Our mission is to Cultivate Mentoring Relationships
Woman to Woman Mentoring, Inc. provides women with guidance, support, and community connections through mentoring relationships. We are a 501c3 non-profit created by a group of community leaders to serve the women of Frederick County.
Through our programming we offer women the opportunity to:
- Be heard. Discover how sharing “you” can start to open doors.
- Take action. Dig into your challenges and explore the possibilities. Get the information and encouragement needed for new habits to take root.
- Move forward. Collect small wins that help to create momentum!
- Grow without limits. Enjoy an extended community that remains committed to your success.
Our innovative, effective programs, which serve women ages 18-60, combine the power of one-on-one mentoring, community-building workshops, and opportunities to connect to help women identify and work toward their goals in education, career, and life.
For nearly 15 years, W2WM mentees have used the power of mentorship to succeed in transition; start, restart, and complete school; explore, start, grow, and advance in their careers; and to build connections. We are proud to be part of over 500 women’s stories.
Our Staff
Amanda Whitener, Executive Director (she/her)
Amanda joined the Woman to Woman Mentoring family in October 2023 and serves as the Executive Director. Amanda holds a B.S. in Biology from Lake Erie College in Ohio and completed her Master’s work in Biology at Illinois State University. In 2021, she graduated with an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology. Her previous roles were primarily focused on STEM and informal education, most recently as the Head of Workforce Development with WorldStrides. Amanda resides in Gaithersburg with her husband, dog, and two ancient cats.
Amy Savitt, Senior Program Manager (she/her)
Amy Savitt is the Senior Program Manager for Woman to Woman Mentoring, Inc. Amy has a master’s degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education and has worked in leadership development and with women’s organizations. She has been with W2WM since moving to Frederick County. Amy is the mom of two teenagers.
Alex Gushard-Edwards, Development and Marketing Assistant (she/her)
Alex serves as the Development and Marketing Assistant for W2WM. Alex has worked in hospitality and marketing for most of the last decade. She holds an Associate of Arts in Business Administration from Frederick Community College and is the owner of Marie Rose Photography & Videography in Frederick. She and her daughter live in Frederick.
Eileen Foley-Breck, Program Coordinator (she/her)
Eileen serves as the Program Coordinator for W2WM. Eileen has worked in the service of young people most of her career here in Frederick County, first as an English teacher and then as a youth services librarian. She was also a business owner in Downtown Frederick for ten years, a graduate of Leadership Frederick, and had several opportunities to work with the Woman to Woman Mentoring Program and Clutch the Future. She resides in Urbana, Md with her husband
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Andi Overton, Chairwoman (she/her)
Andi Overton is the Director of Recruitment for Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School. Andi has held previous leadership roles within higher education at Mount St. Mary’s University, Stevenson University, and Excelsior College. Andi’s career focuses on providing a proactive approach to identifying opportunities in higher education for disenfranchised students of all ages. A dedicated Rotarian, Andi has served on several non-profit advocacy membership boards throughout Maryland, with much of her experience culminating in and around Frederick County. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, Andi also holds graduate degrees in criminal justice and business from American University and Frostburg State University, respectively, and a post-baccalaureate certificate in project management from Mount St. Mary’s University. Andi is in the last year of her doctoral program at Frostburg State University where she concentrates her research in higher education leadership with a focus on the assessment of learning in virtual reality curriculum delivery. An avid Boston Redsox baseball fan, Andi lives in Carroll County with her wife, Stacey, and several rescue dogs and cats.
Sukanya Bora, Vice Chair (she/her)
A certified organization development professional and a certified executive coach, Sukanya has 25+ years of experience in a wide variety of industries including biomedical sciences and health care.
In her current role as a Leadership and Engagement Strategist in Frederick Health, Sukanya provides guidance and expertise on key strategic initiatives that focus on employee development, engagement and retention. She is passionate about leadership development and firmly believes that leaders, both current and future, play a significant role in shaping and sustaining a culture of continuous learning and growth. A certified facilitator of The Leadership Challenge® and a Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) certified trainer, she leads and facilitates workshops on a variety of topics focused on organizational and individual learning and success.
Sukanya holds a BS from Sophia College, Mumbai, India. Married to a scientist and a mother of two, she is a resident of Frederick County and is an avid supporter of several local community organizations.
A past board member of Frederick County Society of Human Resources (FCSHRM) for 10+ years, she has served in numerous volunteer leader positions for the organization and as a proud member of one of the first groups of mentors of Woman to Woman Mentoring, she continues to actively associate and support our mission.
