Building a Movement: Advancing Women in Association Leadership

In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast powered by OnWrd & UpWrd, host Colleen Gallagher sits down with Alexandra Bradley, President; Kim Howard, CAE, President-Elect; and Whitney Meyerhoeffer, MPA, CAE, Secretary/Treasurer of The Alliance for Women in Associations.

Together, they share how the Alliance came to life, the gap it is designed to fill, and why creating community for women in the association space feels especially urgent right now.

🎧 If you’re thinking about leadership growth, community-building, or how associations can better support women at every stage of their careers, this conversation offers thoughtful perspective and practical insight.

Key Highlights

Why the Alliance launched now: Alexandra explains that while women make up much of the association workforce, they remain underrepresented in leadership. The Alliance was created to offer community, support, and resources at a time when many organizations were pulling back on DEI efforts.

More than networking: Whitney shares why the Alliance is being built as more than a networking group. For many women, career growth is happening alongside caregiving, invisible labor, and shifting expectations—making real community and shared support more important than ever.

The leadership gap women still face: Kim points to sponsorship as one of the biggest missing pieces in leadership advancement. Beyond mentorship, women need advocates who will elevate their work and help create pathways into senior roles.

What early momentum is showing: From strong founding member interest to high-energy in-person events, the response has made one thing clear: this need is real, and women across the association space are looking for connection, support, and a place to grow.

What comes next: The Alliance is focused on growing membership, expanding events, and launching meaningful educational programming and virtual engagement opportunities that help women navigate leadership and career growth in practical ways.

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Coming Soon: We’re continuing to sit down with association leaders and industry experts to explore the real challenges teams are facing—and the strategies helping them build stronger, more resilient organizations.