Women in Transition Workshop

Raleigh Coaching and Lily Winston Collaborate to Support
Women in Transition

Meet the Experts

Wendy Bryant Gow

Wendy Bryant Gow

Founder and CEO of Lily Winston

International image consultant, wardrobe stylist, and professional organizer, Wendy Bryant Gow has over 30 years of experience in the image and fashion industry. Heading to NYC and then Atlanta in the early 80′s, Wendy began building the foundation for Lily Winston with careers in sales education and public relations with the Lauder Corporation , as a ready-to-wear buyer with Abraham and Straus, runway modeling, and as a personal stylist. Relocating to the Triangle in 2001, Wendy became a featured stylist with the News & Observer’s Style and Living In Style magazines as she continued to travel and pursue her entrepreneurial interests here and abroad. Today she is Founder and CEO of Lily Winston and Wendy Bryant Gow and Associates, LLC.

Wendy has been featured in numerous local and national publications and has become a popular speaker for organizations, universities, and corporations on such topics as “Proper Professional Attire in a Casual Professional Environment,” “Creating Successful First Impressions,” “Appropriate Attire for a Professional Interview,” “Dressing for Dating at Any Age,” “Organized Chaos,” and “Fashion Forward For Your New Career.” In addition to her professional involvements, Wendy has served on numerous charitable boards and civic and community projects.

A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wendy resides in Chapel Hill with her two daughters, Winston and Lily.

Kathleen O’Grady, ACC

Kathleen O’Grady, ACC

Founder of Raleigh Coaching, LLC

Lily Winston and Raleigh Coaching, LLC have created a collaborative partnership to assist clients in mastering self-confidence, from the inside out. Founder, Kathleen O’Grady is a certified professional coach who offers business and personal coaching focused on authentic self leadership. She’s also the former president of the local International Coach Federation.

Kathleen’s mission of inspiring authenticity in leadership began when she decided to transition from her early career in executive support to launch her own coaching practice, which addresses the challenges she had witnessed in her former capacity. Regardless of the industry she was in, the issues were universal and she wanted to do something about them. In a short time Kathleen has built an extraordinary reputation in the areas of coaching and leadership for someone younger than her peers. She is regularly invited to deliver presentations, guest lectures and graduation commencement speeches on the subject of authentic leadership and coaching.

Most recently, Kathleen was interviewed for a NY Times Wall Street article about her previous work with billionaire hedge fund manager, Ray Dalio, and how that experience inspired her coaching practice. The same article was later linked to other online news outlets such at the Newsday and Forbes.

Some of Kathleen’s areas of specialty include: authentic leadership coaching, personal and professional mindfulness, stress management, business & communication etiquette consulting, and much more.

Ali Ciampa

Ali Ciampa

Director of Client Services for Lily Winston

After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Ali launched a successful modeling career with the Elite agency in NYC and Europe. She returned to the Triangle, married, raised three children and continued her career, creating a strong clientele base throughout the Southeast. In 2006, Ali redirected her love of fashion – focusing her energy and creativity on designing and opening a ladies’ boutique in Cary, NC. Ali now brings her extensive knowledge of the fashion and retail world to Lily Winston as an expert stylist and image consultant.

“Ali epitomizes today’s career woman: stylish, successful, beautiful, a happily married mother to three wonderful children. She is the type of woman you want to have in your circle of friends and more importantly – on our team at Lily Winston.”

Chimene Booty

Chimene Booty

Global Cosmetic Expert

Chimene Booty, born in South Africa and raised in Zimbabwe has been involved in the cosmetic industry for nearly twenty years. She spent time in London, managing branches of a large recruitment company, moving to makeup artistry and sales when her first child was born. Moving with her husband and two children to Seattle, WA in 1999, she has always maintained an interest that took her from cosmetic sales, to wedding artistry, to retail management and most recently as a Beauty Stylist for a high end retailer in North Carolina. She supports her husband in his business as an Antique Furniture Restorer but admits she prefers the administrative and customer liaison side of things in order to protect her nails! The cosmetic industry is well suited to her personality and desire to help people and also allows her the freedom to stay involved in the really important things in her life!

Ajido Elaawar

Ajido Elaawar

International Master Hair Designer

Ajido Elaawar is an International Master Designer who was born and raised in Lebanon. Prior to moving to the US, Ajido worked for the Four Seasons Hotel in Cyprus, Salon Voutre Beaute and L’Oreal in Paris, and the Meridien and Intercontinental Hotels in Dubai. His international training has allowed him extensive experience styling models for hair shows in some of the top cities around the world. He holds 15 professional licenses and diplomas from those countries he has worked in. Ajido specializes in seeing the best in others and bringing that into being through the expert cut, color, and care of their hair. His loyal clients travel from around the country to his salon in Cary, North Carolina.