The Women's Leadership
Challenge
Are you ready to break free from the need to ‘earn your place’ in a male-dominated world? The Women’s Leadership Challenge is not just another leadership program—it’s a movement for change.
Unlock Your
Feminist Leadership
Potential
Are you ready to transform from a successful woman to a world-changing leader? The Women’s Leadership Challenge is your gateway to becoming the visionary feminist leader the world desperately needs.
Here’s the truth: Traditional leadership models are failing us. They’re rooted in outdated, patriarchal systems that stifle women’s innate strengths and perpetuate global inequities. But you know there’s a better way—a way to lead that harnesses your unique power as a woman to drive meaningful change.
01
Discover Your Intrinsic Power
Uncover your unique strengths and authentic leadership style through our proprietary Intrinsic Power Mapping process. You’ll learn to leverage your innate talents, values, and experiences to lead with confidence and impact. This pillar includes personalized coaching sessions, strength assessments, and workshops on topics like overcoming imposter syndrome and building unshakeable self-confidence.
02
Master the Art of Feminist Leadership
Dive deep into the principles and practices of feminist leadership. Learn how to challenge patriarchal systems, foster inclusivity, and drive meaningful change in your organization and beyond. This pillar covers essential skills such as inclusive decision-making, intersectional thinking, and ethical leadership. You’ll also explore how to use AI and other cutting-edge tools to amplify your leadership impact.
03
Build Your Global Change-maker Network
Connect with an elite community of women leaders from around the world. Through our carefully curated networking events, collaborative projects, and peer mentoring opportunities, you’ll build relationships that will support and amplify your impact for years to come. This pillar includes access to our alumni network, matchmaking services, and exclusive events with influential feminist leaders.
movement
The Movement
Join a community of global elite women change-makers
- Gain access to 100+ powerful alumni from 36 countries.
- Receive job referrals, client connections, and support for business ventures.
- Build lasting relationships with accomplished women in similar roles.
- Get help with interviews, resumes, SES or USA jobs responses.
- Connect with movement builders to amplify your impact.
- Engage beta testers for your ventures and get valuable feedback.
About
About This Challenge
This is not just another Women's Leadership Program
- Discover your intrinsic power and learn to wield it fearlessly
- Master the art of feminist leadership to shatter glass ceilings and rebuild equitable systems
- Join a powerful global network of women leaders who will amplify your impact
- Gain the tools, confidence, and support to turn your world-changing ideas into reality
Whether you’re aiming for the C-suite, launching a social enterprise, or driving change from within your organization, the Women’s Leadership Challenge will equip you with the skills, mindset, and connections to make it happen.
Don’t just climb the ladder—redesign it. Join us and become the leader you were born to be, the leader the world is waiting for.
movement
What's Included
Empowering Women, Shaping Futures
1 year of live biweekly classes
Classes are 2.5 hours and are a mixture of:
-Celebrating process wins
– Interactive exercises and breakouts
– Curriculum
– Personalized Spot Coaching
– Occasional guest speaker
For the DC WLC cohort, classes will be a mix of meetings once per month in person/hybrid in Navy Yard, Washington DC, and once a month on Zoom.
For others outside of DC, sessions will always be held live on Zoom.
Class is held every other Monday or Tuesday night
Match Making
Classes are 2.5 hours and are a mixture of:
-Celebrating process wins
– Interactive exercises and breakouts
– Curriculum
– Personalized Spot Coaching
– Occasional guest speaker
For the DC WLC cohort, classes will be a mix of meetings once per month in person/hybrid in Navy Yard, Washington DC, and once a month on Zoom.
For others outside of DC, sessions will always be held live on Zoom.
Class is held every other Monday or Tuesday night
1:1 Executive Coaching Session
Samantha, the leader of the program and an executive ACC coach, has a 1:1 60-minute coaching session with you to help you craft your feminist change initiative and strategize how to put it out into the world.
