At Woman to Woman Mentoring, one of our favorite things to do is give praise to our amazing volunteers, our powerful Board of Directors, and our incredible mentees – everyone that make this organization possible! But for this blog, we’re thrilled to pull back the curtain and reintroduce you to the team that is responsible for driving our mission forward every day. This dynamic group of passionate women aims to create a community that is inclusive and serves as an added resource in women’s lives. Get to know these amazing women, their strengths from the Clifton StrengthsFinder, and a little bit of their background!  

Amanda Whitener “The Strategic Thinker” 

Amanda is our Executive Director. She was born in Washington, DC and grew up in Montgomery County. She is the oldest of three and the first in her family to graduate from college.  With a BS and Master’s degree in Biology, Amanda has followed an amazing path in STEM- focused and informal education roles, including working as a naturalist and program director for a science museum. Prior to W2WM, Amanda was the Head of Workforce Development at WorldStrides. Amanda has strong family ties in Montgomery County and Frederick County and currently lives with her husband and pets in Montgomery County! Amanda’s hobbies include duckpin bowling and participating in a recreational kickball league. Amanda became the Executive Director for Woman to Woman Mentoring in October of 2023 and when she is not kicking it on the field, or on the lanes, she is kicking it in leading our team! 

When asked if she had experience with a mentor Amanda stated, “I have had several informal mentors in my life who have helped me grow, given advice and honest feedback, and listened to me. One mentor in particular has been a consistent presence in my professional life, and I look forward to our conversations. We talk less than we used to, but he was one of the first people I told about my new role with Woman to Woman Mentoring.” 

When asked to describe how a mentor has impacted her life by being a great example, she said, “They showed me how to “walk the walk” in leadership”. That had a huge impact on her leadership style as a manager.  They also encouraged her to ‘”take a chance” on new roles and opportunities – always saying, “What’s the worst that could happen?”. This helped Amanda realize her potential and follow her passion.  

As a core workshop in our programs, we utilize Clifton’s StrengthsFinder to gain insight into our strengths and understand how we can capture their power to build connections and understand boundaries. 

Amanda’s Top 5 Strengths are: 

1. Strategic 
2. Arranger 
3. Communication 
4. Belief 
5. Responsibility 

This combination of strengths means that Amanda has a strategic vision based on a set of core values. She envisions the puzzle pieces falling into place and communicates this vision clearly. She feels responsible for the outcome and is invested in the process.  

Our staff are dedicated and passionate, but our why is so important and unique to each of us. When Amanda was asked about her “why” she stated, “I do what I do because I love to make connections between people and see how they pass that on and connect with others. I feel fulfilled when someone can take something they learned and use it in a practical way, or in a way that helps them along their path.  I also love to solve challenges. Working with a small non-profit, there is no shortage of challenges – but each challenge helps me learn too – and I take pride in being able to use my resources to solve a challenge.” 

Amy Savitt: “The Empathetic Developer”  

Amy is our Senior Program Manager. She was born and raised in Quakertown, PA and is one of three siblings. She was also the first in her family to go to college. Amy graduated from Dickinson College and then went on to graduate school, obtaining her Master’s degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education. After school and a few years working in Pennsylvania she moved to Las Vegas for 10 years, and had 2 kids in this time.  In 2013 she moved her family to Maryland and started working with Woman to Woman Mentoring.  Amy has worked with W2WM for 11 years building community and developing programs and creating matches and connections for our mentoring cohorts! Outside of being a boss mentor/mentee matchmaker, Amy’s hobbies include reading, napping, and watching comedies, and she loves to dance!  

When asked if Amy ever had a mentor, she said, “I didn’t really have a mentor when I was younger but since working at W2WM I’ve made a point of finding and connecting with people who have experience, expertise, advice, or support that I’m looking for in my personal life and work life.” Though Amy didn’t have a formal mentor, her college experience really helped shape what she was doing with her life. “My college experience had been so transformative, I wanted to be a part of that transformation for others and work in a college setting.  I did that for a few years at Dickinson and I especially loved working with the student organizations focused on women and on leadership,” Amy stated.  

Amy’s strengths tell why she does what she does and why she’s successful in her role as Senior Program Manager for Woman to Woman Mentoring.

Amy’s top strengths include:  

1. Input  
2. Learner  
3. Intellection  
4. Developer  
5. Empathy  

This powerful combination of strengths makes Amy an ideal connector, mentor, learner and researcher. She is driven by relationships and learning and enjoys the opportunity to reflect on each of her experiences and translate them into new ways to help develop others.   

Although Amy hasn’t had a formal mentor, she has experienced many mentors that volunteer with our organization. “It’s so helpful to me to see people a few steps ahead of where I am right now and to hear a variety of perspectives on what I’m experiencing.  Sometimes they listen to me vent and worry, sometimes they ask me powerful questions, sometimes they give me a pep talk, sometimes they share their professional expertise, sometimes they give me the kick in the butt I need to take action. It has made such a difference for me knowing that they see me, they care about me, and they’re by my side as I move toward my goals.”  

Amy was meant to be in this role and all her accolades and achievements pointed her in the direction of Woman to Woman Mentoring, so finding out her why was easy. “I love my job!!  When I went back to work after being home with my kids for years, I had a typical crisis of confidence, not knowing how I was going to find something I would like and be good at.  When I saw this job posting it felt like my previous work experience and my life experience led me here.  I found it so exciting and fulfilling, and I still feel that way 11 years later.  I love working with women, I love helping people see their potential and make progress, I love creating a space and time for women to share their stories and their questions and to make connections.  I get to use my strategic and learning strengths every day in creating and refining programs, and my relationship-building skills in working directly with mentees and mentors.  I’ve met hundreds of awesome women over the years and every week get to meet more!”  

