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Women’s History Month

Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future

As we come together to celebrate Women’s History Month, we honor the collective strength, resilience, and transformative power of women who have dedicated their lives to education, mentorship, and leadership across generations.

The theme of this year’s Women’s History Month, inspired by the National Women’s History Alliance, is “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future.” This theme honors the women who have and are reimagining and rebuilding systems to ensure long-term sustainability- environmental, economic, educational, and societal. It recognizes the powerful leadership of women in creating a future that is rooted in equity, justice, and opportunity for all.

From environmental advocacy to financial reform, from community organizing to policy innovation, women are at the forefront of driving holistic change.

Their leadership is not only addressing today’s most urgent challenges - it is laying the foundation for a more resilient and inclusive tomorrow.

Don’t miss this chance to engage in meaningful dialogue and honor to celebrate the women!

  • We’re excited to celebrate with Dr. Jennie Walker, who develops leaders and organizations for success in complex, diverse global environments. For 20 years, she has provided executive education, coaching, and consulting on leadership, talent management, and organizational effectiveness to Fortune 500 companies, universities, and international clients. A widely published researcher and invited speaker, her work focuses on global leadership development, cross-cultural management, employee engagement, women’s leadership, and dynamic learning. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Denver, is an ICF-certified coach, and a Senior Professional in Human Resources.

  • What does your participation in this celebration mean to you personally? I am deeply engaged in both research and active support of women through leadership development and coaching to thrive in the world. Thriving, to me, is defined by fulfillment in all major facets of life. Sharing in this celebration is an opportunity to further dialogue, reflection, and action in support of this mission.

    Who/What inspires me: Oprah Winfrey has inspired me since I was 8 years old. I'd watch her after school every day, learning about other views and life experiences in the world and reflecting on my own development. She sparked an early curiosity in me for the world.

    An interesting fact about me: I am a single, working mom to four bicultural children, including 3 girls. My vice is in fueling all of my children's interests through exploration and activities to help them form confidence and a well-rounded worldview early in life.

    Anything else we should know? While I have been a long-time executive coach, I recently completed my life coaching certification and have found much joy in helping people chart their unique courses toward greater fulfillment in their lives and the achievement of their most treasured personal aspirations.

  • Everything, produced by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, is a compelling look at gender disparities in media. While the focus is on a specific industry, the widespread impact of what is produced by this industry, shaping beliefs worldwide, is a pause for reflection.

 

Conversation Guide

Use the discussion questions to engage in meaningful conversations during Women’s History Month and beyond. These questions can help facilitate discussions that not only raise awareness but also lead to actionable insights and improvements in organizational practices.

 

Conversation Starters:

  • How do your different identities shape the way you lead on sustainability (environmental, economic, educational, and societal)?

  • What barriers, structural, cultural, and financial, have you faced as a woman leader, and how did you overcome them?

  • How do cultural norms in different regions shape the pathways women take to lead change?

  • Which talent-management strategies most effectively retain and advance diverse women leaders who drive sustainability goals?

  • What advice do you give senior HR and C-suite leaders who want to institutionalize practices that elevate women’s leadership for long-term resilience?

 

  • Use these questions to drive your own reflection and exploration of the themes raised by the theme A Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future


    We Recommend: Journaling is a great way to explore this topic! Pick 1-2 questions and free-write your thoughts.

  • Want to engage your team? Slack, Teams, or your preferred digital conversation platform can be a great way to keep dialogue going. Try posing these questions in a group chat format. You might do 1 per day or 1-2 each week over the course of Black History Month.


    We Recommend: Post the questions at consistent days and times so that your team knows when to expect them.

  • You can combine the video and these discussion questions as a Lunch & Learn or All Hands experience for your organization. 


    We Recommend: Depending on the size of your organization, you may want to use the questions to have small group or table discussions and then invite groups to share with the larger team.

 

Resources

Celebrating Women's History Month in 20256offers a wealth of resources to honor and explore the contributions of women across various fields. Below is a curated list of podcasts, books, videos, films, and interactive learning experiences, including museum exhibits, to enrich your understanding and appreciation of women's history.

 

Keep the Conversation Going!

Celebrating diversity and the amazing cultures that make up our society should not be limited to a day or even a month. We’ve already given you a few ideas, but here are even more ways that you can take the topics you explored in this WHM back to your team or organization.

    • Listen to podcasts on this topic while you go for a walk.

    • Use the discussion questions as journal prompts for self-reflection.

    • Teach it–even if it’s to an empty room! Sometimes, saying things out loud can prompt you to think about a topic differently.

    • Use the discussion questions during 1:1s.

    • Ask your direct report to lead a discussion using one of the questions.

    • Use the recommendations from the speaker panel to start a book club, watch club, or podcast club.

    • Lunch & Learns: Explore new ideas and connect with others in a casual, interactive session—all during your lunch break. It’s a great way to dive deeper into meaningful topics, like the ones in this guide, while fostering conversation and collaboration with your team or organization.

    • Shared Narratives: Share personal and cultural stories related to this month’s theme through prompts or an open forum. This activity brings people together, sparks meaningful conversations, and celebrates the unique experiences that make you stronger as a team.

    • Collaborative Art Project: Work together to create a visual representation of the theme, such as a mural, collage, or digital art piece. This hands-on activity encourages creativity, teamwork, and meaningful discussions about the cultural and heritage topics being explored.

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Black History Month
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AAPI Heritage Month