As Director of Community Initiatives for Gateway Community Action, Leah Kohr oversees numerous programs and outreach that directly impacts residents across 15 counties in Eastern Kentucky. Drawing upon more than 30 years of experience in project management and leadership, she is passionate about her work and comes from a background in nonprofit administration, research and development. Among other programs and projects, she serves as for the HHS OFA Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage grants.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Mount Saint Joseph University, Leah went on to complete a Master of Arts in Counseling and Organizational Development from Ashland University. Prior to joining the Gateway community Action team, she worked with several community nonprofits and in organizational development for Bell Laboratories.
In addition to her work with Gateway Community Action, Leah serves on the Executive Board of Leadership Montgomery County and is an active member of the Commonwealth Center for Fathers and Families. She credits her success to focus, drive and perseverance.
Women’s Networking Association Member Leah Kohr can be found on the Association Directory, where she is looking forward to networking with you.
Category Archives: Press Releases
Genevieve Winninger Lemarquis is the CEO and International Business Director of Amadea Consultants, a consultancy firm specializing in sales, marketing, project management, leadership and management. With over 25 years of experience in her field, she has overseen the management of major projects in France and internationally, and offers clear guidance on how to improve integration and impact for women at the C-level. She closely works as a consulting and international projects partner for the consulting and training firm B-Flower in Paris.
In addition to running her consultancy, Genevieve serves as a lecturer on international marketing, management and business law for university and business schools. She is also currently completing a PhD at the Paris Pantheon Sorbonne University, focusing on Digital transformation relating to digital maturity in B2B Buyer-Seller relationships and processes. She writes academic papers and articles, and participates in national and international marketing and sales conferences.
Prior to establishing Amadea Consultants, Genevieve was Sales Excellence Partner at Krauthammer International for one year, Senior Consultant and International Business Director at Mercuri International for 13 years, and was Managing Inspector, Sales and Expertise at AXA for 13 years.
Women’s Networking Association Member Genevieve Winninger Lemarquis can be found on the Association Directory, where she is looking forward to networking with you.
Qaisra Shahraz is a celebrated author, educationist, activist and cultural leader. As the founder and executive director of the Muslim Arts and Culture Festival (MACFESTUK), she leads an international initiative dedicated to fostering peace, community engagement, cultural exchange, and challenging stereotypes. The organization and its leadership have won numerous awards and accolades, including The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services and the High Sheriff Award and the British Muslim Award, under the category of Leading Lights of the Year.
Also an award-winning novelist and screenwriter, Qaisra was recipient of the prestigious National Diversity, Lifetime Achiever Award for services to ‘Literature, Education, Gender and Interfaith Relationships’ (2016). In 2018, her alma mater the University of Salford, presented her with the Alumni Achievement Award for having achieved distinction in her multiple careers and for contributions to the arts and community cohesion. In 2022 she gained an MBE, Queen’s Honour award for ‘Services to Gender Equality and Cultural Learning’. Most recently, in 2021 she won the She Inspires Award in the Culture Champion category.
Originally from Pakistan, Qaisra received her bachelor’s degree (Hons) in English Language and Literature and Classical Civilizations from the University of Manchester. She attended Manchester Polytechnic to receive postgraduate certification in Education, received a diploma in Islamic Studies from the Manchester Metropolitan University, and holds a Master of Arts in English and European Literature, as well as a Master of Arts in Television and Radio Scripting from the University of Salford.
Passionate about women’s rights and human rights, Qaisra’s multifaceted career has uplifted her values and engaged the community on local and international levels. Last year, to celebrate Muslim women and to challenge stereotypes about them, she set up the new organization Muslim Women’s Arts Foundation and its festival. She was ranked number 1 in a list of the 50 Most Influential Women in Manchester, and noted as one of 100 Influential Pakistani Women in the Pakistan Power 100 List, and included in the Muslim Power 100 list. Her books have been translated into several languages, studied at universities, and have ranked on bestseller lists in Indonesia for the past 15 years.
Qaisra is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a literary judge, an Executive Member and Trustee of the Manchester Muslim-Jewish Forum, We Stand Together, Manchester Young Lives, an ambassador for Poverty Alleviation Scholarships (PAS) and a UK partner with New York’s Foundation for Ethnic Understanding. She has also enjoyed a successful career in education as an Ofsted inspector, a quality manager, assessor, education consultant and international teacher trainer. She credits her success to focus, drive and perseverance.
Women’s Networking Association Member Qaisra Shahraz, MBE, FRSA can be found on the Association Directory, where she is looking forward to networking with you.
Carrie Lea Williams currently serves as Director for Judevine Center for Autism in Jefferson County. The Jefferson County Hub, located in House Springs, MO, opened in 2012 to provide services for individuals and families living in Jefferson County. Some of their services include: Day Habilitation Services and Community Integration, Supported Employment, Behavior Therapy, Behavioral Personal Assistant Services, Behavioral Intervention Services, Parent Training Services, Social Skills Training, Residential Services, Assessment, and Consultation.
Carrie is a wife and mother to two beautiful children. Because of that love, when her husband became disabled, Carrie returned to college to create a career to support the family. First attended Maryville University to become a Nurse; however, her husband’s health took a turn with a year remaining, and he was placed on the transplant list. Carrie had to make a tough choice and pivoted into BS in Practice Healthcare Management and went from attending part-time to full-time to keep her original graduation date and thus getting to help care for her husband after his successful transplant surgery. In 2019 Carrie started working for Judevine Center for Autism as an ISL manager, and in 2020 Carrie returned to college to continue her education working towards an MBA at West Coast University. Then in March of 2021, after only being with the company a little over a year, Carrie was promoted from ISL manager to Area Director of Operations for Judevine Center for Autism. Carrie continued to work towards her degree and graduated in August of 2021 with a 4.0 GPA for her MBA degree. Carrie was also awarded the Women of Distinction in 2021.
In what little free time Carrie has, she loves to spend time with her family, writes creative tales under a pen name, and build her network with creative and ambitious people from around the globe.
Women’s Networking Association Member, Carrie Lea Williams, can be found on the Association Directory, where she is looking forward to networking with you.
Hajra Bajwa is Director of Business Performance and Analysis at Atlantic Packaging Products Ltd. She is highly skilled in financial planning, operations and strategic business solutions, and is known for her innovative approach and ability to maximize revenue and deliver lasting results. She is experienced in change management, systems implementations, solutions-oriented process improvements, performance measurement, coaching, directing and motivating staff to improve competencies and performance. She has been the recipient of two awards for her excellence in leadership, in 2018 and 2021, respectively.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Punjab, Hajra went on to become a Certified Management Accountant in Strategic Leadership and Management Accounting. Prior to joining the Atlantic Packaging Products team in 2012, she served as Financial Manager of Yellow Pages Group / Groupe Pages Jaunes.
Hajra is based out of Bowmanville, Ontario.
Women’s Networking Association Member Hajra Bajwa, CPA, CMA can be found on the Association Directory, where she is looking forward to networking with you.