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.

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 is currently serving as the sixth executive director of Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments.

She previously served as the deputy director of economic development for the City of Toledo and as an elected member of Toledo City Council. Spang, also a business owner, spent her time on council and with the administration focused on finding ways to help entrepreneurs support their businesses and access programs designed to support their success. She worked with the economic development team to create and update grant programs that help business owners offset costs for facade, fire, accessibility, and building code upgrades.

Spang also led the team that created Permit Planner, a scoping tool that helps businesses and residents understand what permits, incentives, and special restrictions apply to their construction projects. She facilitated the Forward Cities E3 program, which brought the community’s entrepreneurial support organizations together to create a more equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem and resulted in the launch of the Toledo Ramp (www.tolramp.biz), an online platform for free counseling, events, and access to capital.

Spang is a certified Ohio economic developer who has served on the National League of Cities Community and Economic Development National Committee. She’s also a founding member and co-chair of the Northwest Ohio Women’s Business Council and a board member for Lott Industries.

She has long been an advocate for regional planning and partnership and has participated in TMACOG as a member of the Leadership Development Committee and Executive Committee and has been an advocate for planning and partnership at the regional level.

Sena Mourad Friedman, Chair

Sena Mourad Friedman, a civil rights advocate, formerly served as V.P. at the Fair Housing Center, directing the acclaimed documentary "Zip Code Matters" to expose systemic discrimination. With a Fair Housing Movement and TV industry background, she actively contributes to Toledo's community as a leader, consultant, and board member. Currently, she chairs the Home for Everyone CoC Board, serves on the Lucas County Mental Health Recovery Services Board, and is a member of the Toledo NAACP, where she leads the Housing Committee. Recognized with prestigious awards such as the Ohio Leadership Award, The Walter P. Reuther Community Service Award, and the Jiminy Cricket Environmental Award from Disney for her commitment to the environment, Sena's impact on Union Memorial Park was acknowledged with the CityScape award in 2001. Presently, she is a consultant, actively contributing to creating vibrant communities.

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.

Mary Brucker

Mary Brucker is the founder and CEO of Imagine 901 (www.imagine901.com), an advisory agency that specializes in guiding profit and non-profit organizations through transformation change and re-charge. The agency are also experts in event production and management.

A certified people analytics practitioner, a Wellness Council of America accredited counselor and trusted high energy advisor, Mary leverages her more than 20 years of operating experience in mortgage banking, retail franchising management as well as human capital & culture development to serve clients across several business sectors. First hospitality, ProMedica, Mercy Health, University of Toledo Foundation, Marcos Pizza, Connecting Kids to Meals, Destination Toledo, and Heartbeat of America are several Imagine901 company partners.

Mary has served on several local boards including the Women’s Initiative of the United Way, Oregon Schools Foundation, and the Oregon Community Theater. She also is the owner and director of Ram Drama, a 13-year local non-profit children’s theatre company. Recently she served on the Solheim Fan Experience advisory board, an advocacy member of Women Fore Solheim and was the Co-Chair of the Solheim Cup Opening Ceremony/Fan Fest.

An alumnus of Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Theater and a proud promoter of the City of Toledo

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.

Aileen Mendoza

Women of Toledo's Creative Marketing and Community Engagement Associate born and raised in Toledo, OH. Aileen's passion is to connect with the community and serve a greater purpose than herself through creative design.

Annora Harbick

Annora Harbick resides in West Toledo with her husband, who is a research scientist with the USDA at the University of Toledo, and their two daughters.

In her capacity at Women of Toledo, Annora utilizes her diverse experiences to support the mission of empowering women in Toledo. Her journey is a testament to adaptability and connecting in meaningful engagement with her community.

Annora attended Washington State University, where she majored in economics, but also studied anthropology and biology. With a professional background in commercial food and pharmaceutical operations and product development, Annora has spent years refining her skills in team management, planning, and process optimization while working in the manufacturing sector. Additionally, she has experience in running her own small business for several years, both as a consultant and in food and agricultural products. Following a career pause to focus on raising her young family in rural central New York, she relocated to Toledo in early 2020 with her family. She was interested in finding meaningful work and learning more about her new home and the businesses in the area. As she became more acquainted with Toledo, she felt a growing desire to become directly involved in community building and that led her to her position with Women of Toledo.