Sandra Ali Breaking barriers
Sandra Ali is an award-winning anchor and reporter for WDIV Local 4 News who has made several regular network appearances on Fox, CNN and others. Born in New York City, she spent the early part of her childhood in Egypt. Sandra has been honored with several prestigious awards, including a Michigan Association of Broadcasters Award for Excellence. When she’s not working, she spends her free time with her family, including four young children.
BCL Who inspires you?
SA I’m so grateful to have been raised in a family full of strong, fearless, independent women. As a young girl, even though I was raised in a melting pot, there weren’t a lot of women on TV I could relate to; I didn’t see many with frizzy hair or olive skin. The women in my family didn’t sugarcoat things; no one pretended barriers didn’t exist, they just showed me how to work hard enough to break through.
BCL What advice would you give to the next generation of female influencers?
SA It’s the same advice I give to my 9-year-old daughter, whether she wants to hear it or not. I want her to know her worth — truly know that no matter what she accomplishes or achieves, or what kinds of awards or trophies she wins or doesn’t win, it will never determine your worth and who you are. All of us are born worthy with special gifts to share. The magic is in finding out what those gifts are and being brave enough to show others what we can accomplish.
BCL As a female leader, what is your philosophy?
SA This past year I adopted the philosophy that no matter what kind of obstacles I face, I was going to lead with love. It’s not always easy, and at times it can be really exhausting. I’ve accepted there’s a real harmonious flow both in your personal life and your career path. Sometimes you are on top of the world, and other times, you find yourself in a valley. The secret is believing there’s real value in both.
Lori Lipten Shining her love-light
As early as age eight, Lori Lipten knew her soul’s purpose was to “come to the earth to teach the world to love more.” Holding a master of art’s degree in clinical and humanistic psychology, the shamanic medium, author and spiritual guide brings insights and messages from loved ones in Spirit and Divine Messengers to heal, inspire and empower.
BCL Who inspires you?
LL I have been inspired by so many people in this life, especially those who have faced adversity and found their way through with love. I am profoundly inspired by Viktor Frankl, Anne Frank and Immaculee Ilibagiza because these powerful individuals have faced the worst of humanity and still managed to remain connected to their hearts' compassion and see the good in others. I am equally inspired by the clients I see daily.
BCL What advice would you give the next generation of female influencers?
LL Above all, I would say, listen to your intuition and be authentic. Use your voice as a beacon for truth. Leave your world better than you found it.
BCL As a female leader, what is your philosophy?
LL We are far more capable than we have been raised to believe. We are divinity living in plain clothes. We are meant to awaken to our multi-sensory abilities so that our soul's purpose and gifts can shine forth and create a better world. Every time we honor our intuition, we enhance our life and serve the highest good of life. My personal philosophy is to live, serve and shine my love-light wherever I go.
Lori Karbal Pushing the limits
From the moment she opened the doors to her eponymous Birmingham boutique 30 years ago, Lori Karbal’s creation has been an unmatched local treasure and a haven for the who’s who of suburban Detroiters. What began as a cosmetics emporium has transitioned over the years into a fabulous hotspot for housewares, clothing, books, gifts and more – and Karbal’s has become a household name.
BCL Who inspires you?
LK Growing up, I appreciated that my parents had fine taste. Although we had different styles, I always respected theirs. Another real inspiration was Barneys New York. I loved how they pushed the limits and had out-of-the-box thinking that was anything but ordinary.
BCL What advice would you give the next generation of female influencers?
LK My customers are my greatest gift. They aren't people who walk through the door to purchase items, they are my friends and it’s important to treat everyone in a personal manner. We influence by being gracious. My biggest motto would be “take a chance and stand out.” At the store, we take chances regularly with one-of-a-kind items that can transform a room.
BCL As a female leader, what is your philosophy and/or the most significant barrier in your career?
LK The biggest barrier was the pandemic. We had to pivot and adjust the way we did business. My philosophy is that it’s important to not get stuck into one way of thinking. When something isn’t working, it’s important to go forward and try new things, push the limits and not focus on what’s not working, but figure out what is.
Kacee Must Supporting mental health
Grounded in Vedic philosophy, Kacee Must opened the original Citizen Yoga in Michigan as a means to equip people with necessary and effective coping mechanisms to support mental health. She is a former TEDx speaker, a graduate of Goldman Sachs' 10,000 Small Businesses program and a member of Crain’s 40 under 40. She leads seminars and is a guest speaker on multiple podcasts. Her alignment-based yoga classes focus on self-expression and exploration.
BCL Who inspired/inspires you and why?
KM After struggling with mental health issues and losing my sister Miya to suicide, I moved to India for three years. My sister’s death gave me the momentum to move there, study Vedic philosophy and inspired me to learn about the power of purpose, which gave me a deeper understanding about choice.
BCL As a female leader, what is your philosophy and/or the most significant barrier in your career?
KM When I first started my business, I felt a genuine lack of support from women. But within the last 10 years, that has shifted and women have become my greatest allies. When the pandemic hit, many of my female teachers had to leave and take care of their kids. So we pivoted and went digital. Now more than ever we feel deeply committed to using our yoga platform to support mental health.
Ingrid Tighe Putting people first
As the director of economic development for Oakland County, Ingrid Tighe oversees business development, international business development, international business attraction, community development and veteran services. She served from 1988-2005 with the 1st Infantry Division in Germany participating in NATO peacemaking operations in Macedonia and Kosovo and later with the 1st cavalry divisor leading troops in 2004 to 2005 in the combat zone of Baghdad, Iraq.
BCL What advice would you give to the next generation of female influencers?
IT Pursue your passion and purpose in life with relentless energy. You are likely to be more successful at something if it excites you and interests you. And remember that success takes constant effort over time. As the adage goes, ‘Small things, done consistently, add up to big things in the long run.’
BCL As a female leader, what is your philosophy?
IT My philosophy over the course of my career in leadership, in the military and in government is to always put first the people in my organization and whom I serve. Take care of your employees, treat others with respect, act with honesty and integrity, communicate clearly and often, bring your authentic self to every situation, and listen.
Lois Shaevsky Giving tirelessly
Lois Shaevsky is a force in philanthropy, helping out more than 25 organizations and nonprofits across Southeast Michigan for more than four decades. She has impacted more than 25 organizations -- including the Detroit Historical Museum, Detroit Pubic Television, Detroit Zoological Society, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, Mary H. Weiser Food Allergy Center, Oakland University, William Beaumont Hospital, and more -- as a board member, advisory committee member, event co-chair, and other capacities. In 2021, she received the Variety Heart Award from Variety — The Children’s Charity.
BCL Who inspired/inspires you and why?
My mother inspired me. She was always so appreciative of everyone that extended themselves to her as a newcomer in Detroit and in return did the same. She was also very active in charities. I am also inspired by Sandy Pierce, who started as a bank teller and rose to become head of a bank while raising her three children; and Linda Schlesinger Wagner, who started Skinny Tees from scratch and is now a million-dollar business that sells all over the world.
BCL What advice would you give to the next generation of female influencers?
LS Be passionate about your goals and objectives. Be open to new ideas. The world is changing and they will have to adapt to it.
BCL As a female leader, what is your philosophy and/or the most significant barrier in your career?
LS The barriers now are dropping between men and women rapidly. This is creating more opportunities for women to be judged strictly on merit, not just fulfilling some diversity goals. It is always important to be open to listen to others and not be set in your ways.
