AFW Launches Second Annual SHE Leads! Class

Arizona Foundation for Women (AFW) is currently accepting participant and mentor applications for their second annual SHE Leads!™ program. The SHE Leads!™ program is crafted to repair the “Broken Rung” in the career ladder that often impairs women from reaching higher levels of management and leadership by developing women personally, professionally and philanthropically. Each SHE Leads!™ participant receives training to enhance her leadership capabilities and hone the skills needed to empower herself and her community.

SHE Leads!™ is ideal for a woman looking to move into a leadership position, refresh her skillset, or gain formal training experience in leadership. Past graduates have represented industries from education, law, engineering, aviation, healthcare, journalism, law enforcement, finance, government, nonprofit and technology. Regardless of field, previous SHE Leads!™ participants have seen immediate benefits in their careers, including promotional opportunities and increased exposure within their organizations and our Arizona community.

“The knowledge, experience and connections participants walk away with after completing this program is life changing” says Kelly Durham, Attorney-at-law and SHE Leads!™ former participant & mentor. “I wish I would’ve had access to a program like this earlier in my career!”

AFW is currently processing applications for SHE Leads!™ participants and mentors. Applications can be found at https://www.azfw.org/sheleads and will be accepted through Sept. 17, 2021. There are no prerequisites for applying. AFW actively seeks applicants from across Arizona. Program sessions will be held in person in the Phoenix Metro area, subject to change given ongoing COVID-19 safety precautions.

“As we saw during the pandemic, Arizona needs the type of leadership that can navigate challenges while keeping it one of the best places in the country to live and work,” said AFW CEO Mesha Davis. “Our SHE Leads!™ graduates have the confidence and skills to lead individuals of all backgrounds and in all sectors to achieve their best and tackle whatever comes their way. Situations like this past year’s prove just how vital this program is.”

To apply to the SHE Leads!™ program, or for more information, visit https://www.azfw.org/sheleads

The 2022 SHE Leads!™ program is sponsored by PURE Insurance, Rosendin and University of Phoenix.

SHE Leads!™ is a leadership program designed by women, for women. The program prepares professionals from all sectors and backgrounds to dismantle the barriers that often prevent women from reaching higher levels of management and leadership. By preparing women for thoughtful, dynamic leadership, the SHE Leads!™ program is a pipeline for Arizona’s next generation of executives, managers and board members.

SHE Leads!™ participants receive:

• Six formal training sessions focus on teaching personal, professional and organizational leadership capabilities
• Six months of 1:1 mentorship with a SHE Leads!™ Champion
• A professional toolkit including a a personalized relationship strengths inventory
• Presentations from local nonprofits on their work benefitting women in the state, and the opportunity for the collective cohort to select organizations to receive grant awards.

Arizona Foundation for Women is a non-profit dedicated to advancing the status of Arizona’s women. Through comprehensive research, advocacy, and philanthropy, we’re leading the fight to ensure the unique needs of every woman in Arizona are met so she can change what is possible for her, her community, and future generations. When a woman’s power and potential are respected, children and families are healthier, economies are stronger, and communities prosper. Yet in our state, one in three women have been the victim of violence at home, one in five don’t have access to healthcare, and one in six are living in poverty. At Arizona Foundation for Women, we amplify every woman’s safety, health, and financial needs so she can break free from the challenges, fear, and bias that confine her.