08/08/2016
My Federation Story: Path to My Inner Self
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by Marla Petti
About a year ago, I found myself reflecting on the things that most mattered to me in my life. That’s when I attended a professional women’s networking breakfast at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland with Heidi Goldstein Friedman, partner at Thompson Hine and founder of its Firmwide Women’s Initiative. Among the many inspiring mantras she shared with us that day, she said this: “Partner with those who move you forward. Every woman has her own superpowers to be celebrated.”
This got me thinking. “What do my super powers look like? Who are the women who helped me grow?”
Marla Petti (far right) with her Coaching Circle at the Women's Spring Luncheon.
I felt fortunate that I was able to reach out to Lisa Hacker, Director of Women’s Philanthropy at the Federation, and find a group of women who helped me identify my super powers. As a mom, a financial consultant, a professional woman, I juggle a lot in my daily life and these women, part of Coaching Circles, a Federation program that helps women grow, are my partners in my personal and professional development. Together, we help each other and this community succeed.
Being part of the Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy has been an out-of- this-world experience for me. I’ve found a purpose and a community I care for and most of all I’ve found strength in a circle of friends who believe in the difference women can make when we work together. Thank you, Federation and Women’s Philanthropy for doing this. You’ve connected me to my inner self, to this community, and to the future of Jewish Cleveland.
