WELD Keynote

Each year, WELD’s Keynote event brings nationally known speakers and leaders to Columbus to advance the dialogue around women's issues, challenges, and opportunities. The WELD Keynote Event is one of WELD's Signature events. It is the chapter's first major event of the year and attracts our community's most prominent leaders. At this evening dinner event, a nationally-known woman leader addresses opportunities, issues, and challenges that women face in the workplace and shares her strategies for success.

An Evening with Melinda Davenport

Melinda Davenport is a two-time Emmy Awardwinning communications executive and advisor celebrated for her global impact and leadership. With a track record spanning Fortune 500 companies, academic institutions, and board appointments, Melinda brings a unique blend of brand reputation expertise and governance insight.

Vice President, Equinix (NASDAQ: EQIX), a global leader driving digital infrastructure that powers global business

Former Communications Executive, Meta (NASDAQ:META)

Head of Marketing & Communications, Kairos Power

Global Consultant

Board Advisor: Boston Common Golf, Charm Industrial and Squeeze Massage (co-founded by the masterminds behind Drybar)       

This Keynote is one Not. To. Miss.

Women WELDing the Way^®

Each November WELD honors 12 women making a positive impact on the economic and leadership development of women in Central Ohio by showcasing them and their achievements in a beautiful calendar for the upcoming year. The women featured in the calendar are selected based on their extraordinary leadership roles within their respective fields and in community and women's efforts.

The Women WELDing the Way calendar is distributed widely throughout the community with a goal of reaching key executives in central Ohio's top public and private companies. The 12 honorees are recognized at the elegant WELD Calendar Reception where the calendar is unveiled for the first time. The event has grown in size and visibility each year.

When we created WELD, we repeatedly heard three things:

• Companies would have more women in top leadership if they could find them
• The same three to five women's names were always mentioned when it came to providing candidates for top positions in the community
• Women typically will not toot their own horns

Consequently, each year we honor a diverse group of 12 women in our community who have lived the WELD values by supporting the leadership development of other women; these women have given their time, talent and resources to their community, or in support of women-owned businesses.

Central Ohio has many extremely talented women who deserve recognition for all they do for others; the women we honor are ready to move to the next level of leadership. Please see the full list of calendar honorees from years past as well as the individual calendars from each year. These women have shown and continue to show the importance of women in key leadership roles and the success that they bring to their organizations as well as the community as a whole.

Women WELDing the Way Full List

• WELD 2025 Calendar
• WELD 2024 Calendar
• WELD 2023 Calendar
• WELD 2022 Calendar
• WELD 2021 Calendar
• WELD 2020 Calendar
• WELD 2019 Calendar
• WELD 2018 Calendar
• WELD 2017 Calendar
• WELD 2016 Calendar
• WELD 2015 Calendar
• WELD 2014 Calendar
• WELD 2013 Calendar
• WELD 2012 Calendar
• WELD 2011 Calendar
• WELD 2010 Calendar
• WELD 2009 Calendar

2026 WELD Columbus Calendar Honoree Nomination Form

Nominations Now OPEN!!

2026 WELD Columbus Calendar Honoree Nomination Form

Nominations for our 2026 Women WELDing the Way® calendar are open and will close at noon on March 14th!  Remember to “save the date” of November 6, 2025, 6:00pm-8:00pm, for our calendar reception to celebrate these honorees.  

Click here to open the nomination form.