The editorial team has a special attachment to our new series, The Trailblazers: Rewriting the Narrative, because so many of us feel that media portrayals of women have been too one dimensional. Today, women are doing incredible things in all fields – from science and technology to finance, law, business, athletics and more. With the Trailblazers series, we hope to highlight and celebrate female role models, encourage more equal and just representation in the media, and help foster a more tight-knit community locally helping women find mentors, business partners, friends and more.
Nicole M. Wolverton
The road to being a horror writer and horror scholar is at once long and winding, and a straight line. I was a weirdly curious kid with a creative streak, and I grew up into a weirdly curious adult with a more developed creative streak. Even though I’ve been writing horror since I was very young, publication didn’t happen until I was in my mid-thirties. Read more>>
Dakota Laughlin
I’ve always had a dream to make an impact on people’s lives and inspire others, but throughout middle school I wondered how I could actually do that. In 2020, I struggled with anxiety and fear, at just 12 years old. My world became very inward-focused as I overthought everything- so my big dream diminished. Read more>>
Maryann Petri
Once a Registered Nurse with a happy family, I soon found myself fending off back to back accusations of Child Abuse while losing my children to a biased Family Court system which eventually led to Parental Alienation. I became a Pro Se Litigant appealing to Superior Court with a victory that proved life saving. Read more>>
Karen Bailey
Photography has been part of my life since the birth of my first child. From day one, the camera was always in my hands. My children never had to wonder what they looked like at any age, activity, or milestone — I documented it all. What began as a way to preserve family memories quickly became a lifelong passion. Read more>>
Angel Taylor
I began my media career in radio in 2014 as a promotions and programming intern at Wired 96.5 and 92.5 XTU. I was also given the opportunity to co-host Friday evening shows with Buster on Wired 96.5. Read more>>
Alina Dolitsky
I guess you can say my story began with my immigration to the United States with my family when I was a child from the former republic of Moldova in the Soviet Union. That in itself changed the trajectory of my life. Through adaptation and assimilation, America; more precisely Philadelphia, PA, became home. Read more>>
Sonya LaRae
I started my business at just 18 years old, while I was still in university. Long before I had a title or a formal plan people were already coming to me. Friends, family, classmates, associates. They trusted my eye and my instinct. They would bring me their wardrobe and say, ‘Help me figure this out.’ And I always could. Read more>>
Elizabeth Herremans
I didn’t start out thinking I’d build a business around real estate or athlete relocation. It really came from lived experience. My husband played in the NFL for over a decade, and during that time we moved, relocated, bought, sold, rented, downsized, upsized… all of it. Read more>>
Brittany Glover
Art has been a passion of mine since childhood, beginning with creating alongside my grandmother, an incredible seamstress and crafter. In high school I discovered architecture, later earning my bachelor’s degree in the Bay Area, where I trained my eye to see the world through lines, forms, and spatial composition, a foundation that still shapes my practice today. Read more>>
Susan Carabello
My name is Susan Carabello and I am a Spiritual Teacher and Manifestation Coach. I am also a yoga instructor, motivational speaker and author as well. I have been in the personal development space since 2019 and helping others is my passion and purpose. Read more>>
Felicia Wallace-Benton
When people ask me about my story, I begin by telling them I took a leap of faith. In 2005, I left my corporate job and went back to school to study interior design. At the time, I had no real idea what an interior designer did—or even what the profession truly involved. Read more>>
Debra Mosley-McCray
First and foremost, I give God all the glory for what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will continue to do in my life. As far back as I can remember, I have always been creative and deeply compassionate toward those who are sick. Read more>>
Ebony Bennett
My story is rooted in using art as a way to honor Black culture, community, and lived experience. I’m a Philly-based artist and the founder of E. Bennett Art, and for over 15 years I’ve worked across neighborhoods, schools, and public spaces, creating work that centers identity, memory, and connection. Read more>>
Mary Zeigler
My journey into entrepreneurship didn’t start with a polished business plan or a lifelong dream of owning a company. It began during one of the most stressful and uncertain seasons of my life. In 2020, I started my Master’s program in Healthcare Administration — at the exact same time the world shut down due to COVID-19. Read more>>
Heather Mulhollan
I have always had a deep love and affinity for animals, even from a very young age. It became so strong that my mother eventually stopped taking me to the grocery store—every visit ended with me in tears, determined to “rescue” the lobsters so they wouldn’t be cooked alive. Read more>>
Rhoda Kahler
