(how female energy and talent is powering the Magic City)
read the bios of women making a difference
Name: Kristie Lyons
Occupation: Owner of Lyons Electrolysis & Lashes. Lyons is an electrologist and a lash artist.
Work History: Prior to becoming a small business owner, she spent 15 years as a project manager in the commercial lighting industry.
Community involvement: She gives away free treatments to various organizations and a scholarship in honor of her late mother each year to help those who need electrolysis and can’t afford it.
Bio: BA from Virginia College. Born in Birmingham. Grew up in Trussville. Married to Nicholas Lyons. One daughter, Hope Underwood, also an employee. Son is Landyn Martin. Recipient of the Best of Vestavia Hills 2019 for Health & Beauty Industry.
Name: Helen McTyeire Drennen
Occupation: Agent, RealtySouth – Cahaba Office
Work History: Among the top 1% of all agents serving the Birmingham MLS area, Helen loves what she does and her enthusiasm is infectious. Having spent more than a decade as a commercial banker, she brings a depth of expertise not commonly found in the residential real estate market. Her interest in the aesthetic combined with her understanding of finance combines for a powerful combination.
Community involvement: Mountain Brook Parks and Recreation Board Member; Linly Heflin Scholarship Committee. Long time member and past President of Red Mountain Garden Club. Proud mother of two grown daughters, Evelyn (preschool teacher at Webster Christian School) and Virginia (real estate division of Blackstone in NYC)
Details: Consistently in the Top 5 in sales of over 800 RealtySouth agents; Ranked in the Top 1% in Birmingham Area sales.
Name: Annette Springer
Occupation: CEO of Springer Equipment Company and Southfork Lift Truck.
Career: “My career in the forklift industry started in 1973 at Brungart Equipment Company. My husband, Ted Springer, and I decided to start a forklift company in 1992. At the time we only had one employee. We have since grown to 62 employees and revenue of $25 million. We represent seven major material handling equipment manufacturers. In 2014 Southfork Lift Truck in Nashville, Tennessee started with 15 employees, revenue of $5 million and representation of five major manufacturers.
Community involvement: Yearly sponsor of Habitat for Humanity and member of the United Way’s Tocqueville Society
Bio: Born in Henderson, Tennessee. Attended Blue Mountain College. Annette and husband, Ted Springer, have three children, Jennifer Dickson, Tasha Heinze and Tommy Springer; and three grandchildren, Cole Heinze, Elle Heinze and Maddox Springer.
Name: Gina Hurry
Occupation: Studio Artist; Founder, CEO InSpero Birmingham.
Work History: A lifelong studio artist with a heart to encourage other creatives to believe their work matters and to use their gifts for the common good.
Community involvement: This organic way of living out the mission of InSpero is a mix of: Inviting, pursuing, nurturing, dreaming, envisioning, identifying artists, organizing small creative gatherings/ offerings, collaboration, creating conversations, seeking to build community and hoping to create opportunities to build bridges of understanding, connection, and healing in the city of Birmingham.
Details: Born in Birmingham. Attended Birmingham-Southern ‘90-‘94 and graduated with a BFA in painting. Married to Tim Hurry and mother to three children (Kathryn, John Michael, Caroline).
Name: Kelli E. Caulfield
Occupation: Vice-President, Caulfield Investment Holdings, LLC (which owns and operates several different food service businesses including Broad St Peaux Boys – food truck, NOLA Ice, The Basement Café at City Hall, and 636 Catering & Events
Work History: Former owner of Quiznos franchises in Gardendale and Fultondale. Started NOLA Ice when homesick for a New Orleans treat. Developing a venture capital company for a 2022 launch.
Community involvement: “Service, direct service, is in my blood. As a company we do a lot to support individuals (teachers, the homeless, etc) and several organizations that we believe in. We do all we can throughout the year to give back.”
