I did not get here alone. There were women who saw something in me before I fully saw it in myself. They trusted me with responsibility when I still carried doubt. They invited me into rooms where decisions were made. They corrected me without diminishing me. They challenged me without threatening me. They modeled strength that was steady, not loud. One of them told me early in my leadership journey, “You do not need permission to lead. You need preparation and integrity.” Th
