We Rise Together
How women leaders build strength and success through community, mentorship, and mutual support.
We Rise Together: The Power of Women Supporting Women in Leadership
There is a common misconception that leadership is a solitary journey because it can often feel lonely.
People often see the title, the position, the accomplishments, or the decisions made from the superintendent’s office, principal’s office, or boardroom table. What they do not always see are the women standing behind those leaders—the mentors, colleagues, and friends who helped them find their voice, navigate challenges, and believe in themselves before they fully believed in themselves.
As a woman in educational leadership, I have experienced firsthand the challenges of growing into leadership spaces that have historically been dominated by men. There were moments when I questioned whether I belonged at the table, whether my voice carried enough weight, or whether I was prepared for the responsibilities ahead. Yet every time doubt crept in, another woman seemed to appear with encouragement, wisdom, perspective, or simply the reassurance that I was not alone.
Those moments taught me one of the most important lessons of my career: women leaders do not succeed because they are stronger than everyone else. We succeed because we build communities that make us stronger together.
One of the most meaningful examples of this in my own leadership journey has been the Wayne County Women in Leadership, led by Dr. Daveda Colbert, Superintendent of Wayne RESA. Over the past several years, Dr. Colbert has intentionally created a space where women leaders can come together to learn, grow, share our truths, and challenge one another to become better versions of ourselves.
Every gathering is more than professional networking. It is sisterhood in action. It is a reminder that leadership can be both ambitious and authentic. It is a place where vulnerability is welcomed, accomplishments are celebrated, and challenges are met with understanding rather than judgment.
Each time I leave one of those gatherings, I feel empowered, renewed, grateful, and, most importantly, seen. I am grateful not only for the opportunity to learn from remarkable women, but also for leaders like Dr. Colbert who understand that women need spaces where they can connect honestly, support one another, and refill the cups they spend so much of their lives pouring into others.
Wayne RESA is not the only organization doing this important work. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to participate in networks that recognize the unique experiences of women leaders. Organizations such as the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association have created opportunities like Women in Education: Leading the Way and the Women in Leadership Wellness Weekend—events designed to energize, empower, and elevate women leaders across the state of Michigan.
What makes these experiences so powerful is that they remind us leadership is not a competition—it is a collective effort. Sometimes support comes loudly through mentorship, sponsorship, and advocacy. Other times, it comes quietly through a reassuring conversation after a difficult meeting, a text message offering encouragement, or a woman who simply says, “I’ve been there too.”
Those moments matter.
They help women stay in leadership.
They help women grow in leadership.
And perhaps most importantly, they inspire the next generation of women to see themselves as leaders as well.
As I reflect on my own journey, I realize that every opportunity I have had was influenced by women who invested in me. Women who shared their experiences. Women who challenged me. Women who encouraged me to take risks. Women who modeled courage, authenticity, and resilience.
Leadership may come with an individual title, but none of us arrive there alone.
We arrive because someone believed in us, lifted us up, and opened the door. We rise because other women reach back, make room, share their wisdom, and remind us who we are when we forget.
And in return, our responsibility is to do the same for the women who follow.
