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< PreviousCREATING THE FUTURE WE WANT TO SEE8 The Regenerative Leadership Project Interested in the Regenerative Leadership Project? Check out our webpage for updates. What is the Regenerative Leadership Project? Regenerative Leadership is a one-of-a-kind leadership training based on principles of decolonization and feminism. Blending virtual group meetings and individual self-reflection practices, this learning journey is for environmental practitioners of all identities at any stage of their career. Through the Regenerative Leadership Project, participants discover: •How to understand the intersecting issues in our world using systems thinking and an anti-oppression lens; •How their medicine—their deepest, innate gifts—can inform and guide their unique leadership style; •How to grow as a leader committed to environmental work while advocating for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Planet Women’s Director of Cultural Transformation, Dr. Liza Keānuenueokalani Williams, both designed the course and facilitates all the sessions. Dr. Liza leads our organization’s efforts to teach conservation practitioners how to align with their deepest values to promote anti-oppression and anti-racism in their organizations, teams and communities. Dr. Liza beta-tested Regenerative Leadership with our staff last year (lucky us!) and in May 2022, we officially launched the course. The applications exceeded the spots available in the spring cohort, so this fall we offered—and filled—two cohorts. By the end of 2022, 28 environmental practitioners will have completed the Regenerative Leadership Project. We’re energized by seeing so many environmental practitioners eager to step into their unique leadership style and bring new skills to transforming systems of oppression!“What surprised me was how deeply this journey through the sessions touched my life. Liza has a way of delivering really important content about diversity, equity and inclusion, in a way that helps you grow personally without shame. She honors everyone’s family story and uses it to help determine each participant’s strengths to lead with. I cannot recommend this program enough. Liza brings activism and change through a kind and humble stillness.” Becky Hatfield Hyde, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Commissioner and rancher at Oregon Country Beef 28 completed the Regenerative Leadership course (that’s three full cohorts!) were awarded to people from groups historically under-represented in the 5 environmental movement— especially those who identify as BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+. Scholarships provide full funding to participate in the Regenerative Leadership course. 215 for two public events focused on how to become a Regenerative Leader. people registered Regenerative Leadership Project’s 2022 ImpactCREATING THE FUTURE WE WANT TO SEE10 We are thrilled to introduce you to the first Regenerative Leader Rising Scholarship recipient, Anahita Verahrami—an inspiring conservationist, photographer, and storyteller. She is a graduate research assistant in the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at Colorado State University and completing her ecology master’s degree in Dr. Sara Bombaci's Diversity and Inclusion in Conservation Ecology Lab. Before joining Regenerative Leadership, Anahita had significant experience promoting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion within academia and conservation and was interested in going deeper on these topics in a safe and comfortable space. She also wanted to continue learning about anti-oppressive ways of engaging in community partnerships. About her work within the environmental sector, Anahita says: “My research interests lie at the intersection of bioacoustics, conservation, tropical biology, monitoring anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity, capacity building, and equitable community engagement. I have a special interest in the application of acoustic monitoring to studying and conserving populations of forest elephants in Central Africa and in completing this work through partnership with local communities using an equitable and decolonized approach.” Here’s what Anahita said about participating in the Regenerative Leadership Project: “Planet Women’s Regenerative Leadership Project was truly one of the most powerful and activating experiences I have had…By having this opportunity to deepen our understanding of the power and influence these systems have on our individual, family, community, and professional lives, we learned how to identify oppression in these spaces we are a part of and began the critical task of catalyzing the transformation of these systems. The foundation to these transformations is grounded in the Regenerative Leadership skill set we gained in building resilience, cultivating trust and safety, integrating reciprocity, and incorporating our own medicine into both our personal and professional lives.” Meet Rising Regenerative Leader, Anahita Verahrami TOP TO BOTTOM: Anahita setting up an acoustic recording unit to deploy in the Republic of Congo to collect data for her masters thesis; A forest elephant bull enjoying a refreshing dip at Wali Bai near Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo.Let’s be honest: creating the world we want to see can be joyful and connective, but it can also be painful and exhausting. How do we move forward as a collective and advocate as individuals while taking care of ourselves? In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision to roll back federal protection for abortion in May 2022, Dr. Liza Williams spoke with Marketing & Communication Associate Kimberly Absher. Here’s a snippet of their full conversation. Kimberly Absher: With your scholarship and work focused on internal and external spaces, do you have an intuitive sense of what might move us forward in this post-Roe era? Dr. Liza Williams: I think there are a couple of important things to think about with Roe getting overturned. We can’t become complacent even after rights are granted. Like with gay marriage or even contraception, we think we’re done fighting for these things [once they’re protected], but now that Roe has been overturned, there’s talk of rolling back these rights as well. The fight is never over. We’re seeing that we need to buffer our institutions with community strength and not take things for granted. Even when safety measures have been put in place, we need to continue revisiting our plans to see how to make these protections even stronger for everyone. Kimberly: I hear you on needing to maintain and strengthen the gains we do make. I wonder how we keep up the fight in a way that feels sustainable? Liza: I think it would take many people at many different levels of institutions and systems coming together to think of new solutions. That’s hard because it’s not how our world is working now. I really think if we had more people at the table, instead of just people at the top making decisions for people at the bottom, we would have a more holistic way of thinking about and solving problems. Unfortunately, our systems don’t support that right now. I think the only way to get at that, is to create collectives in the community where these issues can be talked about and addressed within the circle or a group of people who are like-minded and who care about the same issue. How Do We Create a Better Future without Burning Out? Q&A with Dr. Liza Williams, Director of Cultural TransformationWhat is the 100 Women Pathway? The 100 Women Pathway brings together a powerful community of rising women leaders to propel them into key leadership positions across the environmental field. Our goal is to double the number of diverse women in C-suite roles at U.S.