Influential Women - How She Did It
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Diora Murad profile on Influential Women Lisa Gambrell profile on Influential Women Meghin Rineer profile on Influential Women Shantell Monique Smith profile on Influential Women

How She Found Clarity in the Middle of Chaos

Women sharing how they navigated overwhelming seasons.

Quote Diora Murad, President on Influential Women

I didn't start with resources, connections, or a clear path, I started with responsibility. As a single mother of two in a new country, I had no financial or emotional support. Everything felt uncertain. But I made a decision: I would not let my circumstances define my future. I worked, studied, and kept moving forward, even when it was hard, even when I was tired, even when I doubted myself. Step by step, I earned my degree, built my career in immigration law, and continued my education in law school. What helped me the most was belief - belief in God, belief in myself, and the understanding that starting over is not failure, it's courage. If I could share one message with other women, it would be this: Do not be afraid to begin again. You are stronger than you think, and your life can become something greater than you ever imagined. "I didn't wait for the perfect moment, I created my own path."

Diora Murad, President, Murad Consulting Corporation
Quote Lisa Gambrell, Human Resources Business Partner on Influential Women

There was a season in my life where everything felt chaotic, not because of one crisis, but because the roles I had lived in for decades suddenly fell silent. The house grew quiet, the children grown, the responsibilities shifted, and I realized I had never learned how to be a person outside of survival. At first, the silence felt unbearable. Old wounds rose up, sorrow for the things I lost along the way, guilt for the moments I chose myself, shame for the places I felt I had fallen short. For years, I outran those feelings. But the turning point, the moment clarity returned, was when I finally stopped running. I sat with them. I named them. I let them speak. And once I recognized them for what they were, echoes, not truth, something inside me softened. I realized I wasn't breaking; I was unfolding. The fear didn't disappear, but it loosened its grip. I understood that clarity isn't found in having all the answers. Sometimes, clarity comes from finally asking the right questions: Who am I now? What do I want? What voice inside me is actually mine? In that chaotic season, what helped me regain clarity was allowing myself to feel everything I had spent a lifetime avoiding. I learned that I could hold sorrow without drowning in it, choose myself without guilt destroying me, and experience joy without shame pulling me back. Clarity came when I claimed my own voice again, the one beneath the pain, beneath the roles, beneath the fear, the one that had been waiting for decades to be heard.

Lisa Gambrell, Human Resources Business Partner, Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.
Quote Meghin Rineer, DHSc, Assure Patient Specialist on Influential Women

During seasons when life felt overwhelming and uncertain, I found clarity by focusing on small, actionable steps and embracing the support of those around me. When faced with setbacks or doubts, I reminded myself of my long-term goals and broke them down into manageable tasks. Seeking encouragement from mentors and loved ones grounded me, providing perspective and motivation. Reflecting on how far I had come, rather than how far I had to go, helped me regain confidence and move forward, even during chaotic times. Sharing my journey with others also brought reassurance and a renewed sense of purpose.

Meghin Rineer, DHSc, Assure Patient Specialist, Kestra Medical Technologies
Quote Shantell Monique Smith, Founder, CEO on Influential Women

During one of the most chaotic seasons of my life, I found clarity by choosing healing over survival mode. Instead of focusing on everything falling apart around me, I focused on becoming whole, through faith, reflection, discipline, and learning to turn pain into purpose. I realized clarity doesn't always come when life gets quiet; sometimes it comes when you decide who you will be in the middle of the noise. By prioritizing my mental wellness, creating structure, and helping others heal through Training 4 Life, I discovered that chaos can become the birthplace of vision. Clarity came when I stopped waiting for peace and became it.

Shantell Monique Smith, Founder, CEO, Training 4 Life Inc.
Quote Mariah Riddick, MLS(ASCP), Medical Laboratory Scientist on Influential Women

I thought progress meant pushing through at full speed, but when everything around me fell apart, I learned something different. I didn't quit, I slowed down. In the middle of the chaos, I kept moving, even if it was inch by inch. Because forward is forward, no matter the pace. And when life finally settled, I wasn't starting over; I was already in motion, ready to move with clarity instead of just survival.

Mariah Riddick, MLS(ASCP), Medical Laboratory Scientist, American Red Cross
Quote Tina Sherman, MBA, CPIM, Supply Chain Director on Influential Women

One of the most chaotic seasons in my life came when I was unexpectedly released from my role at Double E Group. For someone who has always defined herself by performance and stability, that moment was humbling. It forced me to face something I had quietly feared for years, losing my job and the identity that came with it. At first, it felt like everything was uncertain. But that space, while uncomfortable, gave me clarity I didn't have before. It made me step back and really ask: Who am I beyond my title? What kind of work actually energizes me? Where do I create the most impact? Instead of rushing into the next opportunity, I made a deliberate choice to pursue a role that aligned with what I genuinely enjoy and where I could contribute at a higher level, not just what looked good on paper. That decision changed everything. I found myself in a role that not only fits my strengths but reminds me why I chose this path in the first place. Sometimes the thing you fear most creates the clarity you need if you're willing to pause, reflect, and choose differently on the other side.

