Celebrating International Women’s Day with Dragonfly Strategists
Honoring the women who helped us become who we are
Each year, International Women’s Day stands as a reminder of our ongoing efforts to celebrate and uplift the achievements, contributions, and voices of women around the world.
With a women-led and primarily women-managed executive team, we at Dragonfly Strategists are constantly seeking new ways to support and encourage women both inside and outside of the workplace. This International Women’s Day, we would like to pay tribute to our women role models and the profound impacts they have had on our lives.
Join us as we celebrate this day dedicated to women’s wins by sharing the stories of the extraordinary women who have helped us become who we are today.
Read on to uncover the powerful narratives of these remarkable women who have left an impactful mark on the lives of our team members at Dragonfly.
The Inspiring Women Who've Shaped Our Team's Journey
Yvonne with her grandmother & family
Yvonne & Caryl Helsel
Yvonne Rangel
Job Title: Distribution Analyst
Role Models: Caryl Helsel & her grandmother
Yvonne named Caryl Helsel (Dragonfly’s founder and CEO) and her own grandmother, Maria Gutierrez, as her women role models.
"Caryl has the ability to see the unique qualities in people,” she said. “She also has a way of helping others see their unique qualities as super powers, in my opinion. She has taught me to not be afraid of this world we live in and to always keep pushing forward no matter the circumstances. We all suffer in this life and will continue to go through tough times. What amazes me about Caryl is that through all the downs, she has never let that stop her from giving to others by teaching and guiding them. She truly wants what is best for humankind. She strives every day to make this world a little better, and she truly achieves that.”
Yvonne also added that she was excited, honored, and “a little star-struck” to have Caryl at her wedding.
About her lovely grandmother and maternal figure, Yvonne said, “She had a huge part in raising me when I was younger and she was my safe place growing up. One of the things I learned from my grandma is showing love to others through our cooking. Her authentic Mexican food always brought us together at the dinner table. “My grandma has also faced many challenges and through these challenges she overcame,” Yvonne continued. “She always worked hard to provide for her family, including her grandchildren. She never really earned more than minimum wage but she always worked hard to make ends meet. She learned English as her second language to be able to communicate with her grandchildren and others. She wanted a better life for herself and her family, and my grandma has pushed hard to successfully live the American Dream. She has always given more than she takes and I am honored and blessed to call her my grandma."
Luke Varnell
Job Title: Distribution Coordinator
Role Models: His mother, English teacher, and NY legislator
Luke spotlighted three women who have shaped his life: his mother, Amanda Nelson Varnell, his English teacher, Grey Briggs, and NY legislator, Shirley Chrisholm.
"My mother has demonstrated to me what an entrepreneurial spirit, resilience, and leadership looks like in action, but also empathy, compassion, and hospitality,” Luke said. “I was by her side as she went from teaching a few hobby level cooking classes to expanding into a multimillion-dollar catering company that still managed to feel like a home for the people who worked there.”
He continued, “I was also there when, confronted with a pandemic that resulted in all the contracts for the year being canceled and the business being forced to close permanently, she paid the staff for an extra pay period to turn all our inventory into meals and donated them to the community. This has impacted both how I approach building my own career and how I view the community around the workplace.”
Luke and his mom, Amanda
Luke and his former English teacher, Grey Briggs, have stayed in touch over the years, and her influence has helped him grow on a personal level as well.
“Both through mentorship and just demonstrating those values daily, Grey Briggs has shown me how to connect with the world around me through the written word, how to navigate personal hardship while still showing up for my community, and the value of taking the time to enjoy life's small, mundane moments,” he said. “This has impacted so much of my personal life, it is hard to put into words, but in particular this has changed the way I used to rush through life and has helped center reading and writing as a hobby.”
Luke also pointed to the work of NY legislator Shirley Chrisholm as an ongoing inspiration to him. “Her life is a testament to the power of perseverance, commitment to one's ideals in the face of hardship, and how much one person can achieve in their lifetime,” he said. “She has inspired me to be active in my community, and she is one of the main reasons I have been so involved in various political campaigns and nonprofits."
