Resourceful Women: 3rd Annual Story Slam

(This meeting is replaced with our annual Story Slam event.)

The Resourceful Women Council is hosting their 3rd Annual Story Slam! It's a fantastic opportunity to network, have some fun, and hear your fellow chamber members' stories. Thank you to Silver Spoon Caterers for providing food! Drinks will also be available.
 
Meet our Storytellers:
Debi Alexander
Executive Director, SPARC
Debi Alexander grew up in Northern Virginia and graduated from GMU with a BA in Philosophy and received her J.S. from Antonin Scalia Law School.  She and her husband reside in Reston with their beloved Shih Tzu, Trusty.  They have two grown children, William who works in data center critical operations and Ashley who is completing a degree in geoscience and owns two small businesses, Thread American and Walks with Odie in Denver, Colorado!  Debi has spent her career working for nonprofits that assist  people with disabilities.  Her dream is that everyone can live their best life!

Jen Dalton
Founder, Brand Mirror
Personal branding is not personal bragging. As a personal brand strategist with entrepreneurship in her DNA, Jen works with business owners and executives to define how they show up as leaders, make the most of their strengths, and be intentional about their legacy, growth, and visibility. Since launching BrandMirror in 2012, she partners with clients to monetize their expertise in authentic and relevant ways through storytelling, compelling branding, and strategic thought leadership. 

Cindy Dwyer
Board of Directors, Women Giving Back
Cindy Dwyer was raised on a vegetable farm near Green Bay, Wisconsin.  She has a BA from Albion College in Michigan and a MA from the University of Northern Colorado.  Cindy met and married her husband Paul in Colorado Springs and his military career allowed them to live in Tehran, Iran, Sembach, Germany, and brought them to the DC area.  

 

Sandra Young
Client Service Assistant, Northwest Insurance Agency/Northwest Federal Credit Union
Sandra Young started her insurance career 20 years ago in Long Island, NY.  In the Spring of 2004, she relocated to Richmond, Va and in the Fall of 2016, she moved to Northern, Va. Young has worked for an exclusive agent, she has worked in a call center, worked for a brokerage and ultimately now with NWIA a subsidiary of NWFCU.

Along the way Young realized that people are pretty much all the same, they just want to be treated fairly, respectfully, and with care and compassion. She feels this is pretty understandable because she would want and do the same when doing business with a company. She feels good knowing that her clients trust her to handle all their Insurance needs. 

NWIA truly is a great team, they encourage one another & support each so that we can be successful in our mission to do the right thing for the client, always. 

Charlene Wheeless
CEO, Charlene Wheeless, LLC
Charlene Wheeless is a successful business executive, leadership
coach/advisor, keynote speaker, and author. With more than three decades of experience in corporate affairs, communications, and operations, Wheeless leads her namesake firm, Charlene Wheeless LLC, where leaders and teams turn to strengthen their performance and leadership capability, communications, executive presence, and influence. Additionally, she is a unique resource to help C-suite leaders, teams, and companies turn DE&I intention into DE&I impact. Wheeless also serves as the senior advisor for equity and justice for APCO Worldwide, a global communications, and advocacy firm.

What is a Story Slam?
Simply put, a story slam is a competition based on the art of storytelling. It puts a dual emphasis on content and performance, encouraging storytellers to focus on what they're saying and how they're saying it. It is an exercise in crafting stories within a set time limit and it's great entertainment. Each of the featured 5 minute stories is judged on how well it is told, how well it is constructed and how well the story explores, connects and/or reveals some truth about the theme and, how well it honors the time limit.

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The mission of the Resourceful Women of Reston is to artfully blend networking, social activity and professional development to connect resourceful women and foster growth and entrepreneurship.