The Stories We Tell

25 Women who are trailblaizers in their own right(T.S.W.T 2022 Nominees)

By: Ciarra Williams

If you missed them during Women’s History month, see the women who were nominated in March.

While I usually honor one Woman each month, we celebrate 25 women who are game-changers in their respective industries for April.

Each Woman is a trailblazer doing notable things in the community in their own right—thank you to every Woman for sharing a part of her journey with us. You deserve to be honored every day for the work you do.

  1. Allison SchroederFounder Of Pomme Communications : http://www.pommecommunications.com/
3 facts about me: 

1) I love to run. I’ve run 28 half marathons. You’ll very likely catch me 

out and about running on Saturday mornings along the river. Cincinnati has 

a very vibrant running community and some premier races (including one that 

I created, @Thegreatbridalchase.) 

2) I’m a proud mom. I credit a lot of my professional drive to my 7 year 

old son. I discovered I was pregnant not long after starting Pomme and 

we’ve had to navigate a lot together. At that time (2014), I was working a 

full-time corporate job, moonlighting with my PR agency, growing a baby and 

even ran a half marathon at 6.5 months pregnant. I don’t know how I did it. 


But more importantly, I want to show him that mommies are dynamic leaders, 

business owners and badasses! 


3) I love to dabble in photography. There’s so much to learn, but I’m 

enjoying practicing with different styles

2. Nahamani Yisrael : Creative Digital Marketing Agency Owner : https://nahamani.org/

Three facts:
I am a self taught developer. I tool some entry-level programming classes in the late 90s (we’re talking DOS). In 2000 I opened my 1st website development agency.

2) I love anything to do with water. My first job was a lifeguard I literally got paid to work on my tan and play with little kids. I have touched all oceans, seas and lakes that border the United States. I even swam in the Ohio River, once.

3) My name is both aspirational and descriptive. When I converted to Judaism at 16 yrs old I assumed the name Nahamani, which means compassionate leader. At 24 yrs old I legally changed it.

I am 44 yrs old and I still tell people that “When I grow up I am going to be a compassionate leader”. Today I lead a team of 7 content creators ranging from 18 yrs old to 54 yrs young.
This got kind of long quickly. Feel free to shorten my answers as you see fit. Will send pics momentarily.

3. Jacqueline Boyd : Artist

Three facts:
Hello, my name is Jacqueline B. I’m an artist from Ohio. I find creating to be very therapeutic and I’m so happy that I’ve been able to use my gifts to connect with and uplift others.

I enjoy roller skating because it allows me to be in flow and it gives me an adrenaline rush. Lastly, I’m always looking for ways to grow and evolve through my talents and how I express myself. 

I look forward to the day when I’m able to have a mass amount of people connecting with my art. 
 
I’m a motivational artist 👩🏾‍🎨 and specialize in rock art 🪨🎨🤍✨.

4. Raven Jackson: Chef Owner of Raven’s Creations: https://www.ravenscreations.org/

Three facts:
I love cooking dishes that take me outside of my comfort zone – I am a very adventurous person, sign me up for all of the thrills – I am the middle of 5 kids and have been cooking since I was a young child.

5. Niesha Drakeford: Writer/ Speaker & Actress

3 facts about me:
I enjoy
Writing 
Gospel and Soulful music 
Traveling

Niesha is the mother to two children. A speaker for the National Alliance on Mental illness; educating young adults and students about mental health as well as sharing her own story.

She is the Co-owner of Children of Hope Learning Center which is a black-owned childcare center, sociology student at Nku and Local Actress.

6. Taylor Le : Resturant & Shop. Eat. Support. Cincy Owner

Three Facts About Me:
My name is Taylor Le! I’m 27 and live north of Cincinnati in West Chester. 

My family and I also own a Vietnamese restaurant here, called Saigon Noodle Bar. My page @shop.eat.support.cincy started from wanting to share some of the city’s best local restaurant, businesses, artists and entrepreneurs! 

