New Hampshire
March 17, 2022 2023-04-10 21:09New Hampshire
New Hampshire Networking Group for Women Entrepreneurs & Business Leaders
Passionate Business Network
in New Hampshire
Our New Hampshire chapters offer many opportunities for women in business, and we are always welcoming new members to our professional networking group for women.
The inspiring leaders of our New Hampshire chapters aim to foster a supportive network for female entrepreneurs and business leaders eager to elevate their businesses. Your membership includes rich educational opportunities, including monthly power hours and quarterly accelerators. You'll also gain exclusive access to monthly national community calls, members-only forums, and private community groups
Join us today and discover a whole new world of possibilities.
chapters
Join our community today.
We’re always welcoming new members into our networking groups for women entrepreneurs and business leaders in New Hampshire. Get to know more about our fearless leaders below.
Join our strong, supportive group of women in business.
Our New Hampshire chapters warmly welcome entrepreneurs and business leaders interested in joining a professional women’s networking group. Join a New Hampshire chapter today... or contact us to start your own WBL chapter if we aren't currently in your city!
Briana Herman
Concord Chapter Leader
My name is Briana, and I'm thrilled to share my story with you. I'm an entrepreneur, a mom, and an adventurer who loves helping people achieve their financial goals. In December 2020, I started Herman Ledge Services to provide bookkeeping and financial coaching services to small business owners. I wanted to help entrepreneurs streamline their financial operations and achieve their financial goals. My positive and compassionate approach has earned me the trust and loyalty of my clients, and I'm proud to say that my business is thriving. In March 2023, I co-founded Plan4Profit, where I focus on helping small business owners learn how to manage their finances effectively. From bookkeeping and taxes to budgeting and planning, I'm passionate about sharing my expertise to help entrepreneurs achieve financial success. Outside of work, I love spending time in nature, hiking, practicing yoga, and horseback riding. My husband and I own a farm where we have chickens, a horse named Kevin, a mule named Keira, and a few furry friends. Being a mom to my little boy is one of my greatest joys, and I feel grateful to be able to juggle motherhood and entrepreneurship. I'm committed to supporting women entrepreneurs in achieving their goals. I believe that with the right tools and support, anything is possible.
Lorraine Connell
Concord Chapter Leader
Lorraine Connell, MEd, MS, is the Owner of Peers not Fears, LLC, and a veteran educator of over 20 years. As an educational coach and consultant, she has developed curricula for teens, educators, millennials, real estate agents and grandparents on leadership and empathy. She works in collaboration with others to provide coaching through her company Peers not Fears, LLC. Lorraine hosts the podcast Unimagined where she interviews students, current and past, on their experiences in education, and listens to their advice on how we could do better. Her work spans the impact of understanding how and where our biases come into play to develop strong communities. In 2022, Lorraine left her full time chemistry teaching job to work with interested schools, families, and communities to develop more equitable access and empowerment of students. When she is not working with others on developing leadership skills she is supporting her two boys in all their adventures. Lorraine and her husband Justin are both educators and work to improve and develop social and emotional learning.
JoAnn Burchuk
Dover Chapter Leader
JoAnn has almost 35 years of business experience. She graduated from Michigan State University with a BA in Materials and Logistics Management. She spent her first 10 years after graduation in Chicago working for a distribution company as a business analyst helping to design, test and train end-users on a new computer system and develop ongoing updates. JoAnn and her husband Dave began their passion project 25 years ago establishing Lighthouse Physical Therapy. Their vision to create a wellness space that nurtures and cares for each patient. Stepping outside of a traditional fast-paced environment to emphasize on one-on-one care and provide alternative hands-on manual therapy techniques for a broader-based healing alternative. Together they have been able to grow their business to two locations and 11 equally skilled manual therapy practitioners. Serving the seacoast community, they have been able to transform the lives of thousands of patients. JoAnn is very excited to launch the WBL Dover chapter with her friend Lisa Keslar. It is a great extension of their Cheers for Charity NH initiative to connect the community with the non-profit organizations doing amazing work in their area. She is looking forward to connecting women business owners and creating a vibrant and successful networking community.
