Women OF THE MONTH

Nataly Villa

Nataly Villa is the owner of EyemArt and Avil Candles. With over four years’ experience, Nataly is responsible for selling her art work, candles, body art, and essential oils. She offers makeup artistry and model development, and oversees the operations, management, inventory, and marketing efforts of the company. Nataly is a model coach, guiding models to their dreams of walking shows like New York Fashion Week. She received an A.A. from Southern New Hampshire University. She enjoys modeling, art, painting, candle making, and family.

How did you get started in your field/industry?

I started off as an artist when I was a little girl and explored it more in high school, being the only one in my high school to ever receive an art award. In 2014, I began my modeling career. In 2018, I started coaching models and getting into home essentials and skincare.

What are some of the biggest challenges/obstacles you faced in your career?

DeBorah L. Sharpe-Taylor

DeBorah L. Sharpe-Taylor is the CEO of BeeBearBoo Productions/ United Voices of PEACE. She earned her M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix. DeBorah teaches R&B, Jazz, gospel choir, Funk performance and private lesson vocals at the Musicians Institute of Hollywood in California. She also serves the community as a mentor, offering instruction for musical techniques in lead and background singing. DeBorah is a member of SAG-AFTRA, Actors’ Equity Association, and she is a Western region councilor for EQUITY, chairing the Paul Robeson Award Committee. Her passions include acting, singing, public speaking, and mentoring others.

Throughout my modeling career I received a lot of “no’s” due to my height and curves. This motivated me more to the point that I wanted to coach women to never give up on their dreams. What do you feel are some of the biggest challenges that women face today?

Trying to find ourselves is huge. We play so many roles that sometimes we forget who we are. We are not just hard-working women, mothers, aunts, daughters, or sisters. We are not just what our day jobs might label us. We are divine and we are super women. What does the word empowerment mean to you?

Empowerment means being confident and unapologetically yourself while making a change and impacting those around you. It also means being the change you would want to see in this world.

How did you get started in your field/industry?

I am an alumni singer of Mr. Harry Belafonte. I toured as a member of the Supremes with Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong in ‘77 and was living in NYC when the opportunity to join him came my way. Starting in 1983, I shared his stage traveling the world on and off till ‘89. You can view me on YouTube concerts in Zimbabwe and Germany among others, and I am featured singing on the encore of “We Are The World” in San Remo,

Glenda C. Brandenberger

Glenda C. Brandenberger is the president of SLC Services LLC. With over 20 years of experience, she is responsible for the overall operations of the home healthcare agency which helps veterans and their spouses with their VA benefits after returning back from their assignments to the U.S. as well as with their healthcare needs. Glenda attended the Stratford Career Institute. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering, playing bridge, and playing Bingo.

How did you get started in your field/ industry?

I cared for my mother for 13 years before she passed. I earned a physician’s assistant diploma with highest honors. In 2014, I became a 24/7 caregiver for my husband who has Agent Orange.

What are some of the biggest challenges/obstacles you faced in your career?

My biggest obstacles were losing our farm and home after 40 years. The biggest challenge was getting the VA to help us while my husband was in and out of nursing homes. What do you feel are some of the biggest challenges that women face today?

It’s difficult for all women who are trying to work, raise a family, and get past the glass ceiling. We do the same jobs that men do and don’t get the same pay, nor do our talents get noticed. There is still harassment in the workplace. What does the word empowerment mean to you?

Italy, 1988. Mr Belafonte’s leadership helped to steer the course of my career for mentorship and inspired me to form my nonprofit, United Voices of PEACE.

What are some of the biggest challenges/obstacles you faced in your career?

As a performer you are always looking for your next big break. This can be a monumental task; there are no guarantees. If you believe you were created to embark on your life’s mission, then you keep pressing toward the goal.

What does the word empowerment mean to you?

Taking the task-baton and successfully reaching the goal in the relay race of life, and recognizing all obstacles as opportunities.

Empowerment is having the courage to take the first steps towards what you want to achieve, whether it’s starting a new business, or overseeing two businesses while trying to get around or through the glass ceiling. It means I have the authority to endorse or approve a project, the ability to start a new business, or to be entitled to receive a promotion.

