Celebrating Women’s History Month
- Team Payton
- Feb 10
- 6 min read
March 2026
Highlighting Women's Impact: Trailblazers in Leadership and Innovation
Why These Women Inspire
What inspires me most about these women is not simply what they accomplished, but how they led.
Across centuries and disciplines in faith, science, national security, politics, space, and technology, these women exercised leadership without waiting for permission, recognition, or perfect conditions. Many worked in environments that underestimated or excluded them.
It was hard to pair down the names of women to this list! When I reflected on the list that follows, I found that despite the odds they faced, each of them chose:
Discipline over ego
Service over status
Courage over comfort
Their influence was driven not by title, but by clarity of purpose, moral grounding, and an unwavering commitment to meaningful work.
As Women’s History Month arrives, I find myself reflecting on women whose faith, intellect, courage, and service have deeply shaped my own path in leadership, cybersecurity, AI ethics, and national security.
From spiritual pioneers to modern innovators, their stories remind us that enduring impact often comes through quiet consistency and principled resolve.
I hope you enjoy reading a short writeup on some of the many women that inspire me each day to strive to be better, to do more, to love more, to challenge myself more, and to encourage others.
Political, Scientific, and Technological Powerhouses
Margaret Thatcher
The Iron Lady
Born in 1925, she became the United Kingdom’s first female Prime Minister in 1979 and reshaped the nation’s economy and foreign policy.
Leadership Takeaway
Conviction and decisiveness matter when leading through disruption.
Peggy Noonan
The Power of Words
A former presidential speechwriter and Pulitzer Prize–winning columnist, Noonan demonstrated how language shapes memory, meaning, and trust.
Leadership Takeaway
Clear communication is a leadership tool—especially in moments of crisis.
Sally Ride
America’s First Woman in Space
Born in 1951, Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983 and later devoted her career to STEM education.
Leadership Takeaway
Excellence opens doors—and creates pathways for others.
Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson
(The Women of Hidden Figures)
NASA mathematicians and engineers whose work powered early U.S. space missions.
Leadership Takeaway
Talent flourishes when opportunity and inclusion intersect.
Rosalind Franklin
The X-Ray Visionary
Born in 1920, her work was essential to understanding DNA’s structure. She died in 1958 before receiving widespread recognition.
Leadership Takeaway
Rigor and evidence matter—regardless of recognition.
Ada Lovelace
The First Computer Programmer
Born in 1815, she authored the first algorithm intended for a machine and envisioned computing’s creative potential.
Leadership Takeaway
Vision beyond code is essential when evaluating emerging technologies.
Grace Hopper
The Compiler Pioneer
Born in 1906, a U.S. Navy rear admiral who helped develop the first compiler and co-created COBOL.
Leadership Takeaway
Persistence and practical problem-solving drive real innovation.
Marie Curie – The Double Nobel Groundbreaker
(1867–1934) Polish-French physicist and chemist; first woman to win a Nobel Prize (Physics 1903, shared for radioactivity), and the only person to win Nobels in two sciences (Chemistry 1911 for radium/polonium isolation). Pioneered mobile X-ray units in WWI; her work advanced cancer treatments despite personal radiation exposure risks.
Takeaway: Relentless curiosity overcomes barriers—fueling ethical pursuits in science and tech where discovery can heal or harm.
Hedy Lamarr – The Actress-Inventor Behind Modern Wireless
(1914–2000) Austrian-born Hollywood star who co-invented frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology in 1942 (with composer George Antheil) to guide torpedoes securely— foundational to Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and secure communications today. Patented but uncredited for decades.
Takeaway: Creativity spans worlds—her blend of glamour and genius reminds me that innovative minds in unexpected places can revolutionize security and connectivity.
Edith Clarke – America's First Professional Female Electrical Engineer
(1883–1959) First woman to earn an electrical engineering degree from MIT (1919); invented the Clarke Calculator for solving complex power transmission problems; first female professor of electrical engineering at UT Austin. Overcame job barriers to become a GE engineer in 1922.
Takeaway: Technical brilliance demands persistence—her story pushes me to mentor women facing similar "firsts" hurdles in engineering and cyber fields.
Mary Golda Ross – The First Native American Aerospace Engineer
(1908–2008) Cherokee mathematician and Lockheed engineer; worked on top-secret Skunk Works projects, including early space trajectory calculations and aerodynamics for fighter jets. Advocated fiercely for women and Native Americans in STEM.
Takeaway: Her quiet excellence in classified innovation inspires inclusive teams that strengthen national security tech.
Spiritual Visionaries and Servants
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
The Little Flower of Everyday Holiness
Born Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin in 1873 in Alençon, France, she entered the Carmelite convent at 15. Battling tuberculosis, she died at 24 in 1897.
