A Regional Network Catapults New Leaders

A few months after retiring from the superintendency, I delivered a keynote address at the Women in Leadership Forum, co-sponsored by AASA and the Association of California School Administrators, in Southern California. This was a two-day conference for female education leaders from across the region.

While I found the breakout sessions to be insightful, attendees clearly left the event hungry for something more. I walked away thinking, “What else can we do to help female leaders fortify the strategies, finesse and connections they need to navigate their careers?”

During my own professional journey over 34 years working in three school systems, I had many female role models and mentors. But what made the biggest difference was having sponsors — both men and women who advocated for me with higher-ups and positioned me to shine. While mentorships can be valuable, sponsorships actually catapult women into leadership positions.

We needed to find a way to champion the work of women educators aspiring to higher levels of leadership. Establishing broad networks and personal contacts was crucial to these efforts.