The Ezell Images 40 and Over Project is an empowering initiative that celebrates the beauty, strength, and individuality of women aged 40 and over in the Reno, Sparks, and Lake Tahoe areas. This project aims to inspire women to embrace their unique stories and showcase their confidence through professional photography and personal narratives. In collaboration with the Nevada Women's Fund, Ezell Images has established The Ezell Images 40 and Over Scholarship.
Ida Loveall
Born in Brazil, Ida Loveall lived a very different early life than most of us are used to. The farm she called home didn’t have running water or electricity. “We lived in a tent made from bamboo. My mom made her pots from clay to cook our food over woodfires. Our clothes and shoes were made from coconut straw or bamboo,” she explains.
When Loveall was 13, her family moved into the city so she and her siblings could go to school. “When I started reading and writing, I started dreaming about having a better life and building a future,” she says. “At the age 26, I bought land and built my mom a house.” It was the first time her mother ever lived in a real house.
After meeting her husband, Loveall moved to the United States. She went to school to improve her English skills initially with the intention of it helping her mostly socially. As time has gone on, however, Loveall’s dreams expanded. Today, Loveall and her husband are business owners with nine employees. She also became an official U.S. citizen on Nov. 4, 2024.
“I am so proud,” Loveall says. “Today, I am an inspiration for my friends and family back in Brazil and they are very happy for everything I have accomplished.”
Sara Hendrickson
Taking risks is in Sara Hendrickson’s nature. “The fear of the unknown doesn’t scare me,” she says. “That said, I’m terrified of the endless feeling of not belonging and the concept of failing on my own goals and expectations.”
It took a journey of self-discovery for Hendrickson to ditch her low self-esteem and find success. “It wasn’t about finding myself per se, it was about proving that I was good enough, deserving of happiness, capable of pursuing my dreams, being successful.”
After moving to New York on a whim to pursue a career in book publishing—and enjoying a long and thriving career in the industry—Hendrickson decided to pursue her other passion, fashion, by opening her own store.
“The concept behind [Sierra Deene] came from a conversation I had over dinner with an old college friend,” she says. “We were discussing as woman age; they often start to feel invisible. We aren't young, we aren't old, we just are. I wanted to give women their power back. And what better way than through fashion.”
Flora Bessey
Facing challenges is just par for the course in Flora Bessey’s life, who describes her first challenge as being born female in 1970s-era Mumbai. Her life’s path seemed set in stone with arranged marriage and limited educational opportunities, but Bessey’s mom ensured she knew she could do anything she wanted.
After relocating to Chicago, Bessey was able to make her own decisions about her future, and those decisions sometimes led to uncertainty. She ultimately decided not to buck tradition completely, and pursued a career in pharmacy, a career path that had launched her family’s success in America.
“I managed to graduate with my doctorate in pharmacy, but was now facing another inflection point,” Bessey recalls. “Do I work in the lucrative (but monotonous) world of commercial pharmacy, or choose another way?”
As her mother’s daughter, Bessey chose to move to California and start her own pharmacy consulting business. After 20 years, a marriage, and two babies, Bessey pivoted to becoming in medical science liaison in commercial pharmaceuticals.
“Having relocated to Reno two-and-a-half years ago, I am ready for the next chapter, and challenge!”
Debbie McCarthy
“I am Debbie McCarthy, but many know me as About Town Deb,” McCarthy says. For the past decade, McCarthy has been carving her own space, with major roles in both the nonprofit world and media landscape.
Before launching her various business ventures, McCarthy overcame a lot. At 6 years old, she was adopted into her forever home. “Adoption gifted me a new beginning, a chance to embrace a life filled with love and opportunities,” she says. It also led her to find adoption again, this time adopting her first son after struggles with infertility.
“My childhood was marked not only by a new family but also by battles with stuttering and anxiety. These challenges, daunting as they were, taught me the value of resilience and the power of voice—both literally and metaphorically,” she says. “Overcoming these hurdles has been a defining part of my journey.”
After divorce and the death of her father, McCarthy continued to reinvent and fall in love with her life over and over again.
“My life, a vibrant mosaic of roles—adoptee, mother, caregiver, and professional—is a narrative of overcoming, adapting, and thriving,” McCarthy says. “My life stands as a testament to the fact that no matter the age, every chapter holds the promise of new beginnings and the potential for growth.”
Traci Biondi
Traci Biondi has dedicated her life to health. And not just to her own health, but to the health of strangers around her. “As a physician, I’ve learned that health isn’t just about the body—it’s the about the whole person—their experiences, their struggles, their triumphs,” she says.
Biondi’s goal became building a healthcare system that both listens and adapts, work she has continued since graduating medical school at University of Nevada, Reno and into her role as chief medical officer at Prominence Health.
“What really gets me excited? Connecting healthcare providers to solve community health challenges, making real differences in people’s lives,” she says.
But medicine isn’t the only passion that keeps Biondi going. It’s clear in her words that she’s also a woman of art, dedicating her time as the chair of the board of directors for Reno Little Theater and embracing her love of music, musical theater, and Northern Nevada arts.
“Life, to me, is a colorful canvas we’re all painting together,” Biondi says. “Every experience we have? That’s a new brushstroke. And those tough times we push through? They’re like the bold lines that give the whole picture more depth and character.”