Board Members
Jill Browning (she/her)
Kim Johnson (she/her)
Miranda Ducey (she/her)
Miranda Ducey is the Executive Assistant and Board Liaison for the National Recreation and Park Association. Her prior roles included work in both higher education administration and non-profit organizations, including a year of service as an AmeriCorps volunteer. A native Nebraskan, she holds a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her relationship with W2WM began by being a mentee, then mentor, and most recently as a participant in W2WM Circles. She currently lives in downtown Frederick with her two children. Miranda enjoys good music, exercising, and learning about new places to hike.
Gloria Waller Coleman (she/her)
Gloria is a Retired School Psychologist who holds certifications in Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia. She began her career as a Residential Counselor in a home for formerly hospitalized psychiatric patients transitioning to community living. Over the course of 40 years, she was a practicing School Psychologist, College Adjunct Professor and Diagnostician for the Virginia Department of Corrections, Youth Services Division.
Gloria is a wife, mother and former Reservist in the United States Marine Corps. Gloria’s prior Board work was with the Hulon Willis Association, an Affiliate of the William and Mary Alumni Association, and the American Association of University Women. She is currently a member of the Diaconate and Connections Ministries at her Church.
Stacey Collins (she/her)
Stacey Collins is Vice President and Assistant Director of Client and Community Relations for PNC Bank in the Greater Washington Area. In this role at PNC, Stacey is responsible for client, community and employee engagement strategies. Stacey also leads the regional implementation of PNC’s signature philanthropic program, Grow Up Great, a multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life, and champions the importance of investing in early childhood education. Her 30-year career in banking spans marketing, advertising, public relations, channel management, and community engagement.
A resident of Frederick, Stacey loves the beach, reading, travelling, spending time with friends and family, exploring historic sites, and zipping around town in her convertible on a sunny day. In the community, she is a member of the grants committee for the Community Foundation of Frederick County, Inc., Hood College’s Board of Associates, and serves on the Frederick Speaker Series Advisory Committee. Stacey earned her Master of Business Administration from Mount Saint Mary’s University and received a Bachelor of Arts from Hood College.
Karen Justice (she/her)
Karen Justice is retired from a diverse career in avenues across the country and abroad. She has been a teacher and trainer for students from pre-school through adult learning, facilitated organizational strategic planning, promoted counties and scientific innovations, and held other responsibilities through twelve states and three countries. Along with Woman to Woman Mentoring, she has served as executive director or senior leader for several non-profits. As an author, she writes about managing change in books, blogs and articles.
A 2007 graduate of Leadership Frederick County, Karen has served on committees with the LFC Alumni Council, the Tourism Council of Frederick County, the Women’s Business Network of Frederick, the Maryland Governor’s Tourism Industry Conference, Catoctin Forest Alliance and the One Mountain Foundation. She currently serves on committees and the board for the Woman to Woman Mentoring program and her condo association. When she’s not out exploring the world as much as possible, she also volunteers for activities in her church.
While living in Norway, Karen earned her M.B.A. from BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo. Although somewhat of a non-traditional selection following her B.S. in Home Economics from West Virginia University, the choice perfectly fit her life full of change.
Gina Curcio
“It’s easy to spot strong women, they lift each other” (credit unknown). Gina’s career began with strong women who showed her how to use her voice at the table. They showed, by example, how to carry yourself, present ideas, and drive toward goals. Her roles in leadership have given her to opportunity to continue the message to other women. Additionally, as a girls’ soccer coach of 16 years, she has helped instill lessons of hard work, dedication, life-lessons, goal setting, and self-love.
Gina’s passion for helping individuals reveal their own strengths and abilities has allowed her to watch others make their career and life aspirations come true. In her career, Gina has over 20 years of leadership experience in sales and marketing, and currently works with companies across the country to bring affordable higher education and professional development opportunities to their employees.
Her passion for the success of others has brought her to Woman to Woman where she has been a mentor, and is excited to be part of future of the organization.
Heidi Keeney (she/her)
Heidi has served Frederick County Government for over twenty-one years across multiple departments, including Social Services, Housing & Community Development, and Emergency Management. She worked extensively in political roles, including supporting Frederick County’s first County Executive, Jan H. Gardner, during the transition to a charter government in 2014.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Heidi was Incident Commander for the non-congregate shelter and Vaccine Program Manager for mass vaccinations. She co-chaired the Frederick County 275th Anniversary Planning Committee from 2021 to 2023.
A 2019 Leadership Frederick County graduate, Heidi’s Leaders on Loan project was with Woman to Woman Mentoring, where she also mentors. She is currently Secretary of the Leadership Frederick County Alumni Committee and a member of Leadership Maryland’s class of 2024. Heidi lives in Frederick.
Joy Beveridge
Joy Beveridge, a Baltimore native, moved to Frederick, MD, in 1978 as a Hood College student, graduating in 1982 with a degree in Biology. She earned a Master’s in Microbiology from the University of Maryland’s Dental School in 1984 and began her career at USAMRIID before spending over 35 years in clinical research.
