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| Power Style Wellness Connections |
Our 2007 Way to Go Woman! Winners’ Circle
A hearty round of applause is due to this year’s celebrated group of well-
rounded women from the Kentuckiana area.
BY ANITA OLDHAM AND TIFFANY WHITE
PHOTOS BY JAMES MOSES • MAKEUP BY HOLLY OYLER
“I feel most gratified when I hear from parents that the curriculum has
helped and their child is making an A grade in school this semester
versus last semester when they were getting a D.”
NEELAM GUPTA
DIRECTOR, KUMON CENTER OF JEFFERSONTOWN
Neelam is wearing: Fusus jacket, $365; Fusus skirt, $430;
Wolford tank, $120; earrings, $135; necklace, $165 both by
Double Happiness. All items available at She of Louisville, 211
Clover Lane, (502) 897-5361.“
First and foremost I strive to be more like Christ every day. I
fail miserably sometimes, but I am forgiven. That allows me the
strength to pick myself back up and continue. My faith shapes
who I am completely!” JAMIE NEFF
FOUNDER, PRECIOUS HELPERS HORSE FARM
JAMIE IS WEARING: DIANE VON FURSTENBERG ABRI WRAP
DRESS, $345; SHOES, BUTTER BY CYNTHIA ROWLEY, $198; THREE
DOT CAMISOLE, $50; ARLON EARRINGS, $45. ITEMS AVAILABLE AT
CIRCE, 3630 BROWNSBORO ROAD, (502) 894-0095.
“I want to take my talents and energy and put them to use to
help grow and transform this city. Louisville is a great place to
be, and people, businesses and organizations need to work
alongside each other to continue to drive this city towards a
unique and clearly defined future.”
KIMBERLY NASIEF
ENTREPRENEUR
KIMBERLY IS WEARING: TRACY REESE SHIRT DRESS,
$390; MARC BY MARC JACOBS SHOES, $360; ARLON
EARRINGS, $48; CHAN LUU BRACELET, $56. ITEMS
AVAILABLE AT CIRCE, 3630 BROWNSBORO ROAD,
(502) 894-0095.
“You have to stay dedicated. It would be easy to quit and call it
a day…having a fabulous staff helps to make your business
what it is without you having to be there all the time. I certainly
don’t do it for the money.” KIRA SIMPSON
OWNER, THE NEST
KIRA IS WEARING: M SIAMO JACKET, $795; M SIAMO T-NECK, $330;
M SIAMO PANT, $495; LOIS HILL EARRINGS, $100. ALL ITEMS
AVAILABLE AT SHE OF LOUISVILLE, 211 CLOVER LANE,
(502) 897-5361.
“I would feel successful if at the end of my life, my sons still
adored me and I had friends that would tell them a funny story
that started with ‘I remember the time that your Mom and I…’”
ANGELA CHAMBERLIN LEET
CO-CHAIR, WOMEN FOR HABITAT
ANGELA IS WEARING: SKIRT, $498; SHIRT, $225; JACKET,
$1,298, ALL BY RALPH LAUREN. ETRO MILANO SHOES,
$625; ETRO MILANO SCARF, $185; 2 BLOND LIZARDS
CORAL NECKLACE, $675; TORY BURCH PURSE, $350.
ITEMS AVAILABLE AT RODES FOR HER,
4938 BROWNSBORO ROAD, (502) 753-7633.
“It was some type of karma working for them
(Apple Patch Communities, Inc.). I just knew I could make a
difference at least in some people’s lives just as other people
had made a difference in mine.” ALLISON LEE GEORGE
MEDICAL CASE MANAGER
APPLE PATCH COMMUNITIES
ALLISON IS WEARING: BLOUSE, $72; JACKET, $212; PANTS,
$98; NECKLACE, $48. ITEMS AVAILABLE AT TALBOTS,
194 N. HURSTBOURNE PARKWAY, (502) 423-9445.
“I believe that God always provides when he gives you a
vision, and I am just thankful for the gifts He’s given me,
that I can’t help but want to share with young girls who could
benefit from knowing someone cares about them.”
