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On 8 March, thousands of International Women’s Day events have been planned throughout the world. The focus of the day generally expresses respect for ,and appreciation towards women who have achieved greatness on the public stage. More often than not it is to acknowledge their accomplishments in economics, political and social change.

I’d like to take a moment today to thank several remarkable women colleagues that I work with every day who move the ball forward, inch by inch, to make sure that the impact of our efforts to improve the world do not go unseen.

Charu Adesnik – An amazing ability to balance deep understanding of society’s challenges against how to best help our partner organizations achieve their mission

Jennifer Barr – I learn something new every day from her not only about social media but about authenticity in a world that sometimes feels like make believe

Lori Biesen – Always ready to provide the keen insights to events which help the team make the right calls when the going gets tough

Jennifer Dunn – Professional, insightful and remarkably on top of all the many storylines that enliven our work day

Krystal Edell – An enthusiastic spirit, she entered her “new kid” on the block role with grace, dedication and action

Lori Holmes – Everybody needs somebody sometimes, and she’s the one to give the five minute pick me up to remind us there is life outside the cube

Amanda Piasecki – Her keen intellect and ability to “see around corners” has saved many work collisions along the road

Alexis Raymond – A remarkable ability to make everyone sound smart, logical and human. A writer with soul in a technical world is hard to find.

Katie Russell – Her helpfulness gets us where we need to be so that we are on time and in the right place. This is no small feat when you consider our constant on-the-go culture

Terri Treille – Always displays the gift of generosity especially when patiently explaining sustainable business practices. Her passion and articulation makes you want to drop what you are doing and learn more.

Katherine Toch – A fast friend to everyone she meets with an uncanny ability to make you smile no matter how hard the job is that lies ahead. She believes in you and you can feel it.

Kim Vernon – The ultimate glass-half-full gal, you can always count on her to make real the term “keep calm and carry on”

There are hundreds more women I can list here today but these are the ones I work with every day. That is why I want to thank these women and ALL of my female colleagues for not just doing a good job at work, but for putting down that work when you need to so that you can take care of the many other people in your life. Because as important as our work is, it is your time spent with family, friends and those you love, that makes you most remarkable!

These women achieve greatness every day. Take a moment on March 8 to lean in and tell your female colleague that she is doing an awesome job and remind her she really is having an impact on the world stage too.