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50 Women Can Change the World in Journalism

No more status quo. Embrace your power to change the status quo.

Expand your leadership skills at every level of the media industry, from traditional newsrooms and digital startups to new social media platforms. Shift and expand the topics covered and who covers them.

Join with Take The Lead and 49 other influential women leaders and aspiring leaders in journalism from diverse backgrounds to build a vibrant community that will advance your career, while shifting journalism's still male-dominated approach to reflect women's prominence in the world and they way media report about women and issues critical to women.

We are proud to announce our 2020 virtual cohort. You can view the cohort here. Please check back for more information on our 2021 cohort in the coming months.

Ready to power up your career?

WE PROVIDE THE TRAINING & TOOLS YOU NEED NOW

Journalism needs strong, innovative leaders who can lead the media industry forward.

Define power in a new way that will energize you, increasing your joy and the value you bring to your organization

Evolve and awaken your inner power with 9 Leadership Power Tools and a system for applying them to your goals

Embrace your power with intention, confidence, and authenticity

Employ effective strategies for networking with purpose and negotiating with confidence

Understand the game – what’s keeping women from parity in leadership roles and how you can overcome those barriers to accelerate your own career

Use a powerful Strategic Leadership Action Plan that will take you where YOU want to go

Build a Collaborative Action Plan with ideal industry partners

Experience a breakthrough in your career, and your life

Why Does it Matter?

For more than three decades, women have made up the majority of journalism and mass communication degree programs in the U.S. But that majority momentum dwindles as women move up the ranks in news media organizations.

According to a 2018 Pew Research Center study, newsroom employees are more likely than workers overall to be male - 61 percent vs. 53 percent of all workers.

When combining race/ethnicity with gender, 48 percent of newsroom employees are non-Hispanic white men, compared with 34 percent of workers overall.

We can do better!

“The 50WomenCan program is a rare chance to meet other leaders in the industry who are going through similar transitions, challenges and work toward building a community. You can't underestimate the power of having a powerful cohort of women who are always ready to learn and help each other. It's just a confirmation that there is strength in numbers.”

~ Leezel Tanglao, Senior Editor of Membership and Innovation, HuffPost

Unlike any other leadership program

Our approach is designed specifically to change the statistics we see in the journalism industry. Our research-based core curriculum was developed by co-founder and president of Take The Lead, Gloria Feldt and based on her bestselling book No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power and her "9 Leadership Power Tools to Advance Your Career."

We teach women how to lead themselves, their careers, and their organizations and systems changes in a holistic way. It is the only program designed to meet the unique opportunities – and challenges – women experience in their industries.

To prepare women in each industry or sector, this program complements in-person training with inspiring speakers, networking events, virtual training, coaching, and facilitation of the development and planning for a collaborative action plan – designed by each cohort – to propel women to greater heights and to truly change the world.

“Take The Lead is an inspiring, encouraging and gamechanging opportunity for women at any stage of their leadership journey. Gloria and the deeply experienced and talented Take The Lead instructors instantly create space for honesty, openness and transparency that allows for a tremendous amount of learning and reflection in a short period of time. You will master practical tools and make lasting relationships that will help you move forward in your own authentic way, whether you are a new or seasoned leader.”

~ Christa Scharfenberg, CEO, Reveal at the Center for Investigative Reporting

Our comprehensive four-pillar approach cracks the code and provides the breakthrough women need

Teaches practical “Power Tool” skills

Connects with mentoring, coaching, and cohort building

Presents role models

Drives change with thought leadership

Changing the narrative

We change the focus from obsession with problems to shining a laser beam on the solutions—what is working to advance women toward parity, including internal and external thought leadership.

Unique curriculum

Our program directly addresses women’s relationship with power and intention, internal and external barriers, and changes the paradigm from the outdated “power over” to a more current, collaborative and creative “power TO”—an approach better suited to the very women’s leadership styles that bring higher profits.

It’s like rocket fuel for the soul, and we see women lift off with confidence, joy, and authenticity. You’ll know yourself better at the end and you will find yourself leading more powerfully and intentionally. During the program, each woman creates her own Strategic Leadership Action Plan to put what she has learned into action.

Collaboration as a core value

This isn't about us, it is about you. Each 50 Women cohort collaborates on a group project and intentionally creates a powerful network to support one another’s success.

Stake in the ground

If you don’t measure it, it doesn’t happen. We keep tabs on crucial impacts. 90% of participants implement their Strategic Leadership Action Plans and claim higher levels of intentionality about their goals and their comfort with embracing their Power TO achieve them. We aim for nothing less than gender parity by 2025.

Learning Objectives

Embrace a New Definition of Power
Gain a sophisticated understanding of power and redefine it so you can fully assess and embrace your own power and use it with confidence, intention, and joy

Leverage Your Personal Power with Actionable Tools
Achieve your leadership intentions by leveraging an inclusive model for power and the 9 Leadership Power Tools

Increase Self-Awareness
Increase your self-awareness through an experiential and insightful Power Journey

Advance Your Career
Understand the factors that lead to career derailment and replace them with tools and resources necessary to succeed and advance in your career

Plan to Achieve Goals
Set aspirational goals for your career, your organization and your sector and design a Strategic Leadership Action Plan to achieve them

Drive Change - Together
Develop a collaborative plan with a network of fellow journalists to drive meaningful change in the industry and the world

Addresses Specific Journalism Sector Challenges

Participants can expect to

Master the 9 Leadership Power Tools to use them effectively in their organizations and communities
Develop the ability to connect and build purposeful community rather than always working alone
Use a strengths-based assessment to identify opportunities to improve relationships and communications and engage others effectively.
Create a Strategic Leadership Action Plan, aligned with organizational initiatives, to stay on track to reach their goals

Learn effective strategies for navigating within chaotic environments and embracing change within journalism
Improve your ability to negotiate
Build techniques for managing difficult situations and people within the industry
Discover meaningful ways to promote yourself and manage your professional brand

“Take The Lead has been one of the most formative leadership training programs I've done. The connections I've made with women across the journalism industry were not only helpful for networking purposes, but they also transformed into real friendships. The program inspired me to advocate for my employees, grow my resources and own my power. I highly recommend women apply to be a part of an extraordinary cohort of women.”

