Grit City Women

Gritty is the new pretty

TACOMA, WASHINGTON & THE SOUTH SOUND

MISSION

Is a female forward organization that nurtures a creative approach to empowering female entrepreneurs, small business owners, and leaders in tacoma.

We Appreciate Men Who Support Our Mission

As a female FORWARD organization we invite supportive male champions — that share our vision — to attend our events. Who better to welcome this opportunity for men to join us — as allies for gender equality in business and leadership — than Grit City Women?

FOUNDER

Krystle Edwards

Krystle Edwards, South Sound Business Magazine’s 2019 “Top 40 Under 40”, is a visionary supporter of female forward businesses that distinguishes Tacoma as a mecca of grit, creativity, and progressive ideas. She brings formal education in developmental psychology and human biology and her leadership experience to the creation of Grit City Women. In addition, Krystle is the entrepreneur, founder, and president of Liz Rocks; a non-profit organization which provides opportunities for underrepresented youth to participate in mountain activities. Under her leadership, Liz Rocks raised significant funds to build a permanent rock climbing wall and provide youth scholarships. Liz Rocks was awarded the Best Community Organization of 2015 by the Greater Metro Parks Foundation. The Liz Rocks wall, slated to break ground in 2023, will provide a safe space for youth to reach new peaks in the new Scott and Sis Names Family YMCA.

As an avid outdoors person, Krystle has summited Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, Mt. Adams and Mt. Saint Helens. She is also a world traveler, having visited 23 countries in Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa. As a writer, Krystle has been published in an academic case studies textbook and a scientific journal. Krystle served as the vice-chair of the Community Police Advisory Committee in Tacoma for four years where she worked with city officials/staff, the Tacoma Police Department, and community leaders on myriad issues. In addition, she was invited by Tacoma’s Mayor Victoria Woodards to be a core team member of Mayor Woodards’ Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative. Krystle served 12 years federally as a Radiological Controls Branch Head and as co-lead of the Hispanic Employee Resource Group (HERO) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard where she was recognized as a 2020 Employee of the Year. In 2023 Krystle joined a community of executive women in the South Sound area as a mentor for the Milgard Women’s Initiative (MWI) where she provides mentorship to Tacoma Milgard School of Business graduate students. She was awarded the 2023 Women in Leadership Award by the Junior League of Tacoma. Recently, Krystle has changed career paths to serve as a Change Manager for the Department of Health’s implementation of the Washington State 988 Behavioral Health Crises Response and Suicide Prevention System.