Her philosophy, “The Little Way,” emphasized small daily acts of love and faithfulness. Her autobiography, Story of a Soul, became globally influential.
Canonized: 1925; Doctor of the Church: 1997
Leadership Takeaway
Greatness is built through humble consistency—an approach mirrored in addressing complex cyber threats one careful step at a time.
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini (Mother Cabrini)
The Fearless Immigrant Advocate
Born in Italy in 1850, the youngest of 13 children, she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart in 1880 despite fragile health.
Sent to the United States in 1889, she crossed the Atlantic 23 times and established 67 schools, hospitals, and orphanages serving immigrants.
Canonized: 1946
Patron saint of immigrants
Leadership Takeaway
Faith paired with action creates systems of lasting protection—especially for the overlooked and underserved.
Mother Teresa (Saint Teresa of Calcutta)
The Saint of the Gutters
Born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in 1910 in Skopje, she joined the Sisters of Loreto at 18 and founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950.
Nobel Peace Prize: 1979
Canonized: 2016
Leadership Takeaway
Ethical leadership begins with service—especially for those easily forgotten in both physical and digital worlds.
Saint Clare of Assisi
Champion of Radical Poverty
Born in 1194 and inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, she founded the Order of Poor Ladies (the Poor Clares) in 1212.
Known for her spiritual authority and commitment to poverty, she led with resolve and humility.
Canonized: 1255
Leadership Takeaway
Quiet strength and moral clarity build trust that endures pressure.
Saint Monica
The Patient Prayer Warrior
Born around 331 in North Africa, Saint Monica endured hardship while praying persistently for her son Augustine’s conversion—shaping one of Christianity’s most influential thinkers.
Died: 387
Leadership Takeaway
Long-term change is powered by patience, persistence, and mentorship.
Faith-Driven Leaders and Peacemakers
Saint Catherine of Siena
The Fearless Papal Counselor
Born in 1347 in Siena, Italy, Catherine authored hundreds of letters advising religious and political leaders, helped broker peace, and urged the papacy’s return to Rome.
Doctor of the Church: 1970
Leadership Takeaway
Truth spoken with courage can influence even the highest levels of power.
Saint Joan of Arc
The Teenage Military Commander
Born around 1412 in France, Joan claimed divine guidance beginning at age 13. By 17, she led French forces to victory at Orléans and helped secure the coronation of Charles VII.
Executed: 1431; Canonized: 1920
Leadership Takeaway
Purpose fuels courage—especially when challenging entrenched norms.
Saint Hildegard of Bingen
The Medieval Polymath
Born in 1098 in Germany, Hildegard was a Benedictine abbess, composer, scientist, and theologian.
Her writings spanned:
Medicine
Botany
Cosmology
Music
Doctor of the Church: 2012
Leadership Takeaway
Ethical innovation thrives at the intersection of science, creativity, and moral responsibility.
What They All Share
Despite living at different times in history, culture, and vocation, these women share powerful common ground.
They consistently demonstrated:
Conviction
Intellect
Empathy
Vision
Courage to stand alone when necessary
My Takeaway Inspired By The Women Above:
“Faith, intellect, and courage fuel every form of enduring leadership.”
A Call to Action
As we honor Women’s History Month, let’s do more than reflect, let’s act.
Encourage a woman whose work goes unseen
Mentor someone earlier in their journey
Advocate for ethical leadership and inclusive innovation
Build human-centered technology that protects and empowers
Progress is not inevitable—it is built, one choice at a time, by people willing to inspire, protect, and uplift others.
Push ourselves out of our own comfort zone to be the best versions of our selves
Let’s do this!
This powerful lineup of women trailblazers, from quiet convents and persistent prayers to battlefields, boardrooms, laboratories, and launchpads, shows that faith, grit, and vision fuel every kind of leadership.
In my own journey from the first female White House CIO to CEO of Fortalice Solutions, these trailblazers remind me daily to mentor, innovate, and persist with grace and purpose.
One of the greatest joys in my career has been speaking directly to women, sharing hard-won lessons from high-stakes environments, breaking barriers, navigating cyber threats and AI risks, and building teams that thrive under pressure.
Whether it's practical strategies for leadership in male-dominated fields, insights on ethical technology, or stories of resilience that remind us we're never alone, I love these conversations because they encourage, inspire, and empower.
If you're planning a team event, client offsite, women's leadership summit, virtual keynote, or in-person gathering and would like a speaker who brings real-world experience with warmth, candor, and actionable takeaways, I'd be honored to join you.
Please reach out to my speaker agent, Kelly Skibbie at KPA Speaker Management, to discuss how we can make it happen.Here's to honoring the women who came before us—and to becoming the trailblazers for those who come after.
Kelly Skibbie at KPA Speaker Management
703.217.0569
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