About | NWO

Introducing the NWO Women's Business Council

The Northwest Ohio Women’s Business Council is dedicated to recognizing a diverse group of female entrepreneurs whose women-owned businesses have achieved success and contribute to the economic well-being of our community. We celebrate their accomplishments and support them by telling their encouraging stories.

Founding Council Members

We are a diverse group of women committed to women entrepreneurs' status in our ecosystem. The Women's Business Council strives to promote, support, and celebrate entrepreneurship in our community.

Sandy Spang, Chair

Sandy Spang brings experience as an entrepreneur, real estate investor and six-year Toledo City Council Member to her position as Deputy Director of Economic Development for the City of Toledo. Sandy works to support entrepreneurs and small businesses as they navigate permits and licenses, as well as to connect them to supportive resources in our community. Whether at start-up or scale-up, Sandy is available to Toledo businesses!

Sena Mourad Friedman, Chair

Director of Development and Communications, The Center of Fair Housing
Before joining The Fair Housing Center, Sena worked in the television industry in senior management positions. She has served on various boards and committees in the Toledo community, supporting local nonprofits and planning successful small to large-scale events. Currently, she is Board Chair for Lucas County Mental Health Recovery Services Board, and board member of the Toledo Chapter NAACP serving as Housing Committee Chair. Sena also serves on several committees for the National Fair Housing Alliance. Recently she received over 14 film festivals awards for writing and directing the documentary ZIP Code Matters. Sena’s passions are human/civil rights and mental health. In recognition of her community involvement, Sena received the Ohio Leadership Award and The Walter P. Reuther Award. In 2001, the City of Toledo awarded Sena the CityScape award for her work on Union Memorial Park. She is also the recipient of the prestigious Jiminy Cricket Environmental Award from Disney.

Rhonda Sewell

Director of Belonging & Community Engagement, Toledo Museum of Art

Rhonda Sewell is the Toledo Museum of Art’s first Director of Belonging & Community Engagement. Prior to her role at the Museum, Rhonda was the Director of Governmental and External Affairs for the Toledo Lucas County Public Library. Rhonda is most known in the local community for her 18-year career as an award-winning journalist for The Blade newspaper. She has also served as an instructor in ethnic studies, and in mass communications at Bowling Green State University.

Rhonda founded in 2012 Real Men READ-y, an ongoing mentoring and early literacy program. She was recognized as a top 10 Jefferson Awards finalist and holds numerous awards for her community engagement and volunteerism, including being recognized as a Milestones for Women honoree by the YWCA of Northwest Ohio, and a Woman of Distinction by the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio. In January, Rhonda will transition to the role of President of The Arts Commission Board, where she has already served a three-year term. She currently serves as a member for the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments (TMACOG); a cabinet member and donor of Girls Scouts of Western Ohio’s campaign Empower HER, and she previously served on numerous key corporate boards including the YWCA, the American Heart Association, Toledo Ballet, The University of Toledo’s Media Foundation Board, and Art Tatum African American Resource Center, and ProMedica’s formerly titled Toledo Children’s Hospital Foundation Board, where she served as Chair.

Rhonda holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Michigan State University and completed Graduate Studies in International Journalism in London England.

Linda Fayerweather

Business Specialist, the Toledo-Lucas County Library.
Linda Lucas Fayerweather is a business specialist at the Toledo Lucas County Library where she works with existing business owners, business professionals and prospective entrepreneurs to help them find the data and research to advance their business goals. She has firsthand experience in the world of small business having owned several businesses including, Changing Lanes in Maumee Ohio; a licensed before and after school day care center in Maryland; counseled over 300 small business owners in Delaware while Director of the Delaware Small Business Development Center; and has spent too many hours doing personal and business taxes. She has a bachelor’s in library science from Eastern Michigan University and an MBA in accounting from Augusta State University where she lettered in cross country, too. She has received the YWCA Milestones award and the Maumee Hometown Hero award.

Olivia Holden

Executive Director at ASSETS Toledo, A Service for Self Employment Training and Support provides practical, experience-based training for those starting or expanding a small business. The results are empowerment, economic independence, the promotion of economic and social justice, the creation of stronger families and neighborhoods in the city, strengthening of character and values, and creation new jobs.

