleep six or fewer hours a night (a type of 

alpha-badge in our high pressure, get-it-done, 

faster world.) In fact, this conflicts with more 

recent sleep research that reveals a pattern of 90- 

minute sleep cycles, where we alternate between 

dreaming and mental processing and rapid eye 

movement (REM) sleep and the deeper, delta and 

theta wave, non-REM sleep when toxins and waste 

products are removed and cells repaired. Waking 

up in the middle of one of these cycles can cause 

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Suggested essential oils for sleep (see text for usage) 

Select a total of 5-7 drops essential oils from this list. Mix and match, according to your mood: 

Atlas cedarwood Cedrus atlantica (endangered, 

source responsibly) 

Clary sage Salvia sclarea 

Eucalyptus Eucalyptus globus (for stuffy airways) 

German or Blue chamomile Matricaria recutita/ 

Matricaria chamomilla 

Lavender Lavendula officinalis or L. angustifolia 

Roman chamomile Anthemis nobilis/ 

Chamaemelum nobile 

Rose Rosa damascena (strong; maximum 1-2 drops Rose otto, Rose absolute or Rose CO2 extract) 

Vanilla Vanilla Oleoresin, Vanilla CO2 Extract or Vanilla Absolute (do not purchase products 

labeled vanilla essential oil) 

Virginia cedarwood Juniperus virginiana 

Ylang ylang Cananga odorata var genuina (Extra or Complete) 

grogginess until that 90-minute cycle is completed. 

Most adults thrive on five of these 90-minute 

cycles per night = 450 minutes or nine hours a 

night, most nights. Sorry, weekend catch-up 

doesn’t have quite the same effect. To adjust your 

sleep cycle, wake up at the same time every day, 

including weekends. If you need more or less 

sleep, adjust the time that you go to bed. 

Occasional morning grogginess CAN be helped 

by caffeine but wait until around 10:00 a.m. 

before that cup of coffee if you want to avoid 

stressing your stress-sensitive adrenals and 

disturbing your circadian rhythms. Caffeine has a 

half-life of around eight hours so, for a good 

night’s rest, your last cup of coffee should be early 

to mid-afternoon. 

We all know about creating a relaxing and clutterfree 

sleep area, airing out the bedroom and the 

effect that blue light from computer, television 

and phone screens has on falling asleep. But did 

you also know that Feng Shui’s ideal placement of 

your bed should allow you to see your bedroom 

door; and that your head should be in the east? 

In the text box, I have recipes for using essential 

oils to wind down toward healthy sleep. Swirl 3-5 

drops of pure essential oils into your bath just 

before you get in. Or you could diffuse 3-5 drops 

of essential oils into your bedroom after airing 

out. Or you could make a room and pillow spray 

by adding 5-7 drops of essential oils to a 10-30 ml 

spray bottle that has been filled with a 

combination of purified water and vodka. Shake 

before using and make in small quantities to keep 

your oils fresh. My recipes are utilizing pure, 

therapeutic grade essential oils, but be sure to test 

yourself for allergies before using them. 

Getting the right amount of sleep is a foundation 

for living a full and meaningful life. Sleep needs 

vary from person to person and throughout our 

life but quality sleep can make a difference in our 

careers, relationships, physical and mental health 

and even our weight. Poor sleep hygiene could 

mean giving up on our goals and dreams because 

we lack the energy and vitality to make it happen. 

Love yourself enough to figure out what works for 

you, so you can get your best night of sleep, night 

after night. I wish you sweet dreams! 

Brenda Nielson hails from AWC Denmark. She 

writes and teaches about holistic health (including 

sleep!) and personal development based on science, 

tradition and the ancient mystery schools. She 

holds degrees in radiography, naturopathy ibm, 

aromatherapy and metaphysics. Sign up for her 

newsletter or receive an e-workbook on your sleep 

habits: brlyni@gmail.com using the description 

“Sleep.” 

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INSPIRING YOU 

Founded in 1931, FAWCO is a global women’s NGO (non-governmental 

organization), an international network of independent volunteer clubs and 

associations comprising 56 member clubs in 28 countries on six continents. 

FAWCO serves as a resource and a voice for its members; seeks to improve the 

lives of women and girls worldwide, especially in the areas of human rights, 

health, education and the environment; advocates for the rights of US citizens 

overseas; and contributes to the global community through its Global Issues 

Teams and The FAWCO Foundation, which provides development grants and 

education awards. Since 1997, FAWCO has held special consultative status with 

the UN Economic and Social Council. 

