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(New Orleans – February 6, 2023) Educate. Empower Elevate. The Women’s Leadership Academy – the only program of its kind hosted at a university in Louisiana – celebrates the milestone of five years, opening applications for its fifth cohort in 2023.

Launched in 2019, the Women’s Leadership Academy has been immensely successful in its mission to educate, empower, and elevate leaders across Southeast Louisiana. Since its inaugural year, more than 165 participants have grown and networked with thought leaders in the region.

“The pandemic has shown us that people want more from the workplace,” said Amy Landry, program manager. “The Women’s Leadership Academy empowers women to identify and hone their individual strengths – and become the kind of leaders they aspire to be.”

��������'s Women's Leadership Academy curriculum is concentrated on women and increasing the representation of women in leadership.  According to Women in the Workplace, a new study by LeanIn and McKinsey and Company, while women overall have made professional gains and increased representation in leadership roles, women are still dramatically under-represented in leadership roles in the workplace. And a great number are leaving their jobs in a new workplace trend, dubbed

Women leadership programs provide a safe environment to explore building personal agency and self-clarity, aligning goals with intentions, balancing self-promotion with authenticity, building a strategic network, and creating greater work-life balance. These tools have never been more critical for women than during this time of shifting work environments, workloads, and opportunities, Landry said. 

Benefits of the program include:
●    Selection into a cohort of 45 women who are recognized as leaders within their organizations with high potential to grow into advanced leadership positions. 
●    Attainment of a �������� Certificate of Completion and 6.0 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
●    Access to an active, ever-growing alumni network with year-round opportunities for social and professional engagement.
●    Participation in eleven (11) on-campus, full-day sessions designed to leverage personal strengths, examine emotional intelligence and build critical leadership skills through presentations, panels, assessments, and small group work.
●    Experiential learning and concept reinforcement through executive coaches, accountability groups, and individual mentorships. 

“We are in a new world of work that requires a new type of leader, one who can meaningfully connect with themselves, with their teams and with their organizations. This new type of leader will have to demonstrate authenticity, compassion, and alignment,” said Michelle K. Johnston, �������� Gaston Chair of Business and author of The Seismic Shift in Leadership: How to Thrive in the New Era of Connection. 

The Women’s Leadership Academy selection committee will seek to identify 45 individuals who are most likely to utilize their leadership abilities for the long-term benefit of our region.  The selection committee considers factors such as the following to ensure that the group is accomplished, diverse, inclusive, and committed to success:
●    Race
●    Ethnicity
●    Industry / Sector
●    Leadership experience (minimum 3 years in a management role)
●    Leadership accomplishments
●    Civic involvement
●    Program goals aligned with the WLA mission

Class sessions are facilitated by Amy Landry, an MBTI© Certified Practitioner for Myers-Briggs Type Indicator training and include guest speakers and workshops facilitated by expert �������� faculty and staff.

The academy meets all day one Thursday per month for eleven months, starting March 30. Deadline to apply is March 1, with a scholarship and priority application deadline of Feb. 6.

The Women’s Leadership Academy is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment and encourages anyone interested in the program or allyship to apply.

Learn more and register here.