Dozens of women gathered Tuesday morning for a conversation about how women can create healthy boundaries in the workplace, put themselves first and learn more about their bodies.

The conversation was held during Harford County Public Library’s fifth annual Women’s Summit at the Abingdon branch library. The theme was, “Voices that Shape Communities,” featuring guest speakers Catie Griggs, the first female president of business operations for the Baltimore Orioles, and Erin Hodge-Williams, a psychotherapist and founder of Time for Women.

Women wear many hats, Griggs and Williams said: spouse, parent, employee, friend, sibling, child and many more. With that, comes responsibility not only to oneself, but to others, which involves showing up as your best self each day.

Griggs, a native of North Carolina, has held executive positions on various professional sports teams, including the Atlanta United and the Seattle Mariners, where she served as the first female president of business operations as well. She’s worked with the Orioles since 2024.

Griggs said that she used to downplay “first” roles because she was the first to do a lot of things in her career. She said she didn’t put much thought into it back then because she wanted to be known for her impact.

She also never dreamt as a young girl that she could be an executive in Major League Baseball because there was no one who looked like her doing those jobs.

“It is really important to be present,” she said. “It is really important to be visible because it had never occurred to me that this was a type of job I could have.”

Embracing her voice within the workplace has taken time, but she said when speaking to younger women within the Orioles organization, she reminds them of one thing: “If you have a seat at the table, you’re there for a reason.”

“I’m good at what I do,” she said. “Now, I have a track record that says I’m good at what I do. I’ve been given these opportunities because I’m good at what I do, and that doesn’t mean I’m perfect, but it also means that I’m there for a reason.”

Embracing and trusting yourself is something Williams emphasizes in her work as a licensed social worker. Growing up, open communication was a common theme in her household, but she knew that wasn’t normal for everyone.

So, she created Time for Women, an in-person event series diving into the changing lives of women and provide a space to learn, heal, grow and lead their life with confidence and intention.

Women go through various phases in life that impact both their mental and physical health. With the many roles women take on in life, Williams said, “We need to put our oxygen mask on first before helping anyone else.”

That can look like staying grounded; seeking connection with oneself, others or a higher power; becoming knowledgeable on the changes the body endures; and taking action when appropriate by having difficult conversations or putting oneself in uncomfortable situations that breed growth.

“We have to be grounded, and we have to be regulated in ourselves,” she said. “Regulating our nervous system is not optional, it’s foundational.”

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