“One of the best books on leadership that I have encountered. Sara takes her unique experiences from the business world, motherhood and as one of the first women graduates from West Point and blends them all into stories that teach. As a mother and a woman in the corporate world, I found this book inspired me to continue to work on my own leadership style, learn from my challenges and continue to lead and develop those around me with both discipline and compassion.”

Michele McCauley, SVP HR, Apex Systems/Apex Life Sciences

“We learn best through stories; we grow best through adversity. Sara applies these ideas in her leadership memoir, West Point Woman. Professionally and personally, Potecha has experienced unique challenges and has demonstrated extraordinary resilience and grit. As one of the first women graduates at West Point, as a management consultant in the corporate world, as a young widow with three small children, Potecha shares her journey with us. In her poignant, yet practical, thought provoking, yet easy to read voice, West Point Woman translates her story into leadership lessons for all.”

Gail O’Sullivan Dwyer, Author of Tough As Nails: One Woman’s Journey through West Point

“In West Point Woman, Sara describes and gives credit to nine fundamentals which helped her through her journey to success. They are the tenets that result in strength in character, reinforce fair play and teamwork, while also accepting accountability as a professional and a human being.  I encourage all of us to read this book and remind ourselves of what it takes to be a winner and a valued person.  Let us endeavor as women and men to share these fundamentals and work as equal partners in making our world a better place for all.”

Rand Blazer, President, Apex Segment

“In West Point Woman, Sara Potecha has eloquently shared the gift of her “first woman” experiences at the Academy with us to refocus our leadership attributes, both personally and professionally.  While peeling back the layers, Sara exposes the balancing act of vulnerability and oftentimes humor required to be an effective leader.  An effective leader that can work through his or her own obstacles and challenges while also leading others through their own.  Sara is able to personify the principle of integrity by imploring readers to lead by action and not by words.”

Tierra Kavanaugh Wayne, CEO, TKT & Associates

“Sara Potecha uses her immense storytelling abilities to not only paint vivid pictures of what life was like for the first women graduates of West Point, but also because she uses those stories to teach us definitive lessons on leadership. These are stories of character that will cause every reader to look inwardly and want to get better. But she does not stop there. The author provides the reader with action steps to implement in order to ‘Cultivate Character.’ This is an immensely readable book for men and women, for soldiers and civilians, and for leaders and followers.”

Dave Anderson, USMA ’88, Best Selling Author of Becoming a Leader of Character: Six Habits that Make or Break a Leader at Work and at Home

“Motivating, inspiring, and encouraging. West Point Woman provides a unique and comprehensive view of what happens behind the veil of the Academy. Reading Sara’s stories reminded me of our resilience as human beings, and that through persistence we can accomplish our goals. I am always seeking new tools to motivate faculty, staff and students to achieve their full potential, never quit, and not to settle for anything less than their God-given talent will allow. Thanks to Sara, I now possess a powerful new resource to place in my toolbox.”

Dr. Van C. Wilson, Associate Vice Chancellor, Student Experience and Strategic Initiatives, Virginia’s Community Colleges

“In West Point, Sara’s stories give a vividly candid, humble, and, at times, humorous look at what the first classes of West Point women cadets and graduates endured to serve their country as officer leaders. Most impressively, Sara mines each experience to understand leadership principles that apply in any setting. These lessons make the book more than a memoire; Sara offers practical suggestions that you can use to grow as a leader of character AND help you make sense of the challenges you may face in your work setting.”

George B. “Barney” Forsythe, PhD; Brigadier General, U.S. Army (Retired); Professor Emeritus, U.S. Military Academy