How Momentum Works Became Alabama’s Premier Leadership Organization for Women

Momentum Works program director Raven Holloway, center, with program participants LaPorsche Jymi, left, and Adrienne Fowler Payne, inside Momentum headquarters in Birmingham. (Marika N. Johnson, for The Birmingham Times)
” data-medium-file=”https://www.birminghamtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/empowerment_12-e1741232011576-300×211.jpg” data-large-file=”https://www.birminghamtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/empowerment_12-e1741232011576-1024×721.jpg” tabindex=”0″ role=”button” />

BY JE’DON HOLLOWAY-TALLEY | For The Birmingham Times

(Women’s History Month Special)

For Adrienne Fowler Payne, participating in the Birmingham-based program Momentum Works wasn’t just about professional development; it was about stepping into her worth.

“Most of my career, I have experienced imposter syndrome,” admitted Payne, who currently serves as the administrative director for the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s CU2RE Medical Student Education grant program, which aims to help underserved populations across Alabama access primary health care. “I’ve worked with executive coaches before who affirmed me, but Momentum Works solidified that I am on track to being the most competent servant leader I can be and that it is okay to relish in my accomplishments and achievements.”

Momentum, Alabama’s premier leadership organization for women, launched the Momentum Works program in 2024 to reach women who might not otherwise have access to executive leadership training. Through expert-led workshops and peer-driven learning, Momentum Works gives women the tools to step into leadership with confidence.

“Women need to be able to sit across from other women and see the possibility of what they can be,” said Raven Holloway, program director for Momentum Works.
The pilot year of Momentum Works has proven its effectiveness, generating over $450,000 in salary increases across just 50 participants, with an average reported salary bump of $13,947.

Momentum is Alabama’s leading women’s leadership organization, offering a range of programs tailored to women at different career stages. (Provided Photos)

“With our 20 plus years of experience, we know how to give women the tools, resources, and connections to grow confidently into their leadership potential and develop an intentional plan for reaching their goals,” April Benetollo, CEO of Momentum has said. “More than 70 percent of graduates report one or more promotions after completing the program, and 93 percent go on to mentor or sponsor other women after their Momentum experience.”

MINDSET SHIFT

Momentum Works was designed to ensure that women on the front lines, whether in entry-level positions or entrepreneurship, had access to leadership development that met them where they were.

Kathy Boswell, Momentum program facilitator. (Momentum)

Kathy Boswell, one of the facilitators who also had a hand in developing the curriculum, said that the program was built to help women shift self-doubt, overcome workplace barriers, and reach their potential. The program spans six months, with half-day Saturday sessions. The curriculum covers: Emotional Intelligence, Strengths Assessment, Resilience, Taking Initiative, Negotiation, Prioritization, and Building Community.

“The curriculum was designed with empowerment in mind,” said Boswell.

“Women who are emerging leaders often need support to help shift negative self-narratives and just encouragement based on the cultures they may work in, and April [Benetollo, CEO of Momentum] envisioned a program that would help frontline and grassroots entrepreneurs.”

Boswell continued, “This program has created an opportunity for women who may not normally be tapped for leadership cohort opportunities. I am so grateful that the program is an option for many who also could not afford it. And for that reason, they are so grateful to be in every session.”

With the support of funding partners, Momentum Works is a tuition-free program doubling its impact in 2025. Thanks to funding from the City of Birmingham’s BOLD grant and additional backing from Alabama Power Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, Women’s Foundation of Alabama, and more, the program will expand from 50 to 100 female participants across Birmingham’s metro area in 2025.

“As a facilitator for Momentum Works, it has been amazing to watch the women have ‘aha moments’. One participant recently shared that she learned how to just be quiet. She realized she did not have to address every issue, and learned to respect silence,” Boswell said.

“What I love is that you see the hunger in them; these women are eager to grow. They take in what they are taught and apply it. Throughout the cohort they are able to share what they have done with what they learned, and for many, it is the shift in their mindset and how they view themselves,” said Boswell. “The sessions provide the self-awareness they need to see a new view, and they get the validation they need to know they are ready for their next career move or to step out and move toward the dream they have.”

Momentum Works program director Raven Holloway, center, with program participants LaPorsche Jymi, left, and Adrienne Fowler Payne, inside Momentum headquarters in Birmingham. (Marika N. Johnson, for The Birmingham Times)

A FUTURE YOU

If there’s anyone who understands the power of a transformative shift, it’s Raven Holloway. Before stepping in to launch and direct the Momentum Works program, she had spent years facilitating professional and personal development workshops helping others unlock their potential while navigating her own evolving career path.