Some facts. I have two dogs lol named Icy and Sya. I hope to get into the social media business one day! And I love binge watching tv shows hahaha

7. Ashlee : Media Personality Influencer& Advice Columist https://msha.ke/askashlee


Three Facts about me:
1. I’m a mom of 4 (2 biological and 2 bonus babies)

2. I am a plus size model and brand ambassador for Victory Lane Boutique

3. I love yoga/ meditation. That’s my self care practice.

My brand is Ask Ashlee, I’m an Advice Columnist for the Cincinnati Herald, I’m also a regular Media Personality/Commentator for FOX19, An Author and Talk Show Host.

8. Danielle Harris: Interior Designer https://tobdesignfirm.com/


3 facts About me: 

1. I am a mom to 3 boys and they are all redheads! 

2. I’m obsessed with fashion! If I wasn’t in interior design I would own my own clothing boutique 

3. Nothing makes me happier than Waffle House and jamming out to old school Kirk Franklin gospel
Music!

I am an interior designer that travels all over the United States (hopefully soon out of the country) doing residential design work! I also design model homes alongside my mom and sister for Fischer homes builders in 5 states! 

Then if that wasn’t enough my husband and I also own a home remodeling company where we specialize in unique kitchen and master bath remodels! It’s a good thing I love hats because I wear a lot of them!

9. Stephanie Jackson: Certified Nutrition and Health Life Coach https://www.yoursweetestlife.com/

3 facts about me:

1. Wife of 34 yrs and mom of 4 adult children, created several systems while raising my children working a full time job and pursuing goals.

2. CEO of The sweet life of Stephanie J LLC, and The Sweet Life online Home & Lifestyle store. Focused on providing tools, resources and products to curate your Sweetest Life. Just launched 

3. Certified Nutrition and Health Life coach, passionate about providing women education to live their healthiest 

10. Paige Bradley : The Boost Cincinnati Owner https://www.thebeautyboost.net/cincinnati

Three Facts:
Paige Braley is the owner of @thebeautyboostcincy , a community for women to come together to feel healthy, empowered, and beautiful! 

She spent 15+ years as a professional singer/dancer, traveling the world as a cruise line performer- anywhere from Alaska to Australia, Fiji, and Spain, she LOVES to travel! 

Aside from her husband, her two loves in life are Burrow + Chase, her giant goldendoodles (Who Dey!) đ꧎

11. Miquela Sparkle : Author/ Life Coach https://www.coiledinconfidence.com/

Three facts:
1.) I absolutely love the outdoors. One of the best childhood memories I have is my annual camping trips with my father in the summer. 

That was our time to bond and just enjoy what people would consider the little moments – but they meant everything to us.

2.) Being a mother of 3 wonderful children has been life changing but yet extremely rewarding. 
They’ve allowed me to see life in a different perspective.

3.) Purpose has taken me to a level in life that fulfills me. I thoroughly love that I can identify the,”why,” in why I was created.

I am an Entrepreneur, Published Author, Paralegal, and Certified Life Coach.

Mental Health is extremely important to me and I am dedicated to bringing awareness to this,not only in my community but globally.This is one of many things that keep me going.

12. Cat Ramos : Artist

3 facts about me:
1: i am a self taught artist 
2:I’m a proud daughter of immigrants 
3: I’m first generation, and the only person in my family to ever pursue a career as an artist. 
About me: 
I am a full time artists, I consider myself, Mex·ia·dorian (n) a person of Mexican and Salvadoran descent

As a proud Mexiadorian and first-generation artist, my art highlights the colors from my culture and upbringing in addition to my love of upcycling.

Besides being a full time artist I also organize a night market called mystic market, my goal is to bring more cultures and BIPOC vendors to this white dominated market community, 

My motivation for this was always being the “token” Latina at every event, I knew there were other bipoc creators out there and with mystic market we all come together and create magic.

13. Katie Dittman: Marketing Manager Social Media Freelancer

3 facts about me:
I’m a marketing manager and social media freelancer. I work in the food & beverage/higher education world, as well as supporting @thebeautyboostcincy 

I’m a firm believer that group fitness is for everybody. I spend most of my free time exploring the Cincinnati group fitness scene.

