WOMEN In America

About Us

Our mission is to empower high performing women to achieve positions of influence in business through mentorship and community.

A VIBRANT COMMUNITY BUILT BY EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

Origin Story

In 2008, a group of female senior executive leaders from various organizations met at the FORTUNE Most Powerful Women’s Summit. We discovered that we shared a passion for helping high-potential business women develop and advance their careers. Two years later we launched Women in America. The vision was simple: Through mentoring, education, and networking, WIA would give promising young women the tools and skills they might not learn in business school or even on the job, to successfully navigate the challenges of the workplace and progress to positions of influence.

Core Values

Authenticity

We appreciate the genuineness of our members and encourage and embrace our ambition.

Integrity

We encourage our members to understand who they are and never compromise their values.

Accountability

We empower each other to reach the highest standards in our actions, commitment, behaviors and decisions.

Inclusivity

We are intentionally inclusive and value different perspectives and points of view.

Positivity

We fully appreciate the gifts of each member and view one woman’s success as all of ours.

OUR THREE-GROUP STRUCTURE

We foster connections and learning among three distinct groups of women.

Mentors

Mentors are business leaders with at least 20 years of experience. They represent a variety of industries, and many hold C-Suite or board-of-director positions. They help high performing, ambitious women achieve success and reach positions of influence.

Mentees

Mentees are emerging leaders who typically have 10-17 years of work experience and are all high potential and high performing. Our mentees are ambitious, focused, and committed to their own development.

Alumnae
Association

The Alumnae Association comprises graduates of our program who have elected to stay engaged with the organization after completion of their program.

Leadership

Kelly Watson, Vice President and Senior Partner, IBM - Women in America, Chairperson & Director

Chairperson
& Director

KELLY WATSON
Vice President and Senior Partner, IBM
Jeannie Diefenderfer, Founder and CEO, courageNpurpose - Women in America, Vice-Chairperson and Director

Vice-Chairperson
& Director

JEANNIE DIEFENDERFER, NACD.DC
Founder & CEO, courageNpurpose
Dara Altman, Retired Chief Administrative Officer and EVP, Sirius XM Radio, Inc - Women in America, Director

Director

DARA ALTMAN
Retired Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Vice President, Sirius XM Radio, Inc.
Shelley Brindle, Former EVP, Domestic Network Distribution and Marketing, HBO; Mayor, Westfield, NJ - Women in America, Director

Director

SHELLEY BRINDLE
Former EVP, Domestic Network Distribution and Marketing, HBO Mayor, Westfield, NJ
Shelley Diamond, CMO, UNICEF USA - Women in America Secretary & Director

Secretary & Director

SHELLEY DIAMOND
CMO, UNICEF USA
Anne Erni, Chief People Officer, Audible, Inc. - Director, Women in America, Career Advancement for Women

Director

ANNE ERNI
Chief People Officer, Audible, Inc
Kathryn Hoenig, Founder and CEO, Hillside Solar LLc. Director of Women in America, Career Advancement for Women

Director

KATHRYN HOENIG
Founder and CEO, Hillside Solar LLC
Angelique Jurgill, SVP Audience Development, Dotdash Meredith - Women in America, Director

Director

ANGELIQUE JURGILL
SVP, Audience Development, Dotdash Meredith
Lisa Tepper, Area Executive Vice President, Gallagher - Women in America, Director

Director

LISA TEPPER
Area Executive Vice President, Gallagher
Debbie Weiser, SVP Head of Excess Casualty, Everest Insurance - Women in America, Treasurer & Director

Treasurer & Director

DEBBIE WEISER
SVP, Head of Excess Casualty, Everest Insurance
Melinda Wolf, Founder and Principal Consultant, Melinda B. Wolfe and Associates - Women in America, Director

Director

MELINDA WOLFE
Founder and Principal Consultant, Melinda B. Wolfe and Associates
Meghan McRae, Executive Director, Women in America

Executive Director

MEGHAN MCRAE
Women in America
Women in America - Career Advancement for Women

Emeritus Board

LINDA ADDISON

Independent Board Director

JOAN AMBLE

President, JCA Consulting, Inc.

BETH-ANN EASON

Senior Digital Transformation Executive, Accenture Leadership, Accenture Interactive

LORRAINE HACK

Senior Client Partner, Korn Ferry

CAROL HOCHMAN

President, RHH Capital & Consulting

MARTHA MCGARRY

Partner, Co-Head of M&A, Mayer Brown

DENISE MORRISON

Retired President and CEO, Campbell Soup Company

DONNA ORENDER

Founder Generation W, former President, WNBA, Independent Board Director

LARRAINE SEGIL

Founder, Chair and CEO, Exceptional Women Awardees Foundation

LISA SHALETT

Co-Founder, Extraordinary Women on Boards

MARY STEVENS

Retired Senior Vice President of Product Development, Herman Miller Inc.

MAGGIE WILDEROTTER

Chief Executive Officer, Grand Reserve Inn

Alumnae Leadership Council

MOLLY VANNUCCI PRESIDENT

Senior Partner, IBM

SARAH ELLIOTT

VP, Go-to-Market Activation, Integral Ad Science

KATIE PRENTKE ENGLISH

Co-Founder, Harness Wealth

MEGAN KILCOURSE

Senior Vice President, Fund Accounting and Operations, Warburg Pincus

NICOLE LIU

Marketing Lead, AlloyX

VALERIE MARKS

Marketing Director, Edrington

KRISTA SANDE-KERBACK

Global Senior Product Marketing Manager, IBM

MOLLY SHEINBERG

Managing Director, Ares Management Corporation

KERRY TWIBELL

Partner, The AQ