We all need a source of inspiration… something or someone that helps motivate us to get up out of bed each day, to keep us going even when things get tough, and to remind us to never give up. When we asked the finalists of the 2017 WIT Leadership Awards Large Market Sector Finalists who inspired them, we found a common theme that hit close to home. In fact, the answer was found in their own homes – their own mothers and daughters. Read what a few of the finalists had to say about the inspiration they found in their own families.

Teresa Carroll-Childers, Director of CSC’s Global Infrastructure Services: her mother.
“My mother worked her way up to an elected role in government as a Democrat in a Republican county.”

Lynne Chamberlain, VP of Business Development at Red Hat: her daughter.
“My daughter has been one of my greatest inspirations and is an exceptional example of someone who works hard and has amazing drive and passion. When she was 13, I took her to the Newseum, where she held a microphone for the first time and told me she wanted to be a sports broadcaster. It is incredibly inspiring to watch a young woman achieve exactly what she set out to do – she is now a college football broadcaster for ESPN.”

Nazzic Keene, SAIC Sector President: her mother.
“I have always been inspired by my mother; she is one of the strongest and most courageous women I know and has had a huge impact on my life’s decisions and direction.  She taught me many things, but one learning I rely on frequently is that the best, most difficult decisions in life come as a result of using your head, your heart, and your gut.”