2026 Women of Impact

"Impact is not always loud. Often, it is found in the quiet, consistent ways a life touches others."

That's how my friend and fellow portrait photographer Tassie Winters opens every conversation about why the Women of Impact portrait project exists.

In a world that measures worth in titles, follower counts, and accolades, Women of Impact was built on a different premise: that the most meaningful influence rarely announces itself. It's found in the women who show up faithfully, who lead with integrity, who shape their families and communities in ways that may never be fully seen, but are always deeply felt.

Winters is the founder and editor of the 2026 Women of Impact portrait project. Earlier this year, she invited me to a talented group of female photographers across the country who were photographing and writing about women in our own local communities who were making a big impact in small ways.

"Impact is defined not by position, but by presence," Winters said.

There may be no better time to sit with that idea than right now. Ask anyone who runs a business, a household, a nonprofit, or all three at once, and they'll tell you that August doesn't ease you into Fall. It surprises you. It shoves you. School supply lists appear overnight. Fall bookings stack up on summer's leftovers. Wedding season is still in full swing, harvest is bearing down, and everyone who put off "getting to it later" suddenly needs it now.

It's exactly the kind of season that separates presence from performance. The kind of busy where showing up quietly, day after day, matters more than actually being seen doing it.

This month, I am putting the spotlight on the Women of Impact honorees in our community. The ones who aren’t just surviving this special kind of busy. They are the ones running toward it. Because underneath all the chaos is purpose, and underneath the purpose are people who are counting on them.

Over the coming days, you'll meet:

A Village Trustee who believes local leadership starts with just showing up. (Published Aug. 1)
A regenerative farmer rebuilding the food system one family at a time.
A therapist and practice owner who leans on music and community to stay grounded.
A florist and garden center owner who has learned to stop calling it "balance."
A foundation founder who turned unimaginable loss into a living legacy.
A benefits analyst turned health coach turned stage manager juggling three callings at once.
An artist who traded approval for authenticity.
A hairstylist who found her softer definition of success after cancer.
A wellness executive raised on an avocado ranch, now helping people navigate a healthy lifestyle.
An acupuncturist healing from the root, not just managing symptoms.
A medium and intuitive healer who trusts what she feels before she understands it.

None of them set out to be "impactful." They just kept showing up in the quiet, consistent, often unglamorous ways that this project was created to honor.

As Winters puts it: "Impact is not reserved for a few; it is found in the lives of women all around us, often in ways that are quietly lived each day."

Grab your coffee (or your planner, or your third cup of coffee). Let's meet them.

Maura Bovenizer Found a Softer Kind of Success

Late summer is peak season behind the chair.

Back-to-school haircuts, Fall color appointments, and a wedding season that never quite lets up.

For Maura Bovenizer, a hairstylist in her hometown of Frankfort, Illinois, that kind of busy is just the day job. The real story is everything she's carried into it.

Bovenizer's path started early, with a lot of casualties along the way.

"Let's just say not all of them made it out looking great," she said of her earliest "clients," her Barbie dolls. "But it sparked a passion that turned into my career."

Part Artist, Part Therapist

"I'm part artist, part therapist, and always on my feet," Bovenizer said. "By night, I'm home with my husband, my 15-year-old son, who keeps me on my toes with his Momma's sarcasm, and our two dogs who run the house.

"Life is busy, a little messy, and full of laughs, and honestly, I love it that way."

What Cancer Taught Her About Community

In her 30s, Bovenizer was diagnosed with breast cancer, an experience that taught her lessons many people don't learn until much later in life, and most importantly, how many people were willing to show up for her.

"They showed up in the quiet moments and the hardest ones, offering support, laughter, prayers, and unwavering love when I needed it most," she said. "They reminded me of my resilience when I felt weak and stood beside me when things felt uncertain."

That experience reshaped how she thinks about women supporting women.

"Supporting one another isn't about grand gestures," Bovenizer said. "It's often the small, consistent ways women show up for each other that matter most.

"Real support starts with creating a safe space where honesty is welcomed instead of judged. When women listen without competing or comparing, it builds trust and reminds each other, you're not alone in this."

One of her proudest moments was ringing the bell after chemo and radiation, with her cousin by her side.

Success, Redefined

"It's not about doing it all," Bovenizer said. "It's about doing what matters. I get to do what I love every day, and make people feel beautiful. It's an incredible feeling to spin someone around and have them love what they see looking back at them in the mirror."

She's grateful for the flexibility her career gives her: time with family, yoga to stay focused, and a client base that feels more like a community than a schedule.

"I'm blessed to have such an amazing group of friends and clients who are always there for me," she said.

As Fall appointments fill the books, Bovenizer's approach stays simple. Show up, do the work that matters, and let the rest be a little messy. It's impact measured in mirrors, one client at a time. Not in titles, but in presence.

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