Laughter, Leadership & Love: The Women of Project Host
March invites us to celebrate the women who inspire, lead, support, and show up for one another in big and small ways. At Project Host, the strength of our work is rooted in the voices, humor, compassion, and resilience of the women who help carry our mission forward every day. This Women’s History Month, we asked the incredible women on our team to answer the same set of questions — a mix of lighthearted, reflective, and deeply honest — to capture their personalities, perspectives, and the moments that have shaped them. What emerged is a snapshot of laughter, vulnerability, confidence, and community: a reminder that the power of women often lives in both the extraordinary milestones and the beautifully ordinary moments in between.
Which woman, real or fictional, would you want in our Project Host group chat? (we’re really funny, we swear)
Michelle, COO: Fey and Amy Poehler (they’re a package deal). They’d find us hilarious.
Annamarie, Marketing & Development Manager: Kristen Wig. Ugh, love her!
Meredith, Food Truck Chef: Susan Sugarbaker.
Cathy, Soup Kitchen Manager: Carol Burnett. She would fit right in with us and bring the funny!
Katie, Office Administrator: I have two for this actually...Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. They are so smart and quick witted. They would have us all in check and in tears from laughing so hard.
Annie, Intern: Chelsea Handler.
Christian, Bakery Assistant: Queen Latifah — She’s hilarious and laughter is good for the soul.
Which woman from history's wardrobe would you absolutely love to raid?
Michelle: Edie Sedgwick’s style was effortlessly cool, and she rocked a platinum pixie.
Annamarie: I lean so heavily into the 60s and 70s for just about everything in my life, but fashion is where it takes the cake for me. Diana Ross, Stevie Nicks, Farrah Fawcett, Jane Birkin, Sophia Loren, Sharon Tate... I could go on and on – just give me a piece from each of their wardrobes, please and thank you!
Meredith: Always been a function over fashion gal and I would wear flip flops year round if DHEC and weather permitted, so maybe someone from Ancient Greece? Lots of breathable fabrics and sandals sounds rad. Or Mama Cass or Ms. Roper.
Cathy: Audrey Hepburn. Simple, elegant, and timeless.
Katie: Dianne Von Furstenberg....her 70's wrap dresses are so iconic. She combined Business with Feminism flawlessly.
Annie: Stevie Nicks. Her style is so cool.
Christian: Marilyn Monroe. Have you seen her accessories and outfits? Unapologetically BOLD and timeless.
What’s your favorite way to be a girl’s-girl?
Michelle: Listening. When a friend has a problem, before offering advice, I’ll usually ask, “do you want to vent or do you want to problem solve?” Sometimes they just want to be heard.
Annamarie: Celebrating successes together! Big or small! Life is meant to be exciting.
Meredith: I feel like I’m a great steward of self care. I’ll endorse all your decisions. Wanna couch rot for 3 days and watch trash tv? I’m down. Case of white claw and the waterpark? Let’s goooo.
Cathy: Shopping without a purpose. Maybe a little coffee or wine and just chatting for hours.
Katie: Cocktail hour! Good sips and snacks with lots of juicy talk!
Annie: Sharing! Clothes, makeup, advice, stories. No gatekeeping allowed!
Christian: I love to encourage and uplift.
If your life had a chapter title right now, what would it be?
Michelle: “Where did the time go?” My daughter is getting ready to graduate HS, it all goes so fast!
Annamarie: “Inner Wave.” I feel like in your late 20’s you enter into this next chapter of self-discovery that prompts you to reimagine the goals, hopes and dreams that you had before. It is a time of realignment and realization. Maybe something you thought you wanted, actually, is not a good fit for you. Maybe something you feared was EXACTLY what you needed. Maybe you’re all grown up now and still have so much life to live!
Meredith: “Mistakes were made.” “Broke and Broken.” “She’s Doing Her Best.”
Cathy: “Living la dolce vita!”
Katie: “It is only life after all.”
Annie: “Drum-Roll Please!” I’m about to graduate college, start my career, and potentially make a big move geographically. I’m excited to see what’s next!
Christian: Metamorphosis.
What’s one piece of bad advice that young women should ignore?
Michelle: Smile more.
Annamarie: To water yourself down, to fit in, or that you’re behind. “Everyone’s doing it.” Good for them. Beat to your own drum. Never ever give someone or something the power to take yourself away from you and your goals.
"Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they've got ambition, and they've got talent, as well as just beauty." — Jo March, Little Women
Meredith: A moment on the lips a lifetime on the hips. You can miss me with that nonsense.
Cathy: That they need to ‘smile’ more. No one would ever tell a man that.
Katie: Don't let anyone tell you what you "should do" because you are a woman. Do what you are passionate about, whatever it is.
Annie: Anything that starts with “men don’t like girls who…”
Christian: That it’s a mans world and we’re just living in it.
