Women of Influence
CBJ celebrates 2025’s Women of Influence
The 2025 Women of Influence are a group of incredibly multi-faceted and talented individuals. They are leaders who are striving for greatness — not only for themselves, but for their organizations and communities. The Women of Influence awards recognize women…
Ashley Vanorny: Multiple avenues of influence
Ashley Vanorny sees her influence manifesting in a variety of areas. As the second-youngest person…
Mary Beth O’Neill: Striving for nonprofit collaboration
An East Coast native, Mary Beth O’Neill didn’t envision spending part of her career in…
Deborah Lindberg Gertsen: ‘Don’t wait for someday…’
Deborah Lindberg Gertsen works in a bank, but she is not a banker. She brings…
Amy Kristof-Brown: Creating opportunities for others
Few people have the opportunity to influence more than 6,000 lives each day — and…
Crystal Hall: Early childhood champion, passion for service
Throughout her career — including 17 years as senior director at the Young Parents Network…
Cady Gerlach: Practicing radical candor in leadership
It’s not hard to see why Cady Gerlach is so widely admired in her circles.…
Cindy Garlock: Setting an example, changing students’ lives
“If there’s one word I use to describe myself, I would say ‘persistence,’” said Cedar…
Get to know 2024’s Women of Influence
This year, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Corridor Business Journal and its Women…
Samantha Rogers: ‘A labor of love’
Samantha Rogers may not be an Iowa native, but the first time she saw the…
Barbara Wilson: A heart, and mind, for academia
Though she says she is only in her “junior year” of her term as president…
Kristy Walker: Fighting food insecurity through advocacy
Kristy Walker spent her childhood on a farm and wants to retire on a farm.…
Christine Vorhies: Conveying competence to manage change
The positive influence of Christine Vorhies reverberates not only in her professional life, but through…
Tara Minetos: Cultivating community connections through volunteerism
As a Navy brat without a hometown, Tara Minetos always craved a true sense of…
Jessica Horaney: Inspiring the next generation of female engineers
Women represent 23 percent of new engineering graduates, a number Jessica Horaney is seeking to…
Kristie Fisher: Following the winding path home
As a teenager, Kristie Fisher often joked with her friends that she would be president…
