Meet the Lead(h)er team

Hannah Howard is the Executive Director of Lead(h)er. She is a Muscatine native and has spent the past decade working in the nonprofit realm. Hannah joined Lead(h)er in September of 2023 and is thrilled to lead an organization that fuels career and community engagement for women in the Quad Cities.

Hannah is passionate about helping women get connected to the power of mentorship and creating opportunities for connection. In her personal time, Hannah is an avid traveler and enjoys hiking, checking out new restaurants or breweries, gardening, and spending time with her dogs.

Feel free to reach out! Hannah is eager to connect with community partners and share more about this impactful organization.

Who is your favorite famous leader and why?
Jane Goodall. She leads by example with compassion, collaboration, and hope. She has dedicated her life to something she is passionate about and never let obstacles deter her from making a difference in the world.

When you were 10, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to work at Walt Disney World in Florida. I made that dream a reality in 2004 and lived it for 3 years. I learned so much about customer service and the ability to impact the lives of others.

How has mentorship impacted your personal and professional success?
I would not be where I am in my career if it was not for having a couple strong mentors later in my career. At one point, I found myself lacking motivation, finding myself in a slump and feeling like I was stuck in a job that I did love. I found a mentor to work with from completing a leadership course and my whole view on my capabilities changed. Within a year, I was feeling more confident and was recruited by a company to move up in my career. After a few years, I was impacted by the pandemic like many others. I found myself in a situation that I had not faced before after being a part of a lay off. This is when I found Lead(h)er...or Lead(h)er found me! Because of my amazing mentor match, I was able to start a brand new career in a brand new field at the age of 40, which was a terrifying thing to think about. I had and continue to have so much support both from ongoing mentorship to being a mentor myself!

What is the best advice you have been given from a mentor?
There are two big things I remember from my mentors. When I was in the midst of my job search, my mentor pushed me to apply for jobs outside of my comfort zone. I doubted myself and she reinforced that I did not have to have 100% of the skills as long as I am capable of learning. Because of that advice I applied for jobs in new fields. Once in the field, I did hit a wall of doubt. I questioned how I got where I was and wondered if it was where I was supposed to be. His advice to me was that there will always be people that do not want me there and that there will be allies that do want me there. He said surround yourself with those allies and remember, if you are at the table, you are supposed to be there. I have been able to continue to reflect on all of the great advice I get from both mentors and my mentees that continue to help me grow both personally and professionally.

What is your advice on successful mentorship?
I recently read a quote from Oprah Winfrey “A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself”. The great thing about mentors is that they often see your potential before you do. The key to a successful mentoring relationship is open communication, respect and trust.

What is the best advice you have been given from a mentor?
To not be afraid to seek out a new mentor!

What does Lead(h)er’s mission mean to you?
To me, Lead(h)er’s mission proves that great things happen when women connect and support each other. It’s about personal and professional development - about building on the skills you have while sharing them with others. 

To put Lead(h)er’s impact into perspective, 1,100 women have been matched in the Strike a Match mentoring program. That’s 1,100 women committed to their development beyond what they are already doing at work and at home. A core value of the program is giving back to the community, which means these women have chosen to share their time and talents to help others. It also means that 1,100 families have a mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, or friend setting an example that personal growth, community connection and helping others are an important part of creating a fulfilling life. 

Why does mentoring matter to you?
The value of a mentor who not only believes in but actively supports one's professional journey cannot be overstated. Upon joining Lead(h)er and being paired with my mentor, I had the firsthand opportunity to witness the profound effects of having a guide who offered unwavering encouragement, constructive feedback, and served as a positive influence. This mentorship proved instrumental in navigating and overcoming challenges and setbacks, particularly in the context of bolstering my confidence.

How has mentorship impacted your personal and professional success?
Mentorship has been instrumental in offering me numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth. Without the guidance of mentors, I would not have cultivated the confidence to embrace discomfort and aspire to achievements that I would traditionally observe others attain. With the support of Lead(h)er, I was connected with a mentor who not only motivated me to figure out my goals personally and professionally, but also offered crucial advice on the practical steps needed to achieve them. Thanks to their insightful guidance and ongoing support, I have achieved success in my envisioned career and forged meaningful connections by leveraging numerous networking opportunities.

Why does mentoring matter to you?
Mentoring is my lifelong calling and a key component in helping leaders design legacies that last (c). I mentor so that others can design strategies work through and around the vagaries, injustices, and exclusionary treatments I have endured on my journey to achieve success.

What is your advice on successful mentorship? ​
Successful mentorship occurs from following the foundational principle that mentoring is a voluntary, developmental relationship between two people. One has greater experience, one has lesser experience, but are willing to share experiences based on mutual trust and respect that creates understanding for the mentee. Even if all the precursory traits are met: voluntary, developmental relationship, experiences shared with mutual trust and respect, if understanding is not created for the mentee, then the mentorship is unsuccessful.

How has mentorship impacted your personal and professional success?
I was lucky enough to have both personal and professional mentors. May it be the family members, educators, friends or colleagues. Each came along as I needed them and each kept me grounded and focused on the best path I needed to take to achieve the goals I set up for myself.

When you were 10, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Many things from a teacher/tennis coach to a professional tennis player!

Why does mentoring matter to you?
I work in 2 male dominated industries at the same time, AdTech & Media. Female mentorship has been critical for me in navigating my career and along the way many young women have asked questions about how to manage their careers. Strong female mentors are so sorely needed everywhere and I believe it is one of the most important things we can do in life for others.

How has mentorship impacted your personal and professional success?
Mentorship has helped me in all aspects of my life. It has helped me grow a successful career and learn how to navigate tough negotiations and know my worth. It has also helped me personally as a mother and part of a large local family with BALANCE.