But in 2023, she faced what she calls the most challenging year of her life.

“I literally said that I would no longer do any work or do anything that’s not in divine alignment. Those were the words that I spoke,” Holloway said.

She had already built a name for herself in corporate leadership development through her work at Bradford Health Systems and as the founder of WorX with Raven Holloway LLC, a company focused on yoga, meditation, and holistic well-being formerly known as Wellness WorX. She had also been tapped to facilitate professional development classes for UAB’s Regional In-Service Center, guiding educators through leadership training.

But after losing her corporate job, enduring personal trials, and questioning her next steps, she leaned into faith and trusted that her next opportunity would align with her purpose.

Soon after, she received a call from Momentum’s Andrea McCaskey, who recently retired from her position as Statewide Director of Programs, inviting Holloway to facilitate a session for the Executive Class. Holloway proposed teaching a course she designed that she had only conducted once before, called ‘A Future You,’ which helps participants envision and step into their future selves with intention. She talks about how it encourages women to recognize their potential, break through self-imposed limitations, and align their actions with their aspirations.

“I pitched the idea of presenting that to the executive class, and they were like, ‘Absolutely, we want it,’” she said.

After its success, she was invited to teach it again for the Huntsville Executive Class. And then came a question she wasn’t expecting: “Are you looking for a job?”

“And that’s how I ended up with Momentum Leaders,” Holloway recalled.

REDEFINING LEADERSHIP

Momentum Works was also designed to empower entrepreneurial women, and help them gain mentorship, training, and a supportive community to help advance them.

LaPorsche Jymi a 2024 graduate of Momentum Works’ pilot class, received exactly that.

“I had this small business that I really wanted to get in the community here in Birmingham,” said Jymi, who moved to Birmingham from Gary, Indiana, in 2021. “Being a part of Momentum really reminded me of the quote, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ This program helped us to go far because we went together, but then we also went fast at the same time because there was so much information, support, and guidance poured into us.”

When Jymi moved to Birmingham from Gary, she set out to grow her small business, H&H (Headwear and Hair Care), in a community she barely knew but felt drawn to.

“I’m not from Birmingham, so it was so nice to be connected to even more Birmingham women that are like-minded, supportive, and trying to grow,” Jymi said, “and that was a big part of the program. Not only did we get to grow individually, but we got to grow as a group.”

Momentum Works taught her to trust herself and her vision for her brand H&H (Headwear and Hair Care) even more, Jymi said. Momentum Works re-energized her faith in her business and that she had something unique to offer the market.

“The vision behind my satin-lined hats was to reinvent the traditional baseball cap so that it’s not just convenient when hiding a bad hair day but also a convenient way to boost hair health and growth,” Jymi said. “Our hats integrate haircare into headwear so that people can enjoy wearing hats without worrying about hair breakage.”

WOMEN LIFTING WOMEN

Tonya Hill Mitchell, founder of Inspired Action Coaching, was tapped to teach the women of MomentumWorks about the power of personal branding. Mitchell believes branding is more than a buzzword; it’s a tool for self-empowerment. Her signature workshop, Acting Brand New, helps women take control of their professional image and presence.

Tonya Hill Mitchell, founder of Inspired Action Coaching, was tapped to teach the women of Momentum Works about the power of personal branding. (Provided)

“If you’re not intentional about how you show up, others will define your reputation for you,” she said. “And that’s why this work is so important [because] it teaches women to own their space, advocate for themselves, and be seen in the way they deserve,” said Mitchell.

“One of the biggest takeaways for our women is learning how to show up on purpose,” Mitchell said. “If we don’t brand ourselves on purpose, we are being branded by default. Once you understand that, you can start crafting the narrative you want the world to see.”

Mitchell recalls a powerful moment with a program participant who fully embraced this lesson.

The participant walked up to Mitchell, grabbed her hands, looked into her eyes and said she hadn’t stopped “acting brand new” since Mitchell’s class. The participant said, “I show up differently. I’m a different person. It just changed me radically.”

Recalling this moment, Mitchell said, “It drew me to tears because she actually got it. Since then, she’s been promoted, gotten a salary increase, and carries herself with a new confidence.”

Moments like these affirm why Mitchell pours into the program. “Women lifting women, there’s no end to that,” she said. “When we support each other, advocate for each other, and say each other’s names in rooms of opportunity, that’s how we change the game.”

This post was originally published on this site