As 2026 unfolds, individuals across business, innovation, creativity, media, and leadership are finding new ways to make their mark. Their stories reflect ambition, resilience, and the ideas driving conversations in an increasingly connected world.
From entrepreneurs and executives to creators, authors, speakers, and innovators, these women come from diverse backgrounds and fields. To spotlight the journeys and contributions capturing attention this year, we have compiled the Top 10 Inspiring Women in 2026.
Carolyn Strauss, CSP, CRM
Keynote Speaker | Reinvention Strategist | Turning Strategy Into Movement
Carolyn Strauss is a keynote speaker and reinvention strategist who helps leaders and organizations navigate the moment when what used to work doesn’t work anymore.
In a world moving faster than most organizations are designed to respond, working harder is not enough. Leaders must anticipate change, challenge outdated assumptions and strategically experiment their way forward before the market forces them to.
A former CEO who built a $160+ million fashion business during 18 years on American television, Strauss now speaks to industries, companies and organizations around the world and works with leadership teams to turn strategy into movement.
Her work helps leaders align people behind what comes next, strengthen communication, and turn big ideas into experiments teams can test, learn from and act on.
She helps companies recognize what matters, let go of what no longer works, and remain relevant, adaptable and viable in a marketplace that will not stop changing.
Cathy Hackl
AI Keynote Speaker | Tech Executive | Futurist | B2B Creator
Cathy Hackl is a leading AI keynote speaker, tech executive, and LinkedIn B2B creator specializing in spatial computing, physical AI, gaming, AI glasses, new AI hardware, and enterprise technology innovation. A globally recognized futurist and media authority, she advises Fortune 500 brands and governments on emerging technologies. She serves as CEO of Future Dynamics and Futurist-in-Residence at Nokia and previously served as an External Senior Advisor to BCG. Hackl has headlined major events, including the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, CES, SXSW, and MWC. She hosts the TechMagic podcast and is the author of five books, including Spatial Computing: An AI-Driven Business Revolution. Newsweek en Español named her one of its Top 25 AI Visionaries, and Vogue Business included her in its inaugural Vogue Business 100 Innovators list.
Babita Spinelli
Psychotherapist | Executive Coach | Mental Health Consultant
Babita Spinelli is a psychotherapist, executive coach and mental health consultant who leads Babita Spinelli Group and Opening the Doors Psychotherapy. A former lawyer and Wall Street executive, she brings corporate experience and psychoanalytic training to her work with individuals, couples and business leaders. Her practice supports clients navigating significant life transitions, relationship challenges and workplace pressures. Through executive coaching and consulting, she helps leaders strengthen self-awareness, emotional intelligence and communication while addressing the relationship between professional performance and personal wellbeing. Spinelli completed advanced training at the National Institute for the Psychotherapies and holds coaching certification from the Coach Training Alliance. Her expertise has been featured in outlets including Forbes, Bloomberg and Business Insider. Across her therapy, coaching and speaking work, she focuses on helping people build healthier relationships and approach change with greater clarity.
Cheryl Meyer Cherylmhealthmuse
Wellness Educator | Health Coach | Author & Holistic Health Advocate
Cheryl Meyer is a woman who has overcome significant odds in her life. Prior to becoming what you know her as now, Cheryl M Health Muse was designing jewelry that graced the shelves of many of the country’s biggest retailers. Constant travel, stress, and a lack of sleep led to a point where her body began to break down, and Cheryl had to look into alternative ways of living.
She began reading medical journals and discovered Functional Medicine, where she began her quest for health optimization through nutrition, stress relief, exercise, nervous system performance, and toxicology, sharing her insights on her blog as she went through the process.
Cheryl sold her jewelry business to start her health coaching business and became certified by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She went on to write two award-winning books about eliminating toxins from one’s life and improving overall wellbeing. Presently, she shares her knowledge through various educational resources and is developing a new AI-powered platform that will make her life’s work more discoverable.
Olga Albaladejo Juarez
Wellbeing & Integrative Health Specialist | Author | Mentor
I spent 15 years leading international HR teams, achieving professional success while drifting away from the life I wanted. Then a car accident left me in a wheelchair and struggling to think clearly. As I recovered, I returned to my earliest calling: psychology. I opened my first practice in my living room.
