W2W Leadership Initiative Updates

WOMEN TO WATCH AWARDS: This year’s awards event in September drew a sell-out crowd to honor this year’s finalists and announce winners in the Arts, Business, Education, Health, Nonprofit/Volunteer, Public Sector, and Rising Star categories (the full group is shown above). 

MENTORING: As a part of WILMA’s mentoring program, women in the community are matched with mentors to assist with their leadership development. Participation in the program is limited to those who went through a W2W program in the past year, and the mentorship runs through September 2024. This year’s group of twenty-nine mentees selected from an application process went through orientation in October. WILMA’s mentoring adviser Kim Nelson shared tips about establishing effective relationships, and participants held their initial meetings.

FUTURE LEADERS: The inaugural class of WILMA’s Future Leaders wrapped up its first year, which included special attendance to WILMA leadership events and one-on-one mentoring. The group of area high school teens, along with the new class of Future Leaders for the 2023-24 session, met with UNCW Senior Woman Administrator and Deputy Athletics Director Tiffany Tucker, who talked about building confidence. Alum from WILMA’s Leadership Institute serve as mentors to the teens throughout their year.

LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE: This year’s WILMA’s Leadership Institute class graduates in December, closing out its nine-month program. The group met for leadership skills training, peer mentorship, and interactions with community leaders. Learn more about the forty-seven women in this year’s cohort at wilmamag.com/women-to-watch/wilmas-leadership-institute. Apply for the next class at WILMAleadership.com.

WILMA NETWORK: The WILMA Network, made up of supporting members of the Leadership Initiative, continues to hold monthly meetups like this recent one above at JohnnyLukes KitchenBar.

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.

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