We recently challenged , owner of the fine stationary stores, The Dandelion Patch, to ask her Facebook friends to describe her in one word. Responses ranged from: “High-energy, dynamic, driven and superwoman” to “fearless, hot, optimistic and fabulous.” What we found when we looked at all of the responses was that no one used the same word! Which is not surprising, since Heidi is all that and more. She is an über successful business owner, recently expanding from two stores (Vienna and Reston Town Center) to four (Georgetown and Leesburg). She is boss to 30 employees, wife to Joel and mom to son Ethan (11) and daughter Jordan (8). We were intrigued and wanted to know more:

One of the most challenging aspects of life as a modern mom is balancing work and family, but for Marla Grossman of Bethesda, Maryland, it’s one of the most rewarding. With a career she truly enjoys and two children she adores, Marla has been able to find a way to blend the two roles fairly seamlessly. Marla began her career as a lobbyist and government affairs attorney directly following her graduation from Harvard Law School. With her career path firmly established, she became a mother for the first time in 2001 with the arrival of her son, Sawyer. Daughter, Summer, joined their family just two years later and Marla started looking at her career a little differently.

There is no such thing as a “typical” day for Irene Natividad. Perhaps this is because she is not only the President of Global Summit of Women, a yearly conference attended by woman from all over the world, but also because she is the founder of GlobeWomen, her own public affairs firm in Washington, DC.

At the time of our interview, Laura Harders was seven months pregnant, balancing a rambunctious four-year old son on her hip, helping to run her husband’s business, preparing to attend a blogger’s conference, all the while scouring newspapers and websites for deals, Twittering and clipping coupons. Oh yes, and authoring a very successful blog about saving money.

Our Winter Cover Woman is now a MOM. Congratulations to Angie Goff and husband Robert Ellis on the birth of their daughter: Adora Kate Ellis born December 2, 2010 at 8:31!!!

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Imagine a little girl, growing up on an Army base in Seoul, South Korea. Her father, an American soldier, her mother, a petite Korean woman named Chin. As a teenager, the girl loved creative writing, but she always felt destined to be a soldier. When she was a teenager, her family moved to the United States, and her days of watching Seoul’s single syndicated television channel were over.

Who is the Chief Hot Momma? Oh, that's easy. She's a beauty who’s also dynamic, engaging, and making a difference. Meet Kathy Korman Frey, Founder of The Hot Mommas Project. Kathy, a D.C. native, started her first non-profit as an undergraduate student at the University of Virginia and subsequently earned her MBA from Harvard. Today, she is mom to two fantastic kids, wife and cheerleader to her entrepreneur husband, and “confidence guardian” to women and girls all over the world. Indeed, it's arguable that “dynamic” doesn't begin to adequately describe Kathy or her selfless ambitions.

Name: Heather Evans
Occupation: Intelligence Analyst, Department of Defense
City: Leesburg, VA
Traveled cities: London; Paris; Munich; Garmisch-Partenkirchen; Baghdad; Venice; Verona; Montreal; New York; San Francisco; Boston; Chicago and so many other great American cities!

Favorite things about I AM MODERN: Always entertaining, and occasionally provocative - I love the broad spectrum of issues that I AM MODERN covers. From family deals to fashion, there’s something for everyone in every issue. As a working mom, it keeps me up to date with everything I need for my career and family fun!
Favorite restaurant: For a casual family meal, we love to go to Blue Ridge Grill in Brambleton, where they always have exceptional service and yummy food! On our date nights, my husband and I pick somewhere like Tuscarora Mill or Lightfoot in downtown Leesburg. There are too many great options to pick just one!
Favorite place to hang out: During the warmer months, I love to sip cocktails on a patio, so I can partake in one of my favorite activities – people watching! But during those brutal winter months, you’ll find me nestled in a bookstore or curled up on the couch with my favorite little people…

About me:
I'm just a girl from Vermont, trying to navigate my way through the occasionally overwhelming lifestyle of a modern working mom. I met my British husband the "old fashioned" way - offline, in the service, and in another country after returning from a war. After years in the Army, we've finally settled in Leesburg, VA - and we're in love with the people we've met here. We have two brilliant and beautiful kids, who are the light of my life.

Name: Evgeniya (Jenny) Shtipelman

Occupation: Commercial Banker, Consultant

City: Washington DC

Traveled cities: Moscow (Russia); Budapest; Paris; London; Prague; Rome; Florence; New York; Boston; Miami and many more!

Favorite things about I AM MODERN: I love that I AM MODERN is so diverse in its appeal and information. It is a “one-stop-shop” for news, great deals, tips, events, reviews, etc. I AM MODERN helps busy women seamlessly balance their obligations no matter where they are in their life – and that is priceless!