2021 Women Helping Women raises $218,000 to support mental health counseling and other services for women, children and families

We are pleased to share that over 400 guests joined us for the May 21, 2021 Women Helping Women online event! It was the 23rd annual Women Helping Women, and $218,000 was raised for mental health counseling, education, training and other services that positively impact women, children and families who are underinsured or from low income households. Thank you to Tiffany Johnson for inspiring us with “The Sun that Lives in our Spirit.” Congratulations to Angela Connolly, as this year’s honoree, for her tremendous community leadership.

Tiffany Johnson (second from left) was our 2021 speaker and our honoree was Angela Connolly (third from left). Our 2021 planning committee co-chairs were Carol Bodensteiner (far left), Renee Hardman (second from right) and Emily Kessinger (far right).

Experience the inspiration from our 2021 Women Helping Women luncheon!

Honoree: Angela Connolly

In her role as a Polk County Supervisor, and as a mother, Angela Connolly is a longtime supporter of mental health access, and a champion for women, children and families. Her distinctive leadership and tremendous impact are demonstrated by her many community awards including induction into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame in 2016.

Speaker: Tiffany Johnson

Described as brilliant and captivating by her peers, Tiffany is passionate about our community. As Producing Artistic Director and founding member of Pyramid Theatre Company, illuminating Black artists and diverse artistic expression, Tiffany is positioned to speak on the power of storytelling as a force for greater understanding, and uplift the worth of mental health access.

2021 Co-Chairs: Carol Bodensteiner, Renee Hardman, Emily Kessinger

The 31-member volunteer planning committee is led by a superstar team of co-chairs who each bring their own stamp of leadership and commitment to mental health access:

Co-Chair: Carol Bodensteiner
Carol Bodensteiner is a writer who finds inspiration in the people, places, culture and history of the Midwest. After a successful career in public relations consulting, she turned to creative writing. She published a memoir Growing Up Country: Memories of an Iowa Farm Girl in 2008. Her debut novel Go Away Home was acquired by Lake Union Publishing and published in 2015. She published her second novel Simple Truth in 2018. In 2020, she published Stitched Through Time: The Story of Libbie Haylock’s Quilts, sharing the journey of her family’s heirloom quilts through five generations.

Co-Chair: Renee Hardman
Renee Hardman is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa, a national premiere mentoring organization that provides one-to-one mentoring relationships between children and adults. Renee has been defending the potential of youth for over 30 years. Renee made history as the first elected African American Councilwoman in West Des Moines.  She is also serving as Mayor Pro Tem. She earned her undergraduate and MBA degree from Drake University.  She has been recognized through many awards such as her induction into Iowa Women Hall of Fame, 2020 Forty Under 40 Alumna of the Year, and the West Des Moines Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Award, to mention a few.

Co-Chair: Emily Kessinger

Emily Kessinger is currently the Director at Capital Crossroads. Kessinger has 10+ years’ experience in communications, marketing and project management, previously serving as a Business Development Manager at The Weitz Company and The Iowa Center’s Women’s Business Center (WBC) Director. She currently serves on the After School Arts Program Board (ASAP) and is a committee member for the Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center’s Women Helping Women event. She is a graduate of the 2019 Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute’s Community Leadership Program. In addition, Emily is a founding partner at Flag of Des Moines (www.flagofdesmoines.com) and is the founder of Yellow Door DSM (www.yellowdoordsm.com). Since 2014, she has consulted remotely for Remoov, a San Francisco based start-up. Emily earned degrees in English (BA) and Organizational Development/Marketing (MBA) from the University of Denver (DU). She lives on the southside of Des Moines with her husband Mason and children, Hughes and Edie.

• Category: Donors & Support, Special Events, Women Helping Women