The Women Who Run Georgetown
By • March 31, 2025 0 551
In celebration of Women’s History Month, The Georgetowner is proud to recognize a few of the women community leaders who help make Georgetown such a special place. As a woman-founded and woman-owned company ourselves (Ami Stewart founded The Georgetowner in 1954 and current owner Sonya Bernhardt has owned the paper since 1998), The Georgetowner recognizes the tremendous value of women leadership and is excited to feature the following women who are making great strides within the community.
Rachel Shank and Iesha Holy, Georgetown Main Street
Founded in 2017, Georgetown Main Street (GMS) aims to uplift local small businesses by organizing annual events such as Art All Night and the Georgetown Cookie Tour.
Executive Director Rachel Shank joined GMS in 2019 after earning her Masters of Public Administration from George Washington University. Over the past six years, she has built strong professional and personal relationships with local business owners by adopting a people-first approach. When speaking about her leadership style, she cites a famous Maya Angelou quote as her “guiding light”: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
In reflecting on what Women’s History Month means to her, Shank is encouraged to see women leaders finally getting some time in the spotlight.
“I think for a long time women have been silently leading and have been the reason why so many amazing things have happened in our society, so it’s been wonderful to see over the past 20 or so years that women are really starting to get the recognition that they deserve for their contributions to society,” Shank said.
GMS Board Chair Iesha Holy shares Shank’s proclivity for relationship-building. In particular, Holy has been inspired by the rejuvenating collaborations that have been forged across different women-led Georgetown organizations in recent years.
“It wasn’t always the case that all of these organizations worked so well together, so maybe it’s a little bit of a testament to the women’s leadership,” Holy said.
Lisa Fager, Black Georgetown Foundation
Black Georgetown Foundation is an organization dedicated to the preservation of two historic Black cemeteries in Georgetown: Mt. Zion Cemetery and the Female Union Band Society Cemetery.
Lisa Fager has served as Black Georgetown Foundation’s Executive Director since 2019. In 2024, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) recognized her commendable community contributions with their inaugural Medal for Excellence in Historic Preservation.
“I’m currently working on legislation—the DC African American Burial Grounds Act—that would help protect historic Black cemeteries and ensure their inclusion in the city’s historical records,” Fager said. “I am also involved in an augmented reality project called 51 Steps to Freedom, which brings the stories of these burial grounds to life through immersive technology.”
For Lisa Fager, Women’s History Month offers an opportunity for reverence.
“Women’s History Month is a reminder of the countless women—named and unnamed—who have shaped history despite being overlooked or erased,” Fager said. “It’s a time to uplift their stories and recognize the labor, resistance, and brilliance of women, particularly Black women, who have been at the forefront of social change.”
L to R: Nancy Miyahira, Maggie Downing, Lisa Fager, Amy Titus, Iesha Holy and Brittany Sawyer. Photo by Kim Johnson.
Brittany Sawyer and Amy Titus, Citizen’s Association of Georgetown:
Spearheaded by Executive Director Brittany Sawyer, the Citizen’s Association of Georgetown (CAG) is dedicated to preserving historic Georgetown’s livability, safety and connectivity.
Sawyer has led CAG since 2022. Currently, she is working on creating a community guide to help Georgetown residents connect with city resources, groups and services that might not be on their radar.
“We’re honored to make our mark on CAG’s 147-year history and build a sustainable future for generations to follow,” Sawyer said.
Amy Titus, the President of CAG’s Board of Directors, believes Women’s History Month is a valuable time to reflect on how female mentorship has changed her life.
“I am very grateful for all the mentors I have been so lucky to have,” Titus said. “This month gives me the time to appreciate what they did for me and how grateful I am. In turn, I try to give strength and guidance to other women.”
Maggie Downing and Nancy Miyahira, Georgetown Heritage
Georgetown Heritage is an educational organization dedicated to preserving the neighborhood’s rich history. Among other initiatives, Georgetown Heritage leads neighborhood walking tours and boat tours along the C&O Canal.
Executive Director Maggie Downing has lived in the city for 17 years and finds joy in sharing the District’s history with others.
“I love when I get to expose someone to something that challenges their idea of what Georgetown is like—whether that’s telling the full story of why we don’t have a metro station, or telling younger people about all the music venues where really big performers got their start, or sharing a photo of the industrial waterfront that’s now a beautiful park,” Downing said.
Nancy Miyahira is the Director of Arts and Culture Programming for Georgetown Heritage. Though the bulk of her work focuses on the past, when asked what advice she would give to aspiring community leaders—especially young women—Miyahira encouraged them to pay close attention to what’s on the horizon.
“Take the time to be reflective about your goals and your life’s path,” Miyahira said. “It’s easy to get bogged down with the details and admin of everyday life, so make sure you ‘look up’ every once in a while, to envision your future.”
Georgetown Heritage is a sister organization to the Georgetown Business Improvement District (BID), a non-profit organization which works to make the neighborhood more hospitable and commercially inviting. In mid-April, the BID will welcome Deborah Kerson Bilek as its new CEO, replacing Joe Sternlieb who previously served in the position for over 12 years.
