*Copies of COO of Facebook Sheryl Sandberg’s book ‘Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead’ sit on a table at the Zeit (German weekly newpaper) Conference in Hamburg, Germany, 18 April 2013. The topic of the conference was women in executive positions. Photo: ANGELIKA WARMUTH | usage worldwide (Photo by Angelika Warmuth/picture alliance via Getty Images)

I am overwhelmed and incredibly honored to share with you that my story and face are on the homepage for LeanIn.org, alongside Sheryl Sandberg, Oprah Winfrey and more on behalf of empowering women to go for their dreams!  Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, is championing a movement for women called Lean In, based on her new book “Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead.”  The website alone is an empowering collection of stories from women sharing their best advice, experiences and wisdom on what holds us back and how to overcome.   To share in this mission, alongside women leaders I have looked up to for years, is amazing.

On the website, there are pages and pages of empowering stories, written by the everyday woman but also women leaders.  Former First Lady, Laura Bush, writes about the morning of 9/11 and how she found a new determination that made work fulfilling.  Actress, Reese Witherspoon, shares how she overcame her fear of public speaking for the sake of empowering women with Avon.  Oprah inspires me in her piece when she says “I told my producers we needed to change the way the game was played; we would use television, and not be used by it.” (wow.)  

Maria Shriver shares how her first instinct to becoming First Lady of California gave her an overwhelming instinct to lean back, not in.  But when she pushed through the unknown, uncertainty and discomfort, she found how much impact she could have for other women.  And one of my favorite women of all, Karen Walrond, a fellow Babble Voice and photographer shares her fantastic story of knowing when to stand up and be loud or be a bit quieter while still sending a loud message.  At the homepage, you can click on my face to read my story of how even now photography reminds me how you need the dark, the shadows, and the contrast to define light.

Grab a cup of coffee, find a quiet moment and enjoy these wonderful stories from women who have a heart to see you living your fullest life.

xo,

m