Recap: The latest on the WILMA Leadership Initiative and its mission to empower women to lead with confidence and purpose

ANNIVERSARY UPDATE: WILMA’s leadership program marks its ten-year anniversary this summer with a special focus at the annual Leadership Accelerator conference on July 24, as well as a special event bringing together Institute alum and Award winners to celebrate a decade of accomplishments.

LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE: The 2025 WILMA Leadership Institute class kicked off its nine-month program with orientation in April. At the orientation, the forty-eight women learned about communication styles from The Forté Institute, participated in PickleBall Corporate Teambuilding’s court experience, met with former Institute alum, and heard from WILMA Leadership Initiative advisory board member Sheri Leavens about defining leadership. The class will meet monthly this year in the leadership program.

GET ON BOARD: UNCW’s Quality Enhancement for Nonprofit Organizations (QENO) gave a board training session for WILMA readers on April 29 at UNCW’s Truist Hall.

STUDENT MENTORING: WILMA Institute alum participated in a leadership program organized by UNCW’s Gender Studies & Research Center. The group of students in the semester-long program paired up with Institute graduates as mentors.

Up Next: How to connect with WILMA’s leadership programs

WOMEN TO WATCH AWARDS: Stayed tuned for announcements about this year’s award finalists in Arts, Business, Education, Health, Nonprofit/Volunteer, Public Sector, and Rising Stars ahead of the September 5 event. There, we’ll recognize the finalists and announce category winners as well as honor our inaugural Icon Award winner.

Info: W2WAward.com

LEADERSHIP ACCELERATOR: WILMA’s annual leadership conference returns to the Wilmington Convention Center on July 24.

Info: WILMAAccelerator.com

MENTORING: This year’s group of WILMA mentors and mentees have been meeting one-on-one each month to work on the women’s professional goals.

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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