WELA Alumni Spotlight

Describe the six months you spent in the Bloombase experience for Women Executive Leader Academy (WELA), a customized AWL Cohort.
Our time together felt far too short! As our cohort approached the end of our scheduled time, we unanimously agreed that it seemed more like the beginning or middle of our journey rather than the conclusion. As a result, we decided to commit to a future schedule to stay connected and continue supporting each other on our leadership paths. Similarly, spreading the in-person experiences over six months provided ample time to reflect and practice what we had learned along the way.

What was it about WELA that made you feel you had an ROI from the experience?
I learned as much, if not more, from observing how the other extraordinary women leaders in my cohort learned and developed over the course of the experience. Witnessing how each of them applied the lessons significantly accelerated my own growth. The strong and trusting relationships we built during that time enhance our interactions with one another and our respective teams, which ultimately leads to faster and more effective execution of our work priorities.

What did you walk away with from WELA and what are you continuing to learn about yourself?
One of the most valuable lessons I took from WELA was learning to pause and step back from my initial judgments or perceptions in the moment. I’ve developed greater patience and a more thoughtful approach to understanding situations by working through a series of questions that challenge my assumptions. This process helps me better consider others’ perspectives and the motivations behind their actions and decisions.

A question I now ask myself often when I find my viewpoint differs from someone else’s is: “What is it that I don’t know that they do?” It’s a simple but powerful way to shift from reaction to reflection and open the door to deeper understanding.

What would you say to someone considering the WELA experience?
For someone considering the WELA experience, I would say, "Do it!" The journey of self-discovery reaps rewards not just in your professional life, but in your personal life as well.

My favorite way to spend an afternoon by myself is... immersed in a great book!

The kind of work I love is... work that requires teamwork and collaboration and has clear objectives about what it means to win!

To me, leadership is... believing in people beyond what they believe for themselves, having your teams' back during challenging times and having the courage to have difficult conversations when necessary.

Something that makes my life ridiculously fun is... my 3 best friends from kindergarten through high school and our get togethers whenever schedules align despite all living in different cities now.

The values/behaviors that are most important to me are... the health of my family, equality, achievement and continuous improvement.