WILMA Leadership Initiative Updates
The latest on WILMA’s fall leadership programs
Photo by Alec Hall
RECAP: The latest on the WILMA Leadership Initiative and its mission to empower women to lead with confidence and purpose
LEADERSHIP ACCELERATOR: WILMA’s annual leadership conference took place July 30 at the Wilmington Convention Center. The half-day event brought together nearly 500 people to hear workshops on amplifying your voice, team coaching, intentional networking, and board of directors training as well as messages from keynote speakers sharing leadership lessons learned from the sports world. For an excerpt of one of those speeches, click here.
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE: This year’s WILMA’s Leadership Institute class continued to meet for monthly skills training on topics including brand building (July, held at Novant Health) and strategic thinking (August, held at Live Oak Bank). Learn more about the forty-eight women in this year’s cohort at wilmamag.com/women-to-watch/wilmas-leadership-institute.
ALUM ANNIVERSARY: Institute graduates and WILMA awards alum gathered for a social to reconnect in July at The Sounder.
WILMA NETWORK: The WILMA Network, made up of supporting members of the Leadership Initiative, holds monthly meetups such as networking lunches, WILMA events, and a golf outing at First Tee of Greater Wilmington (above). For more info and to join, go to wilmanetwork.com.
IN THE LOOP: Keep up to date with these and other Leadership Initiative programs as well as application announcements by going to WILMAmag.com or signing up for the WILMA Leadership email at WILMAmag.com/email-newsletter.
UP NEXT: How to connect with WILMA’s leadership programs
WOMEN TO WATCH AWARDS: This year’s awards event is September 11 at the Wilmington Convention Center. Winners in the categories of Arts, Business, Education, Health, Nonprofit, Public Sector, Rising Star, and WILMA Icon will be announced. Look for more on the finalists starting here.
MENTORING: As a part of WILMA’s mentoring program, up-and-coming women in the community are matched with women and men mentors to assist with their leadership development. Participation in the program is limited to those who participated in a WILMA Leadership program in the past year, and the mentorship will run from October 2026 to September 2027.
BOARD TRAINING: A fall Get on Board workshop is planned for women wanting to join local boards of directors and committees. Sarah Daniels, director of UNCW’s Quality Enhancement for Nonprofit Organizations (QENO), will facilitate the training. Stay tuned for date and registration info.
To view more of photographer Alec Hall’s work, go to 27fivecreative.com.
Want more WILMA? Click here to sign up for our WILMA newsletters and announcements.