CANDACE DENISE BELL
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
CRUSADE FOR CHILDREN
FOUNDER, THIS GIRL’S VOICE
Candace is wearing: Jacket, $188; capri pants, $38. Items available at
Talbots, 194 N. Hurstbourne Parkway, (502) 423-9445.
“Each day brings a different set of challenges, and its how you
deal with them. If I can face challenges head-on and have
more wins than losses, that’s success ALINA PABIN-PRUSAK
DIRECTOR OF TRAINING
CENTER FOR NONPROFIT EXCELLENCE
ALINA IS WEARING: JACKET, $394; PANTS, $194. BOTH BY
GARFIELD & MARKS. GOLD TIE FRONT SHIRT BY EYE,
$175. IZUMI NECKLACE, $40; IZUMI EARRINGS, $30;
BCBG MAXAZRIA SHOES, $225. ALL ITEMS AVAILABLE AT
RODEO DRIVE, 2212C HOLIDAY MANOR, (502) 425-8999.
“I have a passion for working in the community and feel
that together we can make a positive difference in both the
lives of adults and children.”
LAURA GOODMAN
VOLUNTEER/OUTREACH COORDINATOR,
GIRL SCOUTS OF KENTUCKIANA
LAURA IS WEARING: ARMANI SLACKS, $535; ARMANI COAT, $655;
TOP, $270; STUART WEITZMAN SHOES, $280. ALL ITEMS AVAILABLE
AT RODES FOR HER, 4938 BROWNSBORO ROAD, (502) 753-7633.
“I have never been one to measure success in monetary value. My
parents raised me to see beyond certain material things that corrupt our
notions about what it means to be successful. Don’t get me wrong. I have
things in life that others may see as luxuries, but I try to live as simply as I
can and focus on what is really important.”
JILL BICKEL
ENGLISH TEACHER
SENECA HIGH SCHOOL
Jill is wearing: Dress, $148; necklace, $48; earrings, $28. Items available
at Talbots, 194 N. Hurstbourne Parkway, (502) 423-9445.
They have ingenious ideas and a genuine passion for what they do.
They are our Way To Go Woman! winners and we give you a snapshot
into what they are doing to move this city forward.
Candace Denise Bell, 25, is a masterful multi-tasker who doesn’t miss a
beat. A graduate of Fisk University in Nashville, Candace is the executive
assistant for The Crusade for Children and is the co-owner of “The Write
Stuff,” a professional writing business. Relentless in her pursuit to
improve the community, Candace doesn’t succumb to complacency. In
February, she started This Girl’s Voice, a non-profit community-
supported organization whose mission is to mentor young girls who come
from at-risk environments. She also works as a volunteer at the Juvenile
Detention Center and participates in the JCPS Every 1 Reads program.
An English teacher at Seneca High School for seven years, Jill Bickel,
32, is devoted to being a positive role model for her
4-year-old daughter, Lily, and her students. But when she isn’t in the
classroom or at home with the family, Jill is putting her
athletic abilities to the test. She placed 2nd at the Louisville Half-
Marathon in 2006 and also in the Derby Mini-Marathon this past April.
“There’s something about crossing the finish (line) and knowing I really
trained and gave it my all. It’s an extremely emotional experience.” Jill is
about to cross another finish line with the near completion of her masters
degree in Women and Gender Studies. “It will mean a lot to me to have
this degree because the field of women’s studies is so important to me.”
She adds, “It has most certainly shaped the kind of teacher and mother I
am.”
For eight years, Allison Lee George suffered with epileptic seizures that
prevented her from doing even the simplest of tasks. “I was truly
suffering…
even the new medications weren’t working,” she said. She had a choice:
either file for disability or undergo
surgery. At the age of 24, Allison took the chance on surgery with
outstanding results. Now 36, Allison says her personal milestone became
the catalyst that partially led to her position as medical case manager at
Apple Patch Communities, Inc. The non-profit
organization provides services and builds homes for adults with
disabilities. “I got a sense of what it was like to be helpless and really
need other people to help me live year to year.”