OUR MISSION STATEMENT 

FAWCO is an international federation of independent organizations whose 

mission is: 

• to build strong support networks for its American and international 

membership; 

• to improve the lives of women and girls worldwide; 

• to advocate for the rights of US citizens overseas; and 

• to mobilize the skills of its membership in support of global initiatives 

for education, the environment, health and human rights. 

ADVERTISING DISCLAIMER 

FAWCO receives financial remuneration for page space from advertisers. Views expressed or benefits 

described in any display advertisement, advertorial or in any webpage visited online directly from these 

adverts are not endorsed by FAWCO. 

Copyright 2022 FAWCO 

Inspiring Women© Magazine is owned and published electronically by FAWCO. 

All rights reserved. All bylined articles are copyright of their respective authors as indicated herein and are 

reproduced with their permission. The magazine or portions of it may not be reproduced in any form, stored in 

any retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy or otherwise – 

without written consent of the publisher. 

72

MORE ABOUT THIS ISSUE 

The Inspiring Women Team 

Liz Elsie Karen Berit Michele Haley 

For more information about this magazine, please contact a member of the Inspiring 

Women team: 

Editor-in-Chief, Liz MacNiven, inspiringwomen.editor@fawco.org 

Advertising and Sponsorship Manager, Elsie Bose, advertising@fawco.org 

Distribution Manager, Karen Boeker, iwdistribution@fawco.org 

Social Media Manager, Berit Torkildsen, iwsocialmedia@fawco.org 

Features Coordinator, Michele Hendrikse Du Bois, inspiringwomenfeatures@fawco.org 

Profiles Coordinator, Haley Green, inspiringwomenprofiles@fawco.org 

Acknowledgements: 

Thanks to all our 308 profilees from 60 FAWCO clubs over the last five years, with thanks also 

for the use of their photos and those of their friends and families. 

Additional thanks to the Inspiring Women team, as well as Cathy, Cynthia, Emily, Georgia, 

Julien, Margaret, Mary, Rick and Sallie for their additions to this special issue. 

Special thanks to the proofreading team of Karen Boeker (AWC Denmark), Sallie Chaballier 

(AAWE Paris), Janet Davis (AIWC Cologne), Mary Dobrian (AIWC Cologne), Tamar Hudson 

(AIWC Cologne), Janis Kaas (AAWE Paris/FAUSA), Carol-Lyn McKelvey (AIWC Cologne/FAUSA), 

Lauren Mescon (AWC Amsterdam), Mary Stewart Burgher (AWC Denmark) and Jenny Taylor 

(AIWC Cologne and AIWC Düsseldorf). 

Please note: images used in this publication are either sourced from the authors themselves or 

through canva.com. 

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OUR ADVERTISERS 

We are very grateful to our advertising partners for helping us make Inspiring Women a 

success. Our objective for Inspiring Women was to produce an upbeat and informative 

magazine that would engage members across the FAWCO world, with the hope that its popular 

appeal would attract advertisers. When new first started we asked our advertisers to take a 

leap of faith with us. They did and we have not looked back. 

To keep annual dues costs low, FAWCO needs revenue from outside sources. Throughout the 

years it has relied on advertisers and sponsors to augment its income. This revenue has 

allowed FAWCO to improve services and the flexibility to try the latest innovations to enhance 

the FAWCO experience. FAWCO’s advertising partners believe in our mission and support our 

goals. Some directly support our activities and projects. 

Over the last few years, FAWCO club members have partnered with us to advertise their 

products and services. EVERYONE benefits from their participation. These women are 

enthusiastic and bring high energy to the organization. They have much to share beyond their 

products and services and it is wonderful to see this group grow each year. 

In this special issue of Inspiring Women, we wanted to acknowledge all of FAWCO’s current 

advertisers. We encourage club leadership throughout the FAWCO network to share our 

publications with their membership. Our advertising partners have valuable products and 

services, and we want your members to take advantage of what they offer. Please do what you 

can to support them! 

For more information on these advertisers or if you have any questions about FAWCO’s 

advertising program, please contact Elsie Bose: advertising@fawco.org. 

with special thanks to: 

BetterHelp p.63 

Janet Darrow p.15 

London & Capital p.76 

London Realty p.58 

My Expat Taxes p.58 

Ponte Travel p.43 

Rodan + Fields p.34 

The Pajama Company p.28 

The Short List p.2 

Yummylicious Serums Paris p.63 

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