Thought Leadership
From personal connections to teachers and professional powerhouses, these women are behind the industry’s trailblazers
According to Harvard Business Review, women in leadership drive more profitable, socially responsible, and high-quality customer experiences. But what about interpersonal impacts? How do strong women support the next generation of female visionaries? In this episode of Visionary Voices: Up Close, we asked leaders from the #WomenLeadingEd community about the inspirational women who have motivated their professional development. Learn more about the value of guidance from family matriarchs and female mentors, plus insights on uplifting mentorship styles and overcoming imposter syndrome.
“The one that first comes to mind is my PhD supervisor, Dr. Darleen Opfer. Darlene not only helped me get through my PhD, but she's like a family member now. She's the person I go to for critical advice.”
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More Visionary Voices
Looking for more takeaways on hot topics like learning loss, PreK-12 staffing shortages, and leadership that puts people first? We’ve got more inspiring videos, each packed with invaluable insights and strategies from education’s brightest minds.
About The Visionary Voices Series
Visionary Voices sheds light on both the challenges and opportunities facing schools today. Through conversations with veteran education leaders, we explore solutions that empower, enlighten, and enrich all those committed to serving students with diverse needs.
Join us for in-depth fireside chats with educators, experts, advocates, and more. In each one-on-one conversation, we delve into a wide range of themes—from driving innovation to leading through change and supporting school communities. Get inspired by the real-life experiences of each of our Visionary Voices special guests.
Visionary Voices: Up Close asks education leaders key questions of the day. In each short episode, you’ll hear from a diverse group of leaders in the #WomenLeadingEd community on what drives, inspires, and helps them—from recommended reads to podcasts and career-changing resources.
Listen to these thought-provoking interviews to learn, be inspired, and drive positive impacts. Together, we’re transforming obstacles into opportunities and reimagining a future where every student can thrive.
Sources
- Organizations with more women in senior positions are more profitable, more socially responsible, and provide safer, higher-quality customer experiences.
Source: Harvard Business Review. “Research: Adding Women to the C-Suite Changes How Companies Think.” August 2021.
https://hbr.org/2021/04/research-adding-women-to-the-c-suite-changes-how-companies-think - Women are well-represented in mid-levels of administration, representing 78% of central office administrators, 54% of principals, and 53% of assistant principals. But the superintendent role remains elusive, with only 26% of these posts held by women. Source: NCES. “Characteristics of Public School Teachers.” May 2023. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/clr#:~:text=See%20Digest%20of%20Education%20Statistics,school%20level%20(36%20percent).
