“It took me a long time to find my voice, so to be able to help people
find theirs, at any age, is a wonderful mission to be involved with.”
What makes you feel confident?
The one thing that always makes me feel confident is to feel prepared. I feel most confident when I know what to expect and what my responsibility is in any given situation.
What does that look like in the work that you do with Leap?
It means doing my homework and having a to-do list. I’ve taught Leap to Confidence roughly eighty times, and I still go over each lesson beforehand to be sure that I am clear on what we’re doing in class. I coordinate with the training team to be sure everybody’s on the same page, and when we are doing in-person classes, I prepare the day before to be sure we have everything we need. Checking off boxes helps!
What does empowerment look like to you in everyday life?
Empowerment in everyday life means having my voice and using it. It is feeling confident and knowing that I might not have all the answers, and it might not always go right the first time, but I can learn from it–having a growth mindset when things don’t go well. Being empowered means being able to say, “No.” It means setting boundaries and speaking up for what I believe.
Who is a woman who has inspired you in your life?
My mother. From the time I was young, she always worked. She was a role model for me, demonstrating that a woman could be a really good mom and have a successful career. She always told me that I could do anything I wanted to do. She didn’t have a college education, but she was very smart and organized. She began her career as a secretary and eventually became an executive assistant to some of the top people in government agencies.
My mom always put family first, which is something that I have incorporated in my life as well. It’s not always easy to be a mother and have a successful career. It is tiring. My mom would get up at 5:30 in the morning and get home at six o’clock at night. My brother and I had assignments to help get dinner ready and clean the house. Most importantly, we all pitched in.
What about Leap to Success’ mission resonates with you most?
Helping women reclaim their voice. We see so many women who have either been silenced or are unable to speak up. It is often a matter of survival. Helping women feel more empowered so that they can use their voice and speak up for themselves and their families means a lot. In finding their voice, they find their power and the ability to take steps they might not otherwise have been able to take.
In high school, I was very shy. I would walk along the halls and never say hello to anyone unless they said it to me first. People thought I was a snob, but I was just shy and scared. It took me a long time to find my voice, so to be able to help people find theirs, at any age, is a wonderful mission to be involved in.
Do you have a favorite Leap moment?
Seeing the graduate instructors who came through our Leap to Confidence program (and so much adversity) teaching that same program to other women with such confidence and grace. That is the best! To see them take a risk, do something they never thought they could do, using their voice to inspire other women is amazing!
What motivates you to support women in our community?
Once upon a time, I was in a dysfunctional relationship. It took me twenty years to leave. I was a mother. I had a very successful career. And yet I was stuck in an unhealthy relationship. Programs like Leap to Confidence help women find the courage and the will to make changes when it’s hard. This is a real gift!
Years ago, I had the opportunity to go through a personal growth workshop that opened my eyes to what was possible and helped me to decide that I didn’t want to be in that relationship anymore. Today, I am motivated by being part of an organization that empowers women to recognize the power of choice in their lives, arming them with tools to move forward and to be successful in their lives. I am so grateful for that opportunity!
If you could have lunch with a famous person—past or present—who would it be and why?
Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She was a fascinating woman—a working mom and a trail blazing attorney—who had true courage and determination. I think she was amazing! She became an attorney at a time when women weren’t becoming attorneys. She spoke her truth and made a difference even before she got to the Supreme Court. I especially admired her relationship with her husband. I read in her biography that she never cooked. She admitted that she was a terrible cook, so her husband always cooked dinner. He was a great cook! They had a marriage based on mutual respect and support – personally and professionally. If I could ask her one question, it would be: “What was the best advice you ever received and how did that impact your life?
Michele Cooney is Senior Director of Programs
