TEACH GIVE INSPIRE Fridays - March 6, 2026

Welcome to TGIF — I’ve missed you.

I am so looking forward to welcoming you back for our first TGIF of 2026 on Friday, March 6th. With International Women’s Day just two days later, this gathering feels especially meaningful—a moment to pause, come together, and celebrate you: your voice, your journey, and your impact.

If you are new to TGIF, welcome. TGIF is a women’s speaker series created to educate, empower, and ignite creativity and possibility. Each quarter, we gather as a community to hear from extraordinary women—thought leaders and changemakers—who generously share not only their expertise, but their deeply personal stories. These are conversations that stay with you long after the morning ends.

Our theme for March 6th is “The Ripple Effect: Amplifying Our Collective Impact.”
I love the word impact because it reminds us that change does not happen in isolation. What we do, how we lead, what we give, and how we show up sends ripples far beyond ourselves. And our three remarkable speakers embody this truth in powerful and very different ways.

Dr. Sousan Abadian is a pioneering scholar, author, and executive director whose life’s work has focused on how inherited cultural traditions can perpetuate trauma and harm—particularly for women and girls around the world. Through her groundbreaking work in healing collective trauma, she has highlighted and sought to change violent extremism and gender-based violence on a global scale. Dr. Abadian will TEACH us how courageous inquiry, compassion, and healing can become forces for profound societal change.

Ami Becker Aronson is a trailblazer in her own right, having navigated six generations of patriarchy as Executive Director of the Bernstein Family Foundation. Ami carries forward a powerful family legacy rooted in generosity, responsibility, and purpose. Her work—and her philosophy rooted in Feminine Design Strategy—invite us to rethink what it truly means to GIVE differently, not just today, but for generations to come. Her perspective has the power to transform how we see philanthropy, legacy, and our shared responsibility to the world.

And Mikel Blair is a visionary in the social wellness movement who is on a mission to help women make this the year they finally make space for themselves. With more than a decade devoted to conscious leadership and curated spaces for authentic connection, Mikel believes that when women create room for what matters most, joy, clarity, and connection naturally follow. She will INSPIRE us to exhale, reconnect, and live with intention—reminding us that rest, reflection, and joy are not luxuries, but necessities.

This is a morning designed to uplift, challenge, and nourish you—mind, heart, and spirit.

Join us.

Let’s celebrate women. Let’s celebrate impact. And let’s amplify the ripples we are creating together.

Doors open at 9:30 a.m.
Brunch will be served.
Ample parking is available.

Brought to you with heart by
Barbara Guterman Consulting

Scholar, Author, Executive Director - Interfaith Counsel of Metropolitan Washington

Dr. Sousan Abadian is an Iranian-born scholar, author, and Executive Director of the Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington. She holds three graduate degrees from Harvard University: a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government, an M.P.A. in International Development from the Kennedy School, and an M.A. in the Anthropology of Social Change and Development. Her lifelong work explores how cultures can heal and evolve—particularly those whose inherited traditions have caused harm to women and girls.

Dr. Abadian is the author of Generative Cultural Renewal: An Effective Resource in Ending Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting and Other Harmful Practices, which offers ethical, culturally sensitive pathways for transforming practices often justified on religious or traditional grounds. Her earlier doctoral research on healing collective trauma and cultural renewal in Indigenous communities was described by Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen as “pioneering” and “highly original.”

She has served as a Fulbright Specialist in Canada, consulting with First Nations communities on integrating Indigenous worldviews into education, and as a Franklin Fellow at the U.S. State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom, where she worked on preventing violent extremism, gender-based violence, and cultural restoration following atrocities. She was also a Fellow at MIT’s Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values, where her work focused on cultivating ethical and compassionate leadership.

Feminine Design Strategist, Disruptor, Executive Director - Bernstein Family Foundation

Ami Becker Aronson belongs to a family with 6 generations of roots in the Washington, DC area. She received her education in Jerusalem, Israel, Amsterdam and the Netherlands; igniting a passion for building connections all over our world, and ensuring the welfare of the people who inhabit it.

The biggest lesson Ami learned from her mother was to be conscious of her role in the world, and to serve at the highest possible level. As a result of this and her travels, Ami sees life in terms of spiritual capital – what do we each have to offer to the world, how can we invest that spiritual energy, and how can we make sure we are seeing the results we wish to see?

After receiving her Masters in Public Health in Jerusalem, she worked for 18 years in the field of global public health with organizations such as Save the Children and the Women’s Aid Network, focused in Thailand, Nepal, and the United States, and on the rights of women and providing them with equality and a voice.

While living in Amsterdam, participating in the THNK School of Creative Leadership Executive Leadership Program, Ami developed the concept of Feminine Design Strategy. She created a methodology that helps leaders harness their own personal and unique qualities to solve problems and advance society.

Ami currently serves as the long-term Executive Director for the family-funded Bernstein Family Foundation, preserving the legacy of giving that was established by her philanthropic grandfather, Leo M. Bernstein. The organization provides capital to grantees with projects in three primary areas: American Democracy, Arts & Culture, and Jewish Causes. The primary focus is improving the Washington, DC ecosystem. Leading the organization with her Feminine Design Strategy, Ami has honored her grandfather’s tradition of giving while creating a new approach to grant-making. This new direction not only encourages organizations to reexamine how they identify grantees; but challenges them to work beyond mere financial donations, cultivating collaborations and nurturing synergies that will produce more impactful results.

Her work has allowed her to connect with some of the most influential and intriguing people in the world, including artists, social activists, and those in civic life.”

Conscious Leader, Co-Founder & CEO, Modern Revival, Mother of 8

Mikel Blair is the co-founder of Modern Revival, a social wellness movement designed to spark self-discovery and authentic connection through curated, transformative experiences. With more than a decade of experience in conscious leadership and community development, Mikel specializes in creating spaces where people can live with greater clarity, purpose, and joy.

Her work is deeply inspired by her early engagement with the Conscious Leadership Group, whose teachings profoundly shaped her approach to leadership, relationships, and growth. Along with her fellow co-founder, she has spent the past eight years guiding individuals and groups through practices that foster resilience, strengthen relationships, and deepen community bonds.

Beyond Modern Revival, Mikel was the founder of Badlands, an award-winning interactive learning space for children. She also serves as an advisor and advocate for organizations focused on education, mental health, and youth empowerment. Her work bridges psychology, neuroscience, and experiential learning, making personal growth both accessible and playful.

Outside of her professional life, Mikel finds joy in spending time with her blended family of eight and her two beloved dogs. She loves being with friends, working out, and embracing the outdoors, always keeping both her mind and body moving.

Mikel’s mission is simple yet powerful: to help people make space for what matters most. She believes that when we create this space, we not only relieve stress but also unlock the joy, clarity, and connection we were designed to experience.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, 10000 Oaklyn Drive, Potomac, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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