November 10 was an exciting day! Through a long-standing partnership with the University of Nebraska – Lincoln College of Business, we annually convene the incredible women of Lincoln’s business community at our annual Women in Business Event. This year, we made two exciting announcements about the future of these programs.
Beginning in 2023, RISE Lincoln will be a program of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. We are honored to continue this incredible platform for women to connect, engage, learn and grow. RISE was launched eight years ago by two respected businesswomen, Katie Zulkoski and AshLea Allberry, as a motivating series of events to connect the community of Lincoln’s business leaders. Since its founding, RISE has united hundreds of women through networking, education, civic engagement and personal coaching. As the founders planned for the next phase of RISE, they asked the Lincoln Chamber to take on the operational responsibility to build new pathways for women in our community. The Chamber enthusiastically agreed.
We are looking forward to kicking off 2023 with our first RISE event in January, followed by a year full of networking and professional coaching opportunities for all women – from college students and young professionals to seasoned executives. Continuing the mission on which the program was built, RISE will be a valuable professional platform, free of barriers, for women to connect, grown and thrive in Lincoln.
We are also humbled to share that the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business and RISE programs are now positioned for expanded reach and greater impact through the generous support of the JoAnn Martin Leadership Legacy Fund. The JoAnn Martin Leadership Legacy Fund is a new endowment under the stewardship of the Lincoln Community Foundation. It was established in honor of one of Lincoln’s greatest business leaders to encourage and support more women in Lincoln to attain business and community leadership roles. We were so honored to make this exciting announcement with members of JoAnn’s family as we celebrated JoAnn’s unparalleled leadership.
We are so proud to serve the business community of Lincoln, a community with such a long-standing history of outstanding women in leadership roles. Taking on RISE and receiving the support of the JoAnn Martin Leadership Legacy Fund helps our team to expand our investment in the future of women in both our organization and in our community. Big things are on the horizon for Women in Business and RISE, and our team is honored to play a role in ensuring that Lincoln remains the very best place to build a rewarding career.
With sincere gratitude, I thank the family of JoAnn Martin and the founders of RISE; and with immense enthusiasm, our team is looking forward to further celebrating and elevating the powerful impact of women in Lincoln.