December 2025 Newsletter
December 22, 2025
HOW We Build Allyships and Partnerships to Advance Change
Real allyship begins with listening, curiosity, and everyday acts of courage.
If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not leading.” — Jennifer Brown
At this year’s HOW Women Create Change Forum, Jennifer Brown, Greta Knutzen, and Ginny Barahona led a moving exploration of what allyship means today—and how we can sustain it in turbulent times.
Brown, a nationally recognized DEI leader, defined allyship as a lifelong continuum from awareness to advocacy. “If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not leading,” she reminded the audience, challenging women to pair courage with self-compassion and to seek sponsorship—not just give it.
Knutzen shared how she’s building connections in her rural New York community through Tusten Social, emphasizing that trust and shared spaces are the true foundations for change. Barahona, drawing on her experiences in international conflict zones, called compassion “the root of courageousness and hope.”
Together, they invited participants to lead from authenticity, meet others with curiosity rather than judgment, and create the local and personal connections that make larger movements possible. The path forward, they agreed, begins with listening, curiosity, and everyday acts of courage.
Quorum St. Joseph Members Give the Gift of Literacy This Holiday Season
Quorum St. Joseph members are leading with purpose—advancing literacy initiatives that will impact generations to come.
This holiday season, Quorum’s St. Joseph Chapter members are giving a gift that lasts—the gift of literacy.
Through their work with St. Joseph Reads (SJR), members including Carol Burns, Natalie Hawn, Ashly McGinnis, Mary Beth Revels, and Melody Smith are helping strengthen literacy for children, families, and adults across the region.
Why St. Joseph Reads Exists
Literacy is not just an educational skill—it is a life skill that shapes a person’s health, economic stability, and future opportunities. According to the George and Barbara Bush Foundation, more than half of U.S. adults read below a sixth-grade level, limiting their ability to earn family-sustaining wages and support their children’s learning. The crisis begins early: 69% of fourth graders lack reading proficiency, placing them at greater risk for academic struggles, high school dropout, reduced earning potential, and long-term challenges tied to poverty, health outcomes, and workforce readiness.
St. Joseph Reads exists to address this crisis locally—working to ensure that all children and adults in St. Joseph have the literacy skills they need to succeed. Continue reading
Congratulations to Quorum Members!
Congratulations to Andrea Beveney on earning her Level 3 Award in Education and Training from Impact Me Global College!
Welcome New Quorum Members!
- Robyn Boswell, Business Change Manager, London Business School
- Page Olver, Independent Consultant
- Lisa Quinn, Founder, Lisa Quinn Coaching
- Lauren Weinstein, Event Director, Rhubarb Hospitality Collection
