The Road to Success is Yours to Choose

How Young BPW evolves will continue to be guided by the voices and choices of the members themselves.

Young BPW is a category within NFBPWC for members ages 18-35, including students, entrepreneurs, and professionals across a wide range of fields. 

It is not a preparatory program or a waiting room for future leadership. Young BPW members are fully participating members of the Federation, bringing lived experience, professional insight, and perspective that reflect today’s world of work and service.

The purpose of Young BPW is to support connection, visibility, and opportunity for members navigating early and mid-career growth, advanced education, entrepreneurship, and leadership development.

It is intended to be shaped by the members it serves, in ways that are relevant, flexible, and responsive to their lives and priorities.

Participation in Young BPW can take many forms. Some members engage through conversation and networking, others through committee work or leadership roles at the local, national, and international levels.

There is no single path and no required level of iinvolvement.

As we move into the new year, our focus remains on ensuring that Young BPW members are informed, welcomed, and supported within NFBPWC, with access to the same opportunities for leadership, growth, and service as any other members.

Call to Action:

If you’re a Young BPW member, start where you are. When you’re ready, share what matters most to you and how NFBPWC can best support your path by emailing youngbpw@nfbpwc.org or president@nfbpwc.org

Barbara J. Bozeman
National President
2024-2026

Women’s Leadership and Vision

Every woman has been a leader at least once in her life. My preschool friends are always asking to be the Line Leader. 

Yesterday, my friend Josie led the class to the office singing Christmas carols. She had a HUGE SMILE on her face as she was shaking her reindeer bells and singing. She noticed when she turned left everyone else followed and when she stopped everyone stopped too. I know with the right guidance and support she will continue to develop her leadership skills. Strong women leaders are everywhere!

Vision is also important for leading.

You need to know where you are going to lead your followers. For Josie, it was from the classroom to the office and back to the classroom. It was a simple vision, and it was successful.

I am sure she also had visions of the treats that waited in the classroom for after the singing trip. All visions start with a single goal. We all have a vision of how things could be ...we just need the right guidance and support!

Finding support for a vision is sometimes challenging, especially when tough decisions need to be made.

Supporters need guidance and support, too. Communication between the leader and supporters is key! Every vision includes modifications and accountability!

When a supporter decides they don't want to support the leadership or vision anymore, they may need to leave quietly, not talk negatively about the vision or leader they once supported.

The Suffragettes were strong women leaders with a vision for ALL WOMEN! They ALL experienced challenges and decided whether or not they would support the vision we continue to develop today, 107 years later.

I urge EVERY member of NFBPWC to review the vision of the organization and support the women who have decided to LEAD!

Step up and not just be counted but also accountable for upholding and continuing to develop future women leaders with a common vision: Empowering, educating, and supporting women to improve the lives of ALL women.

Start 2026 by UPDATING your NFBPWC membership profile! Help us start the new year with a CLEAR Vision of how you will support ALL WOMEN!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Dr. Joanne Carfoli Naylor
Treasurer

Preparing for Cold Weather: Staying Save Through Power Outages and Car Problems

Cold weather can be inconvenient at best and dangerous at worst — especially when it brings power outages, heating failures, and vehicle trouble. Preparation doesn’t require expensive equipment or expert knowledge, but it does require thinking ahead. A few practical steps taken before temperatures drop can protect your safety, your home, and your peace of mind.

Start with Your Home

The first priority during cold weather is staying warm indoors. If you rely on electricity or gas for heat, assume there may be interruptions. Identify the warmest room in your home and plan to use it as your primary living space during an outage. Close off unused rooms, hang blankets over doorways, and use draft blockers or rolled towels at windows and doors to reduce heat loss.

Layering is far more effective than one heavy garment. If you use space heaters, make sure they are in good working order and kept well away from curtains, bedding, or furniture. Never use grills, ovens, or fuel-powered heaters indoors, as they can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors if you do not already have them, and check batteries before winter begins.

Plan for Power Outages

Even short outages can become serious in freezing temperatures. Prepare an outage kit. If you have a generator, learn how to use it safely and only operate it outdoors, far from windows or vents. Keep your phone charged when storms are forecast and save important phone numbers somewhere other than in your phone in case internet access is unavailable.

Protect Water and Pipes

Frozen pipes can cause significant damage. Insulate exposed pipes and disconnect outdoor hoses before temperatures drop. On especially cold nights, let faucets drip slightly to keep water moving. Know how to shut off your home’s main water valve in case a pipe bursts and keep that area accessible.

Prepare Your Car for Winter

Vehicle trouble is far more dangerous in cold weather, especially if you become stranded. Keep at least half a tank of gas in your car during winter storms to avoid fuel line freeze-ups and to allow you to run the engine briefly for heat if necessary. Every vehicle should carry a winter emergency kit, especially if you drive in rural or snowy areas.

