Letter From The Editor

New Year, Fresh Start

By: Carolyn Lawrence

The new year is a time of reflection, when we look back to see how far we’ve come and how far we still want to go. It’s often time to set our plans and goals while dreaming about how to achieve them. In the spirit of the season, a time of renewal and fresh starts to achieving success in work and life, this issue shares great ways to help us all go farther, faster, and healthier–paired with profiles of the amazing female role models who are leading  the way.

Marla Shapiro shares with us the hardships her home has endured, and the value she now places on health and work-life balance to live a long and successful life, while reflecting on how fast time flies. Isabel Bassett sits down with Senator Pamela Wallin, who talks of her definition of  success and being open to opportunity. And, as with each issue, I had the distinct pleasure of sitting down with the cover women; whom I believe  are some of the most authentic women role models I’ve seen, a paradigm shift in the type of woman who’s at the top.

To further underscore how promoting and advocating for many more incredibly talented Senior Executive Women is a core purpose and inspirational focus for us at Women  of Influence, Lisa Heidman’s article “The Future of North American Business: Senior Executive Women at Senior Executive and Board Tables”  published in the Fall Issue now takes its place as a regular opinion column, each highlighting exceptional Senior Executives and organizations and  exploring key issues to support and examine advancement at both the Senior Executive and Board level. A passionate advisor to, and supporter  of, Women of Influence, Ms. Heidman’s next article explores “The Influential Power of Mentoring and Networking to Open Doors and Break  Barriers”, watch for the next one in April.

As we write, Women of Influence looks back on 2010 as a year of increasing our impact on women’s  advancement and spreading the inspiration we provide by way of access to more incredible role models through the magazine, members website, and the global dinner series that gathers these powerful insights from Senior Executive women for you. We look forward to the New Year filled with more programs to engage and inspire you on your journey to success, and increasing opportunities for corporations to tap into the power of  women as consumers and employees.