Christina Meade shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Christina, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
What I’m being called to do now, and what used to feel scary, is fully stepping into the vision I have for Nerdy Girl Success. When I started, it was just a small idea: a way to help young women explore careers and develop leadership skills. But over the years, I realized that the work we’re doing isn’t just a side project, it’s a calling. Expanding our programs, reaching more high school young women, creating mentorship opportunities, and building pathways to leadership for young women from underserved communities can feel daunting. There are always challenges (funding, logistics, even my own self-doubt) but every time I see a young woman light up with confidence, or hear about an alumna stepping into her first leadership role, it reminds me why I do this. What used to feel intimidating now feels essential: helping these young women claim their voices, pursue their dreams, and rewrite the narrative for what’s possible.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Christina Meade, Founder and Executive Director of Nerdy Girl Success, a nonprofit dedicated to closing the leadership and opportunity gap for young women. Through free, career-focused programs, we help high school young women explore different pathways to leadership, build confidence, and gain real-world skills that prepare them for college, careers, and beyond.
What makes Nerdy Girl Success unique is our focus on access and empowerment. We don’t just teach skills. We mentor, guide, and create spaces where young women can find their voice, explore their passions, and step confidently into leadership roles. From high school clubs to career and leadership summits, every program is designed to be high-impact and completely free, because we believe that opportunity should never be gated by circumstance.
Right now, we’re expanding our programs to reach more young women, building alumni networks, and creating community partnerships to ensure that every young woman who wants to lead has the tools and support to do so. At its heart, Nerdy Girl Success is about rewriting the narrative: helping young women see themselves as the bold decision-makers, innovators, and leaders of tomorrow.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
The moment that changed everything for me was realizing that talent isn’t enough. Opportunity and guidance make the difference. That’s why I started Nerdy Girl Success: to make sure ambitious young women don’t just dream about leadership, they step into it. We give them the tools, the mentorship, and the confidence to break barriers and rewrite the rules on what’s possible.
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
I used to believe that if something didn’t work perfectly the first time, it wasn’t meant to be. I learned the hard way that failure is not a sign to give up. It’s a signal to pivot, rethink, and grow. Early on, I faced setbacks while trying to expand Nerdy Girl Success, from program launches that didn’t go as planned to fundraising goals we missed. Each “failure” taught me to be more creative, more patient, and more strategic. I changed my mind about what success looks like: it’s not perfection, it’s progress and every misstep is just another step toward impact.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
For the most part, yes, the public version of me is the real me. I’m a big, goofy nerd, and I don’t know how to be any other way. I’m not perfect, and I don’t try to hide it. I might come off as more confident than I feel some days, but that’s part of the journey. I embrace my quirks, my mistakes, and my wins. I want people to see the authentic me, because showing up fully, flaws and all, is the only way to lead and inspire others.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
The story I hope people tell about me when I’m gone is that I lived boldly, stayed true to myself, and lifted others along the way. I hope they say I made people feel seen, empowered, and capable of more than they thought possible. I want to be remembered as someone who chased what mattered, even when it was hard, and who left the world a little brighter and a little braver than she found it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nerdygirlsuccess.org
- Instagram: @nerdygirlsuccess
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nerdy-girl-success-inc
- Facebook: @NerdyGirlSuccess
- Youtube: @NerdyGirlSuccess
