Trailblazing Women
Resilience. Determination. Self belief.
By Seattle Mag May 14, 2025
This article originally appeared in the May/June 2025 issue of Seattle magazine.
These 10 women embrace challenges as opportunities, demonstrate courage in the face of adversity, and stay true to their values while breaking barriers. These are their stories of persistence and progress.
Arts
- Dr. Joan Sung – Author, speaker
- Johnaye Kendrick – Grammy Award-winning professor of music at Cornish College of the Arts
- Tariqa Waters – Contemporary artist
Entrepreneurship
- Stephiney Foley – CEO and founder, Yuzi Care; Presidential Leadership Scholar
- Rachel Barnecut – Founder Matcha Magic
Philanthropy
- Melinda French Gates – Founder of Pivotal, co-founder of the Gates Foundation, and author of The Moment of Lift and The Next Day: Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward
- Jaqueline Garcia Castillo – Founder and Executive Director, Mujer al Volante, Women Driving
- Alesha Washington – President and CEO, Seattle Foundation
Science
- Nancy Davidson, M.D. – Executive Vice President, Clinical Affairs, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, and Raisbeck Endowed Chair for Collaborative Research
Sports
- Lauren Barnes – Professional soccer player, Seattle Reign FC
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