Women & Wisdom: Lessons in Leadership and Legacy
By Meaghan Dunham Arena
On Monday, March 10, 2025, the Women’s Impact Fund brought together an inspiring panel of powerhouse women for a conversation on leadership, resilience, and the importance of lifting others as we climb. Hosted at The Mint Museum on Randolph, this event featured insights from:
- Molly Grantham, Founder of Bet on Yourself & Emmy-Award Winning Journalist
- Tchernavia Montgomery, MSW, CEO at CareRing
- Kirsten Sikkelee, Former CEO at YWCA Central Carolinas & Senior Project Liaison with Grounds for Change
- Andrea Smith, Interim CEO and President of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance & Former CAO at Bank of America
Each panelist brought a wealth of experience, personal anecdotes, and invaluable wisdom, reminding us that success is rarely a straight path—but rather, a journey filled with lessons, failures, and growth.
Here are some of the key takeaways from their conversation:
1. Betting on Yourself & Embracing Change
Molly Grantham, after 23 years at WBTV as Charlotte’s longest-serving female anchor, decided to take a leap of faith and start her own initiative. She shared that her gut instinct—one that sounded like her late father—pushed her to take the risk. She remembers him saying to her as a child, “Bet on yourself, Molly Mead.”
She also highlighted the pressures women face in professional spaces, especially in comparison to male colleagues. She spoke about an experiment conducted by a male news anchor as a way to test the gender-based discrimination women face on air: wearing the same outfit repeatedly to see if anyone noticed. As many women in the room could have guessed, the male anchor never received any criticism for the repeated outfits—something a woman could never have gotten away with.
Ultimately, Molly highlighted the importance of being around the right people and opportunities—including having a village of personal support—as the best way to get where you want to go.
“Surround yourself with real. Have authenticity around you.”
2. Leading with Purpose & Building Trust
Kirsten Sikkelee reflected on her 31-year journey with the YWCA, where she recently oversaw the groundbreaking of 80 units of affordable housing. She emphasized that leadership is about building trust:
“Every interaction is an opportunity to either build trust or erode it.”
Despite her career-long success with the YWCA, Kirsten acknowledged that non-linear career paths are more common than we realize and shared that failures can be formative. After dropping out from Davidson College, an invitation to return was the jumpstart she needed to begin building the legacy she is most known for today.
Her journey reminds us that personal and professional growth comes from adapting and evolving.
3. The Courage to Walk Away on Your Terms
Andrea Smith, after 34 years at Bank of America, decided to leave at a high point in her career rather than stay past her prime. She spoke about the importance of knowing when to pivot and how to take control of your professional path.
“I wanted to go out on my own terms.”
She also emphasized the need for women to be intentional about lifting other women, especially in environments where women are scarce:
“When I was able to get more women in, I did. But it doesn’t happen by accident. It happens on purpose.”
4. The Power of Connection & Authentic Leadership
Tchernavia Montgomery’s journey from a teen mom to CEO of CareRing is a testament to resilience and the importance of community. She spoke about the need to build bridges, not burn them, and the significance of mentorship and sponsorship for women.
“Nothing that’s worthwhile is done alone.”
As one of the few Black women leading a nonprofit in the community, Tchernavia focused on diversifying leadership to ensure her organization reflects the community it serves.
5. Work-Life Balance? It’s a Juggle!
The panelists agreed that work-life balance is a myth—instead, it’s about integration (per Andrea), or as Molly calls it, a juggle. Andrea echoed this sentiment, highlighting that striving for perfect balance can be unrealistic and often leads to unnecessary stress.
Final Thoughts: Lifting as We Climb
This conversation underscored that while each of these women took different paths to leadership, they all faced challenges, took risks, and leaned on their networks. Their stories are a powerful reminder that success isn’t just about personal achievement—it’s about paving the way for others.
Whether it’s through a “Personal Board of Directors” (as Molly suggests) or actively opening doors for other women, the collective wisdom from this panel reaffirms that we are all stronger together.
A heartfelt thank you to our speakers; our host The Mint Museum on Randolph; and all of our volunteers, board members, members, and guests for fostering such an inspiring discussion. Let’s take these lessons forward and continue empowering the next generation of women leaders!