After several years of working in her “dream job” of advertising, Laura
Goodman, 34, was ready to take on something that could have a larger
impact on the community. She stumbled across an employment ad for a
position with the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana and has been with the
organization for seven years. In the past two years, Laura has worked as
volunteer/outreach coordinator for Girl Scouts while
working on a series of other projects including the Read to Lead Girl
Scout Reading Program with JCPS Elementary Schools. She says she
will be successful if her three children have a strong foundation to make
a sound decision.
When Neelam Gupta, 31, sets her sights on something, she’s
unstoppable. Neelam is the director and certified instructor of the Kumon
Center of Jeffersontown—an after-school math and reading program.
When she opened the business in April 2005, she went from having an
empty classroom to achieving her goal of 100 students by the following
year. Neelam says she would feel successful if she could have every
elementary student who enrolls in her curriculum working at advanced
levels of Algebra 1 in two to three years from the time of their enrollment.
Her husband and 4-year-old are proud of her accomplishments
In the transition from career woman to mother, Angela Leet, 38, had to
make some readjustments in her life. The woman who used to work long
hours in the office began attending “Mommy and Me” classes hoping to
forge friendships but ended up finding her true joy as co-chair of Women
for Habitat. Under her leadership, the group has already built 10 homes
and is working on their 11th home for needy families in the community.
Angela is co-owner of Chamberlin Enterprises, a property development
company. She is also a registered professional engineer, board member
of Habitat for Humanity of Metro Louisville, board member for the Fund
for the Arts, finance chair for the Jefferson County Republican Party and
governor’s appointee to the Land Bank Authority of Louisville.
Kimberly Nasief approaches everything she does with boundless
enthusiasm and energy. The 33-year-old former president and CEO of
Marketing Endeavors, a national market research and mystery shopping
company, just sold her business and will be looking at other
opportunities. She says she thrives off of the fast-paced environment of
starting and building a business. This month, Kimberly will be traveling to
Dublin, Ireland, with the GLI Greater Louisville Inc. Development
Expedition (GLIDE) group to learn about the city’s economic
transformation over the past decade and examine several issues
including the commonalities between Dublin and Louisville.
Stepping out on faith put Jamie Neff in a position to be a source of
inspiration and comfort to people who needed it most. Jamie, 28, and her
husband Alex founded Precious Helpers Horse Farm, a non-profit
organization based in Pekin, Ind. that uses horses to lift the spirits of
others. The free program teaches people with special needs about how
to care for horses and ride them. Initially, the odds of opening the farm
seemed bleak considering her lack of resources. But faith and
continuous prayer, says Jamie, made an impact, and from that point,
everything she needed suddenly became available—including the land.
“When we arrived (at Asbury) to pick up three horses, we were greeted
with boxes and boxes of equipment, saddles, bridles, halters, feed, hay
and God even threw in leg wraps and fly spray!”
Alina Pabin-Prusak left her hometown in Michigan to pursue a new
career as the director of training at the Center for Nonprofit Excellence.
The center is a resource for the success of non-profit organizations in
Greater Louisville and Southern Indiana. “Being away from a familiar
network of people has prompted me to grow both as a person and as a
professional.” The
30-year-old already has an impressive list of accomplishments which
includes serving on the board of directors for the Organization of Latino
Social Workers, Michigan Chapter, and being a member of the Young
Professionals Association. She holds a master’s degree in Urban
Planning from Wayne State University in Detroit, where as part of her
graduate work, she studied community development and healthcare
delivery at the University of Medical Sciences in Santigo de Cuba.
Disenchanted with the lack of “cute” maternity clothes for women became
the motivation for Kira Simpson, 30, to open The Nest, a maternity and
children’s boutique located in St. Matthews. While it was a good concept,
Kira says it took time to find her niche and build on the success of the
business. “I didn’t have a baby at the time, so I didn’t understand how the
body changes when you are pregnant, but having a baby (George, age
17 months) of my own changed my perspective and improved the
business.” Five years later, Kira’s bourgeoning business is setting the
fashion trends for Louisville’s expectant mothers.
