I have devoted my life to work with women for women’s empowerment and global gender parity. With more than thirty years of experience working globally, I have found that women have much more in common than they realized and when in a safe and loving circle setting, quickly form bonds of sisterhood. In an egalitarian circle, everyone is equally valued and equally shares the information, resources and power. In every chair is a leader, and the collective intelligence and wisdom is harvested leading to positive and sustainable actions locally and globally. Too often women have not believed in themselves as capable of being a leader, but when their individual and collective leadership is affirmed and nurtured, they become transformational leaders in sustainable development, peace and justice.
I served as founder and director of Women’s Work where I partnered with the building trade unions in giving job readiness training for women. I served as director of Women in Mission and Ministry, Episcopal Church USA, for seventeen years where I was privileged to work with women around the world for women’s empowerment and advocacy. I served as director of Global Education Associates co-creating Indigenous Women’s Pathways leadership program, African and US AIDS Prevention Coalition, Millionth Circle Initiative and Earth Child Institute. I am co-founder and director of Circle Connections, co-author of Stories from the Circle, Women Prints, Women’s Uncommon Prayer and Women’s Round Calendar.
I am currently working on a women’s Spiritual Leadership resource and training of facilitators program for the Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross and the Mother Earth’s 2017 Round Calendar, Healthy People, Healthy Planet. This whimsical and meaningful one-of-a-kind calendar with a reflection guide connects people of all ages to nature.
I live in Naples, Florida, with husband and two cats.
Ann Landaas Smith, SCHC
Society of the Companions of
the Holy Cross
239-682-1260
Hello,
ReplyDeleteGreat post Always on point! Thanks for that. As a woman in my late 40’s with colleagues and friends with teenage and/or adult kids, we all agree that the advice we wish someone had told us was this: the mid and teenage years are not only the most complex time for kids, but also when the kids really need you. It is also best for your career (you have a great reputation established) when you can most easily dial back work and lose less momentum.
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regards by me for kids