If you become stranded, stay in your vehicle unless help is clearly nearby. Run the engine periodically for heat but ensure the exhaust pipe is clear of snow.

Plan for Communication and Check-ins

Cold weather emergencies are easier to manage when people look out for one another. Arrange check-ins with family, neighbors, or friends — especially older adults, people living alone, or those with health conditions. If you live in an apartment building or community, know where warming centers or emergency shelters are located. Local governments often announce these locations ahead of major cold events.

Prepare Mentally, Not Just Physically

Cold weather emergencies can be stressful and isolating. Preparing ahead reduces panic and helps you make better decisions. Keep important documents in a waterproof folder, know your evacuation routes if applicable, and review plans with household members.

Finally, remember that preparation is not about fear — it’s about resilience. Small steps taken now can prevent emergencies from becoming crises and allow you to weather winter challenges safely and confidently.

I encourage you to print this checklist and use it to prepare yourself for all cold weather possibilities.

Nermin K. Ahmad
Secretary

Celebration and Anticipation

December is a month with many celebrations. My family and I celebrate many things, such as good heath, good grades, good friends, and a break from the daily grind of school and work.

Every day, I get to celebrate the successes of the children I work with because every new sound, word, and sentence is a reason for celebration.

I also get to celebrate the successes of my daughter who is working hard in her college classes and will be home for her holiday break soon.

I challenge you to look at all the celebrations you have had during this year and will have during this month. Anticipation is another thing that happens every day and especially on New Year's Eve. What is your New Year's Resolution going to be?

I hope that all of you have a magical December and have plans for an exciting 2026.

Dr. Joanne Carfoli Naylor
Treasurer

Effective Collaboration Among Women Post-Conference Musings

It appears that collaboration among women matters more today because the world is more connected, more complex, and more demanding—and because women have more opportunities and more to protect than ever before. By working together, we amplify influence, accelerate progress, and ensure that no one must navigate modern challenges alone. But are we effective? Or are we caught in historic battles?

In preparing for my presentation at the 7th BPW Mediterranean Symposium, The Balance of Power: Gender, Economy, Leadership, which was held in Chile this year, I wanted to see how European women compared to women in the US in terms of effective feminism and activities. I was surprised to discover that while we are strong activists, our effectiveness is undermined by a weaker collaborative infrastructure. Our powerful grassroots movements, cultural influence (supported by academic and youth activism), and diversity of voices shaping the conversation are offset through weak structural and government support, unusually high political polarization, low social safety nets, and, of course fragmentation across the states.

What is it we are missing? And where can NFBPWC be more effective in making change happen? Countries with strong feminist collaboration often benefit from universal healthcare, subsidized childcare, strong worker protection, and paid parental leave – we lack these foundations in the US. As this varies across states, we experience inconsistent legal protections, resource gaps, and regional activist silos. It does not make things easier that we are so polarized on gender topics, which has a major impact on workplace equity. Our federal approach means there is no systematic gender-based policy analysis, no consistent funding for feminist NGOs, and no single robust federal gender-equality office.

On the upside, we have a long history of strong independent feminist movements, including intersectional movements, thanks to grassroots and digital organizing. And we have a major cultural influence through which U.S. feminism shapes the narrative to amplify core points internationally. Women’s groups in the US provide strong support for entrepreneurial women and women in leadership, which is highly effective overseas.

The countries most widely recognized for strong, collaborative, feminist support across policy, activism, and culture areArgentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, and Sweden. The EU and Latin America are even recognized for strong cross-border feminist collaboration!

To be fair – feminist ideals are changing. They have become more intersectional yet personal, more holistic, and digitally mediated, they are less label-driven and more emotionally and socially oriented, they are more flexible about femininity and lifestyle choices. So, it is not so much a single definition, but multiple, lived options.

Empowerment is also defined more broadly. Where it used to mean climbing corporate ladders, breaking glass ceilings, and being independent at all costs, now it can mean boundaries, choosing family, rejecting burnout, and getting rest, as well as having financial autonomy.

It was interesting to hear the conversation on numbers of women in government. While one side pushed for equality in terms of numbers of men and women, the others pressed for equity – with far more than gender at stake. They looked at race, class, body size, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and neurodiversity. When some women mentioned the patriarchy, others talked about systemic bias, power structures, capitalism, safety, and wellness. It seems as if the focus is shifting to lived experience from legal equality.

We also pondered why women seem to stand in the way of their own success. Or do they? After all, we navigate social conditioning, structural barriers, unequal expectations, backlash, lack of effective networks, and biased evaluation systems. Is “self-sabotage” really self-protection?

These discussions were critical for me, as I mentor younger women and help them navigate choices that are vastly different in some ways than those available to me at their age, but also include fears that I never had to face.

