Women’s Leadership Initiative

Diversity matters. Different perspectives, thoughts and ideas lead to more sustainable, creative and powerful groups and institutions. Women’s influence can make a difference in the world, yet we still face discrimination, pay inequities, and remain a minority in leadership roles. In fact, at the rate we are going, it will take 170 years to reach global gender equality in health, education, economic and politics. However, companies with 50% of women in senior operating roles show a 19% higher return on equity.

The Women’s Leadership Initiative works with students, faculty, alumni and the executive community to address these issues by creating conditions for people to become gender savvy, enabling women to have more confidence and competence in achieving their goals and men to have greater understanding of how and why to support women.

A Conversation with Veta Richardson

In this webinar, Veta Richardon, President and CEO of the Association of Corporate Counsel, joins Dr. Wendy Smith, Faculty Director of Women’s Leadership Initiative to discuss her new book, “Take Six: Essential Habits to Own Your Destiny, Overcome Challenges, and Unlock Opportunities.” Co-sponored by Women’s Leadership Initiative at UD and The Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance.
Watch the video

Programs

See our calendar listings for additional programs and opportunities.

News: Women’s Leadership Initiative

• Smith Named Highly Cited Researcher for Fourth Year in a Row - Wendy Smith, Dana J. Johnson Professor of Management, has been named to the world’s “who’s who” list of most influential researchers for 2022.
• Marichu Valencia Tells Students Her Story of Success - At the WLI's ASCEND certificate program kickoff, Marichu Valencia inspired others to be confident in life, and to value collaboration and working with others.
• Using Both/And Thinking To Overcome Tension - Navigating work tensions correctly is necessary to thrive in business. Dana J. Johnson Professor of Management Wendy Smith spoke with a four-member panel of women business leaders about how they did so during a recent webinar.
• Academy of Management Elects UD’s Wendy Smith as a Fellow - Wendy Smith, Dana J. Johnson Professor of Management and co-director of the Women’s Leadership Initiative has been elected as a fellow of the Academy of Management (AOM), the leading professional organization for management scholars.
• UD Professor Wendy Smith Embraces Tensions To Find Lasting Solutions - University of Delaware’s Wendy Smith, Dana J. Johnson Professor of Management, recently co published “Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems.”

Advisory Board

Thank you to the WLI Advisory Board for providing governance, advice and support for all of our activities.

Contact

For more information about the initiative or any of its programs, contact:

womensleadership@udel.edu

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