Lisa Keslar
Dover Chapter Leader
Lisa has more than 30 years of professional business leadership experience. She’s always had a passion for business. She completed her first round of studies at Babson College, earning her BS with a double major in Marketing and Communications. Lisa then went on to complete an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, also from Babson College. She’s been an entrepreneurial leader in a wide variety of organizations including start-up high-tech manufacturing and distribution organizations, fashion accessories companies, and medical accessories manufacturers She now co-owns and runs a successful, rapidly growing, and award-winning independent insurance agency located in Newmarket, NH offering home, auto, business, and life insurance solutions throughout New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. The agency, Keslar Insurance, has built its reputation on providing a consultative approach to reviewing coverages, educating about solutions, and researching the right products for their clients. As it is always Lisa’s goal to inspire, engage, educate and collaborate, she shares her business expertise by teaching college business courses at two colleges for more than 12 years; the University of New Hampshire and Southern New Hampshire University. In addition, she serves in multiple capacities in the community, regularly participating in and volunteering at more than 13 additional local community organizations. She’s excited to work with her co-leader, JoAnn Burchuk to launch the Dover, NH WBL chapter and will focus her energy on building a robust, supportive, and successful business networking community.
Kimberly Merrill Wood
Exeter Chapter leader
I am the 4th Generation of Tobey & Merrill Insurance in Hampton where I work alongside my dad, uncle and our amazing team. We offer Business, Personal and Life Insurance for our clients in NH, ME and MA. Our Vision is to ‘Build Relationships’. I live by this everyday with my connection with clients, team, business partners and community. It is important for me to have my clients empowered to make decisions and be a true partner with me. I have found to be able to do this you start with education about coverages, policies and what is going on in our community that will affect them. I joined WBL to create the lasting relationship and have the support of my fellow business women. I can’t wait to continue to grow with being the co-leader of the Exeter NH chapter.
Jennifer Bishop
Exeter Chapter Leader
Coming soon...
Donna Sovie
Hooksett Chapter Leader
I founded Check & Balance Business Solutions in January 2020 to relieve the stress and frustration business owners have with managing their accounting records. Accurate financial records are vital to the growth and stability of your business. Without a skilled accountant to give you sufficient insight and data, your company could be at significant risk. Unfortunately, many business owners only realize this when it’s too late. Tired of watching businesses muddle through, I decided the best way I could serve clients is to take accounting and finance off their plate. My 20+ years of diverse accounting experience combined with my education have provided me with detailed knowledge of the accounting and operations process and how each plays a role in affecting bottom-line results. Today, my mission is to help businesses continue to be profitable and remain compliant while allowing owners to focus on growing and doting on their passions.
Jessica Provencher
Hooksett Chapter Leader
Jessica Provencher was born and raised right here in New Hampshire. She studied Psychology and Business at the University of New Hampshire, and moved to Northern California just days after graduation, where her now husband, David, was stationed with the Air Force. While in California, Jessica earned her teaching license, and through her work in schools, for a local non-profit, and with the military base, she developed her skills in listening, and working with individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds. Returning to New Hampshire in 2005, Jessica continued to work in private education, applying her client focused approach to assist individuals, from children to adults, in achieving their academic goals. Always looking for new opportunities to help others make their dreams a reality, Jessica made the move to Real Estate in 2017. As an agent Jessica is passionate, dedicated, and communicative. When Jessica isn’t watching her daughter, Nadia, play volleyball, or skiing with her son, Cole, you’ll find her running with friends. She completed her first half and full marathons in 2012, and her 2nd half marathon in 2017. Jessica is also an avid reader and loves being curled up with a good book and her pets, Maggie, Odin & Lily. Jessica loves all her clients but particularly enjoys working with first time buyers as well as Veterans utilizing their VA benefits. Committed to helping her clients find their New Hampshire dream homes and making the entire process of home ownership as easy and enjoyable as possible, Jessica is grateful to be part of the amazing group of professionals at LAER Realty Partners, and is looking forward to bringing together incredible women in her role as Co-Leader of WBL’s Hooksett Chapter.
Sara Janes Hoag
Londonderry Chapter Leader
Sara Janes began her career in the financial services industry in 2012. She has several years of experience in Human Resources and is now an Investment Advisor Representative of Primerica Advisors. She currently holds her Series 6, 63, 26, 65 and Life & Annuities licenses, as well as a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education with a focus in Mathematics. Her office is in New Hampshire; however, she offers her Financial Wellness Workshops to the entire greater New Hampshire and Massachusetts areas. Sara Janes teaches these principles in a simple and interesting way, taking the focus off of products and placing it on fundamental strategies. Her educative approach empowers each client to reach a deeper understanding of their financial decisions, moving them past the numbers to measurable objectives and creative wealth building strategies. She enjoys teaching people how money works in their lives, and aspires to be known as someone who can help people get from where they are to where they want to be financially. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, Tracy of 23 years and her 4 children, Kayla, Casey, Keegan and Coriann.
