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Top 10 Most Inspiring Women 2018

SARAH KENNEY

Nemours Fund for Children’s Health | Marketing & Communications Coordinator
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Jane Clark, Co-Founder & Creative Director of Brandswan, a Delaware web design agency

Jane Clark, Co-Founder of BrandSwan

Why We Chose Sarah Kenney

“Full disclosure, I consider Sarah to be a good friend. I met her at a wedding some 8 or 9 years ago. Since then, our lives always manage to come together and we have many mutual friends. Anyone who knows Sarah also knows she is pretty inspirational. She is someone I deeply admire as both a business professional and a thought leader. Recognized as a DBT40 Honoree from the Delaware Business Times and a Leadership Delaware Scholar is just the tip of the iceberg that is Sarah’s accomplishments. President of the board of Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation (who I have the pleasure of working with on the event committee) and Marketing & Communications Coordinator for Nemours are just a couple more things that this girl juggles.

Yet, the thing that impresses me the most is that she rocked the business world and bought a house before even getting married. She stands on her own two feet. This is an amazing individual that is fiercely independent, intelligent, and spends every day connecting people. I am so thrilled that she is receiving recognition so well deserved and I’m proud to call her a friend as she brings positivity wherever she goes.

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Sarah Kenney

Nemours Fund for Children’s Health | Marketing & Communications Coordinator
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Sarah Kenney |Day 8 Top 10 Inspiring Women 2018 | Teakettica LLC

Tell us a little bit about what you do at Nemours

I am the Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the Nemours Fund for Children’s Health, which is the fundraising arm of Nemours. I’m based in Wilmington, Del. at Nemours/Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children, though I work with team members at our Florida sites as well. I oversee all communications in support of fundraising for Nemours in the Delaware Valley. I manage newsletters, media relations, advertising, collateral from cases of support to annual reports, video production, executive speaking points, etc. At Nemours, I also co-lead the Women’s Associate Resource group, which has two goals – to provide female associates professional development opportunities, and to consult with the executive team on how the workplace culture could be improved to better support us.

How do you achieve work/life balance, especially when you are also involved in the community?

HA! Ha. Ha. Ha. Um. I haven’t “achieved” that yet. I could talk about this forever. When your work excites you, and when it feeds your personal mission, it’s actually energizing to work on it… but still, there are limits. When it FEELS like work… like an obligation… I have to try to stop and take a breather. But it’s hard. When people are relying on you… it’s hard to put the laptop down. The solution is (and I’m trying to work on this, particularly for my board) to create an environment where you are not actually needed for 80% of the work. But creating that sort of environment is constant work in itself. I think the key is knowing yourself — knowing what drains you and what brings you back to life. So, for me… I’m an introvert. And a lot of my job is engaging with people. Which I love doing! But I know it drains me. So, my recovery is alone time. So, sometimes I wake up early for that. Or take the dog for a walk for that. Or just run a bath and think exclusively about bubbles for 20 minutes. Just know yourself. And take care of yourself. I’m far from perfect in this area. But I’m working on it.

What advice would you give to young women who are entering the workforce?

Respect both the philosophy “you’ll understand when you’re older” AND “nothing changes if nothing changes.” Both are right. You’ll smash into a brick wall of resistance if you go into (most) workplaces full-steam without listening first. But at the same time, don’t let any of your superiors (and yes, I mean ANY of them) negate your well-reasoned ideas. There is a place for them. Find that place or work to build it yourself. You can do a lot of good before you “know better.”

Give a shout out to a woman or women who you consider to be your mentor(s)

I’d like to shout out to Michelle Morin, who is the Executive Director of the Office of Supplier Diversity for the State of Delaware. She has been my mentor for more than five years, always connecting me to changemakers and pushing me to grow and develop out of my comfort zone, and into my full potential. And, though he’s a man (shhh), I’d like to shout out my husband, Dave, who supports me in all that I do. Even when it means I’m occasionally late to dinner. A lot. Thanks, babe.

Tell us about Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation and your role as board chair.

The Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation provides scholarships to women who are going back to college to get their undergraduate degrees. There a lot of scholarships (though never enough, I know) for students who go straight to college from high school. But not a lot for adults who had to take a break in between, and especially not for women, who often need additional support. We support women in New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties who are going to any accredited college or university in Delaware. Earlier this year, in July 2018, we reached $1M in scholarships awarded since we were founded in 1996. We have supported more than 250 women in reaching their goal of an undergraduate degree. But more than scholarships, we have provided mentorship and support. Each scholar is linked to a mentor, to help them in their academic journey. Because we know that our scholars have jobs, families, community responsibilities, and more. So, we surround them with support and celebrate each milestone.

I have served on the board since 2014, and was elected board chair in July 2017. As such, I lead our volunteer board of about 16 people, with our programmatic, marketing, and fundraising goals. It’s a tremendous amount of work, but I get to see the difference we are making every day. And I love it.

Tell us about your experience with Leadership Delaware, and how you plan to use what you have learned in the future.

Leadership Delaware was an incredible experience. It’s a year-long development program that takes early- to mid-career professionals to the next level, introducing them to leaders across the corporate, nonprofit, and government sector. While in the program, I refined my public speaking skills, challenged my long-held political beliefs, and learned about an incredible range of topics, including education, the financial sector, local government, etc. I learned how the state government sets its annual budget and the process of passing a state law. I also witnessed a variety of leadership styles and continued to hone my idea of what I want my leadership to look like today and into the future. I plan to take what I’ve learned to increase my impact in the nonprofit and potentially government sector. Stay tuned!

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?

This might sound unusual, but I think my greatest accomplishment was buying my first house — a cute blue townhome — in 2014. And I think the reason I consider it my greatest accomplishment was because I truly prioritized myself to make that happen. I tend to prioritize all of the tasks I need to do for others, but purchasing a house on my own was an intense process with MYSELF at the center. I was very proud. My cats, previously quite cramped, were also grateful.

What change do you want to see in the world, and how are you aiding that cause?

I want to see women feel empowered to achieve their dream careers. I see a lot of women holding back, feeling “unqualified.” And then less qualified candidates actually get the job, because they were unencumbered by doubt. Women are often incredible “informal” leaders. And that’s important. But they still make up a minuscule amount of the formal leaders in the major sectors of our economy, including the sectors where they are well represented in the middle ranks (education, healthcare, nonprofits in general, etc.). This work is two-fold. It involves changing the environment, meaning the workplace culture and the unconscious bias that exists among current leadership. And it involves getting women the coaching and development they need to take the informed risks that are required for growth. I’m trying to make a dent in both of those areas in both my “two lives” – both at Nemours and at the Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation.

Coming up tomorrow is day 9!

More 2018 Most Inspiring Women

Day 10: Traci Madison — Inspiring Women 2018

Day 10: Traci Madison — Inspiring Women 2018

I had the pleasure to brand Traci’s company, Madison Real Estate. What’s really impressed me about her is that in 2 years she’s tripled the number of agents. Every day it seems she’s having an open house or congratulating a client on the selling or purchasing of their home. She’s always posting amazing photos to inspire those searching for their dream home. AND, she still has time to go out and network. She knows how to work it — she knows how to work her brand, work the room, build truly meaningful relationships, and she can throw one hell of a party. Everyone who knows her, loves her… myself included.

Day 9: Antoinette Blake — Inspiring Women 2018

Day 9: Antoinette Blake — Inspiring Women 2018

Every woman-centric event I’ve attended, Antoinette’s name was mentioned as a woman of influence. She is most known as an award-winning blogger (@DelawareBlogger to be precise) and social media guru. She has a weekly podcast and also teaches as an adjunct professor. Other accomplishments include Entrepreneur of the Year Award, featured in several publications like Delaware Today, Woman’s Day, Parade, The Delaware Business Times, and Technical.ly. The most impressive… she’s even on radio! Is there anything this gal can’t do?

