In this episode we speak with President and CEO of the UConn Foundation, Amy Yancey - a powerhouse in higher education philanthropy who most recently launched the largest fundraising campaign in UConn’s history: the $1.5 billion Because of UConn initiative that just experienced a $720M raise which exceeded their initial launch goal. Congratulations to Amy, her team, and UConn!

Amy leads all philanthropic fundraising, alumni relations, and endowment investments for the University of Connecticut—including all campuses, UConn Health, and Athletics. She also serves on President Radenka Maric’s senior leadership team.

Before UConn, Amy held senior fundraising leadership roles at Boston College, the University of Virginia, Penn State, and the University of Tennessee, where she earned a bachelors in philosophy and a masters in plant sciences and agricultural economics. Her work has led to over $15B raised in support of scholarships, faculty, research, and more.

But Amy's leadership story goes far beyond dollars raised. From navigating male-dominated spaces to modeling bravery for her daughter, Amy offers a masterclass in pragmatic, purposeful leadership—and what it truly takes to thrive at the top.

This conversation is packed with real talk, strategic insight, and powerful reflection on what it means to lead with integrity, vision, and heart.

🧠 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How Amy raised $15.1B (and why she measures success in impact, not ego)
• Why she walked away from a decade-long role and how she modeled bravery for her daughter.
• The surprising truth about mentorship vs. sponsorship
• How to move from performance to influence in male-dominated industries
• Practical tips on asking for more—and getting paid what you’re worth

Make sure you listen all the way through, because Amy shares her deeply reflective and candid insights around the evolution of true inclusivity and equity in our society. If you’re feeling stuck, I promise, you’ll want to adopt her mindset on unlimited abundance

Enjoy the show and Stay Driven!

Follow Amy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanceyai/

Learn more about the UConn Foundation: https://www.foundation.uconn.edu/

Book a complimentary strategy call with Erin: https://erinsmithexecutivecoach.youcanbook.me/

Nominate a Driven Woman:

https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/nominateadrivenwoman

Connect with Erin Smith directly: erin@drivenbeyondexcellence.com

Download Erin’s free ebook: https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/ebook

You don’t need an Ivy League degree to rise to the top. You need clarity, courage—and the right kind of leadership.

Meet Julie, a powerhouse in private equity real estate. From investment banking analyst to Chief Investment Officer at CBRE Investment Management, she now co-leads a $34B portfolio and a team of 140 professionals.

She was recently named 2023 North American Industry Figure of the Year by PERE. But that’s not why this episode is so special.

I had the honor of being her Executive Leadership Coach in 2024—and what unfolded in our coaching sessions was nothing short of transformational.

🎙 In this episode:

• The feedback that shocked her—and became a turning point
• Her raw perspective on gender and success
• How Gandalf (yes, that Gandalf) changed her leadership style
• And why authenticity isn’t a buzzword, it’s a performance strategy

Julie’s story is proof that you don’t have to conform to succeed. You just have to own who you are—and lead like you mean it.

👇 Listen now. You won’t forget this one.

LINKS:

Connect directly with Julie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-julianna-ingersoll-a04a5b8

Book a complimentary strategy call with Erin: https://erinsmithexecutivecoach.youcanbook.me/

Nominate a Driven Woman:

https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/nominateadrivenwoman

Connect with Erin Smith directly: erin@drivenbeyondexcellence.com

Download Erin’s free ebook: https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/ebook

This episode of The Driven Women Project Podcast is not just for mothers—it’s for any woman who has ever questioned society’s definition of success.

If you’ve ever felt pressure to conform to someone else’s definition of success, this episode will reframe everything.

In this episode, I sit down with Neha Ruch, the founder of Mother Untitled, a movement redefining the way we view stay-at-home motherhood. Neha’s work has caught the attention of Oprah, Drew Barrymore, Kourtney Kardashian, Mandy Moore, and more, and her new book, The Power Pause, is changing the narrative around career breaks for women.

We talk about:

🔥 What it really means to be a driven woman

🔥 How to own your decisions—whether that means focusing on career, family, or both

🔥 The biases that women face when re-entering the workforce—and how to overcome them

🔥 Why pausing is not giving up, and how to preserve your career optionality

🔥 How to have financial conversations with your partner before stepping away from work

Connect with Neha and her movement here:

THE POWER PAUSE BOOK!! BUY HERE

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nehaleelaruch/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/motheruntitled/?hl=en

Website: https://www.motheruntitled.com/

Links: https://linkin.bio/motheruntitled/

If you want help with your own career shift, consider reaching out to Erin, an Executive Leadership Coach who has helped countless women make career transitions or come back to work after her own Power Pause.

Book a complimentary strategy call with Erin: https://erinsmithexecutivecoach.youcanbook.me/

Nominate a Driven Woman:

https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/nominateadrivenwoman

Connect with Erin Smith directly: erin@drivenbeyondexcellence.com

Download Erin’s free ebook: https://live.thedrivenwomenproject.com/ebook