September 2, 2020 4:00 am Published by

Episode 71:

Sarah Alter is president and CEO of the Network of Executive Women, a nonprofit learning, leadership, and advocacy organization that represents more than 13,000 members, with over 1,000 corporate partners and 22 regions in the United States and Canada. NEW advances gender equality and diversity in the retail, consumer goods, financial services, and technology industries. Alter joined NEW in 2017 and has wide-ranging experience in the markets NEW represents. She served as vice president for Discover Financial Services, vice president for digital sales and marketing for online retailer Quill.com, and was chief marketing officer for General Growth Properties, where she developed marketing strategies for 200 shopping mall properties and their top retailers. Alter has served on a number of non-profit boards and is an accomplished fundraiser, which includes her work with Chicago’s annual JDRF Gala, raising millions of dollars for Type 1 diabetes. Alter is a graduate of Northwestern University and has a Harvard MBA.

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

  • The most pressing and exciting challenges Sarah is facing as president and CEO of NEW
  • How COVID has impacted Sarah’s industry, and how her team is responding to the adversity
  • How NEW made the transition from live engagements to digital while bringing the same level of impact to their members and corporate partners
  • Why it is so important to keep the NEW community accessible during the global pandemic
  • How Sarah and the other members of NEW have tapped into a network of support as they navigate these difficult transitions
  • The main priorities and goals of NEW for women and men alike

Resources:

Powering Through as Women Do

Sarah Alter is president and CEO of the Network of Executive Women (NEW), a nonprofit learning, leadership, and advocacy organization that represents more than 13,000 members, with over 1,000 corporate partners and 22 regions in the United States and Canada. She is a master fundraiser and one of the foremost leaders in advancing gender equality and diversity in the retail, consumer goods, financial services, and technology industries. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness podcast, Sarah joins us to share her journey, talk about the work she is doing with NEW, and how the members of her organization are advancing their mission, vision, and goals amidst the global pandemic.

A Shift to the Virtual World

As organizations across the globe navigate the multitude of new challenges presented by the global pandemic, many have adapted by going virtual. Under the leadership of Sarah Alter, The Network of Executive Women has figured out a way to bring their mission, impact, and value to all of their members and corporate partners in the digital space. Prior to COVID, about 90% of their engagements were face-to-face. This transformation was a massive undertaking, but as any woman does, she powered through to continue the advancement of women in the workplace.

The Importance of Community Now More Than Ever

Although The Network of Executive Women decided to pivot rapidly so they could avoid falling behind in the long run, Sarah Alter also recognized that their members needed the NEW community now more than ever. Every single one of us is adapting to the new normal. Our personal lives are colliding with our professional lives, and as every unf<3ckwithable woman knows, work-life balance is bullshit!. NEW’s members were so hungry to connect with each other and seek out sources of knowledge to adapt to these changes. And the members of this organization showed their strength, versatility, and ability to adapt by making this work.

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