If the EU and Latin America can create regional support systems, maybe we need to consider investing in our North American and Caribbean region to collaborate and truly achieve a level of meaningful change in our region.

Nermin K. Ahmad
Secretary

Allies in Action for Women’s Rights

The movement for women’s rights has always been driven by collaboration — women and allies working together to challenge inequality, uplift one another, and transform systems that limit opportunity. Today, as the conversation around gender equity continues to evolve, and in many instances devolve, the need for active allies has never been greater.

Being an ally goes beyond offering words of support. True allies listen, learn, and take action. They use their voices and their influence to advocate for fairness, respect, and representation. They bravely challenge bias in workplaces, communities, and institutions. Most importantly, they stand beside women — not in front of them or behind them — in the pursuit of justice and equality.

Allies recognize that women’s rights are human rights. When women thrive, families, communities, and economies grow stronger. Yet progress doesn’t happen by accident; it happens because people make the deliberate choice to act and create space for others to do so.

The National Federation of Business and Professional Women Clubs (NFBPWC) has a long and proud history of turning advocacy into action. As our advocacy platform guides the Advocacy Committee and our organization, NFPBPWC provides the space to be an ally with programs like Young BPW and the Lifelong Leadership and Learning Program (L3). Members and allies work together to empower women to reach their full potential in leadership, business, and civic life. From mentoring and professional development to legislative advocacy and community service, NFPBPWC encourages every member to become an ally in their own sphere of influence. By supporting equal pay,   leadership   opportunities,   and inclusive workplaces, our members and allies help build a future where equity is not just a goal — it’s a reality.

Allies in Action for Women’s Rights is a call to collective leadership. Movements led by women have always been strengthened by partnerships that cross gender, age, and cultural lines. When men and women work together with mutual respect and shared purpose, we build stronger pathways toward equality. NFBPWC exemplifies this spirit of partnership every day. Members advocate at local, state, national, and international levels to advance women’s economic empowerment and human rights. Together, we stand as a unified force for progress.

Real change requires both courage and consistency. Each of us can be an ally — by listening, learning, speaking up, and showing up. Whether you’re mentoring a young leader, advocating for workplace equity, or standing up for women’s rights in your community, your action matters.

Because when allies move from awareness to action, progress accelerates. And when we act together, we create a world where every woman’s rights are recognized, respected, and realized.

Please continue to reach out to me personally or professionally as we continue our work to make NFBPWC a better organization, because together we are stronger. To contact me please email immpastpresident@nfbpwc.org

MEGAN SHELLMAN-RICKARD
Immediate Past President

BE AN ALLY IN ACTION

Join NFBPWC and become part of a global network committed to empowering

women and advancing equality for all.

Learn more and get involved at www.nfbpwc.org

Allies in Action

As a 20-year member of the Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc., I have had the pleasure of working with many women I consider Allies toward a common goal. I consider every member of this organization as an ally toward a common goal: to empower and educate women and improve their lives.

Knowing that I have allies with different backgrounds, experiences, and knowledge empowers me to continue to serve this organization. I know that I personally have allies in the states of Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Colorado, Louisiana, New York, Texas, Washington, and California that I can contact for any reason. I know that there are women I can contact when I have questions who will provide answers without judgment and pettiness.

I also know that if there is a difference in opinion, I can professionally handle this difference and move on toward a common goal. In some cases, the difference has provided me with insight that I may not have considered and provided me with an opportunity to learn and gain deeper understanding of the issue.

I am thankful to all of the past and present BPW members that have met! I am grateful for your trust in me and friendship.

I challenge every member to take a moment to remember the NFBPWC members who have been allies in action and thank them!

Dr. Joanne Carfoli Naylor
Treasurer

Collect for Club Women

Keep us, O' God, from pettiness;
Let us be large in thought, in word, in deed.
Let us be done with fault-finding and leave off self-seeking.
May we put away all pretense and meet each other face to face, Without self-pity and without prejudice.
May we never be hasty in judgment, And always be generous.
Let us take time for all things;
Make us to grow calm, serene, and gentle. Teach us to put into action our better impulses, Straightforward and unafraid.
Grant that we may realize it is the little things that create differences, That in the big things of life we are at one.
And may we strive to touch and to know the great, common, human heart of us all, And O' Lord God, let us not forget to be kind.