Tina Sherman, MBA, CPIM, Supply Chain Director, CDF Corporation
Quote Brandi Evanicky, Office Manager on Influential Women

I remember the early days clearly: the constant nitpicking, the sideways comments, the pressure to prove myself twice over just to be seen as equal. Many would have walked away, but I didn't. I gave it time and learned to navigate the noise, outwork the doubt, and rise above the voices that tried to shrink me. Years later, after building a strong reputation and climbing into higher-level roles, I hit a series of blows that would have flattened most people. I went through a divorce. I separated from a role as Director of Operations at a steel erection company. And in the fallout, I lost my home and my income in one sweep. It was the kind of moment that forces a person to choose: break, or rebuild. I chose rebuild. I found a new leadership role, stepped back into the industry with my head high, and used every scar (every setback, every dismissal, every moment I'd been counted out) as fuel. Those scars didn't make me bitter. They made me unshakeable.

Brandi Evanicky, Office Manager, HP Elevation Systems
Quote Ashita Chauhan, Compliance Technical Specialist on Influential Women

Clarity is not the absence of chaos, it is the ability to move through it with intention. I have learned that clarity is built, not found. It comes from persistence, from staying curious, and from not giving up when things feel uncertain. In the middle of chaos, I did not wait for things to slow down. I learned how to stand steady within it.

Ashita Chauhan, Compliance Technical Specialist, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Quote Rhonda Gibson, Intake Contact Center Manager on Influential Women

It's ok to have bad days. Take a day or two, feel all your feelings. Just don't unpack and live there.

Rhonda Gibson, Intake Contact Center Manager, Cameron Firm PC
Quote Janet Linly, CEO on Influential Women

Working with fine materials taught me that pressure doesn't ruin great design; it reveals character. During chaotic seasons, clarity came from creating with intention instead of reacting with urgency.

Janet Linly, CEO, Marge Carson Global
Quote Martyna Falloni, Sr Medical Planner on Influential Women

As my role at work continues to grow, so do the time and travel demands, and combined with busy family life, it quickly started to feel overwhelming. What helped me regain clarity was having intentional family "powwows" to reset priorities together, evaluate our approach and needs one week at a time, and treat family time as non-negotiable on the calendar, not just something we hoped to fit in.

Martyna Falloni, Sr Medical Planner, HKS Inc.
Quote Angelica Grant, BFA, EMBA, New Product Development Manager, Soft Goods and Equipment on Influential Women

Never look backward. Always look forward to keep pushing ahead!

Angelica Grant, BFA, EMBA, New Product Development Manager, Soft Goods and Equipment, LITT MFG, LLC
Quote Yvonne Smith, Founder & Principal Consultant on Influential Women

What helped me regain clarity during a chaotic season was learning to pause, simplify, and focus only on the next right step instead of trying to solve everything at once. I realized clarity does not always come before action. Sometimes it comes as you keep moving forward with faith, discipline, and self-trust.

Yvonne Smith, Founder & Principal Consultant, DOPI
Quote Chana Moskowitz, Author on Influential Women

When everything feels like too much, don't quit. Just rest. Resting doesn't mean you're giving up. It just means you're catching your breath and recentering. Most of the time, you come back a little stronger, a little clearer, and ready to step on the pedal again. Not every step forward looks like pushing harder. Sometimes it looks like stepping on the brakes.

Chana Moskowitz, Author, Little Chef Series
Quote Emely Rumble, LCSW, Psychotherapist,  Bibliotherapist on Influential Women

What helped me regain clarity during chaotic seasons was slowing down long enough to actually listen to myself. Honestly, books helped too. Sometimes reading someone else's story gives you the language for what you're carrying and reminds you that you're not alone in it.

Emely Rumble, LCSW, Psychotherapist, Bibliotherapist, Literapy
Quote Dr. Simone Wilkinson, Assistant Principal on Influential Women

When everything felt overwhelming, I created small, human-centered routines that brought order back into my days. Clarity came when I stopped trying to manage the chaos and started designing around it.

Dr. Simone Wilkinson, Assistant Principal, District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS)
Quote Amna Kardar, Digital Strategist, Brand Builder, Makeup Artist, & Divorce Coach on Influential Women

During the most chaotic seasons of my life, the one thing I held onto was knowing there had to be a bigger meaning and reason for why I'm here. People stopped scaring me once I truly believed God was on my side.

Amna Kardar, Digital Strategist, Brand Builder, Makeup Artist, & Divorce Coach, Amna Kardar
Quote Jessie Hutchason, Founder on Influential Women

Sometimes clarity comes from being forced to slow down and reevaluate your purpose. After being laid off, I found myself in a season of uncertainty, but it also pushed me to finally build the business I had spent years helping others create for themselves. What once felt like chaos became the motivation behind launching Bombshell Marketing & Events. I regained clarity by focusing on what truly mattered: creating something meaningful, helping others grow, and trusting my ability to rebuild. That season taught me resilience, confidence, and the importance of believing in your vision even when the path ahead is unclear.

Jessie Hutchason, Founder, Bombshell Marketing and Events
Quote Kadian Elaine Lewis, Contracts Manager on Influential Women

In a chaotic and uncertain season, I learned the importance of planning, organizing, and prioritizing to create structure instead of being overwhelmed. I maintained my well-being by eating a balanced diet, getting enough rest, and focusing on what I could control by breaking tasks into small, manageable goals. I also sought help when needed, ensuring that critical responsibilities were handled and allowing me to stay grounded, productive, and intentional despite the uncertainty.

Kadian Elaine Lewis, Contracts Manager, Gilbane Building Company