If I could just be a professional hype woman for small businesses and the people in my life, that would be my perfect career. If you need someone to hype you up, I’m your girl.

14. Brisa Reyes : Artist

Three Facts:
I have a great love for the outdoors, specifically hiking and birding. 

One of my favorite pastimes is hiking with my little furball, midnight. He just turned 1 last month.
Apart from the outdoors, I love exploring the city and checking out little businesses around Columbus, Ohio. 

If you want to know more about my art you can usually find me at different pop-ups around Columbus. My preferred mediums are ink, watercolor, and acrylics 🙂

15. Laura Mishne Heller : Instructor/PhD Student

About me: My name is Laura and I currently reside in greater Cincinnati! I am an instructor at three different universities. My main role is instructing for the Department of Criminal Justice and Security Studies at the University of Dayton. I teach research methods and statistics for Ohio University in their online MSW program and I teach both undergraduate and graduate level courses for the Department of Social Work at the University of North Dakota. 

Three facts: 
1.) I am a PhD student and my research focuses on improving health literacy within corrections (prisons) by assessing understanding at all levels: interviewing prisoners, correctional officers and prison medical staff. 

2.) I am a social worker by trade, so I *love* to promote self-care any chance I get (and it’s also why I enjoy my role as a fitness instructor 
3.) I am a new-ish mom to my son, Josh (9 months old!) and I love every second 

16. Rachel Rist, Knock Out Cincy Owner & CEO http://www.kobeautycincy.com/

About Me: After spending most of my childhood being bullied – my dad took me to a boxing gym when I was 16 and it was love at first sight. Boxing made me feel so powerful it became the focal point of my brand.

* Prior to the pandemic, I spent a lot of time doing nonprofit work as a Co-Chair for Breathe Deep Cincinnati 5k, an event for lung cancer, a cause that’s incredibly important to me. 

* I spent over a decade in the overly feminized beauty industry feeling like a misfit – so I decided to create a space for badass sporty women to feel at home and empowered. 

I specialize in brow and lash services such as: microblading, powder brows, brow threading, brow henna, lash extensions, & lash lift and tints. These services help my active clients, busy mamas, fellow entrepreneurs, etc. feel their best while saving them lots of time in the process.

17. Philishea Carden: Barley Blush CEO https://www.barelyblushnails.com/

I love all things beauty. I love nail polish, candles, skincare, perfume. Everything, I can’t get enough. I have over 50 bottles of niche perfume.

I enjoy cooking. I like trying new dishes and cocktails from different cultures. Experimenting with new spices and new flavors.

I love entertaining and creating meaningful experiences for people. Connecting with people intimately means more authentic relationships.

I am the owner of Barely Blush. We are a luxury nail care brand specializing in vegan, cruelty free products. We have nail care items for everyone wether you enjoy a natural manicure, press ons and polish.  All our polish collections are curated with women in mind. Each collection speaks to the universal experiences and moments women share throughout their lives.

Mission
At Barely Blush, our mission is to empower women to embrace their authentic selves through the acknowledgment of our intercultural connections.

Vision
At Barely Blush, our vision is to create connected communities where women are emboldened through honest self-expression to bring about collective good.

18. Amy Tuttle: Artist and Chief Director Of Programing https://www.wordplaycincy.org/

Amy has worked globally as an artist, facilitator, and trainer. She engages the arts to support growth & healing for individuals, to spark community-building, and catalyze social impact. She serves as the Chief Director of Programming for WordPlay Cincy, where “stories write the future” in Cincinnati. Tuttle is a faculty member for the Global Arts in Medicine Fellowship, a member of NOAH (National Organization of Arts in Health), and a practitioner with the Cincinnati Arts Association’s “Arts in Healing” program.  She considers her practice a simple+deep process of storytelling to encourage empathy & connection. 

3 Facts: 
*Amy is a Wilderness Guide and loves exploring!
*She especially loves dance and improvised movement.
*Growing up, she wanted to be an “adventure lady” and teacher…now-adays she’s kinda both.  