A hearty round of applause is due to this year’s celebrated group of well-
rounded women from the Kentuckiana area.
BY ANITA OLDHAM AND TIFFANY WHITE
PHOTOS BY JAMES MOSES • MAKEUP BY HOLLY OYLER
“I feel most gratified when I hear from parents that the curriculum has
helped and their child is making an A grade in school this semester
versus last semester when they were getting a D.”
NEELAM GUPTA
DIRECTOR, KUMON CENTER OF JEFFERSONTOWN
Neelam is wearing: Fusus jacket, $365; Fusus skirt, $430;
Wolford tank, $120; earrings, $135; necklace, $165 both by
Double Happiness. All items available at She of Louisville, 211
Clover Lane, (502) 897-5361.“
First and foremost I strive to be more like Christ every day. I
fail miserably sometimes, but I am forgiven. That allows me the
strength to pick myself back up and continue. My faith shapes
who I am completely!” JAMIE NEFF
FOUNDER, PRECIOUS HELPERS HORSE FARM
JAMIE IS WEARING: DIANE VON FURSTENBERG ABRI WRAP
DRESS, $345; SHOES, BUTTER BY CYNTHIA ROWLEY, $198; THREE
DOT CAMISOLE, $50; ARLON EARRINGS, $45. ITEMS AVAILABLE AT
CIRCE, 3630 BROWNSBORO ROAD, (502) 894-0095.
“I want to take my talents and energy and put them to use to
help grow and transform this city. Louisville is a great place to
be, and people, businesses and organizations need to work
alongside each other to continue to drive this city towards a
unique and clearly defined future.”
KIMBERLY NASIEF
ENTREPRENEUR
KIMBERLY IS WEARING: TRACY REESE SHIRT DRESS,
$390; MARC BY MARC JACOBS SHOES, $360; ARLON
EARRINGS, $48; CHAN LUU BRACELET, $56. ITEMS
AVAILABLE AT CIRCE, 3630 BROWNSBORO ROAD,
(502) 894-0095.
“You have to stay dedicated. It would be easy to quit and call it
a day…having a fabulous staff helps to make your business
what it is without you having to be there all the time. I certainly
don’t do it for the money.” KIRA SIMPSON
OWNER, THE NEST
KIRA IS WEARING: M SIAMO JACKET, $795; M SIAMO T-NECK, $330;
M SIAMO PANT, $495; LOIS HILL EARRINGS, $100. ALL ITEMS
AVAILABLE AT SHE OF LOUISVILLE, 211 CLOVER LANE,
(502) 897-5361.
“I would feel successful if at the end of my life, my sons still
adored me and I had friends that would tell them a funny story
that started with ‘I remember the time that your Mom and I…’”
ANGELA CHAMBERLIN LEET
CO-CHAIR, WOMEN FOR HABITAT
ANGELA IS WEARING: SKIRT, $498; SHIRT, $225; JACKET,
$1,298, ALL BY RALPH LAUREN. ETRO MILANO SHOES,
$625; ETRO MILANO SCARF, $185; 2 BLOND LIZARDS
CORAL NECKLACE, $675; TORY BURCH PURSE, $350.
ITEMS AVAILABLE AT RODES FOR HER,
4938 BROWNSBORO ROAD, (502) 753-7633.
“It was some type of karma working for them
(Apple Patch Communities, Inc.). I just knew I could make a
difference at least in some people’s lives just as other people
had made a difference in mine.” ALLISON LEE GEORGE
MEDICAL CASE MANAGER
APPLE PATCH COMMUNITIES
ALLISON IS WEARING: BLOUSE, $72; JACKET, $212; PANTS,
$98; NECKLACE, $48. ITEMS AVAILABLE AT TALBOTS,
194 N. HURSTBOURNE PARKWAY, (502) 423-9445.
“I believe that God always provides when he gives you a
vision, and I am just thankful for the gifts He’s given me,
that I can’t help but want to share with young girls who could
benefit from knowing someone cares about them.”
