Loading organizations...
Key people at The Women's Impact Alliance.
The Women's Impact Alliance provides leadership development programs tailored for women in social and environmental change sectors. The organization builds capacity and influence, equipping these leaders with advanced skills to amplify their societal impact. Its core offerings facilitate professional growth and community building for participants, enhancing their leadership efficacy.
Evolving from The Coaching Fellowship, the Alliance was founded on the insight that targeted development could significantly leverage the potential of women leaders in global social and environmental progress. Specific founders are not publicly highlighted in the available information, but the organization emerged from a dedicated vision to empower this vital cohort.
The Alliance serves high-potential women leaders and executive coaches involved in social and environmental initiatives globally. Through its resources, participants refine leadership capabilities and drive positive change. The organization envisions cultivating a powerful network of women leaders, fostering growth to ultimately advance women and girls worldwide.
The Women's Impact Alliance (WIA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating high-potential women leaders in social and environmental change through transformational leadership development, executive coaching, and a global network.[1][2][4] Formerly known as The Coaching Fellowship, it offers the Empowered Leader Program—a unique ecosystem that has supported over 1,732 women from 90+ countries, equipping them with skills, confidence, and connections to drive impact in areas like sustainability, social justice, and equity.[2][4][8] WIA serves emerging women leaders ("Catalysts") in the social impact sector, solving the problem of limited access to tailored coaching and networks that propel them into positions of power for a just, sustainable world.[1][5]
Founded in 2014 by Jane Finette, WIA began as The Coaching Fellowship when Finette started offering coaching to a small group of young women leaders in social change from her cottage in California.[2][4] It rebranded to The Women's Impact Alliance on October 3, 2022, to reflect expanded ambitions while retaining its core mission, values, and team.[2] Early traction came from a volunteer network of 220+ executive coaches and donor support, growing to impact 1,500+ women across 85+ countries by the rebrand.[2] Pivotal moments include Finette's transition to Board Member in 2024, Anu Ishola's appointment as Executive Director, and partnerships like coaching for The Cartier Women’s Initiative.[4]
WIA rides the wave of gender equity in impact-driven sectors, where women leaders are increasingly vital for addressing climate, social justice, and sustainability challenges amid global calls for diverse decision-making.[1][4][6] Timing aligns with rising nonprofit investments in leadership development post-2020 social movements and ESG trends, positioning WIA to influence tech-adjacent ecosystems like social enterprises and impact startups (e.g., via Cartier partnerships).[4] Market forces favoring it include donor support for women-led change and a growing pipeline of diverse talent; WIA shapes the ecosystem by accelerating "game-changing" women into roles that integrate tech for social good, fostering collaborative solutions in underserved communities.[3][4]
WIA is poised for further global expansion, with its 2025 Empowered Leader Program applications signaling sustained momentum and potential to hit 2,000+ participants amid heightened focus on women in climate and equity tech.[4][8] Trends like AI-enhanced coaching and hybrid networks will amplify its model, while deeper tech-social impact partnerships could evolve its influence toward scaling women-led startups. As it builds on a decade of proven acceleration, WIA remains a pivotal force propelling women leaders to reshape decisions for humanity and the planet—echoing its founding vision from a California cottage to worldwide change.[2][4]
Key people at The Women's Impact Alliance.