Hey EYV Fam! In today’s episode of Embracing Your Voice, I’m sitting down with Gwen Young - CEO of the Women Business Collaborative (WBC) and visiting scholar at George Washington University. Gwen’s career journey is incredible, from humanitarian work to global development to leading the charge for women’s leadership across industries. We get into some real talk about why women’s voices (especially women of color) are still underrepresented in leadership spaces, and what it’s going to take to change that. If you’re passionate about building a better, more equitable future, you’re going to love this one. What We Cover: How Gwen’s early experiences - like attending a women’s college -shaped her passion for leadershipWhat working in humanitarian crises taught her about women’s voices and global leadershipWhy women need a seat at every table (not just one)What’s actually happening in the C-suite today and why diversity numbers still lag behindThe real barriers women face when climbing the leadership ladderHow mentorship, sponsorship, and building strong networks can change the game for womenAction steps organizations (and all of us) can take to create more pathways to leadership Timestamps: 00:00 – Kicking things off 02:00 – Meet Gwen Young 06:30 – Gwen’s early leadership influences 10:15 – Lessons from humanitarian work 15:20 – Why women’s representation matters across every sector 21:00 – The state of women in leadership today 27:45 – Why women of color still face the steepest hurdles 34:10 – How networks, mentorship, and sponsorship make a difference 41:20 – Real ways organizations can step up 48:00 – Final thoughts + my takeaways In this episode, I’m chatting with Gwen Young, someone who has spent her career pushing for real change when it comes to women’s leadership. We kick things off by talking about Gwen’s time at Smith College and how being in a women-centered environment shaped her belief that women belong at the decision-making table. From there, we dive into her humanitarian work and the experiences that made her realize how differently women experience crises, leadership, and opportunity. We also talk about what’s going on in corporate America today: yes, we’ve made progress, but there’s still a big gap - especially for women of color. Gwen breaks down the systemic barriers that are still holding women back, like microaggressions, a lack of networks, and missed opportunities for professional development. One of my favorite parts of our conversation? When Gwen talks about building the “women’s old girls’ network” a powerful, supportive network that can rival the “old boys’ clubs” that have existed forever. There’s so much good stuff in here about mentorship, sponsorship, leadership programs, and how organizations can actually move the needle - not just talk about it. If you care about women’s advancement, leadership, and making sure ALL women have the chance to lead, you’re going to walk away from this episode fired up and ready to take action. Guest Info: Gwen K. Young is the CEO of the Women Business Collaborative. She is also a Visiting Scholar at the Elliot School of International Affairs, George Washington University and former Director of the Global Women’s Leadership Initiative at the Wilson Center. She is an Advisor to Concordia. Ms. Young has worked across the globe developing strategy, programming and advocacy in the areas of humanitarian policy, international affairs and international development. This includes developing public private partnerships focused on public health, agriculture, gender equality, and access to finance.. As an attorney, Ms. Young has worked as a...
