In commemoration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, we’re breaking down some of today’s most inspirational women in business. From dating apps to life-saving vaccines, these women have changed the way we live our daily lives.
1. Whitney Wolfe Herd
Whitney Wolfe Herd is the founder of Bumble – perhaps you’ve heard of it! In 2014, she left her job as vice president of marketing at Tinder. The 31-year-old owns an 11.6% stake in Bumble Inc., surpassing Stitch Fix’s Katrina Lake youngest female self-made billionaire after the company went public just last month. Whitney exemplifies “I think anybody can make money at something they’re good at,”
2. Kaitlan Collins
Kaitlan Collins was included in Mediaite’s list of the 50 Most Influential People in News Media in 2018, 2019 and 2020 as well as one of Forbes magazine’s “30 under 30” in media. Most recently, she was named the chief White House correspondent for CNN at the age of only 28, replacing Jim Acosta. When she joined CNN in 2017, she was among the youngest White House correspondents that the network has ever hired. Her CNN colleague Jake Tapper called her “one of the best White House correspondents ever in the history of this country.”
3. Cynthia “Cynt” Marshall
Cynt Marshall embodies the American dream. She began breaking barriers and defying the odds early in life. She left behind a troubled childhood to become the first African American cheerleader at UC Berkeley on a full academic scholarship. She then spent 36 years climbing the ladder at AT&T until she ultimately became senior vice president of human resources and chief diversity officer in 2015. Two years following that, she landed AT&T on Fortune’s 100 Best Places to Work list for the first time, as one of just two Fortune 50 companies on the list. Now, we know and love her as the CEO of the Dallas Mavericks, hired by Mark Cuban to help correct the NBA’s history of toxic work environments.
4. Kathrin U. Jansen, Ph.D
There is a light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, and we have Kathrin U. Jansen, Ph.D to thank! Dr. Jansen is Senior Vice President and Head of Vaccine Research and Development at Pfizer Inc. She is also a member of Pfizer’s Worldwide Research and Development leadership team. Jansen led the efforts in developing a COVID-19 vaccine and preparing it to hit the market. She’s been with Pfizer since 2009 and has proved to be an enormous asset. One of her most notable accomplishments prior to the COVID vaccine was initiating and leading the development of Gardasil®, the world’s first cervical cancer vaccine.
As powerful businesswomen ourselves, we are inspired daily by these movers and shakers across industries. This International Women’s Day, we encourage you to celebrate the influential women in your life.