Eileen Foley-Breck: “The Harmonious STEM Advocate” 

Eileen is our  Program Coordinator and supports our STEM programs. She was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania and grew up in a suburb of Philadelphia. She gained her undergraduate degree in education from Penn State and her graduate degree at McDaniel  and was a Middle and High School teacher for fourteen years. Eileen is a perfect example of how your journey is your own and does not have to be a straight path. After working as a teacher with FCPS, Eileen pivoted to entrepreneurship and opened her women’s clothing boutique in 2007. Her boutique, Aspire Women’s Clothing, ran for 10 years in downtown Frederick – and when her lease was up Eileen closed up shop and embarked on a new journey! She worked for the Frederick County Public Library for 5 years before finding her true home in Woman to Woman Mentoring. Her hobbies include spending time with her OTTB (off track thoroughbred horse) Pretty Big Deal (AKA Mr. Big), reading, and volunteering with the Therapeutic Riding Program. 

Eileen started with Woman to Woman Mentoring in September 2022 as our Program Coordinator and has been a rocket ever since! Her fiery passion to link STEM students with powerful STEM leaders has shown in her time here. Though she is successful at being a STEM mentee/ mentor match maker and advocate for young women receiving a mentor along their journey, Eileen did not always follow her own advice. When asked if Eileen had her own mentor growing up, she stated, “Unfortunately, I can’t think of a time when I had a mentor. I wish I had! Looking back, I think there were people in my life who could have been mentors, but I’m not sure I was ready and open for their mentorship.”  

That often happens when we are young. We think we have it all figured out and then as we grow older, we understand that we need help and look for guidance! That is why Eileen is so passionate about Woman to Woman Mentoring. “There were several times in my life that I wish I had a mentor or had been accepting of those who were maybe offering mentorship. In my current position, I can craft those opportunities for women. Hopefully, they can take advantage of those opportunities and grow.” 

Eileen’s top strengths include: 

1. Consistency 
2. Harmony 
3. Woo 
4. Adaptability 
5. Positivity 

These strengths truly speak to the type of person Eileen is and why she embodies her role here at W2WM. She works hard to create a predictable, positive environment for all and is not shy about welcoming new folx into her world. She’s also able to adapt when the need arises. 

 “I love being able to facilitate that and bring people together!” – Eileen 

Alex Edwards: “The Futuristic Communicator”

Alex is our Development and Marketing Assistant – a woman of all talents! She was born in Alexandria, VA and driven right back up to Frederick, MD where she was raised and still lives. She is the middle child of three and graduated from Gov. Thomas Johnson High School. She received her Associate’s degree in Business Administration, and or over 8 years she worked in different hotels and hospitality with her most recent being an Area Tour Travel Sales Manager for two properties in Montgomery County. During the pandemic, Alex took time to hone her passion for photography and created a business serving Frederick and surrounding areas. When looking for a job that would allow her to continue to flourish, Woman to Woman Mentoring fell into her lap. She started with W2WM in 2022and loves that she gets to continue her passion for serving women in the community in her business and her job. Her hobbies include photography, hiking, and dancing! 

As a team, understanding our strengths and opportunities for growth are super important. It shows what each person is strong at and where we need to fill in the gaps for each other.

Alex’s top five strengths include: 

1. Individualization 
2. Positivity 
3. Communication 
4. Futuristic 
5. Woo 

Alex’s combination of strengths give her great insight into how others see the world – and she wants to know EVERYTHING!! She is always looking toward the horizon and ready to tell everyone that the future looks bright. We count on her expertise to communicate our amazing work with our donors, mentors, mentees, and friends.  

Alex has been with Woman to Woman Mentoring since June 2022, but this is not the first time that she has interacted with this organization. In 2018, Alex applied to Woman to Woman Mentoring to… as a mentor! At 27, she thought she had it all figured out. Though she was not selected as a mentor, in hindsight she wished she would have continued as a mentee. When Woman to Woman Mentoring came back into her life, she was ready to jump in with both feet and hasn’t looked back. 

When asked about mentors in her life, Alex happily calls out a former supervisor, David President, who played a huge role in her career in sales and photography. “He taught me how to be true to who I am, be my authentic self, and walk into any room with my head held high.” Alex stated. There are many people that have influenced Alex’s life, but the people that she tends to focus on are black individuals that are truly themselves in any situation because they allow her to feel powerful in her skin and help her understand that her path is far and wide of where she can take her strengths and her business! 

When asked Alex’s “why” for working with Woman to Woman Mentoring and why she loves being in her role, Alex said “I love working with Woman to Woman Mentoring because it allows me to empower and encourage women to step in their power. Though I am not in each program and meeting everyone, by marketing this organization I am connecting people to Woman to Woman Mentoring. By fundraising for this organization, I am helping our continuation to provide free resources for the women in this community. Women are influential but sometimes we don’t recognize our power. I feel like Woman to Woman Mentoring really allows you to understand and utilize that power.” 

And there you have it folks! You have now learned about our strategic Executive Director, our empathetic Senior Program Manager, our advocating Program Coordinator, and our futuristic Development and Marketing Assistant. Our individual stories and journeys are what make our staff special and allow us to bring everything to our mentees and volunteers!  

Looking to work with one of these power houses or get involved with Woman to Woman Mentoring? Check out womantowomanmentoring.org and start your journey today!