1:1 Mission Vision Session
1-1 Mission Vision Session with Lesley Zafran, one of our brilliant and generous alumni, will coach you privately for an hour, where she will deeply explore with you either your life’s mission and vision or that of your feminist change initiative. You will leave the session with a clear and inspirational mission and vision statement to take forward into the world, and clarity on what it is you’re striving for.
1:1 Life’s Purpose Session with Samantha
This session with Samantha will bring you through a meditative reflection exercise and coaching to clarify your life’s purpose. Women have called this session fundamental to finding their true calling.
1:1 Life’s Purpose Session with Samantha
This session with Samantha will bring you through a meditative reflection exercise and coaching to clarify your life’s purpose. Women have called this session fundamental to finding their true calling.
360 Analysis
In partnership with Truscore, you will send out a survey to as many as 11 people – colleagues, supervisors, direct reports, partners, friends, and family – gathering feedback and ratings across various feminist leadership competencies.
In a personalized 1 hour private coaching session with Samantha, you will explore your strengths and growth edges, creating your own leadership development plan.
Gallups Strength Test
This canonical assessment is essential to understanding your strengths as a leader. Our strengths-based leadership class then teaches you how to leverage these strengths in your relationships, in your leadership, and in your life – and how to delegate in the areas where you aren’t strong.
OUR Renowned Guest
Speakers
Guest Speakers Are Subject To Change
Elizabeth Vazquez
Founder and CEO of WeConnect International
Hasina Kharbhih
Winner of the World Innovation Prize for her work countering human trafficking in Asia through her NGO, Impulse
Jennifer Miller
Assistant Secretary of State for the Airforce, Strategic Partner and Advisor of the Women’s ERG in the Airforce
Jackie Nunez
Founder of The Last Plastic Straw, Head of Advocacy for the Plastic Pollution Coalition
Check out our
Testimonials
Dayna Bowen
Kate Bryne
Lakysha Laing
Kelsey Semrod
WHY US
WHY US
Break Free from the Need to Earn Your Place in a Male-Dominated World: This Program is for You if You Want to...
- Seek recognition beyond job accomplishments
- Access personalized, executive coaching for your next steps
- Learn leadership from a feminist, intersectional lens
- Clearly articulate your purpose
- Build a distinguished personal brand
- Be a role model for other women
- Carve a lasting legacy
- Join a successful, prosperous community of female changemakers
Modules
Modules
Get a sneak peek into a sampling of the modules
Deconstructing Your Inner Patriarchy
What has the world taught you about being a woman? Explore how society shapes women’s self-perceptions and capabilities, including your own. Together we will identify limiting beliefs, and release the latter to reach your true potential.
Cross Cultural Teamwork
Intercultural competence is crucial for effective leadership in today’s globalized world. Learn how to navigate diverse workplaces by exploring organizational structures, gendered environments, and feedback styles.
Your Intrinsic Power Map
Many spend their lives trying to find themselves. Samantha’s original mapping process, developed over fifteen years of coaching, reveals who you truly are by exploring your personality, values, quirks, and talents—the foundation of your intrinsic value and personal brand.
Feminist Leadership
How do you embody feminist leadership in your life and in the world more broadly? What are the principles, values, and behavior that underpin feminist leadership? We look at case studies of different feminist leaders from across the globe – including private interviews between Samantha and female Ashoka innovators. We also explore feminist foreign policy as a global application of feminist leadership.
Leveraging AI for Career Planning
If you don’t know how to utilize Artificial Intelligence, you’ll be left behind. This module teaches you how to use various AI tools for career discovery and job matching. We go through a detailed and never seen before process that leverages a variety of assessments with AI to find the career and organization that is the best fit for you.
Creating Institutional Change
Driving change is hard, be it in corporate settings, government, or society. This module provides a sophisticated framework for fostering sustainable change, featuring case studies, interviews with women changemakers, stories from the field, and a guest speaker who pioneered change.
WHY US
Who is this for...
This is for you if...
