My Name:
Rachel Caviness

My Birthdate:
08.24.76

My Family:
Lane (Husband), Jacob (Son-4)

My Current Job/Company:
President/International Financial Group of Columbus

My Work:
I run and manage a recruitment and consulting firm that places senior-level finance and accounting professionals in full-time positions and consulting assignments.

My Passion:
My family, my home, travel.

My Hero:
My grandmother. Her legacy of love, hard-work and mind-over-matter lives on for generations in my family.

My Escape:
Quiet time with my husband spent mapping out our dreams.

My Pet Peeve:
Laziness

My Indulgence:
Wine & Coffee

My Roots:
“Perfect is close enough” and “I love you because you’re you” was the mantra.

My Future:
More of what I have today — a happy family, a successful business, an attitude of service.

My Love:
Being unexpectedly moved by a song or something in nature. I can feel the energy it provides me running up my spine.

My Movie:
Pretty Woman. It’s got a rags-to-riches storyline, love, beautiful clothes, jewelry, and a prince rescues her at the end…what could be better?

My Quote on Life:
“Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.” -Albert Einstein

My Accessory:
Coats

My Advice to Young Women:
You can’t change who you are, and why would you want to anyway? You can, however, learn to identify, harness and extrapolate your strengths while at the same time identifying, harnessing and mitigating your weaknesses. It’s easier said than done, so start the process today.

How I Balance It All:
Surround yourself with people who love you…people who support and share your dreams. Those people will move mountains for you by taking things off of your plate, encouraging you to take breaks, and making sure you find time for yourself.

Amanda Mason

My Current Job / Company:
Vice President of Asset Management / Locus Development (Located in Grand Rapids, MI)

My Birthday:
09.22.84

My Work:
-Meet with potential tenants, help built their business plans, investment structures and return analysis to generate capital
-Manage, deadlines, and requirements relating to various commercial and residential real estate investments
-Develop, communicate and streamline best business practices and efficient day-to-day processes

My Passion:
To inspire. To be inspired creates unlimited potential, for me it is as necessary to life as oxygen. You know the feeling when you are paralyzed in awe, or on to such a hot idea you can’t sleep or think about anything else, or when tingles run through your body seemingly jolting you to change? This is inspiration. I happen to think it is the state in which the best and most revolutionary thought is produced. My passion is to create that for as many people as I can.

My Family:
Tamy & Carl / Jeff & Lisa (parents), Austin & Alec (baby brothers that are not babies anymore ☹)

My Heroes:
My mom and dad. Both entrepreneurs that never took “no” for an answer, they taught by example the importance of work ethic, determination, and most of all, integrity. I am constantly inspired by them. They are my heart and soul.

My Escape:
Long runs with good friends

My Pet Peeves:
Hypocrisy, laziness and conceit… oh, and chewing with your mouth open

My Indulgence:
PEEPS! (Bunnies not chicks… there is a difference I am sure of it)

My Roots:
Michigan summers, Sunday barbeques, my dad singing songs in the car accompanied by his interpretation of percussion on the steering wheel, summer camp, leaf piles, ice skating in the back yard (the beginning of several years of being certain I would be Kristy Yamaguchi someday…certain!)

I had hard working parents that taught me everything they could every day.

My Future:
Limitless

My Love:
History and architecture

My Movie:
Rudy – I am a total sucker for underdogs and a life-long ND fan

My Quote on Life:
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs

My Accessory:
Sparkly Earrings, big rings, a running watch, and Chuck Taylors

My Advice to Young Women:
Identify two things:
1. What is your passion?
2. What are your strengths?
Chose a career that satisfies both. And, then surround yourself professionally and personally with people you admire, turn yourself into a sponge and take in all that you can, recognize that you can never stop bettering yourself and use anything and everything as a means to do so.

How I Balance it All:
I definitely do not! I need a lot of work in this area. I make A LOT of checklists, put everything on my calendar (which may or may not be color coded), and try to clearly COMMUNICATE with the partners where I see my priorities to make sure we are on the same page. Fortunately (or unfortunately) I can be more selfish with my time now before I have a family of my own, however when that time comes, I will learn from all the super “jugglers” that came before me.

Megan Kilgore

My Current Job/Company: Assistant City Auditor, City of Columbus.

My Birthdate: June 20th

My Work: My primary responsibility is to issue and manage the City’s debt (portfolio of $3.2 billion). I also serve on the boards of the YMCA, the endowment board of the YWCA, the Columbus Historical Society, and recently founded a statewide organization, Ohio Women in Public Finance.

