In Context: Women on the Rise Honorees
Meet our Women on the Rise Honorees. Each of these women has contributed to helping realize America’s enduring promises of freedom, independence, and opportunity. We are shining a light on their impact and celebrating their efforts.
Meet Nesrine Mbarek, our Women on the Rise honoree in the Rising Voice category!
Originally from Gafsa, Tunisia, Nesrine is emerging as a Rising Voice in education, gender equality, and activism. In her work with IIEP-UNESCO, she supports Ministries of Education in countries including South Africa, Colombia, Jordan, Chad, Mauritania, Ghana, and Madagascar to advance financial reforms that create more equitable, gender-responsive education systems.
In her work, Nesrine develops and implements financial reforms that help education systems become more equitable, with a focus on gender. For example, she developed a procedural manual to mainstream gender equality within Chad’s education system—demonstrating her commitment to shaping a more just and inclusive future.
A Stanford and Harvard graduate, Nesrine applies her expertise to expanding education and equity across the globe.
Join us in celebrating Nesrine as a rising voice for advancing educational equity across the globe.
Learn More and Support
UNESCO IIEP: iiep.unesco.org
LinkedIn: Nesrine Mberek
Know a woman making an impact? Nominate her for our Women on the Rise series: incontextnow.com/women-rising-collection
Meet Shawn Reilly Simmons, our Purpose-Driven Leader honoree!
Shawn is the Owner, Publisher, and Managing Editor of Level Best Books, an independent press publishing crime fiction, true crime, fantasy, YA, and more. She’s leading with purpose to advance freedom and inclusion in publishing by uplifting underrepresented voices, including women and older writers often overlooked by larger publishers.
With a roster of 230 authors, Shawn has created a space where diverse stories can be shared, valued, and celebrated.
Join us in celebrating Shawn’s commitment to purpose-driven leadership in publishing.
Learn more:
Link to website: Level Best Books
On Instagram: @levelbestbooks
In Context: Women on the Rise Nominees
Meet our Women on the Rise Nominees. Each of these women has contributed to helping realize America’s enduring promises of freedom, independence, and opportunity. We are shining a light on their impact and celebrating their efforts.
Meet Nesrine Mbarek, our Women on the Rise honoree in the Rising Voice category!
Originally from Gafsa, Tunisia, Nesrine is emerging as a Rising Voice in education, gender equality, and activism. In her work with IIEP-UNESCO, she supports Ministries of Education in countries including South Africa, Colombia, Jordan, Chad, Mauritania, Ghana, and Madagascar to advance financial reforms that create more equitable, gender-responsive education systems.
In her work, Nesrine develops and implements financial reforms that help education systems become more equitable, with a focus on gender. For example, she developed a procedural manual to mainstream gender equality within Chad’s education system—demonstrating her commitment to shaping a more just and inclusive future.
A Stanford and Harvard graduate, Nesrine applies her expertise to expanding education and equity across the globe.
Join us in celebrating Nesrine as a rising voice for advancing educational equity across the globe.
Learn More and Support
UNESCO IIEP: iiep.unesco.org
LinkedIn: Nesrine Mberek
Know a woman making an impact? Nominate her for our Women on the Rise series: incontextnow.com/women-rising-collection
Meet Shawn Reilly Simmons, our Purpose-Driven Leader honoree!
Shawn is the Owner, Publisher, and Managing Editor of Level Best Books, an independent press publishing crime fiction, true crime, fantasy, YA, and more. She’s leading with purpose to advance freedom and inclusion in publishing by uplifting underrepresented voices, including women and older writers often overlooked by larger publishers.
With a roster of 230 authors, Shawn has created a space where diverse stories can be shared, valued, and celebrated.
Join us in celebrating Shawn’s commitment to purpose-driven leadership in publishing.
Learn More
Link to website: Level Best Books
On Instagram: @levelbestbooks
Meet Trisha (T.M.) Blanchet, our Women on the Rise honoree in the Community Uplifter category!
Trisha is the founder of Operation Delta Dog, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to rescue shelter dogs and train them as service dogs for veterans with PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, and related conditions. Since 2013, Operation Delta Dog has placed more than 100 rescued dogs with veterans in New England—giving dogs the loving homes they need, and veterans the help they deserve.
But that’s not all Trisha does to uplift her community. She is also the author of The Neath Trilogy: Herrick's End, Herrick's Lie, and Herrick's Key. She produces and hosts A Mighty Blaze Podcast, bringing weekly interviews with authors to listeners everywhere. Before all this, Trisha was a reporter, editor, and award-winning humor columnist, and she’s a proud graduate of the Newhouse School at Syracuse University and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Learn More and Support:
Operation Delta Dog: operationdeltadog.org
Learn more about Trisha: TMBlanchet.com
On Instagram: @t.m.blanchet
On Threads: @t.m.blanchet
TikTok: @tmblanchet
Facebook: facebook.com/tmblanchet