Gisela Shanahan, Colorado Springs Airport For the first two phases of her life, Gisela (GEESE-sa-la) Shanahan got to know military bases very well. She grew up as a military brat, moving 10 times as her career Army father put in his 30 years of service. Then she jumped bases 10 more times after she married [...]

Cari Shaffer, Add Staff If you’re looking for a true woman of the West, Cari Shaffer fits the description. Much of her youth was spent in Nevada and Oregon. In the summer, her family retreated even further into cowboy/cowgirl territory, to her grandparents’ ranch outside of Baker, Ore., nestled between two eastern Oregon mountain ranges. [...]

Cindy Senger, Senger Design Group Cindy Senger, founder and principal of Senger Design Group, grew up on the prairie, in Sioux Falls, S.D. She learned early on from her mother what a prairie woman could accomplish. “My mother was the first female store manager in South Dakota in the history of the Singer [sewing machine] [...]

Tamra Rank, U.S. Air Force Academy In a city studded with outstanding military personnel, Col. Tamra Rank, vice superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy, stands out. Rank hails from Clarinda, Iowa, a small town that boasts such sons and daughters as Glenn Miller, Marilyn Maxwell and World War II Medal of Honor winner Vernon [...]

Wendy Pifher, Holland & Hart Wendy Pifher’s search for a balanced life has often been complicated by her pursuit of her dreams. Pifher can cite many accomplishments in her legal career. But perhaps her most notable accomplishment is the balance she has achieved despite the demands of her profession. “I don’t think I’m good at [...]

Lynn Pelz, Peak Vista Community Health Centers Lynn Pelz’s career really started in elementary school. As a Girl Scout, she was energized by the volunteer work of scouting. Her parents stood as strong examples, since they both invested time in non-profit work. “I love working for non-profits, it is my passion,” Pelz, the director of [...]

Meredith Patrick Cord, Johnson & Cord, P.C. Striking the work-life balance is a common theme within the legal profession. Sometimes those like Meredith Patrick Cord have trouble getting the balance right even when they make choices designed to do just that. Cord is a Buckeye by birth through and through. Born and raised in Columbus, [...]

Laura Neumann, Cheyenne Mountain Resort Laura Neumann’s can-do attitude is her tour de force, yet her soft-spoken focus comes from a place that is deeply personal. An adopted child of Catholic Charities, Neumann’s desire to help others originates from the caring opportunities she received in early life. From the time she was a young girl, [...]

Laura Muir, Momentum Advertising Public Relations Laura Muir owes much of her professional success to her father, Robert Muir, who served as architect on many Colorado Springs projects as well as his daughter’s career. Muir grew up in Colorado Springs, graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School, and graduated from CU Boulder with a double major [...]

C.J. Moore, Kaiser Permanente If ever an employee deserved the title, “Good Will Ambassador,” C. J. Moore is that person. The line between her job and her personal life is so fine that it’s all but disappeared after years of tireless community involvement. Moore arrived in Colorado Springs the way so many of the city’s [...]