Go-to Karaoke song?
Michelle: I’m a horrible singer but, in my car I love to belt out “Silver Springs” along with Stevie.
Annamarie: My best friends and I brought the house down with “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" by ABBA and “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood, so those are probably my favorites.
Meredith: It used to be the Jackson 5’s ABC, but I not longer have the physical stamina for the accompanying choreo anymore. I’ve been worshipping Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give it Up,” but it hasn’t been debuted yet.
Cathy: I don’t even sing in the shower, but if I did do karaoke, it would be Cake’s version of “I Will Survive.”
Katie: You don't want me to sing...even karaoke. But if I had to it would be “Bette Davis Eyes” by Kim Carnes
Annie: “Love Story” by Taylor Swift and you can catch me kneeling to fake-propose during it.
Christian: “Stay” by Rihanna and Mikky Ekko.
If they made a movie about your life, which actress would play you?
Michelle: I would hope for Christina Applegate or Julie Bowen.
Annamarie: I love Daisy Ridley, Emma Watson or Riley Keough – any of them would be sick.
Meredith: Helen Mirren.
Cathy: Melissa McCarthy. She always seems to be the life of the party and things can get a little chaotic, but always work out!
Katie: Claire Danes. I have related to her roles in so many ways going all the way back to My So Called Life in the 90s.
Annie: Kate Hudson or Drew Berrymore (humbly).
Christian: Catherine Zeta Jones.
If you could live inside any fictional universe, what would it be?
Michelle: Star Trek. No doubt about it, they really have the coolest technology and treat each other with amazing kindness and equity.
Annamarie: Dude, I would live in The Hundred Acre Wood. Talk about peaceful, slow-paced and all day fun with my friends. Yeah, sign me up.
Meredith: I’m someone who could really benefit from the Jetson’s style robotics, a machine that dresses you in the morning sounds like the sh*t, but I’m also terrified that one day robots will become our overlords. Sooo, maybe I’ll go with Cabot Cove.
Cathy: The Matrix would be cool!
Katie: I always wanted to live under the ocean with The Snorks or in the tree house with The Shirt Tails. Yes, I watched a lot of cartoons!
Annie: Alice in Wonderland. No elaboration necessary.
Christian: Pandora from the Avatar movies. It’s so colorful, mountainous and beautiful.
What was a moment in your career when you realized, 'Wait, if they can do this, I can too!'?
Michelle: I’ve worked in F & B my whole career which was/is pretty male dominated and I’ve heard a lot of very confident men with bad ideas. If they can pitch an idea, why can’t I?
Annamarie: Being one of the youngest in the room is always daunting but seeing people well into their careers have honest conversations, be inclusive, make mistakes and show up working just as hard as everyone is a really nice reminder that we’re all human and all deserving of a seat at the table.
Meredith: No real aha moment, but years of working with mediocre dudes is a pretty good confidence booster.
Cathy: I was going to Dearborn to meet some big wigs and was super nervous to meet the predominately male bosses. My Dad told me not to be nervous and, “They put their pants on the same way you do. One leg at a time.”
Katie: I have always kind of had the attitude that if I wanted to do something, I would. I think the biggest thing for me has been learning that is, in fact, ok to have opinions and to speak up about those opinions. I have learned how to have a voice at a table I may not have had one at before.
Annie: I think just understanding that the people I look up to aren’t all-knowing. Like, they aren’t necessarily smarter or better than anyone. They just know what they want and are willing to do the work.
Christian: I never thought I’d be capable of baking, but since starting with Kevin he has taught me that I am capable. The organization skills he has taught me as well as, simplifying the math that goes into baking has been a huge blessing. Kevin has instilled in me a newfound passion for baking and an understanding of the “whys” behind the processes that not only have I utilized here at Project Host, but also in my personal life. I am beyond grateful.
What’s a “rule” that you stopped following and feel great about?
Michelle: I’m a rule follower by nature but, I’ve learned that doing things I “should” only matters if I’m doing them for ME, not other people and their expectations.
Annamarie: The rule that I have to tone down who I am in certain spaces. If all of me is not welcomed into a room, then you get none of me. The right spaces make authenticity feel safe, not excessive or less than. I’ve played the role too many times of trying to please everyone, but at the cost of myself. Never again.
Meredith: I follow no rules, so.
Cathy: Making sure everything is perfect. Life is messy and plans change. Just go with the flow and things usually work out.
Katie: Speak up! You don't have to stay in unhappy situations. You don't have to go along with the crowd if it doesn't feel comfortable for you. Be your self, be vocal about it and don't worry what others will think. The ones that matter will be cheering you on!
Annie: “Serious” people can’t have tattoos and piercings. I don’t want to be any place that you’re looked down on for expressing yourself.
Christian: I stopped conforming to who people wanted me to be and embraced the skin I’m in — it’s beyond freeing.