Stayce Fowler

Fierce Advocate for Minority Owned Businesses. She is principal owner of Customer Advocacy Partners, LLC, A consulting firm that specializes in improving customer experience through process improvement and the implementation of proven business strategies.

Aby Sadowy

Founder and owner of Simplicity Sounds. Over the past 25 years she has had the privilege of being the Master of Ceremonies and DJ for thousands of memorable and beautiful events throughout the Toledo area.
Although her career started as a Karaoke DJ she quickly branched out into the private and corporate world as a music and event specialist providing quality DJ and MC services. Her love of music and passion for entertaining influenced her desire to provide a professional, full-service, entertainment company.

Megan Reichert

Director Innovation, Mercy Health
Megan Reichert has 20 years of experience in supporting innovative and entrepreneurial ventures. Reichert is currently the Director, Innovation for Bon Secours Mercy Health, Toledo Region serving 9 of 50 hospitals within the ministry. In addition to technology-based economic development, she supports and advocates for historically disadvantaged businesses, with a particular focus on the Cherry Legacy Neighborhood. She is a member of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce’s Research Foundation. Her B.A. program in English is from Indiana University and has an MBA from the University of Toledo. Reichert spent over 11 years with a closely-held automotive manufacturing company, and has over 15 years in economic development. Reichert’s economic development projects have been involved with both the private and the academic sectors related to cluster development, business incubation, technology transfer, technology commercialization, entrepreneurship, and minority business development.

Meg Ressner, SHRM-SCP

Meg Ressner specializes in leading organizational transitions that optimize organizational performance. From Human Resources, Sales, Customer Service, to Supply Chain Operations, she has a proven track record helping both for-profit and nonprofit organizations achieve and exceed their objectives. Meg formerly held the position of vice president, Human Resources Enterprise Organizations at Owens Corning. She earned her undergraduate degree in marketing from the University of Rhode Island in 1981. Making a difference in the community is important to Meg. She previously served on the Owens Corning Foundation, the Board of David’s House Compassion, the Arts Commission Board and as Chair of the Women’s Initiative of the United Way. She recently served as General Co-Chair for the 2021 Solheim Cup, as President of the ProMedica Metro Foundation Board and as Chair of the Avenues for Autism Board.

Task Team

Nina Corder

Managing Director, Women of Toledo
Nina Corder is originally from Malaysia but resides in Toledo for the past 25 years. Nina earned both her Master's and Bachelor's Degree from the University of Toledo and completed her post-doctoral in education (EDD) in organizational leadership with a concentration in culture and diversity with Northcentral University. Her award accomplishment includes recognition as 2021 Toledo Jefferson Award, also known as “an American Nobel Prize,” for public service, 2021 the Ernest M. Pon Award by the National Association for Ethnic Studies, 2019 Big Ideas of the Toledo City Paper, 2018 Jim Knott Community Service Award of the Northwest Ohio Business Networking International (BNI), 2016 the Power of Women for the Junior League of Toledo and 2014 So Now Business Award for Women.

Sierra Ortiz

Born and raised in Toledo, Ohio to a single mom who worked as a social worker, Sierra Ortiz comes from a family of immigrants from Mexico and Texas. Sierra learned about social work; foster homes, urban sprawling, gentrification, and the way community needs are met through services provided through government agencies, not-for-profit and local organizations at a young age. While receiving education from private grade schools and catholic high schools, she never forgot her privilege and has always searched for ways to use her platform as a voice for those marginalized, disconnected, underserved and underrepresented. She devoted her college career to learning about social sciences, humanitarian efforts, and after graduating from The University of Toledo, continued educating herself on social injustices, and ways to enhance and promote social justice. While attending marches, protests, volunteering, serving on boards, and getting involved in her local community, she finds that the world seems a lot smaller if one is able to make an impact on their community first, as taking care of neighbors’ needs has a way of changing the world, one community at a time. Sierra’s non-profit experience extends from administrative assistance, program management, financial and operations coordination and now serves as the Associate Director for Women of Toledo where she bridges the gap between basic human needs and improving the overall quality of life for women and young women in Northwest Ohio.

Halina Schriefer

Halina is passionate about wellness, community, and connecting with others. She is so very happy to be joining the mission of Women of Toledo and HerHub and believes strongly that when we come together with one shared intention, we can create powerful change! Halina is also the founder of a spiritual healing community called Ordinary Pioneer and enjoys spending time with her family and serving the community.