2025 NJBIZ Leading Women in Business: A Night of Celebration for ICF New Jersey Members
Posted by Sue - Admin on Sep. 17, 2025 / Subscribe 0
On August 19th at The Palace at Somerset Park, Carmela O’Flaherty and I stood with New Jersey’s business community to celebrate the 2025 NJBIZ Leading Women in Business. It was a memorable moment to cheer on our ICF New Jersey Charter Chapter family, Dana Lynn Bernstein and Dr. Mindy L. Gewirtz, whose leadership I admire every day. Following an open nomination process, a panel of independent judges evaluated hundreds of submissions using a point-based system to select 66 New Jersey’s leading women in business. The winners ranged from a diverse range of professions, industries and backgrounds. Full list of honorees: NJBIZ.
The evening’s atmosphere was filled with pride as names were called, and stories were shared. As I listened to their vignettes, insights and experiences, a quote by Michelle Obama about the true meaning of success flooded my mind. “Success isn’t about how much money you make. It’s about the difference you make in people’s lives,” she said. The “difference makers” received lots of cheers, hugs, and respect for the amazing, purposeful impact made in business and the community throughout New Jersey. It was a memorable experience to be part of.
Here are Dana's and Mindy’s inspiring stories:
Spotlight: Dana Lynn Bernstein, Principal, Dare to Live Brave, East Brunswick
Dana Lynn Bernstein, founder and principal of Dare to Live Brave, LLC, is a conflict resolution coach and soft skills trainer who helps people manage conflict, build confidence in difficult conversations, and navigate uncertainty. Her East Brunswick-based company serves clients across various industries with 100% of employees located in New Jersey.
Dana holds a bachelor's degree in communication with a concentration in professional speech from Rider College and a master's degree in dispute resolution from Montclair State University. She maintains several professional certifications, including certified meeting professional, project management professional, and professional certified coach from the International Coaching Federation. A prolific content creator, Dana has produced nine PMI webinars, titled “Mastering the Art of Human-ness in Project Management: Serving Others Through Powerful Communication,” which have garnered over 53,000 views since March 2020. She published 30 articles on contracts and negotiations between 1995 to 2007 and released her active book “It’s the Thought that Counts: Mastering the Art of You vs You” in 2025.“I started my career as a medical meeting planner in my early 20s in a small organization with large requests,” she said. She expanded from planning meetings to creating hotel contract additions and production timelines.
Dana's community involvement includes 15 years with Girl Scouts and the Girl Scout Service Unit Leadership Team. She said, “My desire is for women to strengthen their internal toolkit, operating according to their values, and reduce unnecessary thought weight.”
Spotlight: Dr. Mindy L. Gewirtz, President, Collaborative Networks, Clifton
Dr. Mindy Gewirtz serves as president of Collaborative Networks. She has built her career on resilience, leadership, and adaptability. As the first woman in her family to graduate from college, she navigated a dual-career family while embracing an adaptive work-life approach rather than chasing balance.
Mindy scaled her executive, leadership, and career coaching firm to seven-figure revenue, driving people and community impact. She empowers clients to navigate complexity, gain clarity, and adapt to the evolving demands of work and life. Her coaching firm serves leaders, teams, and organizations to thrive amid change, with clients including Citi, LVMH, L’Oréal, and the FAA. A thought leader, Gewirtz has co-authored four best-selling books 2021, including “Conversation Secrets,” “Cracking the Rich Code Volumes 11 and 14,” and “Taking the Leap.” She has also contributed five chapters on leadership, change, and learning.
Her community impact extends beyond business. She created Chervat Chesed, Loving Kindness, which provides support for synagogue families, including women giving birth and people sitting Shiva. When funding was denied, she built an infrastructure that sustained itself, transforming a simple gesture into a thriving movement.
“The recognition came when people began to knock on the door for different reasons in the last five years,” Gewirtz said. “Like a long- simmering sauce, the flavors have come together, and the timing is right, she noted describing her realization of playing at the top of her field.
Congratulations Dana and Mindy on behalf of ICF New Jersey! Your recognition is a win and inspiration to those who believe success is measured by the lives we touch.
Dorisse Shakir-Ullah
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