Author: Kia Hunter, Volunteer Manager
Humboldt CA Vagina Monologues From left to right:  Andrea Armin, Nancy Ihara, Melinda Pedersen, Robin Wolff, Anita Gilbride-Read. 
16
Mar, 2026

Chapters

A Rising Tide: Melinda Pedersen

Melinda Pedersen is the founding chapter leader of the CA, Humboldt-1 chapter. The chapter has raised over $49,000 for Together Women Rise since its inception in 2013, but up until 2026, had never hosted a fundraiser. The chapter decided to take on this new venture, and the results were incredible. In February, Melinda led her chapter in hosting a production of The Vagina Monologues which brought in close to 900 people, and raised over $5,000, over the three-night run.  
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Headshots of Debra Berman and Jean Wohlever
22
Jan, 2026

Storytelling, For members, For chapters, For leaders, Chapters

A Rising Tide: Debra Berman and Jean Wohlever

Debra Berman and Jean Wohlever are co-chapter leaders of the MI, Ann Arbor – 2 chapter. Debra, a Rise member for 6 years, and Jean, a member for 4 years, also serve in additional volunteer roles with us. Debra is a member of the Featured Grants Committee and former Regional Leader, and Jean Wohlever is a current Chapter Support Liaison. A former ICU nurse, business owner, and Technology Customer Experience Manager, Debra left corporate America to travel the world with her wonderful husband in 2016. Jean had a career as an economics advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and has lived all over the country including Connecticut, California, and now, Michigan.   Details

Mary Lukach Rising Tide Headshot 2025
21
Oct, 2025

Storytelling, For chapters, For leaders, Chapters

Rising Tide: Mary Lukach | Chapter Support Liaison

One of our goals for this Chapter Leader newsletter is to create a forum for chapter leaders to learn from each other and about each other. We’re calling this feature “A Rising Tide” because when one of our chapters succeeds, we all succeed – and we should share those strategies and successes with each other to lift all our boats, metaphorically speaking.

This month, we’re featuring Mary Lukach, who joined Together Women Rise in 2018 as a member of the IL, Western Springs-1 chapter. Over the years, Mary has served in multiple volunteer roles with Rise and currently serves as a Chapter Support Liaison supporting 10 Rise chapters in her region. Mary grew up in Washington, DC and is a retired elementary school teacher. She currently lives in Chicago but has been summering at the Delaware beaches for over 60 years. Her passions include family, water coloring, “peloton-ing” and traveling!
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Beverley Francis-Gibson Colleen Kill and Vicky Bush Joseph smile at the camera with their arms around each other
19
Aug, 2025

For chapters, Together Women Rise

A Rising Tide: Vicky Bush-Joseph

Image above (from left to right): Rise CEO, Beverley Francis-Gibson, Board Member Colleen Kill, and Vice Chair Vicky Bush-Joseph

This month, we’re featuring Vicky Bush-Joseph, Together Women Rise Vice Chair and Chapter Leader of IL, Chicago – 8. Vicky has been a Together Women Rise member since 2018 and became a Rise board member in 2023.  She also serves on Rise’s Community Building and Learning Committee, the Grants & Partnerships Committee, and the Book Club Committee. She is a member of the IL, Western Springs – 1 chapter in the western suburbs of Chicago and the chapter leader for a new downtown Chicago chapter. A retired attorney, Vicky loves to travel with Rise, having participated in five Rise trips to India, Malawi, Dominican Republic, Bhutan, and Guatemala, and is getting ready to go on the upcoming trip to Indonesia. She also loves to read, bike, garden, cook, and eat and drink her way around the world.   Details

Lindy Cater Headshot
23
Jan, 2025

Together Women Rise

A Rising Tide: Lindy Cater

When Lindy makes a commitment, it’s long lasting. She’s been married for 57 years, lived in the same home since 1978, had a career serving nonprofits, and has been chapter leader of her Spokane, Washington chapter for 9 years. She’s passionate about women’s issues and has served on both Rise’s Grants and Partnerships Committee and is now a member of Rise’s Transformation Partnerships Committee.   Details

A headshot of Maryanne Schiller smiling at the camera
21
Nov, 2024

For chapters, For leaders, Storytelling

A Rising Tide: Maryanne Schiller

One of our goals for this Chapter Leader newsletter is to create a forum for chapter leaders to learn from each other and about each other. We’re calling this feature “A Rising Tide” because when one of our chapters succeeds, we all succeed – and we should share those strategies and successes with each other to lift all our boats, metaphorically speaking.  

This month, we’re featuring Maryanne Schiller, one of four chapter leaders of the PA, Philadelphia – 8 chapter. Her co-leaders are Cheryl Boyd, Harriet Williams, and Lee Tracy. 

