matriarch

Short definition from Wiktionary

Noun

1. 1
   A female leader of a family, a tribe or an ethnic or religious group: The dominant female in a family group of elephants
2. 2
   A female leader of a family, a tribe or an ethnic or religious group: A strong and domineering older woman; a battle axe.
3. 3
   A female founder of a political or religious movement, an organization or an enterprise.