Empowering Women to Lead

What if checking every box on your to-do list still left you feeling unfulfilled?
In the 11th episode of Empowering Women to Lead, Ruth Easterling introduces her new book, Beyond the Checklist: Mistakes That Sideswipe Your Journey to a Life of Purpose, and explores the first mistake many of us make: living on autopilot.
Ruth challenges listeners to look beyond productivity and reconnect with what truly matters. She shares why achievement alone doesn't create fulfillment, how our values shape the lives we build, and simple practices to help you move from merely surviving to living with intention.
📖 Featured Resource: Beyond the Checklist: Mistakes That Sideswipe Your Journey to a Life of Purpose

In this inspiring episode, Judith Jacque shares how caregiving, resilience, and a leap of faith led her to create Gardenland, a children’s book series rooted in life lessons, imagination, and growth. Through honest reflections on entrepreneurship, fear, and finding purpose, Judith reminds women that success begins with taking the first step, asking boldly, and trusting their own potential to bloom.
 
Check out her book Gardenland below:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gardenland-judith-f-jacques/1148675335

In Episode 9 of this podcast, Urmi Hossain joins the Empowering Women to Lead podcast to discuss mentorship, leadership, and the importance of building supportive communities for women. Drawing from her experiences mentoring women across different cultures and career stages, Urmi shares practical insights on finding mentors, developing confidence, and overcoming imposter syndrome. The conversation highlights how meaningful relationships, accountability, and self-belief can empower women to pursue their goals and grow both personally and professionally.
Urmi also has a podcast of her own, Stories Beyond Borders, so check it out! 
🎙 Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stories-beyond-borders/id1831413373
📖 Book: Discovering Your Identity: A Rebirth from Interracial Struggle (Available on Amazon)

In this episode, Wendee Mann, founder of Wendee Jane Designs and known as the “Perennial Plant Lady,” shares her 30-year journey as a garden and landscape designer in Western Washington. She reflects on entrepreneurship, the power of networking, and how connecting with nature can help people design homes and lives that truly reflect who they are. Wendee also discusses the importance of believing in yourself and finding supportive communities that empower women to lead.
Learn more or connect with Wendee at https://www.wendeejanedesigns.com/contact.

Guilt is a silent constant in many of our lives, but it holds so much power in our decisions.
Follow along with this worksheet below:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Qk9o47HTOXNo8pCN5wRSfrUnCCmtU-Nk12Hf7VL3B9A/copy
Fresh off leading a women’s retreat on letting go of guilt, our host unpacks the difference between true guilt and false guilt, why guilt feels so pervasive for women today, and how it subtly drives our choices, relationships, and sense of self. Through real-life stories, coaching insights, and practical reflection tools, you’ll learn how to pause, reframe your thoughts, and stop letting guilt run your life.
This episode is an invitation to step off the guilt trip, reclaim your peace, and start making decisions led by your values rather than your guilt. 

In this powerful episode, we’re joined by Dr. Dina Porterfield, President of Seattle Pacific University, for an honest and inspiring conversation about leadership, faith, and the responsibility that comes with opportunity.
Dr. Porterfield shares her remarkable journey—from being a first-generation college student who wasn’t “supposed” to go to college, to serving as president of two universities and a seminary. Along the way, she reflects on the importance of sponsorship over mentorship, the role men play in opening doors for women, and why leadership requires both confidence and deep humility.
To learn more about Dr. Dina Porterfield, her journey, and her leadership at Seattle Pacific University, please visit the link below.
https://spu.edu/university-leadership/president/president-deana-porterfield

In the fifth episode of "Empowering Women to Lead," host Ruth Easterling invites listeners to embark on a transformative journey toward purpose. Charting Your Course: A Journey Toward Purpose explores the moment many of us face when the familiar path no longer feels fulfilling—and the quiet inner voice calling us toward something more meaningful.
Using the metaphor of climbing a mountain, Ruth encourages listeners to take that first courageous step, even when the path ahead feels uncertain or intimidating. She shares her intention to walk alongside listeners throughout 2026, offering guidance, clarity, and tools to help navigate obstacles, rediscover identity, and stay aligned with one’s “north star.”
This episode is a powerful invitation to stop feeling stuck, step into your calling, and begin building a life rooted in confidence, purpose, and intention.

In this episode, we sit down with Sammy, CEO of the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce, to explore her journey from growing up in a Vietnamese refugee camp to becoming a leader shaping regional economic and workforce development. Sammy reflects on the mentors and resources—such as the College Success Foundation—that helped bridge gaps for students without strong professional networks.
She shares her transition from a profit-driven mindset to mission-focused nonprofit leadership and explains how initiatives like the Workforce Discovery Lab connect students to local career pathways and mentors. Sammy also speaks candidly about the realities women face in leadership, from being talked over in professional spaces to the urgent need for childcare support for working mothers.
Throughout the conversation, Sammy emphasizes lowering barriers to access, uplifting diverse voices, and fostering a culture of mentorship, flexibility, and abundance. This episode is a powerful reflection on leadership rooted in community, advocacy, and creating systems where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.For more information, visit Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce:
https://www.seattlesouthsidechamber.com/

Welcome to the third episode of Empowering Women to Lead! In this powerful conversation, host Ruth Easterling sits down with Therese Tipton, principal of Raisbeck Aviation High School in Seattle, TEDx speaker, and President of the National Association of Secondary STEM Schools.
Together, they explore what it truly means to empower young women, especially in male-dominated spaces like aviation and STEM. Therese shares her journey into leadership, the impact of mentorship, and how confidence often begins with one small “yes.”
💡 In This Episode, You'll Learn:
How Therese’s mother quietly modeled strong leadership after personal tragedy
Why representation and mentorship matter for girls in STEM
The importance of taking risks, even when you feel uncertain
The challenges women face when their leadership is misunderstood or underestimated
How persistence, self-talk, and community build long-term resilience
Highlight: Leading in a Male-Dominated Space
As principal at a STEM high school located on Boeing Field, Therese has seen firsthand how girls thrive when given opportunity, encouragement, and a place to lead. With only about one-third of the student population being female, Raisbeck is actively working to close the gender gap in STEM leadership.
🎧 Listen if You:
Are a woman navigating leadership or stepping into new opportunities
Want to support the next generation of female leaders in your school, company, or community
Need inspiration to say "yes" to that next big challenge
Believe that mentorship and visibility change lives
📎 Resources & Links:
Connect with Therese Tipton therese.tipton@highlineschools.org
Learn more about The Purpose Journey Program https://www.rutheasterling.org/copy-of-productivity-coaching 
Sign up for Ruth's upcoming Live2Lead Women’s Business Conference – October 24 https://www.rutheasterling.org/live2lead
🔁 Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
If this episode encouraged or inspired you, share it with a friend. Tag @RuthEasterling and tell us: What does empowering women to lead mean to you?
And don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss future episodes with trailblazing women who are making a difference in leadership, STEM, business, education, and beyond.
 

In this powerful episode of Empowering Women to Lead, we sit down with Judy McMurtry, a trailblazing leader who rose through the ranks of the airline industry with relentless determination, a people-first leadership style, and unshakable confidence. From her childhood in Detroit during the 1967 riots to managing major U.S. airports, Judy shares how persistence, personal growth, and a refusal to give up helped her break barriers in a male-dominated field.
She opens up about what it takes to lead in high-pressure environments, how to bring people together across differences, and why women must stop waiting for permission and make their own seat at the table.
Quote Worth Remembering:
“You don't have to wait for a seat at the table—you make the table and bring others with you.” – Judy Phenomenal
Listeners will walk away inspired to lead with purpose, challenge limiting beliefs, and step confidently into positions of influence—no matter where they start.
To connect with Judy: https://excelwithjudy.com/
To connect with our website and find out more information on the Purpose Journey, go to www.rutheasterling.org