Amber Ezell started the 40 Over 40 project in 2022, showcasing local women over the age of 40 who are killing it in their respective fields. Each participant shares her story and gets a professional photo shoot at the Ezell Images studio where they can feel beautiful and powerful.
The goal is not only to celebrate the women who participate in the project but to empower women everywhere, leading with the message that it’s never too late. You’re never too old, too tired, or too irrelevant to make a difference in both your life and the lives of those around you.
A book compiling all of the women’s photo shoots and stories is put out annually and 100 percent of the proceeds benefit the Ezell Images 40 and Over Scholarship in collaboration with the Nevada Women's Fund, which benefits women over the age of 40 who want to further their education.
Since 2024, City Lifestyle has shared a sampling of these women’s stories, celebrating female power, local entrepreneurship, bad*ssery, and more.
Starting Over
Some women included in the project have experienced a sort of catharsis. Whether after a significant loss, battle with health, or dissolution of a marriage, women over 40 often find themselves in a new place in their lives, and they have to not only navigate the day to day but also decide how they are going to show up going forward.
Cali Vicknair says she experienced an implosion of her life in 2022 after getting divorced. At the same time that she was ending her 20-year marriage, her career was in turmoil, and she was downsizing. Now on the other side, she lovingly calls this stage of life her “Phoenix Era,” rising from the ashes to become something new, powerful, and beautiful.
Debra Verdi also experienced a divorce that threw her life into a tailspin. Working as an executive assistant to the chief navigator of the Space Shuttle Program at Rockwell International, she was suddenly not only navigating a high-powered career but also raising two children on her own. She moved into financial advising and has since retired and sold her business. Today, Verdi gushes about her husband, who she married in 2020 after being single for 30 years.
It’s Coming up Confidence
Many women who participate in the project note past feelings of not being enough.
Kelli Anne Viloria says, “As a young girl, I would have never imagined the possibility and privilege of getting to be a lawyer and help others the way I do since I struggled with confidence and a sense of significance in the world.”
Viloria didn’t just build her own confidence; she uses her past experiences to empower clients—male and female—as they navigate family court. “Knowing that my work has contributed something good to another person’s life motivates and fulfills me.”
A Lifetime of Roles
Most women don’t serve just one role in their lives. Many wear more hats than feels fathomable. Kiemmy Thai details her life as full, citing a full-time career, raising her children, volunteering at schools, and being a present mother. “I never felt extraordinary,” she says. “Life wasn’t hard; it simply required commitment and showing up when it mattered.” But sometimes that’s the most extraordinary part of it all.
She says her greatest strength comes from the women around her, her mother and sisters. She also credits her Chinese heritage and the values instilled in her with the life she leads today. “As I reflect, I measure my success by what truly matters: the grounded young men my sons have grown into; watching my parents, now approaching their 80s, surrounded by love; and my husband, whose, partnership, trust, and unwavering support have carried me through every chapter of my life.”
The Present is Female
Women are fierce and this project celebrates just that. Dr. Persephone Crittenden owns Peak Neuropsychology in Reno helping clients to navigate ADHD, autism, and cognitive change. She’s passionate about research on the brain and also understands firsthand the importance of diagnosis and treatment.
Christine Matlock is standing in her power, and she isn’t mincing words. “I’m a wife, a mom to three adult kids, a business owner, and a professional figure-it-out-er. My life is a mix of big goals, big love, and big calendar energy.”
Matlock owns Prosperity Concierge LLC to help other business owners get their financials and operations in order. She also has a hand in Wire Me Electric.
Beyond Themselves
Most of the women in this project have another attribute in common—they aren’t just pulling themselves up, they’re bringing others with them. Through philanthropy, community involvement, and mentorship, they’re sharing what they’ve learned with those around them, making Reno—and the world—a better place.
“After 40 I’ve realized two important truths: I can run businesses, raise humans, and keep a household alive… but I still sometimes lose my phone while I’m holding it,” – Christine Matlock