Amy Perez
Londonderry Chapter Leader
With 18 years of success leading businesses and nonprofits to elevate individual and organizational resilience, Amy Perez supports individuals and those who lead them, to emotional wellbeing for greater engagement, fulfillment, and results even in tough times. As a Certified Mediator and Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation, Amy Perez helps people give voice to their goals and eliminate the obstacles to achieving them - no matter what they are. Over the past 3 years, she's been able to transition over 100 people and small business owners in assisting them through breakthroughs individually and in group formats. Amy's clients report new paths of growth, increased sales and satisfaction in work, improved relationships, deeper clarity, elevated positive energy and motivation, supported with accountability and guidance. For 15 years she worked for non-profits addressing housing and public health issues, mediating difficult conversations to remove barriers and drive positive outcomes for her community. Her work was enhanced by connecting community partners for stronger and farther-reaching outcomes. In her recent role as Director of Learning at Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty, Amy devised a program of systems and processes training paired with business and mindset coaching to help real estate agents achieve their business goals. Now with Achieve Unite, Amy is a leader in the ACE Leadership program teaching and coaching emerging leaders how to build their own personal brand, get their voices heard and influence others to action. In her own coaching business, Amy Perez Coaching, Amy works with small business owners and entrepreneurs to look at all aspects of life to find balance, clarity, purpose, and success. As a long-time single mom, Amy coaches women to find their voice and their own path to a full and happy life. A mom and step-mom to two teen boys, Amy and her partner are enjoying their new home and spending time as social as possible with family and friends. They get out by taking convertible or motorcycle rides to enjoy what New England has to offer. When they're home they can be found having dance parties in the kitchen or watching The British Baking Show.
Sarah Andrews
Manchester Chapter Leader
Sarah Andrews has 18+ years of senior management and development experience in human services and higher education. Her extensive fundraising experience includes achieving aggressive fundraising goals, organizational capacity building, annual campaigns, engagement and stewardship programs, strategic growth planning, sponsorship and promotions, grant writing, and major giving programs. Sarah serves on the PTO for her daughter’s elementary school in Manchester and personally fundraises for the March of Dimes in honor of her younger daughter who spent her first 38 days in the NICU. Along with members of her family, she oversees the George Butch Joseph Foundation in loving memory of her grandfather. Sarah is a native of Manchester, NH who enjoys strong coffee, live music and being outside. She is also a yoga instructor at Humble Warrior Power Yoga.
Elizabeth Brooks
Manchester Chapter Leader
Liz Brooks is a 30 year southern NH resident. She lives in Bedford, NH with her husband, Steve, and her 4 kids; Anthony (19), Whitney (9), Blakely (7), and Teddy (7). She attended UNHM and earned a degree in Business Administration. Liz spent 13 years in various roles at Merrill Lynch, until last November. Now, she is the proud owner of two Allstate Insurance Agencies, and is the CEO of The Brooks Insurance Agency LLC. She loves helping people, connecting and protecting the community! Liz stays very busy with her business and her family!
Katrina Kowalski
Portsmouth Chapter Leader
With over 15 years experience in public accounting, Katrina’s passion is working with the “every day people” that want to not only understand their taxes but want some assistance with tax planning as well. She is a Double Falcon, having received both her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and her Master’s Degree in Accounting Information Systems from Bentley University. Katrina also has a facebook group called PowHER Up Your Financial Future which was created as a safe space for women to discuss financial issues. Along with being a co-leader of the Portsmouth, NH chapter, Katrina stays busy as a girl scout leader, treasurer for Soul Models and is also active in the Massachusetts Society of CPAs. Katrina grew up in Vermont and now lives in Stratham, NH with her husband, two daughters and yellow lab. In her downtime she loves a good book to read, her peloton and yoga.
Abby Bachman
Portsmouth Chapter Leader
As an active commercial real estate brokerage associate with Colliers International in New Hampshire and Maine, my primary focus is in office, retail and industrial sales, as well as leasing, and valuation. With my office located in downtown Portsmouth, NH my area of expertise is in Rockingham and Strafford counties New Hampshire, as well as York County in Maine. My goal is to help local and not so local businesses find their next “home” in the Seacoast community.