CANDACE DENISE BELL
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
CRUSADE FOR CHILDREN
FOUNDER, THIS GIRL’S VOICE
Candace is wearing: Jacket, $188; capri pants, $38. Items available at
Talbots, 194 N. Hurstbourne Parkway, (502) 423-9445.
“Each day brings a different set of challenges, and its how you
deal with them. If I can face challenges head-on and have
more wins than losses, that’s success ALINA PABIN-PRUSAK
DIRECTOR OF TRAINING
CENTER FOR NONPROFIT EXCELLENCE
ALINA IS WEARING: JACKET, $394; PANTS, $194. BOTH BY
GARFIELD & MARKS. GOLD TIE FRONT SHIRT BY EYE,
$175. IZUMI NECKLACE, $40; IZUMI EARRINGS, $30;
BCBG MAXAZRIA SHOES, $225. ALL ITEMS AVAILABLE AT
RODEO DRIVE, 2212C HOLIDAY MANOR, (502) 425-8999.
“I have a passion for working in the community and feel
that together we can make a positive difference in both the
lives of adults and children.”
LAURA GOODMAN
VOLUNTEER/OUTREACH COORDINATOR,
GIRL SCOUTS OF KENTUCKIANA
LAURA IS WEARING: ARMANI SLACKS, $535; ARMANI COAT, $655;
TOP, $270; STUART WEITZMAN SHOES, $280. ALL ITEMS AVAILABLE
AT RODES FOR HER, 4938 BROWNSBORO ROAD, (502) 753-7633.
“I have never been one to measure success in monetary value. My
parents raised me to see beyond certain material things that corrupt our
notions about what it means to be successful. Don’t get me wrong. I have
things in life that others may see as luxuries, but I try to live as simply as I
can and focus on what is really important.”
JILL BICKEL
ENGLISH TEACHER
SENECA HIGH SCHOOL
Jill is wearing: Dress, $148; necklace, $48; earrings, $28. Items available
at Talbots, 194 N. Hurstbourne Parkway, (502) 423-9445.
They have ingenious ideas and a genuine passion for what they do.
They are our Way To Go Woman! winners and we give you a snapshot
into what they are doing to move this city forward.
Candace Denise Bell, 25, is a masterful multi-tasker who doesn’t miss a
beat. A graduate of Fisk University in Nashville, Candace is the executive
assistant for The Crusade for Children and is the co-owner of “The Write
Stuff,” a professional writing business. Relentless in her pursuit to
improve the community, Candace doesn’t succumb to complacency. In
February, she started This Girl’s Voice, a non-profit community-
supported organization whose mission is to mentor young girls who come
from at-risk environments. She also works as a volunteer at the Juvenile
Detention Center and participates in the JCPS Every 1 Reads program.
An English teacher at Seneca High School for seven years, Jill Bickel,
32, is devoted to being a positive role model for her
4-year-old daughter, Lily, and her students. But when she isn’t in the
classroom or at home with the family, Jill is putting her
athletic abilities to the test. She placed 2nd at the Louisville Half-
Marathon in 2006 and also in the Derby Mini-Marathon this past April.
“There’s something about crossing the finish (line) and knowing I really
trained and gave it my all. It’s an extremely emotional experience.” Jill is
about to cross another finish line with the near completion of her masters
degree in Women and Gender Studies. “It will mean a lot to me to have
this degree because the field of women’s studies is so important to me.”
She adds, “It has most certainly shaped the kind of teacher and mother I
am.”
For eight years, Allison Lee George suffered with epileptic seizures that
prevented her from doing even the simplest of tasks. “I was truly
suffering…
even the new medications weren’t working,” she said. She had a choice:
either file for disability or undergo
surgery. At the age of 24, Allison took the chance on surgery with
outstanding results. Now 36, Allison says her personal milestone became
the catalyst that partially led to her position as medical case manager at
Apple Patch Communities, Inc. The non-profit
organization provides services and builds homes for adults with
disabilities. “I got a sense of what it was like to be helpless and really
need other people to help me live year to year.”