-based environmental organizations over the next five years. The 100 Women Pathway focuses on identifying and overcoming the barriers and challenges that are unique to women, especially women of color. The 100 Women Pathway provides a unique blend of offerings to participants. Throughout the program, leaders explore their personal journeys, learn regenerative leadership principles and ways of transforming culture, as well as benefit from customized skill-building resources. In addition, participants get support from our network of women CEOs, building meaningful connections with influential leaders and gaining exposure to executive-level opportunities. 100 Women Pathway 1 “My main takeaways from the 100 Women Pathway gathering are that it’s critical to take time for this kind of intentional self-assessment, to understand your goals and ambitions, and your obstacles. And, that we have power and that power is multiplied when we collectively harness it. I now have an organized sisterhood of women that I can turn to and trust. I had no idea how much I needed that in my life!” 100 Women Pathway Participant13 50 in our network nominated 65 rising leaders for the Pathway. WOMEN CEOs 100 Women Pathway’s 2022 Impact 71% of participants identify as Black, Indigenous, Latina, or multi-racial. 31 participated in the Pathway. 3 brought top women leaders from across the environmental sector together to exchange insights and share expertise. gatherings of CEOs 50% of participants in program positions work in STEM with backgrounds in biology, technology, biotech, and ecology. 2 took place in West Virginia and California where participants connected and engaged in self-discovery and skill-building. 1 held for women CEOs and Pathway members to build community and share fundraising best practices and resources. 2 cohorts launched for participants in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and on the West Coast.CREATING THE FUTURE WE WANT TO SEE14 In Her Own Words: Janet Nguyen, Senior Vice President of 100 Women Pathway “What I’ve learned from meeting all these women in the Pathway is that there’s such a need for this community. They often don’t know how important it is as they face barriers as women and women of color. They’re not used to asking for help; they’re used to being alone. There’s a real need to connect with women who are experiencing the same kinds of issues. The real sense of support that comes with these connections is profoundly transformative. “I’ve also seen how helpful it is for the women to recognize that how you perceive yourself is different from how you’re perceived by others. Women tend to judge themselves very harshly. When you’re nominated, you realize that a CEO sees you as someone who can lead at a higher level. Women around you see your gifts and what you bring to the world in a way you can’t see yourself. They’re the mirror that isn’t distorted. To have yourself reflected back to you in a way that’s absent of judgment is very enlightening for people.”15 DID YOU KNOW? Every 100 Women Pathway participant has been nominated for 100 Women Pathway by a woman CEO. Get to know the Pathway participants here! A Dream Realized Before Planet Women’s inception, we envisioned diverse women from across the environmental space coming together in a powerful, supportive community. When we hosted two gatherings for 100 Women Pathway this year, one in West Virginia and one in California, it was even better than we had hoped. As one participant said: “It’s nearly a week later and I am still processing the power of last week. It’s still reverberating through me. I feel forever changed and will be forever grateful to you and your colleagues for creating that space of support.” Women CEOs Come Together to Build a Stronger Environmental Movement We also hosted three gatherings of women CEOs and Executive Directors, which brought top leaders from across the environmental sector together to exchange insights and expertise around the biggest challenges women leaders are facing, the most effective ways to influence culture, and the best practices to recruit and retain diverse talent.CREATING THE FUTURE WE WANT TO SEE16 •Planet Women and One Tree Planted co-hosted an electrifying International Women’s Day event, “Deep Roots, Strong Branches: Women on the Frontlines of Forest Protection.” Panelists Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Kathleen “Kas” Guillozet, and Isabella Cortes each shared a vibrant picture of their career journeys and lessons they have learned as women working in conservation across the globe. •We hosted two other culture change events as part of our Planet Women Presents speaker series: •This spring, Robyn James and Craig Leisher, two scientists from The Nature Conservancy, shared their groundbreaking research on why women are critical to effective conservation outcomes and how to design truly inclusive conservation projects. •In the lead-up to the United Nations’ COP27 this November, we hosted SHE Changes Climate to discuss the vital importance— and glaring absence—of women leading climate negotiations and the campaign for equal representation. •For the second year in a row, Planet Women and Re:Wild co- sponsored Green Careers Roundtable—an exciting event put on by the National Wildlife Federation that promotes environmental careers to students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and tribal colleges. More Ways Our Community Planted Seeds of Transformation in 2022PREVIOUS SPREAD, COUNTER- CLOCKWISE FROM LOWER LEFT: Participants, staff and facilitators for 100 Women Pathway at the West Coast gathering in Half Moon Bay, August 2022; Ashley Boren, Executive Director of Sustainable Conservation; Cheryl Margoluis, Executive Director of CARE-WWF Alliance; Jeannette Tuitele-Lewis, CEO of Big Sur Land Trust; and Melinda Kramer, Co-Executive Director of Women’s Earth Alliance share their wisdom at the 100 Women Pathway gathering in Half Moon Bay, August 2022; 100 Women Pathway friends enjoying a hike in West Virginia between sessions; KiKi Orr leads a class on standing in your power and reframing your personal narrative for 100 Women Pathway; Isabella Cortes Lara, Program Director at Women For Conservation, takes notes during 100 Women Pathway session. THIS PAGE: Tree saplings, Rwanda.Next >