For 21 years, Joy was the Operations Director for the Clinical Monitoring Research Program Directorate at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, supporting the National Cancer Institute and other NIH institutes until her retirement in early 2023.
Passionate about community service, Joy volunteers with Woman to Woman Mentoring and is actively involved with Hood College through the Board of Associates, Executive Alumnae Board, and Blue & Grey Club. She and her husband Don, married for 41 years, enjoy gardening and spending time with their two children, their spouses, and three grandchildren in Arizona and California.
Natasha Valencia
Natasha Valencia was born and raised in Frederick, MD. She is a former bakery owner who held fundraisers for organizations such as Woman to Woman Mentoring. She also served as a panelist speaker for the organization.
Currently, Natasha co-owns Visionary Solutions, a small business focused on building online courses to help share others’ expertise with a broader audience.
As a dedicated community advocate, she serves on the Planning & Education Commission for the City of Frederick, advocates for the Arts community and is a proud mother of four children.
Rev. Dr. Sakima Romero-Chandle
Rev. Dr. Sakima Romero-Chandler is a leading authority on domestic and sexual violence, specializing in the challenges faced by African, Black, and Caribbean women and children. As a Domestic Violence Contractor for the Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Center (LETTAC), she provides crucial training and support to Department of Justice grantees.
Since 2008, Dr. Romero-Chandler has been a prominent figure in domestic violence prevention, managing programs at Howard University and contributing to significant OVW projects. She has conducted extensive community outreach and research on interpersonal violence.
In her faith-based roles, she created the Vashti’s Vessels conference and is the Pastor of Dickerson AMEC. She leads Romero Conway Howard Consulting Group, LLC, and consults with Hagar’s Sisters Domestic Violence Ministry. Her volunteer work includes serving on boards for Brook Lane Health Services, Young Life/Young Lives, Ishshah’s Place, and Woman to Woman Mentoring. Dr. Romero-Chandler holds advanced degrees from Walden University, Howard University, and City University of New York Queens College and is a life member and chapter Chaplain of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.
Sandi Maxey
Sandi joined Sandy Spring Bank in 1999 and retired from her position as SVP and Director of Succession Planning and Talent Development in 2024. She has been in banking for over 30 years with more than 25 years in learning and development. Her areas of expertise include leadership development, coaching, career development, and succession planning. Sandi holds an MBA from Frostburg State University and is a graduate of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking.
Sandi has had many articles and case studies published, has been consulted for multiple research studies and learning industry periodicals and is a contributing author to the ATD published book, “Leading the Learning Function.” She holds professional certifications and certificates in the Myers Briggs, Bridges Transitions Leadership, Crucial Conversations, the Center for Creative Leadership 360 Feedback assessments, and Emotional Intelligence 2.0
Leeann Bonaventura
Interested in joining our board of directors or volunteering for one of our committees? Contact us today!
W2WM Timeline of Events
2004 - 2005
The Frederick County Commission for Women (FCCFW) conducts a Needs Assessment Survey that examined the key needs and priorities of women in Frederick County. The majority of focus group sessions raise the topic of “mentoring” as an unmet need for women in the county.
2006
FCCFW embarks on creating a mentoring program. Around a kitchen table, three FCCFW commissioners create an Advisory Board, and the program is initiated.
2007
Woman to Woman Mentoring (W2WM) opens its doors in the Adult Services Office at Frederick Community College.
2008
W2WM is established! The Ausherman Family Foundation awards Woman to Woman Mentoring a $50,000 matching grant to help jumpstart our funding.
2009
In September, the first CORE cohort begins.
2010
The first annual Clutch the Future purse auction fundraiser is held, raising $26,000. Also, this year, the FCCFW receives an outstanding recognition award at its national conference for its creation of W2WM.
2012
W2WM Pop-Up Shop is launched. One hundred percent of the revenue earned from this social enterprise supports the programs of W2WM.
2015
W2WM becomes its own 501c3 non-profit organization and initiates its new program, Mentoring Circles. Mentoring Circles is a peer-to-peer small group opportunity for mentorship.
2018
W2WM’s Women in STEM Program begins, connecting STEM women students with STEM women professionals from Frederick County as mentors and role models.
2020-2021
W2WM continues to provide CORE, STEM and Mentoring Circles during the COVID pandemic by offering all services and programs virtually. The Women in STEM program expands to Carroll County thanks to the Kahlert Foundation.
2022
Mentoring Circles returns in a new way, focusing on women 35+ and is now free.
2023
Alumnae Advisory Board is instituted to expand services to alumnae of all three programs.