The Chattanooga Women’s Leadership Institute is celebrating two decades of building a more female-inclusive culture in the Chattanooga business community by hosting a 20th anniversary celebration on Aug. 23.
Formed in 1996 with seven members, CWLI is a local nonprofit organization that provides mentoring, training and leadership development to more than 500 businesswomen throughout the Chattanooga community. The institute has worked toward bringing more women into leadership roles both in the community as well as in the professional world.
“Our organization strives to give women of diverse skills and backgrounds the tools and resources they need to better themselves and strengthen society,” said Mical Traynor, executive director of CWLI. “With CWLI’s help, Chattanooga women have individually and collectively established themselves as leaders and decision makers in our city. Our anniversary event is going to applaud those strides.”
The Aug. 23 event will feature a memorial for one of the organization’s founders who passed away last year, Mai Bell Hurley, who was a dedicated advocate for the arts in Chattanooga and respected public servant. A CWLI history exhibit will also be on display with music by Booker T. Scruggs, heavy hors d’oeuvres and wine.
“CWLI encourages some of the most powerful and influential women and men in our city’s recent history to share what they’ve learned in order to empower and teach others,” said Patti Frierson, board president of CWLI. “Our 20-year celebration is to thank the community for its support and encourage others to join us in our mission.”
The celebration is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 23, from 5-7 p.m. at The Venue, 4119 Cummings Hwy. Tickets are available to purchase for $25 per person on CWLI’s website under the events tab. Five dollars from each ticket purchased will go to the CWLI Scholarship Fund which provides financial aid to professional women in need in the Chattanooga community.
Over the years CWLI has developed programs that include Women Mentoring Women, Finance in the Boardroom and Leadership Luncheons that have encouraged and enabled women to become contributors to a society in which they continue to be under-represented in leadership roles. Learn more about CWLI on the organization’s website, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.