MEET OUR STORYTELLERS

Merrilee is an executive coach and leadership development consultant. She also has three grown kids—all sons, who’ve married lovely, strong women. She doesn’t pretend to have a favorite on any given day, except for her 5-year-old grandson, Lucas, and her pups, Sophie and Ellie, who will collectively do almost anything for a treat.

Here’s what she likes:

• Hiking with her dogs, dinner with friends who like to cook, motorcycle touring (she rides shotgun) through Southern Utah, writing stories, traveling to new places, yearly vacations with the whole family, Lucky Charms, wearing jeans and hoodies to work at home, naps, Canada, watching Criminal Minds and breaking glass ceilings.

What she doesn’t like:

• Running for any reason, frozen Brussel sprouts, deleting emails, deadlines, sticky floors, muddy paws, Grizzly Bear warnings, and almost anything broken (Exception: see glass ceilings above.)

She has been thinking about writing stories for this blog for several years, so she is thrilled to partner with Carol to bring you inspiration through remarkable women’s stories, photos, news and insights. We will keep posting if you keep coming back for more, and our promise to you is to build a community in which we can all belong, find connection, and feel valued for who we are.

Carol is a clinical social worker and mom of three grown kids (two sons, one daughter).  Her favorite kid at the moment is her 2 year old grandson, Win.  Her second favorite kid is Mollie the pug and she won’t say who her least favorite kid is because it changes daily.

Here’s what she likes:

• Yoga, hiking, golf, photography, biking, travel (especially in Europe), reading, vacationing with her family, hanging out in her meditation garden reading and playing with Win, eating, cooking, babies, animals, especially elephants and monkeys, peanut butter, wearing shorts, t-shirts and flip flops.

Here’s what she doesn’t like:

• Cleaning her house, especially bathrooms and kitchens, running as exercise, scary movies, ghosts (even though she thinks her 100 year-old house has a friendly one), spiders, snakes or zoos (even though she takes Win once in a while).

She is super excited to be a part of this blog and hope it will be a place for diverse women to find inspiration, connection, laughter and identification.  Our promise to you is that we will deliver on our promise to make this blog accessible, enjoyable, interesting, fun, thought-provoking, and overall something you will look forward to being a part of!  

Meagan is a Business Manager and serial entrepreneur.  She is a mom to her every changing number of fur-babies and fur-fosters. She is a wife to her husband who shares her eagerness to start small ventures and business projects.

Here's what she likes:

• All animals great and small, travel (anywhere and everywhere), lying on a beach with a margarita in hand, eating food, drinking Prosecco, the outdoors, socializing with friends, physical activity, sunny days, saying yes to adventures, and not taking herself too seriously.

Here's what she doesn't like:

• Going to movies (being silent for two hours is hard), litter, doing yard work, mosquitoes bites, being in deep and open water, having an empty travel calendar, laundry, fast food, and push-ups.  

She is thrilled about the new adventure of a blog for women and their stories. She is committed to making The Villa a place that is accessible for all women. Send her an email if you have any thoughts, questions, or comments.