Our Mission: WELD develops and advances women’s leadership to strengthen the economic prosperity of the communities it serves. We provide women with specific tools to enhance their individual economic status, and we build programs, events and a community to support female leadership development and business growth.  WELD is a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit organization.

As we use an image of Rosie the Riveter in our logo we pay tribute to the women who challenged the traditional perception of women’s capabilities in the workplace and in society. Just as Rosie the Riveter and her colleagues broke new ground, our goal is to further the issues of economic development for women in Central Ohio. During war time the slogan was, “The More Women at Work, the Sooner We Win.” This slogan holds just as true today as it did during Rosie’s time.

The Columbus chapter is the original founding chapter of what now has become a national organization.  The chapter offers a robust suite of leadership programs and its Signature events are the premier events in the central Ohio region.

Impact

Each year Columbus chapter programs and events provide leadership development and relationship building opportunities for more than 3,000 attendees.  Chapter volunteers contribute over 4,000 hours each year to the chapter.  Over 50 business and community leaders pay it forward by speaking at our events each year.

The chapter Keynote raises funds each year to provide scholarships to WELD’s Building Community Bridges program.  These scholarships are awarded to local organizations so that their program participants can attend WELD’s national leadership conference.  These beneficiary organizations have included:

• Dress for Success
• The Latina Mentoring Academy
• National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Central Ohio Chapter
• New Directions Career Center
• United Way of Central Ohio E3 Program
• Women’s Center for Economic Opportunity
• Women’s Small Business Accelerator
• YWCA’s Gen Y Program

Women who attend our programs and events and volunteer for WELD are able to grow their professional and interpersonal skills, expand their personal and professional networks and pay forward their success.  These connections help women find mentors and sponsors, new career opportunities and potential clients.  WELD volunteers in the Columbus chapter are regularly sought after by other organizations for their leadership skills.