The Power of Your Story: Thank you, Jenna Lange and Lange International, for coaching and supporting WWIN women!
Telling your story with confidence – especially when the stakes are high – is a vital skill that unlocks countless opportunities in life and work. Yet this skill is often missing from women’s toolboxes as they enter higher education or the workforce, and its importance only grows as a woman sets her eyes on the next promotion or job – or when she considers launching a business idea of her own.
For Jenna Lange, international communications coach and consultant to senior leaders in industries from tech to finance and healthcare, many of the communications challenges women face ring true across all sectors. “My company, Lange International, specializes in high stakes communications moments – and in the last few years, I’ve pivoted to helping women tell their stories. Too often, I see women make themselves smaller in negotiations or talk themselves down before they even ask for what they want – and that is holding women back.”
Lange International has partnered with WWIN to deliver personal storytelling workshops, empowering Star Scholars to take charge of their stories and tell them effectively in the right situations. “It’s so important for the women of WWIN, who have such incredible stories of grit, perseverance, survival, and determination, to harness those qualities and showcase their strengths. The stories we tell about ourselves can be so debilitating; it’s critical to be able to shift the narrative and say, ‘I deserve to be here. I have done amazing things, and I have what it takes to go after what I want and deserve.’”
Jenna discovered her passion for WWIN’s mission through her mother’s philanthropy and dedication to serving others. She credits her mother’s willingness to step forward in moments of uncertainty with fueling her sense of purpose in helping women advocate for themselves. “From a very young age, my mom instilled in me the attitude, ‘First of all, do. Second, never talk yourself down from something before you’ve tried.’”
Jenna, in her service as a member of the WWIN Board of Directors, and her mother, a WWIN Star Scholar Sponsor, are proud to support the women of WWIN in their pursuit of higher education and living-wage careers – both for the personal impact WWIN has on women’s lives and the way empowering women strengthens society. “In The Moment of Lift, Melinda French Gates writes, ‘If you want to lift up humanity, empower women.’ That’s what WWIN does. When you invest in a woman, you build stronger communities and a better society.”
When asked what advice she would give, as a coach, to today’s Star Scholars, Jenna answered, “Don’t let anyone take your power away. Speak up and speak out, because you are worthy.”
Thank you, Jenna, for helping the women of WWIN achieve their dreams!
GiveBIG for Washington women in 2022!
Your support for the women of WWIN changes lives – and it helps strengthen communities across Washington state. This year, WWIN is participating in GiveBIG, a statewide fundraising campaign focused on investing in our local communities to help create the society we want to live in. Launched in 2011 by the Seattle Foundation, GiveBIG has raised more than $161 million to date for Washington nonprofits. GiveBIG is hosted by Washington Gives, an online giving platform that connects people in Washington to the causes they care most about.
We hope you’ll consider making a gift to WWIN during the GiveBIG 2022 event. It will kick off April 19 and culminate in a 48-hour giving event on May 3 and 4. Your generosity can help a woman fulfill her dream and create a brighter future for herself, her family, and her entire community.
Activate You: Discover the Power of Budgeting
The word “budget” often brings to mind limits or constraints – but what if your budget was the secret to unlocking more freedom, choice, and security? Your budget can help you move closer to your values and priorities and take charge of your personal spending and your future.
Join us Thursday, May 26 at 12 p.m. PT for a 60-minute interactive seminar where we will explore the power of budgeting, examine wants and needs, and talk personal spending and savings goals. Are you ready to give budgeting a try?
Colleen Bracy is a Financial Advisor who is committed to helping women empower themselves through strong financial strategies. She credits her modest Seattle upbringing and her mother’s steadfast planning, dedication, and hard work – as well as her 16 years at Microsoft working in corporate finance – with fueling her passion for financial advising and helping women gain confidence and take charge of their financial lives.