Details: Born in New Orleans, Louisiana but moved to Birmingham in 1986. Attended EPIC, Our Lady of Sorrows and John Carroll Catholic High School. Graduated from Xavier University of Louisiana in 2004 and entered Southern University Law Center. Finished legal studies at Miles College of Law in 2009. “No kids yet, but I do have an awesome 12 year-old English Bulldog named Kingston.”
Name: Adrienne McCollum
Occupation: Founder/CEO, Inspire Counseling, LLC
Work History: Licensed clinical social worker, and the sole owner and operator of Inspire Counseling, LLC. In private practice, as a psychotherapist, since March 2019. Worked in medical social work–in home health and hospice, and case management in the hospital setting. Worked as a clinical therapist at Brookwood Medical Center, in the inpatient psychiatric department.
Community involvement: Lifetime membership in Delta Sigma Theta, Inc.; mentoring social work students, and new up and coming social workers. Member of The Social Work Society at The University of Alabama. Current interest and financial support to The Well House for sex-trafficking.
Details: Graduated Tuscaloosa County High in 2016. Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts from Bevill State Community College in 2009. Bachelor’s and master’s degree at The University of Alabama in 2012 and 2013. I am engaged to marry my partner; we have a two-year old son, Micah.
Name: Kristen McGee
Occupation: Qualifying Broker-RealtySouth
Work History: Selling residential real estate in the Birmingham area for almost 10 years. Whether you are listing or buying, she is there to help.
Community involvement: Executive Board for Hand in Paw and a member of The Charity League.
Details: Born and raised in Birmingham, she attended Samford University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interior Design with a minor in Art. She has lived in Crestwood South for the past 6.5 years and is about to move to be closer to her office in Homewood. She has two rescue dogs, Roman and Lulah.
Name: Cicely Jones
Occupation: Founder and Accountant, MPA Financials
Work History: Cicely Jones started MPA Financials over 15 years ago with services ranging from accounting, taxes and payroll to clients in Birmingham as well as across the U.S. She works with clients to implement accounting workflows strategic to clients’ continuity and growth. Accounting systems are established and financial information is analyzed / reviewed with clients to make informed financial decisions. She is also an author, having penned the book, “From Pennies to Prosperity: How to have a Healthy Relationship with your Money”, which will have a release date of August 2020, and has also co-authored other books focused on finance as well professional development.
Community involvement: Vice President of American Business Women’s Association – Heart of Birmingham Chapter and currently serves on the boards of The Grace House Ministries, Petals of Love Outreach. She also makes time to mentor local college students as well small business owners operating across the country.
Details: Born in Mobile but moved to New Orleans freshman year of high school. Attended Alabama State University. Has one son, age 21, a senior at UAB with a major in Art Studio with a concentration in Graphic Design.
Name: Mary Rooney
Occupation: Registered Interior Designer; Principal, Mary Rooney Interior Dimensions, LLC
Work History: As an ASID award-winning, registered interior designer, she concentrates on residential design combining both architectural and decorative design. Her work includes interior architecture such as space planning homes, designing cabinetry, and lighting design. She enjoys incorporating accessibility considerations in my work to allow for temporary accommodations for clients who have suffered from injury or that enable people to “age in place.” Her goal is to bring creativity and knowledge-based solutions to my clients while allowing their personalities to shine through my work.
Community involvement: Served as Alabama President of the American Society of Interior Designers. She currently serves as Secretary of the Birmingham Boys Choir Board of Directors and is the president of her neighborhood garden club and active in church.
Details: Married with two children and three grandchildren. Two careers that she loves, the first one as a teacher who holds two degrees in education. For the past fourteen years she has owned and operated her business as a degreed interior designer.
Name: Chandrel Wright
Occupation: Executive Director of The Harbert Center.
Work History: With over 30 years of experience in event planning/management, Chandrel manages the day-to-day operations of The Harbert Center, which offers a perfect setting for business meetings and social events including weddings, banquets, and fundraisers.
