When Helen Russell, DMSB’88, studied in Snell Library nearly four decades ago, she never imagined she’d one day return as the co-founder of a $35 million coffee empire, or that she’d be fueling the entrepreneurial dreams of future students. But that’s the full-circle story unfolding through her company’s Legacy Blend partnership and Brewing Connections, a global initiative connecting entrepreneurs across the university’s network.
The 2025 Women Who Empower Summit on November 13 honored 31 innovators, celebrating human leadership, resilience and community in an AI-driven era.
Bella Wood, MPA’26, chose her family’s New Mexico cattle ranch over diplomacy and is now reimagining the future of American agriculture.
From personal healing to purpose, Lee Sowles, Marymount’06, MPH’13, Roux Founder Residency’25, launched Kind Mind to bring mindfulness and wellbeing practices to children, teachers and families.
Empallo, launched by Claire Beskin, a 2025 Innovator Fellow, offers faster, longer cardiology appointments through a virtual platform.
Drizzl combines weather data, soil sensors, and predictive technology to automatically control sprinklers and irrigation systems so that water is only used when it’s needed.
Northeastern student Anjali Laddha won an Innovator Award for helping Indian students boost careers with AI-driven tools.
Sarah Martins, a Northeastern University graduate, is building a speech therapy curriculum startup to help schools provide equal, effective support.
Northeastern graduate Ammy Lowney, who did not speak English when she came to the U.S. at 15, opens her eighth Juicygreens location on the Boston campus.
Stephanie Golik, a member of the Class of 2015, found success and felt energized after pivoting her career from architecture to product design and serial entrepreneurship.