Invest in Women in the Washington DC Metro Area

On December 7, 2017, we launched Together We Lead – Accelerating the Pace for Women’s Leadership, Philanthropy, and Economic Security

We believe that women executives and business leaders in the Washington, DC area have unprecedented and collective potential to break new barriers in the realm of leadership, philanthropy, and economic advancement for women.

• Only 6 percent of the region’s top 100 public companies have a woman CEO
• One in four women and girls in the region are living at less than 200 percent of the poverty line

Together We Lead is a network of corporate leaders in the Washington region dedicated to increasing the representation of women in leadership and improving opportunities for all women and girls to thrive. Working within and across companies, Together We Lead works with leaders across all levels of companies with opportunities for the highest-level executives, mid-level executives and your affinity group to:

• Share challenges and successes
• Exchange resources and ideas
• Work collaboratively to drive new innovation on how to advance women in their organizations and empower them as leaders and philanthropists.

Members of Together We Lead have access to regular events, workshops, trainings, and forums designed to learn with and from other organizations on topics related to women’s leadership.

Through Together We Lead, members can discuss challenges and best practices, grow talent pipelines, inspire philanthropic giving and investments, and support the critical mission and activities of Washington Area Women’s Foundation to move women and girls from poverty to economic security.

By committing to join Together We Lead, companies can demonstrate a public commitment to women leaders and the economic stability of women and girls, and:

• Participate in member-only events, trainings, and workshops, as well as an online network, designed specifically to help recruit, retain and advance women leaders
• Gain resources and strategies to support women’s affinity groups in their work
• Partake in exclusive events for executive leaders to connect and share insight
• Engage the community to invest in opportunities for women and girls to thrive

Links:

• Together We Lead

On March 9, 2018 over 600 young women and girls joined Washington Area Women’s Foundation for the inaugural GirlsLEAD Summit. The all-day event welcomed 300 young women and girls between the ages of 12-24, and was held at the University of the District of Columbia. Over 150 women leaders joined the Summit for Speed Mentoring, and more than 100 women conducted workshops and sessions throughout the day.

Award-winning journalist, media personality and former editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue, Elaine Welteroth, was interviewed by WPGC 95.5.’s Sunni during an intimate Q&A. The girls then participated in a speed mentoring event hosted by WUSA9’s Lesli Foster. Each of the young women had a chance to get one-on-one advice on creating pathways to success from several of the more than 150 dynamic, female business, nonprofit, and government leaders gathered in the room.

DJ Beauty and the Beatz kept the party going during lunch, where are all the girls danced and sang along to the latest hits. The young women and girls experienced workshops and sessions conducted by companies like The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Volkswagen, Audi, National Women’s Law Center, Girls Who Code, Beltway Poetry Slam Team, our Young Women’s Advisory Council and more!

The GirlsLEAD Summit was sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, the NoVo Foundation, and the Coca-Cola Foundation.