Spring Update: 100 Women Pathway
This story is part of our 2025 Spring Impact Report. A very warm thank you to Planet Women’s community of supporters and partners for all you’ve made possible!
Planet Women’s 100 Women Pathway aims to rapidly advance diverse women into senior leadership roles in the conservation and environmental sector. The eight-month program brings together mid-career women who are already making an impact in the environmental space and looking to take the next step in their growth. Together, participants explore their unique leadership qualities, learn from their peers and professional coaches, and connect with executive leaders and recruiters.
As a result, these women leaders have the support they need to remain in the sector and overcome barriers to advancement into more senior roles. Once the program is completed, the women become part of our alumni network and have access to ongoing coaching, networking and learning opportunities tailored to their career goals.
The most recent 100 Women Pathway cohort focused on the US Southeast at the in-person gathering in Atlanta, Georgia in October 2024. © Planet Women/Sydney St. Fleur.
Celebrating the Pathway’s US Southeast Cohort
Our fourth cohort of the Pathway ran from September 2024 to April 2025 and included 18 women from across the US Southeast with a diverse range of experiences in the environmental movement: ecologists, fundraisers, community organizers, educators, foresters, and marketers. And they reflect the diversity of the Southeast with 61% of the women identifying as Black and 88% identifying as People of Color.
After eight months of learning from CEOs, coaches and each other, the 100 Women Pathway’s fourth cohort came together for a final celebration in April 2025. One participant shared:
“This is a unique experience that the Planet Women team has curated. I have seen nothing like it and feel blessed to have been a part of it. This is a legacy type of project that will have impact on generations to come. It will create paradigm shifts in the way women leaders see themselves, show up in the world, and affect change.”
In the video below, hear from some of the amazing 100 Women Pathway Cohort 4 participants!
Alumni Progress and What’s Next
We’re very proud to report that 64 women have now completed the 100 Women Pathway—70% of whom identify as women of color. As of June 2025, 14 women (22%) have advanced to higher level roles; and of those who have advanced, 9 identify as women of color. We would like to extend deep gratitude to our 100 Women Pathway funders, Re:wild and Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation. This work would not be possible without their dedicated support.
In April and May 2025, we offered a coaching circle on “Career Vision & Transition.” Eight Pathway alumni participated—many searching for new roles due to upheaval in the U.S. nonprofit sector. In June, we hosted a call with our Women’s CEO Network, which includes more than 60 leaders from environmental nonprofits and foundations. Bringing women leaders together in this way provides support and builds community when our organizations are facing increasingly challenging times.
Now, we are actively recruiting rising leaders for Cohort 5, which will kick off in October and include a multi-day, in-person workshop in Washington DC in November 2025.
Get inspired with these 100 Women Pathway resources:
Watch 100 Women Pathway SVP Janet Nguyen’s talk from TEDxVail in January: “What can women do today to challenge gender bias?”
Enjoy words of wisdom from our CEO Panel in Atlanta in October 2024.
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