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���ϲ�����’s Women in Leadership Initiative (WiL) continues expanding its reach and impact, including adding a second concentrated cohort experience to the 2023-24 academic year. With the addition of Cohort 3, this means more than 75 women across campus were invited to join these intensive leadership development experiences this academic year.

“It’s a unique time in higher education and the WiL cohort provides a constructive forum to better understand the opportunities and issues that all colleges and departments are encountering—and come together to forge relationships that can collectively and positively impact our future,” says Heather Gaines, deputy general counsel and one of the 25 members of the newest cohort.

WiL’s third cohort begins in December 2023, offering a personalized, intensive professional development experience to the University’s most promising women and non-binary people. It will again be led by Candace Campbell Jackson, senior vice president and chief of staff to the Chancellor; Dara Royer, senior vice president and chief marketing officer; Marcelle Haddix, associate provost for strategic initiatives; and Jamie Winders, associate provost for faculty affairs. The full will continue to advise the cohort leaders and engage the cohort members.

“I have been inspired and even somewhat overwhelmed by the keen interest from so many who want to be a part of our leadership development initiative,” says Haddix.  “At a time when other institutions seem to be retreating from cultivating women leaders, it’s rewarding to know how important this work is for the women we serve and for the entire University,” she says.

“I am thrilled to join this esteemed group,” says new member Renate Chancellor. “I am especially excited to learn from leaders and mentors so that I can take this newfound knowledge into my role of associate dean of DEIA at the School of Information Studies.”

The WiL Initiative’s cohort experience creates a personalized, intensive professional development opportunity that will:

• Foster self-discovery in work/life exploration, while enhancing personal and professional leadership strengths and heightening overall emotional intelligence.
• Expand upon and improve skills in areas of personal branding, public presentations, management, negotiation, collaboration and conflict resolution.
• Provide enhanced knowledge of University governance, academic leadership and the overall educational enterprise.
• Explore career options in higher education and academic leadership in a post-pandemic world.
• Build an extended network of referrals and contacts of women leaders within and beyond academic settings.
• Help participants attain new success—on or off campus.

For more information, visit the  or email womeninleadership@syr.edu. All community members can participate in WiL programming.

The new 25 cohort members are listed below and individual bios (along with the past cohort members) can be found on the .

Women in Leadership Cohort 3 members:

• Michelle Blum
• Renate Chancellor
• Chetna Chianese
• Jennifer DeMarchi
• Sharon Dotger
• Cheryl Fabrizi
• Yoanna Ferrara
• Heather Gaines
• Deanna Grannis
• Shannon Hefti
• Tanisha Jackson
• Abby Kasowitz-Scheer
• Beverly Kirk
• Moon Lee
• Lisa Manning
• Dawn McWilliams
• Suzette Meléndez
• Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern
• Leonese Nelson
• Alison Patteson
• Kira Reed
• Natalie Russo
• Jenny Saluti
• Katie Scanlon
• Heather Tamurian