Maryanne Schiller was born, raised, and raised her children in and around the Philadelphia area. In retirement, she moved back to the city and has been an active member of Together Women Rise for over 10 years. She sees her involvement in Rise as a continuation of the stimulating environment that she had while teaching high school world cultures for 35 years. She loves to read, socialize, and participate in civic actions both locally and nationally.  

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The young women of the Woodinville High School Chapter pose and smile at the camera
22
Oct, 2024

Storytelling, For leaders, Chapters

A Rising Tide: Woodinville High School Chapter

One of our goals for this Chapter Leader newsletter is to create a forum for chapter leaders to learn from each other and about each other. We’re calling this feature “A Rising Tide” because when one of our chapters succeeds, we all succeed – and we should share those strategies and successes with each other to lift all our boats, metaphorically speaking. This month, we’re featuring a mother-daughter chapter: the WA, Woodinville-1 chapter led by Fleur Tanner and her daughter, Lauren.

Lauren is a high school senior and has been a chapter leader since she was a freshman. Each year, she leads a fundraiser for Together Women Rise, and this year they raised almost $5,000 by hosting a garden party.   Details

23
May, 2024

Storytelling, For leaders, Chapters

A Rising Tide: Mellen Duffy Tanamly

Mellen Duffy Tanamly spent her career with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which took her all over the world including West Africa, El Salvador, Belize, Egypt, and Jordan. She learned of Together Women Rise through friends at USAID and has been a member for over six years. She recently took over leadership of her chapter and is excited for this new role!  Details

20
Sep, 2023

Together Women Rise

A Rising Tide: Sally Bookman

Sally is an expert networker and she meets people through her many assorted activities. Whether it’s through directing and acting at Rita’s Theater, playing tennis, selling real estate, singing in a choir, or as a professional painter, Sally loves to make connections with people – and invites many of them to Together Women Rise meetings!

Kia: Sally, your chapter is celebrating its 14th anniversary this year. Congratulations! Have you been with the group since the beginning, or when did you join?

Sally: I started this chapter 14 years ago. I was originally with another chapter, with Cari Class, but Rise was growing so quickly with up to 30 people per month, I offered to start a second chapter. I had been with the organization for about two years prior to that. It’s a great way for new people in town to meet others in the community, and a couple of our members have been with us for a really long time. The closeness has developed over time as well. Details

Sep 1, 2023

Together Women Rise

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We Are Growing Our Volunteer Program!

As Together Women Rise commemorates our 20th anniversary and looks ahead to the next 20 years, we want to ensure a top-rate Volunteer Program that meets the needs of Rise now and into the future, particularly as we expand our chapter and member numbers. We also want to ensure that every volunteer has a rewarding, empowering, and fun experience! Details

16
May, 2023

Storytelling, Best Practices, For leaders

A Rising Tide: Debbie Monaco & Ruth Bates

Although their paths to central New York were a bit different, both Debbie and Ruth now enjoy having family nearby as they enter retirement – or almost retirement. Debbie works in HR/Accounting, and her hobbies include reading and birdwatching. Ruth passed along her passion for engineering to her daughter, and now loves to help other women in need.

Details

15
Feb, 2023

For leaders, Best Practices, Storytelling

A Rising Tide: Jill Sobieszyk

One of our goals for this Chapter Leader newsletter is to create a forum for chapter leaders to learn from each other and about each other. We’re calling this feature “A Rising Tide” because when one of our chapters succeeds, we all succeed – and we should share those strategies and successes with each other to lift all our boats, metaphorically speaking. This month, we are featuring one of the AZ, Tucson – 3 chapter’s four leaders, Jill Sobieszyk.

A “retired” teacher of 40 years, Jill now lives in Arizona and tutors students in many subjects, from math to reading. As an educator she finds the value of teaching so important, which is also why she remains a student herself, taking art lessons and researching our many grantees and their countries’ cultures. Details

Nov 17, 2022

Fundraising, For members, For chapters, For leaders

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Setting up a Together Women Rise Fundraiser

This year, we have a new tool to help our members create their own fundraisers for the Together Women Rise annual appeal. Several chapter leaders and members have already set up their fundraisers, including Debra Berman, our Central Regional Leader. We recently spoke with Debra about the individual fundraiser she set up using this new tool.  Details

Oct 18, 2022

Best Practices, For chapters, For leaders, Chapters

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Sharing Best Practices: Planning for the Future of Your Chapter

Achieving global gender equality cannot be accomplished alone – and neither can running this organization or sustaining your chapter. Planning for the future of your chapter and sharing chapter responsibilities are key factors in maintaining successful Together Women Rise chapters. At our National Chapter Leader Event on Oct 16, we discussed best practices for continuity planning and inviting members into leadership roles.    Details