Rosie officially kicked off a new year of programming with our first committee meeting of the year this week! With the new year, we have both new and returning faces serving on the Rosie Committee, including new Rosie Committee Chairs! All of these women play a crucial role in the success of Rosie by actively participating in subcommittees dedicated to various initiatives. These include networking events, professional development events, book club meetings, communications, and the annual 100 Wise Women event. All the while, keeping fellow Rosies in mind and intentionally finding ways to connect, collaborate, and support the women of SGF.
Leading the Rosie Committee are the Chair (a Leadership Springfield Board member) and Co-Chair, who work with the Leadership Springfield team to guide Rosie’s programming. We are excited to introduce Dr. B. Judith Martínez-García and Ashley Silva as our 2024-2025 Rosie Chairs! Keep reading to get to know these leaders, why they are involved with Rosie, and meet the rest of the Rosie Committee.
Dr. B. Judith Martínez-García, Rosie Chair
“I am excited about sharing, mentoring, and supporting other women as well as celebrating their successes.”
Dr. B. Judith Martínez-García is from Monterrey, Mexico. She has a background in Education, Law, and Literature, and she is a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) by DELA, a Certified Moral Courage Mentor, and a Certified CIMER Mentor. Dr. Martínez-García recently completed her Certificate in Public Service and Leadership from the Kennedy School at Harvard University. She has been recognized with the Board of Governors Award, the Excellence in Teaching Lawrence Award, and the Missouri State University Research Award. Her research interest focuses on the analysis of representations of violence in contemporary Latin American Literature and Culture, such as poverty, narco-narrative, patriarchy, and forced migration.
She is also the Director of the Bear Bridge Mentoring Program for Faculty at MSU and runs other programs for faculty development! In the community, Judith is a member of the Southeast Rotarian Club and the Junior League of Springfield, and she serves on the Leadership Springfield Board. She is also part of the Minorities for Business Association in Missouri. She is currently participating in the Missouri Leadership Challenge 2024 for females and serves in the A Girl Like Me Network. Judith is often invited to be a speaker on several topics, and she enjoys lending her time to advocate for others. Judith is the co-owner and partner of the International Consulting Firm Pratt-Martínez, where she enjoys applying multiple disciplines and skills to assist clients seeking justice, education, and awareness.
When asked why her involvement with Rosie is important to her, she said, “Most of the support I have received in my career has been from women. Beginning with my grandmothers, my mother, and my sisters, I have encountered that women become co-authors of success in any journey.” This is Judith’s first year on the Rosie Committee. As chair over the next year, she is looking forward to using her strengths to foster solidarity and sorority among women from different backgrounds in this community. “I am excited about sharing, mentoring, and supporting other women as well as celebrating their successes.” We couldn’t be more excited to have Judith as a Rosie leader!
Ashley Silva, Rosie Co-Chair
“I’m looking forward to even more engagement with dynamic women in the community and increased access to development and networking opportunities.”
Ashley Silva serves as the Vice President of Development & Philanthropic Services for the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. In this role, Ashley leads the CFO’s work with donors, nonprofit partners, and professional advisors across the service area. She previously served as assistant vice president of affiliates.
Prior to joining the CFO in 2017, Ashley spent 10 years in Dallas, Texas, working in community foundation donor relations, corporate philanthropy, and nonprofit fundraising. A native of Springfield, Ashley holds a degree in journalism and broadcasting with an emphasis in public relations from Oklahoma State University. She also holds the designation of Chartered Advisory in Philanthropy (CAP®) from the American College of Financial Services. Ashley is a member of the Advancement Network and Junior League of Springfield and is an alumna of Leadership Springfield Class 38.
In 2024, Ashley received the 40 under 40 award from the Springfield Business Journal. Always active in her community, Ashley is a member of the Advancement Network and the Rotary Club of Springfield (Downtown); serves as a classroom reader for Ozarks Literacy Council and on the board of Junior League of Springfield; is the vice chair of Rosie; and is a graduate of Leadership Springfield Class 38.
“As the mom of two young kids, I want to help to shape a world that continually values and supports women. I am excited to have a small part in providing accessible opportunities for female leaders in the community,” Ashley shared about the importance of volunteering with Rosie. Ashley’s excited to be serving as Co-Chair, and we are equally, if not more, excited about her leadership this year!
2024-2025 Rosie Committee
Meet the rest of the robust and dedicated Rosie Committee below. The events, resources, and connections Rosie offers wouldn’t be possible with these women. We are excited to bring another year of dynamic programming to the community!
- Kami Bailey
- Subha Basu Roy
- Lindsay Bauer
- Bridget Bechtel
- Hayley Cobb
- Stacey Connell
- Chelsey Dollarhide
- Laurie Edmondson
- Nancy Evans
- Dori Grinder
- Pamela Hernandez
- Marybeth Kleinsasser
- Kristine Kliewer
- Lisa Langley
- Amby Lewis
- Alejandra McClanahan
- Cindy Mergen
- Jami Moore
- Andrea Mostyn
- Angie Mullings
- Sarah Nenninger
- Katy Pattison
- Eva Pelkey
- Courtney Pinkham
- Chelsea Pointer
- Kimberley Pulley
- Meredith Roberts
- Tami Smith
- Lauren Southern
- Stephanie Wan
- Danielle Wise
- Connie Yen
You can become a part of the Rosie network by signing up for our monthly newsletter and joining our Facebook group to connect with other Rosie women- all for free.