Andrea P. Sunseri

Andrea P. Sunseri is a Realtor associate with Sand ‘N Sea Properties, LLC based in Galveston and Galveston Island, Texas. With over 46 years of experience, she is responsible for listing and selling residential properties and vacation rentals. Andrea belongs to the Galveston Association of Realtors and Houston Association of Realtors. In her spare time she enjoys travelling and watching sports.

How did you get started in your field/ industry?

I was approached to be a Realtor by close friends John Lee and Gerald Sullivan. They asked their wives which of their friends might make a good Realtor. Both said “Andrea,” and upon being asked to join their team, without hesitation I said “Yes.” That was 1977, and the rest is history. What are some of the biggest challenges/obstacles you faced in your career?

Jockeying three children’s activities, family time, and scheduling appointments was difficult. I had to make calls for appointments, pick up keys at each office, show homes, return keys, type up offers using carbon paper, and deliver the contracts. There were no cell phones,

Michele V. Fenton

Michele V. Fenton, Esq., a bilingual attorney, graduated from Fordham University, majoring in History and English, with a minor in Spanish. Michele received her J.D. from New York Law School in 2003, and has worked in civil litigation, primarily dealing with contracts and estate planning.

Michele currently serves as an attorney with Hedayati Law Group P.C., a matrimonial law firm in Melville, New York. As a divorce litigant herself, she provides clients with an unprecedented amount of support and empathy. Michele’s focus is assessing the most efficient strategy to obtain the most favorable results for her clients. She has advocated for victims of domestic violence and alienated parents, an increasingly common occurrence in most of the firm’s complex custody cases. She is a member of the Suffolk County Bar, Nassau County Women’s Bar, and the charity, We Care, which raises funds and organizes clothing drives for local families. How did you get started in your field/ industry?

My first job was at a matrimonial law firm, and I often thought about returning. It was the best decision I ever made. I will never forget the day I revealed details about my

Hedia Bahria-Plaat

Hedia Bahria-Plaat is the president of Targipsum Technologies, a software solutions company serving the transportation and logistics industries, based in Quebec, Canada. Targipsum is a reseller of Omnitracs and Roadnet Supply chain technologies, which enables organizations to reduce costs and improve services with vehicle routing, scheduling, and optimization software that increases their fleets utilization to gain a competitive advantage. Hedia and Targipsum help companies implement the solutions they sell with a professional services approach to ensure customer success. With over 25 years of hard work and experience, she takes on the direct responsibility for all aspects of the business including operations management, consulting, sales, business development, and project management. Hedia speaks Arabic, French, English, and Italian. She specializes in project management and earned a P.M.P. in Project Management from George Washington University in 2004. She also holds numerous certifications. Hedia belongs to the Project Management Institute. How did you get started in your field/ industry?

I started by pure coincidence after a sabbatical year to take care of my sick pagers, or fax machines when I started. What do you feel are some of the biggest challenges that women face today? www.sandnsea.com own situation to a colleague, feeling ashamed, thinking I would be judged. Instead, I was met with complete support and learned about litigation strategies commonly used during a divorce. I remember thinking, “I finally met my people.” www.hedayatilaw.com son. I resigned from my long career job in the telecom business to work fulltime as an entrepreneur, and that’s how Targipsum Technologies Inc. was born. I made the decision to resign from my day job after 18 years of working in the international telecom business. The supply chain business is one of the most challenging industries I have ever worked for, and I never regret my decision even though it is one of the hardest decisions I made in my life. www.targipsum.com

Taking the time to ensure clients and customers receive the attention they deserve is always a challenge. Everyone is busy, so answering calls and texts when your clients need you is extremely important. It’s not about you, it’s about them.

What does the word empowerment mean to you?

Having a positive attitude, a true desire to help those you serve, and a love of what you do each day will never feel like a job. Having these qualities will raise you to new levels of success.

What are some of the biggest challenges you faced in your career?

Matrimonial law is very litigious, so I faced a challenging learning curve that I was expected to familiarize myself with while dealing with various unanticipated issues. Luckily, I can seek advice from senior associates or the owner, Mr. Hedayati. They have been great mentors, helping me navigate work and life’s many challenges.

What does the word empowerment mean to you?

Power means being able to make my own decisions for the future of my company and influence the industry in a positive way.