Members of Upward Birmingham Class Six
Momentum is proud to announce the selection of Upward Birmingham Class Seven, with class sessions to begin next month. This remarkable cohort of 66 women brings a rich diversity of professional experiences, roles, organizations, and industries that embody Momentum’s mission to cultivate a pipeline of talented women ready to lead in business, politics and culture.
Since 2019, Momentum’s Upward program has guided participants through a process of self-discovery, vision casting, action planning and access to a vast network of women leaders. The program year runs from February to October and is comprised of two cohorts: one for early career and one for mid-career. The inaugural Upward Huntsville class will run concurrently in North Alabama.
“Learning leadership skills early in their careers enables women to better negotiate, communicate, delegate and navigate the confluence of upward mobility with increasing life responsibilities.”- April Benetollo, CEO, Momentum
A survey of our last Upward class showed that 40% of participants experienced a promotion or upward mobility while they were still in the program and reported salary increases ranging between $15,000 to $20,000.
“By investing in the next generation of leaders, we empower women to create a ripple effect of change within their organizations and communities.”- April Benetollo, CEO, Momentum
Placement in the program is highly competitive. These 66 exceptional leaders were chosen for their strong leadership potential, demonstrated career initiative, commitment to inclusion, and dedication to community involvement. Our team is proud to celebrate their achievements and looks forward to witnessing their continued success as trailblazing leaders, poised to make a lasting impact in Birmingham and beyond.
The following participants make up Upward Birmingham Class 7:
Chrystal Abernathy, Project Director, GEAR UP Jefferson County
Meredith Alsabrook, Development Director, Girls Inc. of Central Alabama
Emmalee Amason, Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis, Vulcan Materials Company
Elly Arnold, Community Engagement Coordinator, AmFirst
Dre Benjamin, Assistant Controller, The Onin Group
Hannah Brasher, Healthcare Analytics Manager, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama
Amy Brown, Assessment and Development Specialist, Jefferson County Commission
Elizabeth (Libby) Browne, Human Resources Manager, Alabama Power
Mazie Bryant, Associate, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
Michelle Burney, Training Manager, SCA Health
Lacey Callahan, Project Manager, Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC
Natalie Campbell, Reset Coordinator, Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office
Rebecca Cline, Special Assistant to the President, Lakeshore Foundation
Avery Cope, Attorney, Balch & Bingham
Brooke Dasher, Corporate Controller, Harbert Management Corporation
Janet Shawn Deason, Benefits Analyst, Vulcan Materials Company
Alyssa DeFreese, Project Coordinator, American Cast Iron Pipe Co. (ACIPCO)
Kelsey Durham, Accounting Supervisor of Systems, EBSCO Industries
Julia Easton, Clinical Coordinator, Children’s of Alabama
Meesha Emmett, Alabama Area Director, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Alabama Chapter
Morgan Epperson, Associate Attorney, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Leah Franks, Manager, Project Management, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama
Autumn Fritsch, Associate Counsel, Protective Life
Ashley Gallant, IT Product Owner and Administrator Productivity Applications, Milo’s Tea Company
Anna Garove, Compliance Audit Manager, SCA Health
Brandi Gudwien, Manager, Clinical Services Support, RxBenefits
Jessica Hebson, Deputy District Attorney, Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office
Kathryn Holladay, Accounting Manager, StoneX Financial
Lindsey Hood, Director of Finance and Administration, DataPerk, LLC
Brittany Jager, Director of Development, Encompass Health
Latishua Johnson, Sr. Accountant, Viva Health, Inc.
Jorice Johnson McCain, Human Resources Partner Generalist Lead, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Lizbeth Juarez, Director of Comprehensive Campaign and Special Giving, University of Montevallo
Amanda Keller, Founding Director, Magic City Acceptance Center
Mary Logan Kelley, Finance and Accounting Senior Associate, Oakworth Capital Bank
Danielle Kurland, FP&A Director, RX Benefits
Carly Leibengood, Sr. HR Business Partner, Oakworth Capital Bank
Morgan Leonard, Inpatient Speech Therapy Supervisor, Children’s of Alabama
Amy Logan, VP, Compliance Function Manager, Regions
Holly Lowe, Risk Manager – Insurance Program, Brasfield & Gorrie, L.L.C.
Tanya Maddox, Supervisor of Privacy and Vendor Oversight, Viva Health
Selina Malone, Director of Operations, Atlas RFID Solutions Store, LLC
Polly Manuel, Associate Director of PR, Encompass Health
Candie Mitchell-Price, Chief Communications Officer, New Schools for Alabama
Caroline Muse, Assistant General Counsel, Regions Bank
Hattie O’Hara, Development Manager, Breakthrough Birmingham
Candace ONeil, Vice President of Community Engagement, United Way of Central Alabama
Tiffany Owens, Business Partner Manager-Organizational Development, Jefferson County Commission
Audrey Pannell, Vice President of Communications & Marketing, Birmingham Business Alliance
Alaina Pineda, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Forge Breast Cancer Survivor Center
Hailey Rhoton, Business Operations Manager, Pylon Building Group, L.L.C.
Haley Salzburn, Graphic Design Supervisor, Pack Health, A Quest Diagnostics Company
Crystal Sorrelle, Communications Manager, AMERICAN Cast Iron Pipe Company
Kristy Stewart, Sr. Wholesale Relationship Associate, Synovus
Archie Stewart, Program Director, STRIVE Birmingham
Thilia Stone, Experiential Operations Business Intelligence Manager, Shipt
Aspen Stough, Director of Digital Merchandising, Shipt
De’Janae Tookes, Assistant Director of Multicultural Initiatives and Events, Samford University
Shipra Verma, Manager – Enterprise Applications, EBSCO Industries, Inc.
Ashlyn Watkins, Marketing Business Partner, Southern Veterinary Partners
Hannah Wayland, Enterprise Asset Management Support Administrator, Spire
Veronica Wehby-Upchurch, Campaign Development Manager Visionaries of the Year, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Carmen Weite, Associate Attorney, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
Mary Elizabeth Whitley, Actuary, Protective Life
Taylor Wilters, Statutory and Regulatory Analyst II, Encompass Health Corporation
Melinda Winborne, General Manager-Jasper Location, America’s Thrift Store
Learn more about previous Upward graduates by visiting our website.
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