Five Pillars of Aging Well: nutrition, hydration, physical, social, and cognitive stimulation

I recognize I am aging and need to work on this. But who says it is easy! Nutrition means the right food for me, and it is not going to be the least expensive alternative. Hydration – I want to have water that is not filled with invisible toxins and micro-plastics. Physical – not just losing weight but keeping my muscles strong. Thanks to NFBPWC, I have plenty of social stimulation, and I work on my cognitive ability at least a couple of hours a day. But it feels like a fulltime job. Why do I do it? Because when we age, we hit cliffs where we suddenly lose a lot of functionality. If massive biological shifts occur in our 40s and 60s the question is, can we dampen those curves through intentional increases in functionality? (read more here)

Changing my diet meant trying out different things. I am not lactose intolerant, but milk products that are overprocessed, without live cultures, do me no good. I have substituted onions with leeks. I bake all of my bread mixing seeds and grains. No processed foods, and no added sugars or sweeteners. I only use avocado oil and almond oil, and I eat avocado as my last meal of the day because it helps strengthen the lining of my gut. My gender, height and weight suggest I eat 140 grams of protein a day for brain health and to regrow cells. Not that easy – but I am conscious of favoring protein-rich foods. I use the bowl method – my main meal is lunch, and the entire meal should fit in a single serving bowl. Except for my vegetables, which I enjoy mostly raw. But it is a trial- and-error effort.

Hydration – too much is not good, too little is worse, so I usually try to drink my filtered water by the quart. Sometimes with lemon or lemon verbena or thyme in it (yum). But I drink more after exercising, which is increasingly chair movements and isometric strength building workouts, unless I am on the gym bike, trying to win a challenge. My knees are shot – no soft tissue, no ACL in either leg, and no one wants me to have a replacement yet (tried several surgeons). Some things I cannot do (like the back against the wall seated posture – the noise is at a fourth of July firework level!). But there are many things I can do, and my cardiologist is delighted with the results.

I test my memory, my ability to notice things, word games on the phone, and speed tests through various applications. I can see some slowing down but

not too bad yet. Luminosity is a good way to sharpen the mind with its various challenges. Well social – that is where I have not yet slowed down, and where I try hard to be present, active, and engaged.

So, this is some of what I do to stave off having to depend on others. Unlike when I was younger and found no time to be intentional about any of this, I am really having fun. 

“Beauty lies not in a flawless complexion but in the stories that are told by each transitioning line on a woman’s face.”

– Alyscia Cunningham

Nermin K. Ahmad

Secretary 2024-2026

Movember

We talk a lot about empowering women— and rightly so. But if we’re serious about achieving gender equality, we need to talk about something just as important: men. Not as the problem, but as part of the solution.

The women’s movement has come a long way because of courageous leaders, brave conversations, and collective action. But let’s be honest—lasting change can’t happen if half the population is left out of the conversation. Men have an important role to play, not as heroes or saviors, but as partners in the work.

What Does Being a Male Ally Look Like?

Male allies aren’t perfect. They’re not expected to have all the answers. What makes them allies is that they’re paying attention, speaking up, and showing up, even when it’s uncomfortable.

They’re the ones who:

• Actually, listen when women speak—not just to respond, but to understand.
• Call out sexist jokes instead of laughing along.
• Push for equal pay, parental leave, and safer workplaces—because it’s the right thing to do, not just because they have daughters.

Use their influence to open doors, make room at the table, and advocate for fairness.

When men do this, they’re not “helping women.” They’re helping create a better world for everyone. Research shows that when women thrive in workplaces and communities, everyone benefits—families, businesses, economies, and yes, men too.

Let’s Talk About Movember

November—also known as Movember—is a month where men grow mustaches to raise awareness for men’s physical and mental health. It’s fun, it’s a little goofy, but it’s also meaningful.

Why mention Movember in a conversation about gender equality? Because it reminds us that men also face pressure— like being told to “man up,” not show emotion, or avoid asking for help. These same expectations fuel the systems that hurt all of us. When we support men’s mental health, challenge toxic masculinity, and make space for vulnerability, we’re not stepping away from feminism—we’re leaning into it.

Why This Matters for Us at NFBPWC

At NFBPWC, we believe advocacy is strongest when it’s inclusive. That doesn’t just mean different ages, backgrounds, or cultures—it means different genders too. Inviting men to be part of this movement doesn’t weaken it. It strengthens it.

We’re not asking men to lead the feminist movement. We’re asking them to walk beside us. To listen, learn, and take action when it counts.

One Last Thought

Gender equality isn’t women versus men. It’s all of us versus inequality. And if we want to build a world where everyone has the same rights, respect, and opportunities, then we need allies—loud ones, quiet ones, and yes, mustached ones.

So, this November, let’s grow awareness, grow conversations, and grow the movement together.

Emily VanVleck

VP Advocacy

2024-2026

Total number of members as of October 21, 2025, is 451.

The two-day Jamboree held on October 10 and October 11, 2025, organized by the L3 committee was a great success. It was well attended by members and non-members. VP Membership, Maria DeSousa presented the module on Stress Management.

As we prepare for Thanksgiving, I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to each of the members of NFBPWC for their dedication and contribution.

The next Membership meeting will be on Monday November 17 at 5:00 pm PST / 8:00 pm EST.

Maria DeSousa
VP Membership

“Don’t mistake politeness for lack of strength.”

– Sonia Sotomayor