Community involvement: Since 1986 The Harbert Center has been home to more than 20 of Birmingham’s top civic clubs, associations, and nonprofit organizations, which meet here on a regular basis.
Details: Chandrel is a 1993 graduate of Berea College in Berea, Kentucky and holds a Masters degree from Eastern Kentucky University. She has been with The Harbert Center since June 2000.
Name: Shannon Malcom
Occupation: Realtor at Malcom Realty Group with Keller Williams Metro South.
Work History: Received her real estate license in February of 2017. Successfully closed 112 transactions through the Greater Alabama MLS along with many off-market transactions with investors
Community involvement: My husband and I have been renovating homes in the National Historic Norwood neighborhood for the past few years. In total, we have fully renovated / restored roughly 20 homes in the community. We are working on one that will become our personal home hopefully by the end of this year. My husband and I both have a heart for broken people. We both have a past of addiction and hardships and homelessness, however, God has radically changed our lives, restored our families, and blessed us with the abilities to own multiple properties, blessed us with the talent to renovate homes for families and to walk through the home buying process with people in all walks of life.
Details: Son, Blake Carter, serves in the U.S. Navy for more than a decade. Daughter, Kimberly Carter, is an elementary school teacher in Forestdale and has been teaching for four years. “My husband, Rob, is my best friend.”
Name: Sherri Ellis
Occupation: Owner, Ellis Interiors
Work History: Spent 12 years in the pharmaceutical industry after graduating from U of A. Decided to follow the family business and sell real estate. “After seeing how many homes needed updating and proper staging I thought this is what I need to do. I had a minor in Interior Design and ironically around the same time was building my first personal home. Once I had a house warming party my new business was born!”
Community involvement: “These days I am blessed to start semi retiring and only take a few projects each year. I volunteer at Save a Life which is very important to me and something I have missed during the Covid 19 Quarantine. I am thankful for all the friends I have made through this wonderful business and hope to spend the next 25 years enjoying life and giving back more to others.”
Details: Hobbies include USTA tennis, Alabama football, cycling, and walking her rescue dog, Moses.
Name: Sara L. Williams
Occupation: Managing Attorney, Alexander Shunnarah Personal Injury Attorneys.
Work History: Current role as managing attorney is multi-faceted as I still maintain a litigation practice as well. Essentially support Alexander Shunnarah in all aspects of running the firm, including human resources, client relations, marketing and attorney supervision. In addition to those duties I have continued my litigation practice in which I handle primarily commercial motor vehicle wrecks, catastrophic injuries and wrongful death claims.
Community involvement: Serves on the board of the Homewood City Schools Foundation. Founded and chairs the Alexander Shunnarah Women’s Initiative, which focuses on the needs and education of women and children in the community and our fellow women professionals.
Details: Born in Tallahassee to military family, youngest sibling with two older brothers. During childhood lived in the Netherlands, New Mexico and Germany. Finished high school in Tallahassee and then attended Florida State University, graduating in 2003 with a B.A. in English Literature. Moved to Birmingham to attend Cumberland School of Law. Married with a seven year old daughter. Resides in Homewood.
Name: Teresa Rivadeneira, AIA, RID
Occupation: President, TRI Architecture & Interior Design, LLC.
Work History: Teresa Rivadeneira, AIA, RID is the principal and lead designer of her firm, T.R.I. Architecture + Interior Design, LLC, which provides design expertise to some of Alabama’s top industries and institutions, including UAB, the University of Alabama, Birmingham City Schools, the City of Birmingham, and the BJCC.
Community involvement: Licensed in both Architecture and Interior Design she is an active member of AIA. A wife and mother of three, and a grandmother of four, she is committed to the growth of her local community through the Birmingham Historical Society and English Village Garden Club.