Today, with more than 20 years of experience and 25,000 hours of client work, I specialize in wellbeing and integrative health. My 3Contigo method brings together science, practical daily action, and a sense of purpose. I have accompanied more than 1,000 people through personal and professional change, and I share that experience through mentoring, conferences, and two published books. I also host the Bienestar sin Parches podcast, contribute to radio programming each month, and co-host the television program Personas y Talento, where I explore how people and organizations can thrive.
Dr. Allyson Augusta Shrikhande, MD
Co-Founder, Pelvic Rehabilitation Medicine | Chief Medical Officer | Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Specialist
Dr. Allyson Augusta Shrikhande is a board-certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation specialist and the co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Pelvic Rehabilitation Medicine. Her own experience with persistent postpartum pelvic pain helped shape her commitment to patients whose symptoms are frequently overlooked or misunderstood. She co-founded the practice with Dr. Gautam Shrikhande and developed the PRM Protocol, an office-based approach to pelvic pain treatment. Her work brings together clinical care, research, and physician education, with a focus on conditions including endometriosis and pelvic floor dysfunction. Through multidisciplinary collaboration and patient education, Shrikhande advocates for earlier recognition, comprehensive assessment, and coordinated care. Her professional mission centers on listening to patients and improving how healthcare responds to chronic pelvic pain.
Aleia Simone, PMP, DASM
Project Management Professional | Operations Management Professional | Executive Council Project Manager
Aleia Simone is a project and operations management professional with more than a decade of experience across technology, telecommunications, and professional services. Her work includes leading initiatives across teams, developing systems that support organizational growth, and translating business goals into measurable outcomes. She brings experience in governance frameworks, operational improvement, and program delivery, with an emphasis on strengthening efficiency. Her involvement with PMI Chicagoland’s 2026 Leadership Forum includes serving as Executive Council Liaison and Executive Council Project Manager. Holding PMP and DASM credentials, Simone combines project management knowledge with practical operations experience to help organizations structure their work and move strategic priorities toward execution.
Anika Gandhi
Founder, Anika’s DIY Life | DIY Educator | Woodworker
Anika Gandhi is the founder of Anika’s DIY Life, an online platform helping beginners build confidence in woodworking, power tools, and home improvement. An electrical engineer turned entrepreneur, she brings an analytical approach to teaching practical, creative skills. Her journey began with building furniture for her daughter, eventually inspiring her to launch her DIY blog in 2016. Through approachable tutorials, Gandhi explains how tools work, why construction techniques matter, and how to solve problems during a project. Her work covers furniture building, foundational woodworking skills, and home improvements, encouraging readers to learn through practice. By making unfamiliar techniques easier to understand, she helps aspiring makers develop the knowledge and confidence to create useful pieces for their homes.
Julie Campbell
Co-Founder & President | Private Foundation Advisor | Nonprofit Board Member
Julie Campbell is the co-founder and president of Foundation Paths, an organisation that helps individuals and families establish and manage private foundations. Drawing on a 39-year banking career, she brings experience in financial strategy, governance and relationship management to philanthropy. Her work focuses on helping clients connect their charitable goals with practical structures for giving and long-term community support. Campbell has completed leadership and executive development programmes through Lapin International, the Consumer Bankers Association and PNC. Beyond her professional work, she serves on the boards of Passavant and St. Margaret Hospitals and the Passavant Hospital Foundation, supporting healthcare access and community wellbeing. Through Foundation Paths, she combines financial experience with a commitment to service, helping families build charitable legacies that reflect their values.
Lyndsay Morris, M.Ed.
Founder, Generation Wellness | Author | Keynote Speaker
Lyndsay Morris is the founder of Generation Wellness and author of Teach the Brain, Change the World. A former teacher and school counselor, she draws on her experience in education to help schools make well-being part of everyday learning. Her work translates brain science into practical strategies that support emotional regulation, stronger relationships, and resilience. Through keynote presentations, professional development, and educational resources, Morris equips educators, school leaders, counselors, and families with tools designed to address stress and encourage connection. Her approach emphasizes practices that can fit into busy school routines. At Generation Wellness, she continues to guide training and resources focused on creating supportive environments where students and the adults around them can thrive.