June has been an eventful month at YW Boston. We were joined on June 4 by 500 supporters as we honored five outstanding women at our 29th annual Academy of Women Achievers luncheon. As always, it was an inspiring event. You won’t want to miss our 30th next year! 

This month also concludes our focus on Courageous Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. CEO Beth Chandler kicked off the conversation at the start of the year, sharing a hopeful, practical, path forward amid a period of legal challenges and backlash to DEI initiatives.    

“Some may say that you need to be fearless, but that implies the absence of fear. Instead, I call on you to be courageous” she shared. “What does courage look like in the context of DEI work? It means intentionally confronting biases, challenging the status quo, advocating for inclusivity, and actively working to dismantle systemic inequalities, even when faced with internal and external resistance.”  You can find highlights from our Courageous DEI campaign here.  

As you may have heard, there’s a presidential election this November. In response to inquiries from our partners, we’ll be sharing reflections and resources about how to foster psychological safety in your organization during a contentious election season. We will also be participating in Get Out the Vote efforts. Stay tuned for more.   

Finally, we celebrate Beth Chandler’s tenure as CEO, which concluded earlier this month. Beth joined YW Boston in 2012, assuming the role of CEO in 2018. Throughout her career, Beth has embodied courage in her leadership and her pursuit of equity. She stepped into the CEO role during a challenging time for the organization, following the passing of Sylvia Ferrell-Jones. Soon after, Beth led a strategic planning process that resulted in substantial changes to our programming and a sharper focus of creating more inclusive environments where women, people of color, and especially women of color can succeed. And she oversaw the sale of the building at 140 Clarendon Street, strengthening YW Boston’s long-term sustainability and returning the property to affordable housing.

We know Beth will continue to courageously work to expand diversity, equity, and inclusion in her new role with Point32Health Foundation. We hope you’ll join us, our staff, and board, as we wish her much luck and continued success.

In Beth’s absence, Kathryn Henderson will be stepping in as Interim President & CEO as our Board of Directors conducts a national search for a new CEO. In the meantime, you can expect to continue to receive quality content intended to help you cultivate more inclusive environments in your professional, personal, and community circles. 

Warmly,

Kathryn Henderson, Interim President & CEO

Marguerite Fletcher, President, Board of Directors