About Us
Our Mission & Vision
Chattanooga Women’s Leadership Institute exists to increase the leadership capabilities and influence of women. Contribute to the growth and stability of the Greater Chattanooga business and civic community through the broad range of women’s talents and perspectives.
Our Guiding Values
We believe women leaders are a critical voice in the community.
We believe women’s perspectives and discernment make a difference and improve all aspects of work and life.
We believe it is important to help women develop their full potential.
We promote that women will be compensated equitably.
We honor diverse perspectives.
We value the company of women and encourage deeper, authentic connections among women.
Together we empower, celebrate, elevate, and advocate for one another.
CWLI Stands Against Racism
Like you, Chattanooga Women’s Leadership Institute mourns the loss of the lives of George Floyd, Ahmaud Aubrey, and Breonna Taylor as well as the profiling of Chris Cooper. These are just the latest, and most publicized, examples of racism and police violence in this country. Their stories have reminded us to examine our position in this community and evaluate where we go from here.
The significance of this moment requires that we acknowledge our failures in not doing enough to shape the conversation around race in our community to this point. If we believe that women are the nucleus for social and economic change, then we should be bolder in our approach to this issue.
The CWLI board of directors believes it is within our mission to use the CWLI platform to foster critical conversations regarding antiracism and take what we learn and put it into action. In 2020 we adopted FORward as our program theme for CWLI. We continue to see ways where defining what we are FOR needs to look different in order to realize systemic change.
We commit to accelerating our focus on inclusive representation throughout our organization. Additionally, we have already begun work on curating what we are calling a Civil Engagement series. We want to see civil discourse and civic engagement galvanized in this community and we embrace our responsibility to lead in this space in solidarity with others working toward reform. We hope you will join with us in our efforts.
Let’s move FORward Together.
– CWLI Board of Directors
Our Team
We are a tenacious and passionate team – focused on the growth of women’s leadership in our local Chattanooga area and nationally.
2021 Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Tangela Johnson | Chair
North Georgia Corporate Consulting
Autumn Witt Boyd | Vice Chair
Law Office of Autumn Witt Boyd
Julie Baumgardner | Immediate Past Chair
First Things First
Stefanie Mansueto | Treasurer
JP Morgan Chase
Amanda Jelks | Secretary
Jelks Law, PLLC
Emily Ramsey | Capacity Liaison
J. Smith Lanier & Company
Karen Estes | Programs Liaison
Tennessee Aquarium
Board of Directors
Frances Bayly
TVA
Erika Burnett
Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga
Julie Davis | Impact Co-Chair
Roundtable Advisors of Raymond James
Gina Dhanani
The Double Cola Company
Mary Edwards
Chambliss Children’s Center
Emily Elrod
Workzbe
Marj Flemming | Director Emeritus
Launchpoint Leadership
Beth Harrell
Beth Harrell Homes, Crye-Leike Realtors
Stacy Johnson
La Paz
Daisy Maurya-Ballard
Parkridge Health Systems
Jennifer Nicely
CHI Memorial Healthcare System
Jessica Oliva-Calderin
Calderin & Oliva, P.A.
Danna Vaughn
Chattanooga Police Department
Joyce Ann Williams
LBMC
Our History
The Women’s Leadership Institute was initiated in 1996 with informal gatherings regarding the small number of women in leadership positions in the Chattanooga community, especially the relatively few women holding executive level positions in companies or elective and appointive offices in local government. Additionally, a movement began to form an organization where women leaders could interact with each other more productively and could bring forward a new “generation” of women leaders. In 1998, WLI became a nonprofit organization.
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