My Passion: The community. Coaching Special Olympics basketball (2010 State Championship!). Facilitating projects and connecting individuals with local resources. I am truly more excited about the future of this City, particularly over the next five years, than I have ever been.

My Family: Shelley K. Boone, MD (Partner); a lovable St. Bernard (Barley); two eccentric cats (Luxor and BK).

My Heroes: I am profoundly moved by the caliber of the spirited, resourceful, forward-thinking women of Columbus. Past and present. Attend a YWCA luncheon or read a page from Ruth Young White’s 1936 We Too Built Columbus . . . you’ll quickly realize you’re in the presence of greatness.

My Escape: A hard work out followed by a long, quiet dinner with my partner.

My Pet Peeve: Apathy.

My Indulgence: Travel – near and far!

My Roots: A small, hardworking town. Lots of time spent outside, lots of scraped knees, and a mother providing endless support of my imagination.

My Future: Public service.

My Love: I have lots of loves . . . numbers, the anticipation of a big trip, side-hurting laughter with friends, a board meeting buzzing with ideas, holidays with family, and early workday mornings in Columbus, when I can sit down with a cup of good coffee and the Wall Street Journal and watch the City come to life.

My Movie: The Sound of Music.

My Quote on Life: A twist on a Maya Angelou quote…people may not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel.

My Accessory: A Mary Poppins, I could stuff-a-llama in it, bag. I don’t know why I need all of the stuff that I carry, but I do. Cole Haan comes out with a new, similar-style each year. My dear friend Brook calls it our Director of Security as it could undoubtedly take a bullet for us.

My Advice to Young Women: Be a sponge for information and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Listen to your passions and find a blend of volunteer and (career) work that gets you excited to start each day. Take advantage of the mentors in your life, the individuals you admire most, and learn from them. Doors will open. Just don’t forget to keep a foot in the door so you can welcome future women as well.

How I Balance it All: I love what I do. That’s the easiest way.

Sara Burris

My Current Job/Company:
Student Finance Consultant

My Birthdate:
02.10.81

My Work:
I assist undergraduate and graduate students with financial aid packages, managing their accounts and keeping them motivated and on target to obtain their educational goals. I encourage responsible borrowing practices and ensure that they are reaching their highest potential.

My Passion:
I am extremely passionate about maintaining close and healthy relationships with my family and friends. They are the consistent factor in my life that bring such joy and motivation in many different ways. I feel that every individual in my life makes me a better person in one way or another. I also have a major addiction to travel. Each trip makes me grow into a more cognizant individual and expands my way of looking at life. I love submerging myself into new cultures and learning as much about different lifestyles as I can. It would be my dream to start a business in Costa Rica due to it’s natural beauty, proud citizens, and the “enjoy every minute of your life” mentality. It’s always so important to take a step back and smell the fresh air. That is what travel does for me.

My Family:
Austin (Husband) Louis (our lovable French Bulldog), Bentley and Bronson (our feline family members)

My Hero:
My Grandmother. I can honestly say she was the most inspiring person in my life, and I can only dream to be as positive and compassionate as she was.

My Escape:
Being in Costa Rica with my husband (I get a weightless feeling there) or looking at photos of past trips/family/friends

My Pet Peeve:
People who are consistently late, arrogance

My Indulgence:
I am a dessert fanatic!

My Roots:
Hard working, generous, humble, loving.

My Future:
Unknown…but that is what I love about it. I promise myself that no matter what happens I will always land on my feet with a positive attitude!

My Love:
My husband. He is such an incredible person and makes me want to better myself.

My Movie:
Second Hand Lion. Great movie…and it does not hurt that there is a french bulldog in the film 😉

My Quote on Life:
Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

My Accessory:
My wedding ring (This makes me think I need more accessories)

My Advice to Young Women:
Have confidence in yourself and your goals. Everyone can make a difference in the world big or small.

How I Balance it All:
I stay insanely organized and write myself many goal sheets and notes (yes, I write things down on paper..archaic I know, but I love physically checking things off my lists). I keep my word on every promise and that is what keeps me motivated to squeeze everything in. I am constantly re-prioritizing and hold myself highly accountable to finish tasks both work related and personal. If I am given a goal I am going to meet that goal no matter what it takes. I am a perfectionist sometimes to a fault, but I cannot let anyone including myself down. I also take a step back and put things into perspective. I never want to get stressed over the little things…I ensure this does not happen by thinking of those less fortunate to make my problems seem minimal. Suddenly, that load of laundry that did not get done does not seem to be a viable issue.