Board Leadership
Initiative
Women's Board Leadership Initiative
While women play key roles in leading and driving work in companies and organizations, there are more opportunities for women to be more significantly represented on boards and committees across for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. In Summit County, women of color in particular are underrepresented across private, nonprofit, and public senior leadership. To address this gap, the Women’s Network Leadership Institute, a program of the Greater Akron Chamber, has launched the Women’s Board Leadership Initiative to create more visibility for the leaders ready to serve in these roles.
Board Leadership
Initiative Goals:
Why Join a Board
or Committee?
Joining a board or committee creates new opportunities that strengthen the impact of women in the workforce. Benefits to board and committee service include the opportunity to:
Strengthen your networks and relationships, which creates opportunities for career advancement
Acquire new skills and broaden perspectives
Establish leadership credentials independent of your professional role
Leverage strengths to make an impact on the community you serve
Interested in Joining a
Board or Committee?
Let us help! Whether you’re a seasoned board member or looking to begin board or committee service, the WNLI Board Leadership Initiative can help. We are collecting profiles of women interested in service on boards or committees and will share them with companies and organizations looking for board or committee members. Through this work, your visibility as a prospective board or committee member will be elevated in the community, increasing the opportunities for board invitations.
Get Started
Complete the form below to illustrate your experience, interests, and other information that will help companies and organizations understand the value you can bring to their board.
What’s Next?
We will collect profiles from women interested in serving on boards and committees.
All profiles will be compiled into a directory, which will be updated on a quarterly basis beginning in Summer 2024.
The directory will be made publicly available to non-profit organizations and businesses in Greater Akron to identify women for board service, when opportunities arise.
As opportunities arise, board candidates will be contacted by companies/organizations seeking new board members; The WNLI will also share new opportunities as they come up.
Need a Headshot?
We can help!
If you don’t have a headshot or need an update, complete the form below. Headshots are priced at $50 and include a 20-minute session, up to 3 images and minor editing.
Creating Boards and Committees with Perspective
Have you been selecting your board or committee candidates from the same list year after year? Are you competing with other organizations who are looking for the same candidates? The Women’s Board Leadership Initiative is here to help you access a new pool of candidates.
Broaden Your Perspective
When Boards and Committees bring a variety of viewpoints, they perform better. They benefit from more innovation, varied perspective and methods of problem-solving, more creativity, and a stronger connection with a wide range of stakeholders and consumers, among others.
In Greater Akron, there are boards and committees looking for women and women looking for opportunities to lead through board service. Despite the desire to broaden the mix of skills and perspectives, there is a disconnect between candidates and board opportunities. The Women’s Board Leadership Initiative bridges these groups and makes identifying board candidates easier, while also increasing the visibility and engagement of female leaders in our community.
Take Action
Visit the WNLI Board Leadership Directory to view individuals who are actively seeking to lend their expertise and serve on a board or committee.
If your business or organization matches with a candidate using the directory, we want to know! Please email Brynn Popa, Executive Vice President at bpopa@greaterakronchamber.org.
