Over the past 30 years, women have traditionally worked their way up the ladder. From politics to chemical engineering, it is no longer the case that men are sole breadwinners. Despite gender and/or racial biases in the workforce, reports indicate that women are surpassing men on economic levels. More women are eclipsing men as new hires, prompting them to be the sole income-earners of the household. According to the New York Times, women have held 49.1 percent of the nation’s jobs since November – a peak that is steadily on the rise. The following 10 professional madames have achieved greatness in male-dominated roles of business, politics, and aerospace to name a few:
Let’s give these professional women their due:
Nancy Pelosi
In the midst of power, male egos and politically-driven antics, Democratic incumbent Nancy Pelosi is one of the few women in mainstream politics who has taken a stand for and against every bill that has passed through Congress. A supporter of No Child Left Behind Act and health care reform, she is instrumental in diverging tactics between both parties in the U.S. and abroad. Not only is she one of the toughest forces in Washington, she has the Republicans/Democrats scared straight of her dominant persona as the first and only woman Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Hillary Clinton
Little did we know that a former First Lady would become our Secretary of State less than 10 years after leaving the White House! Chosen as one of the elite secretaries in Barack Obama’s administration, her political background speaks for itself. The Yale Law School graduate married to former president, Bill Clinton, was the first female Senator to represent the state of New York and strive onward as one of the prime dignitaries in public office. It’s a fact that her hands-on, tough exterior garners more acclaim than her predecessors!
Sonya Sotomayor
The media couldn’t keep her down for long. The first Hispanic woman appointed to the Supreme Court, counted her blessings before ascending to the highest court in the land. Her career is based on winning landmark cases and taking on high-profile cases such as the baseball strike of 1994, reproductive laws, as well as breaching opinions from both sides of the bench. She is largely instrumental in advocating for Hispanic rights and gender equality.
Ursula Burns
Forbes listed her as the 14th most powerful women in the world…an honor that puts many men to shame in her field. She is the first African-American woman to head up the Xerox Corporation which sits on an $18 billion enterprise. The Columbia University graduate serves on a number of professional and community boards incuding the MIT Corporation, and American Express. What’s evident is that this “head woman in charge” has broken rank in business.
Alysa Stanton
Her to path to the sanctuary is a story for the ages. The Jewish books can inscribe her name as the first black Rabbi female (who happens to head up a predominantly white congregation). Not long ago, she was ordained at the Congregation Bayt Shalom in Greenville, North Carolina to inspire other fellowshippers that women can be in control, despite their ethnic or gender makeup.
Lisa P. Jackson
The road to success wasn’t easy. For the first Black woman serving as an administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, she is one of a few who can describe what it took to strive against the odds in a profession driven by men. Before assuming office in Barack Obama’s cabinet, she sought public initiatives for New Jersey for six years…and led a team of staffers to protect, restore, and preserve the environment and water-based functions. She is a testament that any women or person of color can command a public operative.
Dr. Mae Jemison
You can hardly tell that at the tender age of 53, she embarked on stratospherical tasks that no other woman of color has accomplished before. In 1992, NASA decided that they needed someone with just as much credentials as she possessed to travel into space. Finally, the young physican got her wish to fly aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor, making her the first African-American woman to do so.
Jeanine Menze
Regarded as the first Black woman to take flight aboard a jet-setting aircraft, Menze holds a distinction more than that of her peers in training. The Lieutenant aviator may have put a maverick’s abilities to shame once she received her wings in 2005, as she is one of a handful of women taking a stand in the U.S Coast Guard. After graduating from Florida International University, she excelled as a flight instructor for a brief period, teaching other men and women the advanced methods of flying in midair.
Vernice Armour
The Marine Corp has a proud student in their grasp. This female military woman is the first Black woman to serve as combat pilot. Armour has controlled the steering wheel since day one of active duty. The Chicago native spent two tours in Iraqi Operation Freedom in the War of Iraq, and flew an AH-1W SuperCobra Attack helicopter – disregarding skepticism that a woman can battle on the frontlines as much as the average man. Yep…that’s our girl!
Indra Nooyi
PepsiCo’s successor is none other than a woman. Oops! Did we say that? Believe it or not, Nooyi currently lays down the gauntlet in international business ventures. Namely, the chairperson of PepsiCo Incorporated, she was recognized on Forbes’ list as one of the most influential women in the world. Her credentials suggest that she can go toe-to-toe with any man willing to take her position. Yes sir!