“I grew up on a working farm, and from a very young age I was a maker. My parents were practical people—they didn’t have the time, money, or interest in anything arts-related—but they were happy as long as I was busy. So I was always making something: doll clothes, my own clothes, or artwork to hang on our bare walls. Read more>>
Jade Peterson
I’ve always been both structured and expressive. By day, I’m an HR leader, strategic, analytical, grounded in people and processes. But beneath that, I’ve always been a storyteller. A thinker. A woman with layers. As a Black woman in corporate spaces, you learn early how to be excellent. How to be composed. How to be measured. Read more>>
Stacey Niedentohl
I am a professional evidential medium, spiritual healer, keynote speaker, women’s retreat facilitator and the author of two books. My work centers on helping people connect with their loved ones in Spirit, with their own inner wisdom and with a deeper sense of purpose. Through evidential mediumships readings, transformational healing sessions, live events and retreats, I create safe space for clarity, comfort and empowerment. Read more>>
Arianne Missimer
My journey started in personal training and fitness. I loved helping people feel strong and confident in their bodies, which naturally led me to become both a personal trainer and a dietitian so I could better support how nutrition and movement fuel performance, recovery, and long-term health. Read more>>
Brittany Webb
My interest in mental health began in a high school psychology class. I was immediately drawn to understanding how the mind works, how emotions are expressed, how behaviors develop, and how people make meaning of their experiences. That class planted the seed that I wanted to do *something* in this field. Read more>>
Rebecca Heidt
I was labled as a weird person growing up. I feel too much, I look too deep into things, I have weird ideas, so on and so on. Through adulthood I’ve learned to see the patterns in everything and find unique stories behind different experiences. I’ve learned to adapt that to business and creative projects. Read more>>
Cristina Damis
In a previous interview with CanvasRebel Meet Cristina Damis, I stated details on how my father shaped my thoughts on my path to real estate…it’s not only how I arrived here but through his stories, I grew my faith and inspiration. How did he accomplish what he achieved? Read more>>
Elaine Miles
My memoirs, Razing Elaine-Stumbling, Tumbling, Fumbling-Breaking Through, speak to not only surviving childhood trauma but thriving via conventional/non-conventional careers/ profound spiritual development. I would go from a young mother to my first venture into the work world as a medical coder. I then became a schoolteacher followed by a bodyworker leading to a kink sex worker and intimacy coach in order to follow my inspirations. Read more>>
Alyssa Humphreys
Gather & Graze Charcuterie was born out of a passion project. I grew up in an Italian American family where charcuterie was our Sunday, Christmas Eve, or just an afternoon snack. When charcuterie came to the spotlight in 2019 I had a moment of ‘where have you people been? Read more>>
Jennifer Jackson
I am a writer, producer, director, and author with a passion for storytelling. Over the years, I have written and produced three plays, showcasing my dedication to the craft. Additionally, I have directed films that have captivated audiences and received acclaim. My work has been recognized at 36 film festivals, highlighting my commitment to excellence in the industry. Read more>>
Abby McClure
Absolutely! I was always an artistic person, interested in literature, drawing, poetry, photography, and music. After graduating from Quaker boarding school in 1988, I moved to Chadds Ford, PA, ‘Wyeth country’. With my shaved head, pierced nose, and combat boots, I was quickly noticed by a few of the more edgy local artists. Read more>>
Deborah Hornick
My pageant journey began at the age of sixteen. Some of my friends were competing, and it looked like fun—so I thought, why not? What started as a teenage leap of faith quickly became something much bigger. Read more>>
LAURA WYMAN
Health aficionado from day one, I always knew that I would pursue a path that involved helping others. As a child, I envisioned pursuing life in a white coat and walking the halls of hospitals that had been like a second home to me. I was a pretty sick kid who spent far too much time at various Children’s Hospitals. Read more>>
Stephanie Kriebel
The idea for OMG! Pretzels began with an after-school snack (hint: our Garlic pretzels) that Mom used to make for us when we were growing up. In 2014 we co-founded the company as a mother-daughter duo to share the family recipe with others. Read more>>
Jacqueline DeLeon
Bucks County Mama, LLC started organically — from a genuine love & a living amends to the place I call home. After spending 18 years working in social work, I understood the power of community,. Read more>>
Lisa Lake
My journey into photography began at age 12, when my father gave me a Kodak Instamatic camera. I carried it everywhere, eagerly dropping off rolls of film and waiting for prints to come back from one-hour photo booths like Fotomat. Growing up around my father’s small advertising agency, I naturally gravitated toward commercial photography, eventually shooting products with a 4×5 camera. Read more>>
Shelly Marshall