Day 7: Jacqueline Means — Inspiring Women 2018

Day 7: Jacqueline Means — Inspiring Women 2018

At only 15 years old, Jacqueline is known in the community for her efforts in bringing STEM to the underprivileged girls of Wilmington, inspiring girls to get actively involved in science, technology, engineering, and math. So well spoken and passionate, I am totally blown away by her. Speaker, event planner, chess player, volunteer, mentor and more. She makes me so proud to be a fellow Delawarean and a woman. She will continue to defy the stereotypes that limit our potentials.

Day 6: Sital Soni — Inspiring Women 2018

Day 6: Sital Soni — Inspiring Women 2018

Sital impressed me with her eloquent yet authentic way of speaking to the room. You could tell that she knew her stuff. She not only could answer all of the audience’s questions, but she provided a level of insight that really just connected all the dots. When I saw her again at the Delaware Small Business Chamber, I recalled her striking presence and how she could command a room. Yet, she still retains a softness that makes her incredibly approachable. As breast cancer survivor and someone who heavily volunteers for the Middletown Area Chamber of Commerce, Sital offers herself up as a resource to those who can benefit from her experiences. I am so looking forward to getting to know her better and seeing where she continues to go.”

Day 5: Jennie Campbell — Inspiring Women 2018

Day 5: Jennie Campbell — Inspiring Women 2018

[Jennie] is more than just a phenomenal photographer — she gets involved in the community. She actually lives her truth and does stuff. She is out and about, building her #bossbabe business and rockin’ it as both a beloved teacher and entrepreneur. We can learn a lot from Jennie’s incredible work ethic and passion for life. She doesn’t exist… she lives. Thank you, Jennie for showing us how it’s done!

Day 4: Aniko Czobor — Inspiring Women 2018

Day 4: Aniko Czobor — Inspiring Women 2018

I adore Aniko. If memory serves, I met her at a Wonder Women Tea event at the Blue Hen Bed & Breakfast, but in truth I see her at all sorts of events. I’ve had the pleasure to get to know her over the years and what impresses me most about Aniko is her joyful presence. No matter what is happening, she finds reasons to smile. It’s not a smile that’s forced; it’s a smile that genuinely warms a room. I love that she is proud of her heritage in a world of notenoughness. I love that she loves life and still has enough in her cup to pass that love onto others in their time of need. Aniko is so much more than an inspiring woman — she’s an inspiring human being.

Day 3: Lois Hoffman — Inspiring Women 2018

Day 3: Lois Hoffman — Inspiring Women 2018

Lois is everywhere and everyone knows Lois; but, that’s not why I chose her. We became fast friends after we kept bumping into each other at various networking events. She is one of the most delightful people to be around — and most importantly, she laughs at all my jokes. She is an amazing and persistent entrepreneur. I see her social media posts everywhere from Linked in to Facebook. Her brand is always on point and consistent in everything she does. So dedicated and hardworking, Lois just doesn’t quit. And that’s why she deserves to be on my list. I find her compassionate and inspiring. Oh, and did I mention she is also a juggler? Yeah.

Day 2: Sheri Stafford Swift — Inspiring Women 2018

Day 2: Sheri Stafford Swift — Inspiring Women 2018

Sheri is a freelance makeup artist. She always looks like a total rock star thanks to her amazing talents. What I love most about Sheri is that she is constantly pushing herself. She was afraid to start her own biz, but she did it anyway. Something she doesn’t mention in her interview but has given me permission to add — through a ton of hard work, Sheri was able to kick diabetes medication to the curb. As a diabetic, this gives me hope. Without further adieu… meet Sheri, who was nationally recognized in The Knot.

Day 1: Brooke Chase — Inspiring Women 2018

Day 1: Brooke Chase — Inspiring Women 2018

“I met Brooke at a Mascara & Mimosa event. She approached me easily and effortlessly, introducing herself. I was impressed by her side hustle, B.Social. As I stalked her on social media and got to know her a little more personally, she became the social media gal for TAPP Network. Now she has accepted a new gig at the City of Wilmington. I find myself proud to know her and also awestruck; Brooke is a go getter, brave & beyond talented. I can’t wait to see what this passionate millennial does next.”