Photo Credits:

*headshot: Sybilka Storie*dance: Tina Gutierrez
*wordplay: Monsta The Engineer

19. Briana Seals: CEO of Nora 22 https://nora22.com/

My name is Brianna Seals and I am the Founder of Nora 22 which is a brand that educates millennials about Alzheimer’s Disease and brings awareness fashionably. 

I am Chicago born and raised. 

I am a lover of all things creative whether that’s expressing myself through fashion or creating dope user experiences for brands!

I feel like I’m living out my purpose most when I am helping others.

20. Dr. Maria Banks: Occupational Therapist/ Pre/Post Natal Coach https://bio.site/thehealthmamas

3 Facts About Me

1. I studied ballet for 18 years. I have always loved movement and value staying physically active. 


2. I am the only child, so I have an extensive imagination!


3. I have been an occupational therapist for 11 years. I recently took a leap of faith to start my own business in the women’s health space. 

I am the owner of The Health Mamas, a company I started to help women take control of their health throughout pregnancy and motherhood.

I am a Doctor of Occupational Therapy and a Pre/Post Natal Fitness Specialist.  I provide personal training, group fitness classes, nutritional guidance and coaching services to help women prepare for labor and safely recover after giving birth. 


My goal is to build a community of moms who take control of their health by adopting healthier lifestyle changes.

21. Zonieke Betts : Pour Mobile Wine Bar CEO http://www.pourmobilewinebar.com/

Facts about me:
❤️ new experiences and meeting new people.
2) I have lived in 7 different cities and have some amazing friends in every city.
3) I’m an HGTV junkie

Additional Information:
I am the proud mother of two beautiful young women.  I have an amazing husband whom I’ve been married to for 24 years.  I recently joined Brown Skin Brunchin and became the Ambassador for Cincinnati.  I am excited to be a member of Black Girl Wine Society which continues to expand my educational experience about đźŤ·

22. Quinn Mcilhargey-Nicholson: Baqette CEO https://baqette.com/

My name is quinn, owner of Baqette and designer of small-batch leather goods, made here in Cincinnati! Baqette is a small, woman-owned business. Creating & curating leather pieces to inspire your everyday life.

3 facts about me:
-my favorite way to unwind is cooking an decadent meal, with an open bottle of natural wine.. dinner is usually served around 11pm
– I started a garden during the first year of the pandemic and fell in love with the rituals and bounty it provided
– I am vigorously inspired by color, and hope you see that reflected in my work!


Photos by: Rvp & TSG

23. Diamyn Rembert: CEO & Owner of Diamyn’s Crystal Bar https://www.diamynscrystalbar.com/

Diamyn’s Crystal Bar promotes mind, body, and spiritual wellness through healing crystals. 
We empower and encourage you to become more mindful of your energy and your spiritual wellness. 

We offer crystals, custom jewelry, crystal classes, mindfulness and empowerment workshops, and more! 

Facts: 
I am a rock collector that can identify hundreds of different stones, crystals, and minerals. 
I am the owner of Diamyn’s Crystal Bar where we help people heal with intention and crystals
I am absolutely in love with helping other people reach their goals and achievements.

24. Erin Glutz: CEO & Owner of Augusta Aesthetics https://www.augustaaesthetic.com/

 I have been working in the aesthetic industry for 5 years. This industry is always evolving and continuously growing which keeps things exciting! 
I enjoy being active and outdoors. My favorite activities outdoors are hanging out with our dog Javier, hiking or snowboarding out West, or hanging in the Carolina sun.
I also love trying new things, which ties into both the aesthetic industry and traveling.  

25. Tailor Marie : Eliqua LLC, CEO & Owner https://www.eliquallc.com/

My favorite color is blue! đź’™
I have a background in art as well as a degree in Marketing, so designing and branding a business came a little easier to me than most.
Food is ALWAYS the way to my heart, phone number, or bank account info .
I am the Owner and Founder of Eliqua LLC and we sell handcrafted fruit infused flavored waters!

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