Solutions Fireside Chat: Leaky Pipes and the Women of Color Executive Leader Accelerator Program

Solutions Fireside Chat: Leaky Pipes and the Women of Color Executive Leader Accelerator Program

 

Norma B. Clayton - Trustee - Tuskegee University

Anita Estell - CEO - CELIE

 

The path to the c-suite is an arduous undertaking for women of color. Research concludes, that of any group, women of color, particularly black women receive the least assistance related to executive advancement. New models and disruptive innovations are needed to promote and support the advancement of women of color as senior executives in public, private and nonprofit enterprises.

 

This session addresses barriers precluding the advancement of women of color to the c-suite. Two trailblazing c-suite level presenters will discuss findings associated with “leaky pipes,” including those factors that impede executive advancement and introduce participants to the Women of Color Executive Leader Accelerator (WoCELA) pipeline partner initiative. WoCELA is a prototype college-age recruitment, retention and advancement intervention that will place at least 250 high-potential professionals on the path to the c-suite over the next five years. Session attendees also will be invited to share narratives, insights, lessons learned and offer suggestions to help inform prototype development prior to program launch in 2020. The exchange also will inform solution development of a customized program for mid-managers.