WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–How Women Lead, a powerful community of more than 15,000 accomplished women executives, has expanded its Washington Capital Region Executive Board of Advisors. The newest board members will join with existing members to help women in the region influence change in the workplace through personal leadership, investment, and philanthropy.
The Women of the Washington Capital Region Chapter Executive Board hold leadership positions across government, business, and non-profit organizations, and bring invaluable experience and perspective to How Women Lead’s leadership. This Board of Advisors is an impressive group of local senior executive women including:
New Board Members
- Debjani Sarkar, Director of Engineering, Nuance Communications
- Janice C. Haith, Strategic Industry Executive, Public Sector, Oracle
- Lesley-Jane Dixon, Senior Vice President, Clark Enterprises, Inc.
- Nicole O’Neill Ash, Retired Senior National Security Executive
- Renee Wynn, CEO, RP Wynn Consulting LLC (former NASA CIO)
- Stephanie Tsacoumis, Chief Operating Officer, King Street Wireless
Returning Board Members:
- Amy Coughenour-Betancourt, President and CEO, Cadasta Foundation
- Essye Miller, President, Executive Business Management
- Kaprece James, President and CEO, Stella’s Girls, Inc.
- Karen Henneberger, Senior Executive, New Ship Design in the Department of Energy
- Lakisha Hall, Chief Strategy Transformation Officer, Nielsen
- Linda Canada, president of CanDen Retail Associates
- Nicole Streeter, General Counsel, Council of the District of Columbia
- Shar Caesar Douglas, Global Artist Marketing Lead, TIDAL
“How Women Lead is continuing to elevate women and women of color in the workplace and the work of our Washington D.C. chapter is crucial to our collective success,” said Julie Castro Abrams, Founder and CEO of How Women Lead. “I am so inspired by the women of our Washington Capital Region Executive Board of Advisors, who are dedicated to our mission. As our chapters expand and new chapters emerge, How Women Lead will become a powerhouse organization and transform the way the world sees women leaders.”
The Washington Capital Region Chapter was launched in April 2022, serving as the first East Coast chapter for How Women Lead and the second regional chapter nationwide. Others include the Silicon Valley Chapter, and most recently, the new Chicago Region Chapter.
Since its inception in 2022, the Washington D.C. Chapter has made headway in the region, including contributing to the National Women’s Business Council’s (NWBC) 2022 Annual Report, which included data from the “How Women (and Men) Invest In Startups,” report, commissioned by How Women Invest last year and highlights the need to shift the Venture Capital landscape to encouraging more female accredited investors to invest in startups and increase capital to female founders.
“In the last year, How Women Lead has really been able to make headway in the Washington D.C. region,” explained Castro Abrams. “Bringing on Debjani Sarkar, Lesley-Jane Dixon, Nicole O’Neill Ash, and Stephanie Tsacoumis will grow the power of our network and our ability to make an impact on women in this region.”
How Women Lead is changing the definition of women’s leadership by helping experienced, talented women leaders – particularly women of color – claim their seats in the C-suites and corporate boardrooms, and as limited partners in venture capital firms. To join the Washington Capital Region Chapter of How Women Lead, please visit https://www.howwomenlead.com/join-us.
About How Women Lead
How Women Lead is a national organization of top executive women focused on activating their individual and collective power to achieve equity for women by driving representation and opportunities across all aspects of life and career. Founded in 2011, the organization fights for change at all levels by affecting systems reform, mobilizing a movement, offering training, and providing access to opportunities. Now more than 15,000 strong, the organization has expanded the breadth and depth of its impact nationally. How Women Lead’s philanthropic arm, How Women Give, provides grants and invaluable connections to women’s and girls’ organizations on the frontlines of today’s most critical issues. And its sister organization, How Women Invest, invites women to play big and powerfully in venture, making meaningful investments and propelling high-potential, women-led companies forward at scale. For more, visit https://howwomenlead.com/.