I started as a builder and a creative who could always “see the vision” and then market it. For years, my foundation was in travel, brand work, and producing experiences, and I built my career by combining strategy with storytelling, marketing, and community. Read more>>
Leah Spencer
Throughout my childhood and into adult life, I was always captivated and motivated by art. I took art classes consistently, but never actually considered I would have a full-time career like this. When I was growing up, most parents pushed their children to get into good colleges that would lead to successful career ventures. Read more>>
Sophia Claire
To be honest, it’s something I feel into somewhat by accident. During my doctoral program, I desperately needed an outlet that was fun and creative, and as I’d always loved makeup I decided to start a beauty instagram page. Read more>>
Lakisha Pattin
I was born in Toledo, Ohio, but my formative years were spent in the inner-city ghetto of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I faced numerous challenges and obstacles, including low self-esteem, poverty, and the struggle to fit in due to my differences. Despite my exceptional creativity and passion for fashion, I lacked the proper avenues to pursue my interests. Read more>>
Mariah Gallagher
I began my career as a social worker in New York City. I earned my Master’s degree from Columbia University and later completed an Advanced Therapy Certificate at NYU, where I began to specialize in trauma-informed relational work within family systems. Read more>>
Marisa Carrodo
One snowy morning in 2015, my life changed forever. I was 15 years old, home alone, when my dad suffered a massive heart attack while shoveling snow. I panicked. I waited more than five minutes before calling my mom – not 911. I watched helplessly as he lay lifeless, until EMTs arrived and fought for his life on his behalf. By grace, my dad survived. Read more>>
Alexia Cappelletti
It all started in sixth grade when I joined a school club called Technology Student Association, or TSA. It was there that I could try new pathways and interests in the STEAM field. I discovered industrial design, fashion, architecture, and more, but only two of the pathways I explored stuck: graphic design and photography. Read more>>
Trisha Hosac
Many things got me to where I am today but I think the thing that kicked it off was working at WTAE on their project 4the412. I got to use my video creation skills, became a producer because of it and realized how much I liked telling other peoples stories from start to finish. Read more>>
Nicole Behanna
My path as an artist has never been linear, and I’ve never been able to commit to just one medium — I’m driven by curiosity and follow ideas wherever they want to live. That openness has shaped everything I do. I began by studying special effects, which gave me a strong foundation in materials, illusion, and transformation. Read more>>
Shania Stowers
I began my creative journey at just 15 years old by posting videos on YouTube, where I experimented with challenges, pranks, fashion, and hair tutorials. At the time, I didn’t have a clear direction or long-term plan. I was simply creating for the joy of it. Content creation was a fun outlet that allowed me to express my personality and creativity. Read more>>
Monica Duymich
I am Monica the owner and artist behind the company Ikaros Art LLC. and the single momma of two amazing kiddos. I have been running my own business- IKAROS ART for more than 15 years- full time for over 5 years and creating art since I was born (seriously I think I was born with a pencil and sketchbook in hand). Read more>>
Erica Parrótt
None of this started as some perfectly mapped-out plan. I didn’t wake up one day and say, “I’m going to build multiple brands and wear five different hats.” I kept following what felt true and useful at each stage of my life. I’ve always been creative first. Read more>>
Meryl Lettire
I began my creative life as an illustrator and fine artist after earning a BFA in Communication Design from Pratt Institute. In the 1980s and ’90s, I worked with clients such as The New York Times, Billboard, Estée Lauder, and Random House, with work shown in several Society of Illustrators exhibitions. In the 1990s, my path shifted. Read more>>
Paige Wasko
I’m Paige— a small-town girl from Pennsylvania with a deep love for meaningful moments, good conversation, and the kind of beauty that doesn’t ask for attention—the quiet magic of ordinary days. As a child, I loved taking pictures on my mom’s cameras, the ones she used to document every holiday and milestone. The signs were all there. But it wasn’t until high school that I really started photographing and realizing how much it meant to me. Read more>>
Esha Sehgal Shivika Varshney
From a young age, we both grew up around evolving technology and always found ourselves captivated by it. By middle school, we had discovered a deep passion for coding. And as we progressed through high school, we decided we wanted to pursue a career in computer science. It was then that we realized the statistics we often heard about the underrepresentation of women in technology were reflected in our own experiences. We saw the lack of girls in our own computer-related courses at school. This realization sparked a desire to inspire more girls to explore the incredible world of computer science. Our goal was to create a low-pressure, supportive, and welcoming environment where anyone would feel encouraged to learn and grow. So, Code Her World, a fiscally sponsored 501(c)(3) was born! Read more>>
