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.

Lindsay Landeen Summers Trusts What She Feels

As the calendar tips toward fall, a lot of people feel the pull to slow down, reflect, and recalibrate before the year picks up speed again. Few people understand that pull better than Lindsay Landeen Summers, founder of Home of the Om, whose entire practice is built around helping others reconnect with themselves, especially in the busiest seasons.

Landeen Summers' work blends intuitive mediumship, energy healing, chakra balancing, and mentorship. And because every person she works with is different, there's no such thing as a "normal day."

"No two days ever look the same, which is part of the beauty of this path," she said. "Some days are filled with one-on-one sessions, holding space for clients as they move through healing, receive messages, or realign their energy. Other days are centered around creating, whether that's developing workshops, crafting ritual tools, or building offerings that support the community both in person and from afar."

There's a quieter side too, one clients rarely see.

"I spend time in stillness, in meditation, and in my own energetic practices to stay grounded and clear," she said. "This allows me to show up fully for the people I serve."

A Path She Couldn't Ignore

Landeen Summers was deeply intuitive from a young age, though she didn't always have the language for it.

"As I moved through life, I experienced my own seasons of challenge, loss, and transformation," she said. "Those moments became catalysts, guiding me inward and teaching me how to sit with emotion, navigate energy, and ultimately reconnect with myself on a deeper level."

There's an ancestral thread running through her work as well. It's a way of honoring the women who came before her.

"This work feels like a continuation of something that has always lived within my family line," she said. "In many ways, I see it as a way of honoring my grandmother and those who came before me; keeping that connection alive, while also allowing it to evolve in a way that feels open, accessible, and supportive for others.

"As I started to understand my gifts and trust them, others naturally began to seek me out for support, guidance, and connection. It felt less like stepping into a career and more like remembering who I was always meant to be."

The Rewards and the Cost

Witnessing transformation in others is what makes the work worthwhile for Landeen Summers.

"There are moments in sessions where you can feel a shift, where something releases, where truth is seen, or where peace returns, and being trusted to be part of that is incredibly meaningful to me," she said.

But the path isn't without its challenges, particularly around protecting her own energy.

"That has been one of the greatest lessons," she said. "Understanding that, in order to truly support others, I have to continuously return to myself."

Building a business around work that isn't always widely understood has required its own kind of courage.

"Choosing to fully step into my gifts, to build a business around them, and to stand confidently in something that is both deeply spiritual and deeply personal has required trust, resilience, and a willingness to be seen."

Her Advice: Trust It, Even Before You Understand It

Landeen Summers sees many women carrying deep intuition and inner knowing, only to suppress it while waiting for outside validation.

"Give yourself permission to grow at your own pace," she said. "There is no rush, no perfect timeline, and no single way this journey should look. What matters most is your willingness to stay open, to stay curious, and to keep coming back to yourself.

"Most importantly, don't be afraid to be seen. Your voice, your story, and your way of doing this work matters."

"Lead with honesty and transparency. Be unapologetically yourself. The world doesn't need more perfection, it needs more authenticity," she added. "Be kind. Be compassionate. Show up for one another. We are all walking through life carrying stories that aren't always visible, and remembering that can change the way we treat each other in the most meaningful way."

As the season shifts and everyone else starts speeding up, Landeen Summers' invitation stays the same: slow down long enough to hear what you already know.

"You are shaping a narrative that will ripple far beyond this moment — one that has the power to last for lifetimes," she said. "Make it one rooted in love."

It's presence over position, in its purest form.

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