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          Be in the room as Congressman Neal addresses the Greater Boston business community.

          11/13/2025

          2:45pm - 4:00pm

          Nutter

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          Join us in person to learn about Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL), a prestigious leadership program shaping top talent across Greater Boston. Hear from alumni, explore the application process, and stay for networking and refreshments.

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          City Awake

          City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.

          Read More
          Boston’s Future Leaders

          Our Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL) program provides emerging leaders with a socially conscious and civically engaged leadership toolkit, as well as the opportunity to apply their knowledge through experiential assignments.

          Read More
          Massachusetts Apprentice Network

          The Massachusetts Apprentice Network convenes employers, training providers, and talent sources interested in developing and implementing apprenticeship programs in occupations across industries and statewide in fields such as tech, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and more.

          Read More
          Strategic Communication for Better Collaboration

          Level up your leadership and communication in this Boston Chamber workshop for professionals—gain essential skills in team alignment.

          Read More
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          The Chamber Foundation invites the business community to engage with Boston Public Schools leaders and their students to help build the future workforce.

          Read More
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Women's Leadership Program

Nominations for the Class of 2026 are closed.

Goals

  • Our 2025-2026 cohort runs from September 17, 2025 through May 20, 2026.
  • Learn from renowned faculty at Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership through classes on leadership style, leading teams effectively, managing perceptions, navigating gendered expectations, negotiating, and public speaking.
  • Participants will gain access to the city’s top women leaders through the Chamber’s Women’s Network, collaborate with other emerging women leaders across industries through Peer Mentor Groups, and design an Individual Action Project for their own workplace.

Details

  • Hybrid
  • Member - Virtual: $5,000/person
  • Non-Member - Virtual: $6,000/person
  • Member - In Person: $6,000/person
  • Non-Member - In Person: $8,000/person
Sponsor the Program

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  • Overview
  • Outcomes
WLP full width feature image

Program Overview

Our Women’s Leadership Program (WLP) empowers women professionals to navigate and propel their careers to the next level while also creating the conditions for other women to thrive. Men still outpace women in executive roles in every industry. This program equips women with a leadership toolkit blending academic content, practical application, and social capital with the chief aim of elevating gender equity in the workplace. Participants graduate with the skills, experiences, and connections needed to lead businesses into the top tiers of success.

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce -- Women's Leadership Program
Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce -- Women's Leadership Program

Characteristics of Successful Candidates

  • Identified as a self-motivated, high-performing woman at any stage of her career
  • Committed to contributing to gender equity in the workplace
  • Dedicated to full participation in the sessions

The Chamber seeks a diverse pool of applicants regarding demographics and perspectives. We highly encourage professionals with unique backgrounds and experiences to apply.

While self-nominations are accepted, we encourage you to solicit a nomination from your manager or another leader in your company to ensure you have organizational support to participate in this program.

Check Our Member Directory

2025-2026 Sample Program Schedule

Wednesday, September 17 – Session 1:

Orientation + Your Leader Identity 1

Chamber learning & development staff welcome the incoming class, facilitate introductions among the group, and outline program content and expectations for the year. Participants also begin their leadership journey with Simmons faculty in the first session focused on the HRDQ assessment and unlocking their default leadership styles.

Wednesday, October 22 – Session 2:

Your Leader Identity 2 + Intentional Networking

Continuing the conversation after HRDQ assessments, we will examine how we are socialized to think about leadership and what identity has to do with it. With network mapping and a focus on a specific leadership goal, participants then analyze their network and develop an action plan to fill in the gaps in a structured, systematic way while building their relationships.

Wednesday, November 19 – Session 3:

Innovative Communication & Visual Art

The morning session introduces an innovative and impactful way to change how participants communicate within their own workplaces, run meetings, and establish respectful environments for their teams. The afternoon session focuses on the critical skills and awareness needed to manage a diverse workforce and to build inclusive environments for equitable workplace experiences.

Thursday, December 3 – Session 4:

Individual Action Project Kick-Off

In a virtual session for both cohorts, Chamber learning & development staff introduce the parameters for the Individual Action Project, an opportunity for participants to apply what they learn in the program to a specific problem or issue in their companies or communities. Participants then have an opportunity to brainstorm and discuss with women from both cohorts.