Why does mentoring matter to you?
Mentoring matters to me because a lot of my successes have been thanks to the guidance of mentors in my life.

How has mentorship impacted your personal and professional success?
Mentorship has impacted me greatly in both my personal and professional life. I was brought to the United States at the age of 10 and it was a big culture shock for me. I didn’t know the language, the lifestyle or the struggles that living in the U.S. would bring. My parents were also going through their own struggles and couldn’t be much help in guiding me through school or my career. As I grew older I realized that there was a lot that I needed to learn and do if I wanted to become successful. My very first mentor helped me navigate through college and helped me get a scholarship. Thanks to her I was able to attend Black Hawk College with a tuition free scholarship. Thanks to that scholarship I was able to get a degree that I could later use in my career. As I started my first professional job, my manager became my mentor. She taught me everything I needed to know about the corporate world. Thanks to her I was able to land in roles that I didn’t think I would be able to. In every stage of my life, there has always been someone there to guide me and I want to be that someone for someone else.

Why does mentoring matter to you?
Having a mentor who believes in and actively supports your professional journey is truly invaluable. My mentorship with Lead(h)er and other personal mentors have been instrumental in navigating and overcoming challenges and setbacks, particularly in boosting my confidence. The guidance from my mentors has played a key role in shaping my professional growth and success.

What is your advice on successful mentorship?
I believe successful mentorship boils down to building a solid foundation grounded in trust, clear communication, and shared goals. Open and honest communication is the key to creating a space where the mentee can comfortably seek guidance while the mentor provides constructive feedback with empathy. Regular engagement, including meetings and goal assessments, keeps the mentorship alive and effective. Realistic goal-setting and active listening are essential elements in the mix as well. And, of course, celebrating successes, big or small, is incredibly important in keeping the mentorship vibe positive and motivating.

What is your advice on successful mentorship?
Seek out a mentor that you respect and trust, someone who is genuinely rooting for you and believes in your ability to succeed, maybe before you believe it yourself. Once you find that person, it’s much easier to be coachable and learn from that individual.

Why does mentoring matter to you?
The mentors in my life have impacted my professional success. They are the ones who believe in me enough for me to believe in myself, despite the challenges that I face in the professional world of Finance. I can build on their confidence in me to be a trailblazer for women in a male-dominated field so I can empower more clients to obtain financial security.

Why does mentoring matter to you?
I gained so much from being mentored in Lead(h)er. My mentor provided me with guidance on my career path when I was getting licensed, encouraged me to take advantage of opportunities I'd never consider (we did a Spotify podcast together!!), and still is one of my biggest cheerleaders four years later. Mentoring matters to me because I want to be able to be that support system for someone else. From having a mentor when I started out in Lead(h)er to now having two of my own mentees, I have seen the benefits of mentorship firsthand. Especially in a society that tries to pit women against other women by telling us that there's only room for one to be successful, it is so powerful to have women supporting each other instead. Mentorship allows each of us to become the best versions of ourselves together.

What is your advice on successful mentorship?Mentors have so much to share with mentees, but I believe successful mentorship starts with the mentor asking, "What do you hope to gain from this?" or "How can I help you?" By setting clear goals and expectations, the pair can build a roadmap of what they hope to achieve. Additionally, because the mentee in a way looks up to the mentor, it is important for a successful mentorship to have authenticity. Mentors won't always have all the answers, but it is okay to admit that and work towards the answers together.

What is your advice on successful mentorship?
Be yourself. Don’t feel like you must always have some profound words of wisdom for your mentee. Just talk, make a connection and the mentoring will free flow from there. You’re there to help them see, find, and grow into the best version of themselves!

How has mentorship impacted your personal and professional success?
I have had incredible mentors in my personal and professional life. To me a mentor is someone who is part of your daily life and you learn something from them. I’ve always been a sponge when it comes to intake of knowledge or advice and although I’ve been a Mentor with Lead(h)er, I learn from my Mentee every time we meet. With my experience as a Lead(h)er Mentor, I have found something that fills my cup and has nothing to do with my home or work life. Working moms don’t often do things that are self-serving but this has been a dream experience that I didn’t realize I needed!

Who is your favorite famous leader and why?
There are many qualities and skills we look for in a leader. To me a leader is not someone who runs a business well or makes a large profit. A leader is someone who can make positive and ethical changes, especially during difficult times. My favorite leader is Maria Eitel, Founder and Chair of the Nike Foundation and Girl Effect.

Ms. Eitel joined Nike at a turbulent time and became their first Vice-President of Corporate Responsibility. It took Eitel and her team seven years to overcome health issues, sexual harassment charges, and allegations of child labor violations. Over time they instituted fair labor practices, environmental stability, and invested in the communities their workers lived in.

Eitel took one step further by proposing to the Nike Foundation to help fund Girl Effect in 2004. Girl Effect helps young women living in poverty around the world to stay in school and delay marriage with programs like family planning and financial training. They are helping young women one at a time to make an impact for their families, communities, countries, and world.

We are so fortunate to have an organization like Lead(h)er which is making positive change one woman at a time. Together, we are helping women to make an impact in their career, family, and community. 

What does Lead(h)er’s mission mean to you?
We are so fortunate to have an organization like Lead(h)er in our community. Through this amazing organization women work together to help each other fuel their careers, overcome obstacles, set goals, and make positive change in their communities. 

I am so honored to serve on the Lead(h)er Board and help promote and support our programs to help as many women as possible achieve their personal and professional goals. Through the mentoring program we can learn from each other and provide support and advice in a safe and confidential way.