Name: Heather Prouty Engen

Occupation: Aspiring Photographer

City: Ashburn, VA

Traveled cities: I’ve been fortunate to have traveled quite a bit in Europe, Africa and the US. One of my favorite cities to visit was probably Rome because of the rich history.  And the delicious Italian cuisine didn’t hurt.

Name: Stefanie Nicole Ball

Occupation: Public Relations and Marketing Director of Union of Angels,a clothing line sold in St. Barth and Washington DC

City: Washington DC

Traveled cities: Paris, Stockholm, Milan, Portofino, New York, Miami,Los Angeles and many more!

What do Princess Diana, Edward R. Murrow, Humphrey Bogart and Mother Theresa have in common? They are all on Lauren Ashburn's fantasy dinner party guest list. "I love to cook and I always try to invite an interesting mix of people to my dinner parties," she says. If Lauren looks familiar, it's because she has spent the past ten years working in the news business (and still makes guest appearances on CNN). Last December, Lauren gave up her high profile job to "rev it down - to work on my own terms on my own schedule." She made such dramatic changes in her life that Lauren calls 2010 her "healing year."

You would think that running a major research firm with 90 employees so close to our nation’s capital would mean that Kathleen Benson sacrificed family for the sake of her wildly successful career. You’d be wrong.

While working full-time for a small company in the 1980s Kathy decided there had to be more; as in more fulfilling work that would bring enjoyment while allowing her to have a family and be involved in their lives. A balance. “It’s been a hysterical road to success,” says Kathy with a chuckle, “I started this company in a McDonald’s on the back of a napkin.”

Nice shoes, a great bag and no drama. That is not only the name of a popular blog written by Leigh Macdonald, it is also her philosophy: that life is to be experienced and savored, that endings lead to beginnings and that lessons are learned at every step. Leigh has worn many attractive shoes (literally and figuratively) in her life. But it is in her role as a writer, both for IAM and for her own blog, that she has had the opportunity to slip into a really comfortable role. When Leigh was nominated to be featured as an IAM Woman, we figured: who best to write that story? We hope you agree. - I Am Team

Keeping numbers balanced in her professional day job as a financial analyst at the World Bank and creating dance numbers in her moonlighting position as the co-founder of the Kardelen Turkish Dance Ensemble in Washington, D.C. proves neither brains nor beauty suffer in this marriage of passionate dichotomies for Demet Cabbar. What’s more, Cabbar balances several other prestigious positions. One in particular is that of the President of the American Turkish Association for her enthusiastic role in mobilizing and engaging the Turkish American Community in the D.C. Metropolitan Area. Demet definitely takes multi-tasking to a whole new level. She strikes a lovely balance between her new world here and her beloved homeland, Turkey. Cool and classy, she is a powerhouse of energy. Her list of accomplishments reads like a “Who’s Who in DC.”

Each morning, she packs her daughter’s lunch, does her own hair and make-up and makes her way to her office and pod, which is covered in push-pinned memorabilia and family photos. Sounds like a normal morning routine, yes? Not really. It starts at 2:55 a.m. Kimberly Suiters is that girl, the one who seemingly has everything. An intriguing career as a television journalist and published author. A kind-hearted and curious elementary-age daughter, who incidentally would prefer that her mom be a “baby doctor” instead of a television journalist. And an engaging love story with her husband. Kimberly is beautiful and an ultimate achiever, yet she lacks any air of pretentiousness and instead demonstrates striking humility. She readily downplays her many accomplishments and even notes that “so much is serendipity.” Kimberly grew up in Northern Virginia, where she spent countless childhood hours performing mock newscasts for her family.

It was 1988 and Victoria Ugincius had just graduated from high school. She was feeling patriotic and, unlike her siblings who had gone on to college, wanted to see the world and ‘do something different.’ Joining the Navy for a 4-year stint seemed like it would give her exactly what she was looking for. Besides, there was a challenge, “there were not a lot of women when I first joined.”