FORMER DIRECTOR TO INNOVATE

Sarah is a firm believer that one can have their cake and eat it too. In fact, cake decorating is one of her favorite hobbies! She also loves to sew, knit, read, write, play violin, and dance. Sarah started her first business as a daily money manager when she was a junior in high school. She has run a successful tax practice for more than 16 years. During the last 12 of those years, she has also been raising and homeschooling her two sons.

She is very active in her church where she has served in a leadership capacity for more than 7 years. Sarah believes that her secret to success is first and foremost having an amazing spouse who partners with her in business, child rearing, and home responsibilities. The second thing is that the different aspects of her life are integrated. She brings her kids to the office with her and helps them with school in between client phone calls and emails. The kids work with her by scanning, shredding, and preparing mailings. Lastly, Sarah’s faith is part of who she is and it affects how she interacts not just with those at church, but her family and clients as well.

​Sarah is looking forward to supporting and educating companies and families about the value of mom friendly work environments and using her talents and experiences to help reframe our cultural perceptions of what it means to be “just a mom”. She hopes to improve the lives of moms and families everywhere through creativity, service, and innovation.

Former Director of Unique Circumstances

Stephanne moved to Oregon as a young child from Haiti. As a first-generation Haitian American, she loves living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and calls it home. Stephanne is a single mom of three kiddos, ages 13, 11, and 5, who are the center of her world. During the day she works for a government agency in Human Resources. She loves to serve the citizens of her community to support underrepresented and marginalized groups in her county. She is also an active participant in philanthropic work and an avid supporter of the American Heart/Stroke Association (She is a SURVIVOR),  a Camp Counselor/Counselor Supervisor with Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp (outdoor recreation program to support individuals with developmental, intellectual and physical disabilities); and Haitian Roots to educationally sponsor children in Haiti to have access to education. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her kids, reading, game nights, practicing her violin, camping and all summer shenanigans! She is GRATEFUL and HONORED for the opportunity to serve as a Board member on the Momivate team.

After Barbara’s death at age 86, her husband gave this lovely tribute to her at a worldwide general conference of the church where he served as an apostle. Bolded portions seem particularly relevant to Momivate’s mission.

“I suppose most of us fail to fully appreciate what others do for us until they are gone. I knew Barbara was always busy, but I did not fully understand the constant family, Church, and community demands upon her time. There were daily consecrated efforts repeated thousands of times through the years that kept our family functioning. And through it all, no one in our family ever heard her raise her voice or say an unkind word.

Floods of memories have washed over me this past year. I have thought about the physically demanding choice she made to be the mother of seven children. Being a homemaker was the only career she ever wanted, and she was in every aspect a consummate professional.
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Often I have wondered how she kept track of our children and me. Meal preparation alone was a truly daunting task, not to mention activities such as doing the mountains of laundry our family generated every week and keeping shoes and appropriately sized clothing on the children. We all turned to her on a myriad of other issues that were important to us. And because they were important to us, they were also important to her. She was, in a word, magnificent—as a wife, as a mother, as a friend, as a neighbor, and as a daughter of God.
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Brothers and sisters, please do not miss an opportunity to look into the eyes of your family members with love. Children and parents, reach out to each other and express your love and appreciation. Like me, some of you may wake up one day to discover that the time for such important communication has passed. Live each day together with hearts filled with gratitude, good memories, service, and much love.”

Former Momivate’s Leader of Music, Inspiration, and Laugh

Sam is a new mom to a one-year-old baby girl. Becoming a mother during a worldwide pandemic was one of the most difficult things she has ever done. She learned that motherhood stretches your limits in every regard – physically, mentally, and emotionally. She has gained a lot of respect and appreciation for the role of motherhood and she is beyond grateful for all the mother figures she has in her life.

Sam has a bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences with an emphasis in psychology and will soon be pursuing a masters degree in social work in order to pursue her goal to address women’s mental health issues. She has a diverse volunteer background including working with children with behavioral issues, helping teens improve their academics, working as a mediator between teens and their parents, co-authoring published psychological research, and helping build homes for families in need. Her professional history includes working as a medical assistant and as head coach for a high school girls lacrosse team. She is devoted to helping others and intends to continue helping others along her chosen career path.

Sam also has a love for music. She has played the piano since she was a kid and has been a member of two award winning choirs. She believes that laughter is the best medicine and loves spending time with her family, who makes her laugh the most. She finds daily inspiration through having honest conversations with others, reading good books, listening to informative podcasts, and searching for something positive in every situation. She believes that music, laughter, and inspiration are all important aspects of motherhood. She also has a deep appreciation for authentic Mexican food, baking, warm beaches, and spontaneous kitchen dance parties.

Heather is a wife, a mother to six beautiful children, and a friend to many! She loves singing, cooking, working out, event planning, taking classes, and reading. She homeschools her kids, and volunteers to help with her children’s Scout troops, church groups, Taekwondo studio, drama group, and she teaches and mentors at her children’s Leadership Education commonwealth school. She would drop everything to help a friend. She also works two part-time jobs in her “Spare” time! 

Heather says:
“I am honored to be spotlighted by such an awesome organization! I think that motherhood is a job that you can simultaneously love with all your heart, and feel like you are failing at, all while putting other women up on pedestals! ​I think that it is an awesome thing to have a place to come together as women and share our struggles, and triumphs, and to connect with each other.”

Former Director of Music, Inspiration, and Laughter

Hello there!

A little bit about me…I have been involved with music for most of my life, specifically singing in choirs while growing up, playing piano, and all things artistic or spiritual that bring cheer to my heart. Although I earned a vocal scholarship to attend college, I eventually changed degrees and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Family Life Science from Utah State University. This education has helped me in countless ways as a mother, specifically as I combine that knowledge with seeking daily inspiration from God, to raise our four sons to be the warriors of God they are intended to be.

My husband and boys are my greatest source of fulfillment and are my favorite people to spend time with. That being said, becoming a mother has also been my greatest challenge. Among many personal difficulties and obstacles, I’ve been able to overcome severe postpartum depression and a near-death experience with the birth of our last son, which has enabled me to have great compassion and a true desire to extend empathy and support for any mothers/people who experience challenges of their own.

When I’m not in the middle of housework, cooking, cleaning, or calming the crazy antics of kiddos, I play piano, guitar, and sing. My craft table is also a favorite place for other hobbies where I sew, paint, draw and create. Curling up with a cozy blanket to read a good book is a luxury I indulge in whenever possible. I also enjoy connecting with loved ones, trying foods from around the world, traveling, sunshine and exercise. Pink and purple are my favorite colors, and anything floral sparks my interest.

I look forward to becoming friends with you through Momivate!

​Linley is a native of Massachusetts, where her ancestors arrived on the Mayflower in 1620.  She is a mathematician, musician, and mother. She has a business degree from Wharton, a music degree from Ball State, and is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries.  She raised 6 children while living in Japan, China, France, and the US.  She has 8 grandchildren, all in Utah.  Linley is the author of the book, Don’t Be Afraid to do What You Really Want to Do.  Visit her website to purchase it!