Details: After graduating from Ecuador’s Universidad Laica Vicente Rocafuerte in 1987 she began a private practice. Obtained a Master of Architecture from University of Houston in Texas specializing in design, historic preservation, and adaptive reuse. Relocated to Birmingham and formed T.R.I Architecture + Interior Design, LLC in the summer of 2003.
Name: Stephanie Weeks
Occupation: President, Southeastern Conveyor Services, Inc..
Work History: Oversees daily operations and other areas such as: quality control, business development, marketing and sales, negotiations and contracts, operations, supply chain management, HR, and employee training programs. Graduated from UAB in 2010 with a B.S. and again in 2013 with an M.S, currently attending UAB for an MBA. Most everything at some point has touched a conveyor along some part of it’s manufacturing, from a box of cereal to the road you drive on, a conveyor plays a part in it all.
Community involvement: Attends Church of the Highlands, Fultondale Campus. Also supports Our Hope International, a non-profit that sponsors an orphanage in Uganda for children with disabilities.
Details: Born in Birmingham, attended UAB for undergrad, grad, and currently MBA. Married for 12 years with one 4-year-old girl and another on the way.
Name: Whitney Mork
Occupation: Owner, State Farm – Whitney Mork Agency.
Work History: “My job is to protect your paycheck and assets. You work hard for everything you have. To me, it is an absolute privilege to protect everything you worked so hard for your entire life. My father passed away when I was a teenager and didn’t have any life insurance. My family lost everything. I watched my mom lose everything she and my father built together within their 39 year marriage because they weren’t properly protected. Now, I have an agency that protects families every single day, so what happened to my family doesn’t happen to theirs. I guess you can say I have truly found my purpose in life.”
Community involvement: Part of the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce, Ambassador for the Irondale Chamber of Commerce, and recently teamed with #BHAMSTRONG to deliver food to first line workers and nurses during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Details: Born at Brookwood, grew up in Montevallo and Cullman. Graduated from University of Alabama in 2010 with Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Information Sciences degree. Resides in Vestavia Hills with daughter, Gabby.
Name: Erin Barrow (Owner); Mollie Piccirilli (Design Consultant)
Work History: Erin Dunavant Barrow, owner of SWAG Home Staging & Design, and Design Consultant Mollie Piccirilli stay up-to-date on trends at SWAG’s design studio in the heart of Homewood. With over 30 homes now staged and on the market, SWAG is impacting how homes get sold in Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Auburn.
Community involvement: SWAG donates gently used inventory to local charities and/or families in need.
Details: Erin was born and raised in Birmingham. After attending Auburn University, she moved to NYC to join the Real Estate Design team of J. Crew. Returned to Birmingham in 2005, and began a residential design career which then grew into SWAG Home Staging & Design in 2009. Erin resides in Chelsea with husband, Josh, and children Oliver (9) and Beau (2). Mollie resides in Irondale with husband Nick and children, Lena (4) and Jake (2).
Name: Meredith Stevens
Occupation: Accessibility Consultant at The Axia Group.
Work History: A consultant since 2009 helping government agencies and private companies comply with legal accessibility requirements and ensure their products and services work for people with disabilities. The Axia Group is a full service firm capable of design, development, remediation, and litigation support. She is responsible for training and business operations. She began my career in speech-language pathology, working with pre-school to high school students, and later moved to working on a policy level, working for defense contractors, and then moved out on her own as an independent consultant in 2012. Since then, she has on-boarded a business partner, and The Axia Group has grown its offerings into a full service agency with 120 people.
Community involvement: When not working, she spends a great deal of time lobbying to protect the rights of children of divorced families to have relationships with both of their parents.
Details: Born in Birmingham, grew up in Gadsden, and returned to Birmingham after high school. Alum of the University of Montevallo (undergrad) and attended UAB for graduate school. Three children: McKenna (17), Leighton (15), and Annelise (12).
PROFILES
B-Metro celebrates
women and the positive energy that they create for their businesses, their families and the world around them.
On the following pages we are proud to introduce you to some of these hard–working, successful women.
