From the President's Desk

Bold Optimism: Women Leading What Comes Next

Last year, as we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Santa Fe Chamber’s Women’s Leadership Luncheon & Summit, I found myself looking back at how far we had come. What started with an idea and just over 100 women at La Fonda has grown into one of our Chamber’s signature events, bringing together more than 400 women last year for a day of connection, learning and inspiration.

This year our theme for the 11th Annual Women’s Leadership Luncheon & Summit is Bold Optimism, and I can’t think of a better message for this moment.

There is a lot to be optimistic about. According to the latest U.S. Census data, New Mexico is home to 7,760 women-owned employer firms. Nationally, women own more than 12 million businesses.

Those are numbers worth celebrating, but they tell only part of the story. Women hold just 29% of C-suite positions in corporate America and lead only about 11% of Fortune 500 companies.

To me, bold optimism doesn’t mean ignoring those gaps. It means believing we can change them.

Over the past decade, one of my favorite parts of this event has been the conversations that happen when women share the real stories behind their leadership, not simply their successes, but the risks they took, the lessons they learned, the people who opened doors for them and the moments when they had to create their own opportunities.
I’ve watched women exchange business cards, make introductions, find mentors and leave with an idea or connection they didn’t have when they walked through the door. That is why bringing women together matters.

This year, we are taking that experience even further with a full day of programming focused on leadership, business, innovation, wellness and personal development. Women from across New Mexico will come together to learn, build relationships and consider one important question:

What becomes possible when we choose to lead with bold optimism?

For me, optimism isn’t passive. It’s deciding progress is possible and being willing to do the work to create it. It’s mentoring the woman coming up behind you, making an introduction, encouraging someone to pursue a leadership position, supporting a woman-owned business or simply pulling up another chair and making sure someone has a seat at the table.

After 11 years, I still believe deeply in the power of bringing women together, and I remain boldly optimistic about what happens next.

I invite you to be part of it.

Join us Friday, October 16, at Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder for the 11th Annual Women’s Leadership Luncheon & Summit. Come ready to learn, connect and be inspired, and perhaps leave ready to take your own next bold step.

Bring a colleague. Invite a friend. Encourage a woman whose leadership you believe in to join you.

Because the future of women’s leadership in New Mexico isn’t something we simply wait for. It’s something we build together.

Click here to learn more.
 
Bridget Dixson, ACE, IOM
President and CEO
Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce