Author: Tara Baumgarten, Head of PR and Strategic Communications, //NKST  

Last month I had the pleasure of attending Power’s Advocate Award celebration, which is an annual Philadelphia-area event that honors leaders who have made it a priority to support the growth of women at every stage of their careers. This was my third time attending and the event did not disappoint. The honorees came from diverse backgrounds and found their way into sponsorship and advocacy through different and unique life experiences.

What they shared was both inspiring and deeply personal:

Advocate Award Honoree, Molly Shepard, founder and executive advisor at The Leader’s Edge, has dedicated her entire life to helping women become their best selves. She shared five important tips for success:

1. Don’t fall victim to a culture that supports misogyny and bias (and don’t let your sons either). You will not be happy.
2. Speak up when you see inequity, bias and microaggressions. Don’t be afraid.
3. Take the hands of your diverse women colleagues and promote them, both inside and outside your organization.
4. Ask for coaching. This is not a sign of weakness, but strength.
5. Know that it’s not institutions that support and protect women, it’s individuals.

Advocate Award Honoree, Joseph McLaughlin, Jr., chairman and CEO, The Haverford Trust Company, shared his journey to advocacy through a personal story about his first supervisor who provided tough feedback, but only because she believed in him more than he believed in himself at the time. That was his first brush with leadership, and he’s vowed to carry those lessons through his career, and he has. He feels it’s his privilege and responsibility to pave a path to leadership for women and said Haverford would not be as successful today without women in key leadership positions.

For Quiet Champion of Change Honoree, Coleen Kramer Beal, financial advisor, Janney Montgomery Scott, advocacy doesn’t start and stop in the workplace, it extends to all areas of her life. Whether championing change in her organization or her tireless work with non-profits like the Lady Ravens, an all-female flag football team she proudly sponsors, Coleen is a force for good with an unwavering commitment to gender diversity. She said, “don’t underestimate your worth based on where you are today!”

Quiet Champion of Change, Rajvir “Raj” Madan, Chief Digital & Information Technology Officer, Arcutis Biotherapeutics witnessed the power of advocacy first-hand. Originally from India, Raj watched his father break down barriers for his mother, an entrepreneur, by helping her start a venture and giving her the physical space and a supportive environment to launch her business. He said through this process he saw the positive change to a women’s life when given the support, and he vowed to pay it forward…and has!

The event was a testament to the power of advocacy and the incredible impact that dedicated leaders can have on advancing women in the workplace. Each honoree’s story was a powerful reminder that while the paths to advocacy may vary, the commitment to fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment for women is a shared goal that can drive profound change in our organizations and communities.