Over the course of the last ten months, we’ve been introduced to some inspiring women in this “Voices of Rhode Island Women” series. With every interview, I have been impressed about how intrepid, passionate and resilient these women leaders are. They don’t just show up for work every day, they show up and stand up, trouble shoot, inspire others and keep moving forward. As I am thinking about the year in review, a few of these fascinating stories have lingered with me, with one common thread connecting them: the ability to stay resilient despite unexpected setbacks and challenges.
Resilience Starts at Home
We started this series last March celebrating Women’s History Month and connecting historic women we’ve learned about in books with contemporary business owners such as Veronica Mays, founder of Conaky Quilts, and Jennifer Boarder, founder of Newport Fine Linens. The commitment to fine craftmanship and warm hospitality is as important today as it was in colonial Newport, thanks to tastemakers and artists like Jennifer and Veronica. They remind us of the importance of making a house a home, and how inexplicably nurturing a welcoming table or handcrafted art can be when there is so much uncertainty happening in the world today.
Resilience Means Bouncing Back and Moving Forward
As spring arrived, we turned our attention to spotlighting the women in Rhode Island who are helping to fuel the $4.5 billion Health, Wellness and Fitness market in the Ocean State. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Pilates, Yoga, and Gyrotonics practitioners – among many others – are showing us the importance of taking care of our mind and bodies while we strive to build our businesses in an increasingly frenetic world. Their resilience lessons teach us to slow down, breathe deeply, and make sure our minds and bodies will still be serving us tomorrow.
Resilience is Cyclical, not Linear; Grounded not Scattered.
We also looked at those local women who are launching and strategically operating earth-friendly, sustainable businesses of all sizes, such as Farmasesthetics, Newport Sauna, Simply Chickie, Newport Wine Cellars & Gourmet, and The ReFill. They remind us through their products and services that the Earth’s resilience depends on an ecosystem of relationships. If we are harvesting from this planet, we need to also restore what we take. They take the lead to show us how it can be done and still manage to operate successful businesses.
The Resilience of Families
Family resilience often emerges in moments of challenge; and running a business certainly comes with its challenges. Small steady acts of love and support can become anchors in challenging times. In May, it was thrilling to research and spotlight many of the mother-daughter businesses that have sprouted up in the City-by-the-Sea. It’s inspiring to see the full circle 360° of respect and know-how that these women pass along through the generations.
Sporting, Gaming and Adventure is Life’s Prep School for Teaching Resilience
Sporting, gaming and other forms of exploration or adventure offer more to us than achievement. They show us how to endure discomfort, recover from setbacks and find meaning in our participation, regardless of the outcome. Competitive sailing is a great local example of this training ground.
This year marked the 40th anniversary of Team One Newport, an internationally known retailer that specializes in sailing outerwear and apparel. For Memorial Day, we spotlighted its founder – a legend on land and on sea – Martha Parker. Martha’s story is the epitome of a local lesson in hard work and resilience!
Along these lines, we also featured women-owned adventure and experience businesses, where we highlighted Rail Explorers, Paradigm Escape Rooms and Fresh Maps in a 2-part series. The level of creativity, innovation and entertainment value that these businesses offer to people of all ages is beyond impressive and part of what makes Aquidneck Island so unique. Their ability to stay resilient and deliver engaging experiences despite the changing seasons and economic ups and downs of coastal island living continues to bring us inspiration.
Hospitality Professionals Demonstrate Distinct and Unique Resilience While in the Public Eye
Hospitality professionals navigate long hours, economic shifts, staffing challenges, and the unpredictability of human needs (especially the demanding clientele that Newport tends to attract). Resilience is not just endurance; it is linked to responsiveness and grace under pressure.
As we welcomed thousands of summer visitors and seasonal residents, we took a peek inside one of the most admired historic buildings in Washington Square: an 1850 former rectory, and later an inn, which is now the beautifully restored home of a casually elegant event venue, Provence sur Mer. The venue also has a few short-term rentals. The owner Karen Pinelli frequently welcomes in passers-by and photo takers for tours of her garden (which, incidentally ,won a first-place trophy at this summer’s Newport in Bloom Awards) and event space. Provence sur Mer has helped to make Washington Square itself a destination.
Resilient Leaders Think “How Can We Do This Differently? Or Better?”
While hospitality and entertainment keep our state humming and attracting more visitors each year, the innovation economy in Rhode Island is alive and thriving. As part of our series, we talked to Annette Tonti, Managing Director of RIHub, to meet some of these local female founders who are constantly breaking the mold.
Perhaps one of this year’s breakout successes among Newport-based entrepreneurs was Newport Chowder Company founder, Katie Potter’s, recent expansion to national distribution. This is another local business that was inspired by family love and has turned into a thriving success through hard work, persistence, a beloved family recipe, and an idea.
Resilience is Cultivated through Connection
Resilience is also about connection. We borrow the skill of resilience from one another—in community, in shared stories, in knowing we are not alone. This year we interviewed numerous non-profit leaders, as they were busy delivering on their various missions. These resilient women include:
• Tuni Schartner, Interim Executive Director of the M.Ã.E Organization for the Homeless,
• Yolanda Macías, Co-founder of Conexión Latina Newport,
• Heidi List Murphy of List Academy of Music,
• Debbie Bailey and Lynne Tungett, part of the leadership team of the Broadway Street Fair,
• Marguerite Marano, Executive Director of the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s TeamFAME after-school program, and
• The Women’s Fund of Rhode Island’s Development Director Debra Honor, CEO Kelly Nevins, and Policy and Advocacy Program Director Angela Lima.
As we look forward to high-energy summer in the U.S. next year, due to the timing of the country’s Semi-quincentennial, and especially a busy summer in Rhode Island, we interviewed Lauren Fogarty, RI 250th Commission Program Coordinator, and Liz Tanner, Executive Director of Ocean State 2026, Rhode Island’s Summer of Soccer initiative to allow local businesses to optimize the economic impact of the regional FIFA World Cup activities.
It’s an honor to bring these stories of resilience to the readers of What’s Up Newp twice each month. It’s a reminder we can all learn from every conversation we have, because everyone has a fascinating story to tell, no matter how humble or grandiose. Happy Holidays!
Michele Gallagher is a dedicated supporter of local businesses and non-profits and is the founder of City-by-the-Sea Communications.