As a woman mentor and business leader, I often reflect on how grateful I am for the opportunities I had as a teen, access to real-world business and leadership training that shaped my journey, built my confidence and gave me the courage to reach for more. That foundation continues to inform how I show up today: mentoring young women, encouraging them to remain coachable, and staying teachable myself, always learning and evolving.
The greatest leaders I’ve known didn’t just tell me I had potential, they showed me. They showed me that my voice, my ideas, and my vision held real power. That gift is priceless, and one I’ve always vowed to pay forward.
That’s exactly what Jennifer Openshaw and Girls With Impact (GWI) are doing, right here in our community.
When I first met Jennifer, I was struck not just by her remarkable career as a CEO, bestselling author and national commentator, but by her unshakable mission: to equip young women, especially those from underserved backgrounds, with the skills, confidence and tools to lead. GWI isn’t just another leadership program. It’s a movement, and one that Fairfield County is incredibly fortunate to have in its corner.
Jennifer’s journey is a powerful story of resilience. From working as a maid at age 14 to founding and selling a financial network to Wall Street icon Muriel Siebert, she knows the grit it akes to rise, and she’s using that experience to light the path for others. Through GWI, she’s not trying to “fix” the system from the top down. She’s changing it from the inside out, by starting with the next generation.
Brett Markinson, GWI graduate Karin Lund, CEO Jennifer Openshaw, GWI graduates Arianna Anderson and Darlene Fleurimond
Jennifer with a GWI graduate from CT, Kristen St. Louis, holding her Business Plan, developed in GWI’s Academy for her venture to improve literacy.
Jennifer with a GWI graduate at the quarterly graduation.
GWI’s online, outcomes-based business and leadership academy, developed in partnership with Harvard Business School educators, is preparing girls to think like CEOs. They’re building business plans, pitching ideas to real investors, and leading with purpose. They’re accessing professional networks many of us didn’t find until much later in our careers. And they’re doing it with boldness, clarity, and impact.
But let’s be clear: this isn’t just about launching careers. It’s about transforming lives.
When a young woman sees herself as a leader, she brings that belief into every room she enters. She raises her hand higher. She speaks with confidence. She lifts others as she climbs. That kind of mindset shift changes everything, not only for her, but for her family, her community and the world she will help shape.
And we need that change. The numbers speak for themselves: Women make up 58% of the workforce, but only 8% of Fortune 1000 CEOs. Just one-third of young women even see themselves as leaders. That isn’t just a missed opportunity, it’s a crisis of potential. And Jennifer is tackling it at the source.
I’ve witnessed firsthand how programs like Girls With Impact transform the trajectory of a young woman’s life. As a mentor, there is no greater joy than watching a girl realize she not only has a seat at the table, but the skills, strength and vision to lead it.
So what does this mean for Fairfield County?
It means we’re not just raising girls, we’re raising leaders. We’re cultivating future founders, CEOs, changemakers and public servants. We’re ensuring our community doesn’t just watch the future happen, we help build it.
To Jennifer and the entire Girls With Impact team: thank you for believing in what’s possible. And to my fellow women leaders and mentors here in Fairfield County, let’s keep showing up, giving back and lifting as we lead. Because when we invest in girls, we all rise.
To get involved, discover upcoming events, or become a mentor yourself, girlswithimpact.org