Marty entered the Navy in 1968 for what she thought was going to be a two-year break between college and graduate school. "The opportunities in the Navy, for both men and women, are pretty incredible," she explains—so incredible that she extended her short stint to nearly thirty years, when she finally retired as a rear admiral.

As she moved up the ranks, Marty played a key role in advancing several initiatives that have improved the role of women in the Navy, including reversing the law that prevented them from serving on combat assignments. "I had the opportunity to address issues relative to the fair and equitable treatment of women," she continues. "It was really interesting to be in those path-forging situations."

After her retirement, Marty was recruited to be CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA. There she expanded diversity and increased the number of volunteers to an all-time high before moving to the American Red Cross in 2002. Yet despite her many achievements, Marty keeps her life-long goal simple: "I want to be an example of someone who takes what she has been given, makes the best of it, and does some good in the world."

Marty's strategies for leading:

Collaborate, listen, and act!
"One of the most important things leaders have to do is help their organization see what can be done. I describe to people in a word picture what is possible and what our goals are. And I try to be collaborative, listen to what they say are the barriers, and attack each barrier."