After several years of working in her “dream job” of advertising, Laura
Goodman, 34, was ready to take on something that could have a larger
impact on the community. She stumbled across an employment ad for a
position with the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana and has been with the
organization for seven years. In the past two years, Laura has worked as
volunteer/outreach coordinator for Girl Scouts while
working on a series of other projects including the Read to Lead Girl
Scout Reading Program with JCPS Elementary Schools. She says she
will be successful if her three children have a strong foundation to make
a sound decision.
When Neelam Gupta, 31, sets her sights on something, she’s
unstoppable. Neelam is the director and certified instructor of the Kumon
Center of Jeffersontown—an after-school math and reading program.
When she opened the business in April 2005, she went from having an
empty classroom to achieving her goal of 100 students by the following
year. Neelam says she would feel successful if she could have every
elementary student who enrolls in her curriculum working at advanced
levels of Algebra 1 in two to three years from the time of their enrollment.
Her husband and 4-year-old are proud of her accomplishments
In the transition from career woman to mother, Angela Leet, 38, had to
make some readjustments in her life. The woman who used to work long
hours in the office began attending “Mommy and Me” classes hoping to
forge friendships but ended up finding her true joy as co-chair of Women
for Habitat. Under her leadership, the group has already built 10 homes
and is working on their 11th home for needy families in the community.
Angela is co-owner of Chamberlin Enterprises, a property development
company. She is also a registered professional engineer, board member
of Habitat for Humanity of Metro Louisville, board member for the Fund
for the Arts, finance chair for the Jefferson County Republican Party and
governor’s appointee to the Land Bank Authority of Louisville.
Kimberly Nasief approaches everything she does with boundless
enthusiasm and energy. The 33-year-old former president and CEO of
Marketing Endeavors, a national market research and mystery shopping
company, just sold her business and will be looking at other
opportunities. She says she thrives off of the fast-paced environment of
starting and building a business. This month, Kimberly will be traveling to
Dublin, Ireland, with the GLI Greater Louisville Inc. Development
Expedition (GLIDE) group to learn about the city’s economic
transformation over the past decade and examine several issues
including the commonalities between Dublin and Louisville.
Stepping out on faith put Jamie Neff in a position to be a source of
inspiration and comfort to people who needed it most. Jamie, 28, and her
husband Alex founded Precious Helpers Horse Farm, a non-profit
organization based in Pekin, Ind. that uses horses to lift the spirits of
others. The free program teaches people with special needs about how
to care for horses and ride them. Initially, the odds of opening the farm
seemed bleak considering her lack of resources. But faith and
continuous prayer, says Jamie, made an impact, and from that point,
everything she needed suddenly became available—including the land.
“When we arrived (at Asbury) to pick up three horses, we were greeted
with boxes and boxes of equipment, saddles, bridles, halters, feed, hay
and God even threw in leg wraps and fly spray!”
Alina Pabin-Prusak left her hometown in Michigan to pursue a new
career as the director of training at the Center for Nonprofit Excellence.
The center is a resource for the success of non-profit organizations in
Greater Louisville and Southern Indiana. “Being away from a familiar
network of people has prompted me to grow both as a person and as a
professional.” The
30-year-old already has an impressive list of accomplishments which
includes serving on the board of directors for the Organization of Latino
Social Workers, Michigan Chapter, and being a member of the Young
Professionals Association. She holds a master’s degree in Urban
Planning from Wayne State University in Detroit, where as part of her
graduate work, she studied community development and healthcare
delivery at the University of Medical Sciences in Santigo de Cuba.
Disenchanted with the lack of “cute” maternity clothes for women became
the motivation for Kira Simpson, 30, to open The Nest, a maternity and
children’s boutique located in St. Matthews. While it was a good concept,
Kira says it took time to find her niche and build on the success of the
business. “I didn’t have a baby at the time, so I didn’t understand how the
body changes when you are pregnant, but having a baby (George, age
17 months) of my own changed my perspective and improved the
business.” Five years later, Kira’s bourgeoning business is setting the
fashion trends for Louisville’s expectant mothers.