Friday, January 30 – Session 5:

Pinnacle Awards (Optional)

Participants are invited to celebrate stellar leadership in action at the Chamber’s premier event for women in business (and allied men). Held every January, the Pinnacle Awards honor professional women who have demonstrated excellence in different categories. This inspirational program draws over 1,000 participants from the business and government communities.

Wednesday, February 5 – Session 6:

Managing Perceptions

In a virtual session for both cohorts, participants examine how others might perceive them because of their leadership style (identified in September) and learn strategies for managing that perception while navigating gender politics. Breakout groups encourage mingling and sharing amongst cohorts.

Wednesday, March 4 – Session 7:

Negotiations + Public Speaking with Confidence

In the morning workshop, participants gain skills for empowering themselves as effective self-advocates and then uncover the fundamentals of successful workplace negotiation and mutual gains problem solving. In the afternoon, Boston Public Speaking assists participants in finding, amplifying, and using their voices with confidence in a high-energy, interactive workshop.

Wednesday, March 25 – Session 8:

Candid Conversations + Networking Session

Participants dive into intimate discussions on topics specific to women professionals through a Candid Conversations session with women business leaders from various sectors, all representing the Advisory Board of the Chamber’s Women’s Network. Afterwards, participants continue to connect in their second networking reception.

Wednesday, April 15 – Session 9:

Leading Teams + Organizational Change for Equity

Creating lasting, equitable change begins with knowing one’s role within larger systems. Participants explore how individuals, organizational culture, and societal forces interact to shape change efforts while also reflecting on the unique role they play in advancing equity and inclusion, leading to deeper insights about their leadership identity.

Late April date TBD – Session 10:

Behind the Scenes of a Women-Led Business

Late in the month, participants witness gender dynamics and leadership in action in the popular Behind-the-Scenes of a Women-Led Business. Business and location changes year by year. In-person cohort attendance at this session is required, and virtual cohort attendance is encouraged.

Thursday, May 7, 2026 – Session 11:

Project Presentations + Graduation

In the final session with both cohorts, participants virtually present their Individual Action Projects in small groups, debrief the experience, then celebrate each other and the class’s success in a virtual graduation ceremony with special guest and keynote speakers.

Program Outcomes

  • In aggregate, participants experienced impressive levels of growth in the highly skilled or expert level categories of the following professional competencies
  • 48% growth in navigating identity-based expectations in the workplace
  • 42% growth in creating inclusive cultures
  • 33% growth in conducting effective negotiations
  • 68% growth in identifying and flexing leadership style
  • 44% growth in advocating for self and others
  • 34% growth in leading teams AND networking
  • 26% growth in public speaking
  • Participants bring organizational, strategic, and team management skills back to your organization through high quality professional development.
  • Participants’ Individual Action Projects directly impact your organization by providing solutions to a particular problem or issue using what they learned from the program.
  • Participants represent your business amongst a cohort of the city’s next generation of trusted leaders.
  • Participants collaborate across industries in Peer Mentor Groups, network with top women leaders in business, and establish connections that will propel participants throughout their careers.

“As a seasoned Director of Legal Recruiting, the Chamber Women's Leadership Program has been invaluable in providing me with new perspectives and tools to further enhance my contributions to the firm. The programming and networking opportunities are outstanding!”

Donna Yergeau, (Class of 2023)

“WLP is an impactful program. The goals that I had for myself in the beginning evolved over time as each session opened my mind to new ways to grow. I highly recommend WLP for any woman who is in search of herself, in search of a transition, and/or in search of support. ”

Joey Varga, (Class of 2023)

“The shared focus, support, and commitment to developing techniques to advance oneself and others utilizing the qualities unique to women is truly inspiring. Learning that I was not alone in my thinking and mindset gave me added confidence that I can and will reach my full potential.”

Kristin McFetridge, (Class of 2023) 

“I loved my Women's Leadership Program experience. The instructors were top notch. I always left every session with a golden nugget (or two or three) of actionable tips, techniques, and ideas that I could implement when I got back to the office. I also loved my fellow classmates and how supportive and generous with wisdom everyone was in the program”

Laura Wilson, (Class of 2023)  

Program Partners

Academic Institution

Simmons University Logo

Sponsor

BOND Building

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