- You run or aspire to run a business or nonprofit
- You want to leave a legacy
- You want to lead DEI in your workplace
- You want to change the system
- You want to gain a better understanding of your strengths
- You want to skyrocket your impact
- You know that you have a lot to offer
This is not For you if...
- You have not held a leadership role
- You don't care about systemic change
- You want to climb over other women to get to the top
- You lack ambition
- You are currently a student or in an entry-level role
- You are not ready to invest the time, energy, and financial resources necessary to foster transformation
Check out our
Testimonials
Fitore Pula
Fitore’s dream was to open a restaurant staffed by refugees in Geneva, Switzerland. Displaced herself by the Balkan wars in the 90’s, Fitore had a long legacy at UNHCR but wanted to do more.
We are so proud to share that Fito’s joint venture, Cuisine Lab, is now open for business with rave reviews in Geneva. It is staffed by refugees and features their native cuisines.
Hallie Stern
Hallie started her own business to combat misinformation and disinformation, Mad Mirror Media. She recently hosted RightsCon in Costa Rica and was selected to speak at the Nobel Peace Prize Summit about disinformation.
“When I started the Women’s Leadership Challenge I was in a funk. I’ve always been incredibly ambitious but at the time, I was feeling stuck. I needed a group of women who could help me work through it and bring me back to myself. I don’t normally write reviews like this, but I couldn’t recommend WLC enough.”
Christina Pascucci
Christina ran for the democratic primary for the United States Senate in California. Among 27 candidates, she repeatedly polled at the top, made history as the first U.S.
Senate campaign to use ethical AI to reach voters, and garnered $50 million worth of media coverage, a rarity for a political outsider. At one point she was in a statistical tie with one of the frontrunners, a 25-year Congressperson.
The Women's Leadership
Challenge
Are you ready to break free from the need to ‘earn your place’ in a male-dominated world? The Women’s Leadership Challenge is not just another leadership program—it’s a movement for change.
FAQ's
How do I know that the Women’s Leadership Challenge is right for me?
This challenge is designed for you if you are already in a position of influence or leadership. Please note – this program is not for entry-level women in the workforce or students.
If you believe that you are worth investing in, you care about creating social change, you want to carve out your legacy, and are ready to commit to a year that will change your life then you’re the perfect fit for WLC.
What do I need to know about the Women’s Leadership Challenge before joining?
This course is designed to transform you and your life. It is not a “quick fix” solution because the literature shows that quick fixes don’t work.
Many women have resolved issues that they have been struggling with for their entire lives. Multiple women say “This course has changed my life forever.”
In order for us to do this for you, what we need from you is a commitment: a serious investment of time, resources, cognitive, and emotional energy.
What is the format of the Women’s Leadership Challenge?
There are 10 women per cohort. This is an intimate program so we can provide you with high-level, high-touch support. We have live virtual classes once every 2 weeks for 2.5 hours. Together we will process wins, hot seat coaching, and feminist leadership topics. You will also be provided with suggested TEDx talks, articles, and resources to fuel your feminist journey.
What is the refund policy?
We hold your payment until we complete an interview with you and determine if you are the right fit for the course or not. If we decide to welcome you to the community and you choose to enroll, there are no refunds unless there is serious illness that prevents you from attending virtual class. If you are on a payment plan, you are expected to complete all payments regardless of whether you complete the full course. However, on a case by case basis you may be allowed to transfer into the next cohort. A transfer fee of $3500 will apply. If you are not accepted into the program we will release the hold on your card.
Will I get a certificate at the end?
Yes, you will get a certificate in 21st Century Feminist Leadership.
Will my employer pay for this?
Almost every organization has professional development budgets allotted for employees, ranging from $1000 to $15,000, depending on seniority. Often, even if there is not a stated professional development budget at your organization, if you make a strong case for how it will help you lead your team more effectively, and be a better influencer, organizations will carve out funding for you, be it partial or full funding for the program. If you run a nonprofit, this is a request that you can make from the board.