Mairead & her mom
Mairead Hennessy
Job Title: VP, Operations Advisory
Role Models: Her mom
Like many of us, Mairead’s role model is her mom! The oldest of 8 siblings, Mairead’s mother came from a very modest life in Ireland, where she grew up on a dairy farm, before eventually moving to the United States in her 20’s.
“The reason my mom stands out as a role model is that she ran a successful restaurant for 38 years, raised 6 kids, and valued education, spirituality, and family above all,” Mairead said. “She turns 87 in April and has more spunk and grace than anyone I have ever met. She has an incredible business mind and is always thinking of ways to put herself back in business.” Mairead’s clearest lessons that she learned from her mother were to “be kind, but don’t be a pushover” and to “never take no for an answer when you know there is a way to YES.”
Amanda Massicotte
Job Title: VP, Marketing & Technology
Role Models: Her mom & Kelly Popp
Amanda’s role model is also her mom, a powerful career woman who worked her way up the ranks and encouraged Amanda to do the same: "She has been so aspirational in my personal career journey and pushed me to ‘climb the ladder.’ I am where I am today because of her.” She’s also my travel buddy, confidant, and partner in crime.
Amanda’s mom just retired this past month after being at the same company for 27 years, a rare feat in today’s world. “She retired after overseeing the entire consumer lending department for a large credit union, managing a portfolio of $6 billion,” Amanda explained. “She always exceeded her goals, helping the company produce $2.5 billion in loan originations in just one year, which was the company’s highest in its 85-year history. She also had the only third-party MVD office that was in a bank or credit union in the entire state of Arizona.
“I could go on, but she is impressive, to say the least,” Amanda said, “which inspires me to keep going and be a strong woman leader, especially in a space that's historically been male-driven."
Amanda also highlighted Kelly Popp as a strong female leader. Amanda and Kelly have been friends for seven years. They first met when Amanda became a client at SHR. Even though we started as business partners, our relationship has grown into a personal friendship. Amanda says, "Kelly is amazing, both at work and as a friend, and is one of the reasons I am where I’m at today. She is just a genuine, phenomenal person.”
Their friendship shows how supportive female bonds can be; built on trust, and supporting each other.
Amanda with her mom & partner in crime, Lisa
Amanda with Kelly & Caryl at a BLLA event
Caryl & Flo Lugli at a conference in Nashville
Caryl Helsel
Job Title: Founder & CEO
Role Models: Flo Lugli
Caryl highlighted her mentor, Flo Lugli, as her role model. The pair have had a strong bond since the 90s, with Flo supporting Caryl throughout every stage of her career, providing advice and cheering her along. “It was Flo who talked to me one day in Phoenix and encouraged me to start Dragonfly,” she said. “Without her encouragement, our entire company probably would not exist. I owe her the world.”
Caryl also spoke to the importance of women both finding mentors and becoming mentors for others. “I believe women in leadership and many of us who are older (like me!) should reach our hands out to those who are younger and encourage them, mentor them, and be the foundation for them to do more than they could imagine and quite frankly, more than we mature women leaders have ever accomplished in our careers. It is up to us to be ‘for’ each other - intentionally.”
Evelyne Oreskovich
Job Title: VP, Projects & Implementations
Role Models: The First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt
Evelyne highlighted the famous First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, as a powerful influence in her life. “She was fearless at a time when women were generally not in the public eye,” Evelyne explained. “She fought for her beliefs, often at odds with her husband's public political positions. She showed future First Ladies and other women on the world stage how to make a difference and influence policy makers to make the world a better place.
Evelyne also added: “Her strength and determination even after her husband's departure continued through her travels, public roles, and advocacy of human dignity, highlighted by her roles as a delegate to the UN after WW2 and chairperson of the committee that drafted the text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the UN in 1948.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
Who are your women role models?
We invite you to join us in celebrating this important day by honoring and uplifting the impactful women in your life as well.