~ Jareen Imam, Director of Social Newsgathering at NBC News

Program Format

We will begin on June 16, 2020 with our kick-off virtual event.
Virtual training will continue for two months with a mixture of webinars, guest speakers, virtual conference calls supplemented with offline work including exercises and videos.
Following the virtual training, there will be two hours of small-group coaching on the execution of your Strategic Leadership Action Plan.
We are planning for an in-person final day of training and graduation depending on our monitoring of the Covid-19 pandemic. We will have more information on this meeting as the training progresses.
Private, moderated online group via Slack
Follow up at regular milestones – up to 1 year – to assess your progress and provide support around your Strategic Leadership Action Plan
Ongoing personalized coaching after the program available to participants at a reduced rate

Leading The Charge

Fara Warner
Lead Trainer
Fara is a Take The Lead Leadership Ambassador and is the co-founder of “A Picture’s Worth,” an information-gathering tool that informs journalism. She is a fellow in the Media Transformation Challenge: A Poynter Institute Executive Fellowship. She is the former vice president of custom content at Dow Jones & Co., former editorial director at AOL’s Business, Finance and Technology unit and editorial director of international special editions at Newsweek/DailyBeast. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and lives in West Shokan, N.Y and New York City.

Gloria Feldt
Co-Founder and President of Take The Lead
A nationally known expert in women, power, and leadership, she was named by Vanity Fair as one of America’s top 200 women legends, leaders, and trailblazers. She is a NY Times bestselling author and former president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The 50 Women Can Change the World programs are based on Gloria’s extensive research underpinning her latest book, No Excuses: Nine Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power. A professor of practice at Arizona State University, she is an in-demand keynote speaker, a Glamour Woman of the Year, and recently named to “Forbes 40 Over 40.”

2020 Program Advisory Committee Members

Paula Ellis - Senior Associate, Kettering Foundation and Trustee, Poynter Institute for Media Studies
Jill Geisler - Bill Plante Chair in Leadership and Media Integrity, Loyola University
Cierra Hinton - Executive director-publisher, Scalawag
Jareen Imam - Director of Social Newsgathering, NBC Universal
Mira Lowe - Assistant Dean for Student Experiences, University of Florida, Gainesville and President, Journalism & Women Symposium
Kate McCarthy – Director of Programs, WMC Shesource and WMC Training, Women’s Media Center
Elisa Lees Muñoz - Executive Director, International Women’s Media Fund
Mi-Ai Parrish - Managing Director of ASU Media Enterprise and Sue Clark-Johnson Professor of Media Innovation and Leadership, Arizona State University, and CEO and President of MAP Strategies Group

Emily Ramshaw - Co-founder and CEO, The 19th*
Amy B. Resnick - Editor of Pensions & Investments
Birgit Rieck - Founder, The Bromley Group
Christa Scharfenberg - CEO, Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting
Sree Sreenivasan - Marshall Loeb Visiting Professor of Digital Innovation at Stony Brook University and social and digital consultant
Lindsay Foster Thomas - content director, North Carolina Public Radio-WUNC
Lea Trusty - program associate, Democracy Fund
Yumi Wilson - tenured journalism professor, San Francisco State University

Frequently Asked Questions (2020 program)

What sectors of journalism does this program address?
This program is open to participants from all sectors of journalism, including the editorial and business sides. In addition, we highly encourage statehouse reporters or journalists reporting at the local level to apply.

Where and when will the immersion sessions take place?
In 2020 we will be going virtual. The leadership training will take place online from June 16 through August. Small-group coaching will begin in September. We are planning a day of leadership training and graduation at the end of 2020, either in-person or virtually, before the end of the year. We will have more specific dates as we continue shifting our in-person training to virtual training.

How much does it cost to register?
The program components including five days of immersion training, virtual sessions, two hours of private one-on-one coaching, private online networking group, plus meals and supplemental course materials would cost upwards of $10,000 if priced separately.

With the generous support of funders, including the Ford Foundation and the Democracy Fund, we are able to provide the program at a cost of $500.

We do recognize that even this sum may be a stretch for some participants and do not want the costs of the program to deter amazing candidates who should be part of this program. If you are in need of a scholarship for the program tuition or travel, please email Fara Warner and share your needs, along with other fundraising opportunities you foresee to support your participation.

How do I obtain an invoice if my organization is paying for me?
When you receive your acceptance email and payment link, check the box to generate an invoice on the payment page.

Can I recommend more than one person?
Absolutely. Complete a recommendation form for each qualified, prospective participant.

What is the maximum number of participants that can attend from one organization?
To ensure a mix of participants from different organizations and roles, we cap the number of participants from a single organization at two (2), if those two are from different parts of the organization. If your organization wishes to enroll more, we can discuss ways to bring this experience into your organization - or to reserve spots in our next cohort.

Do I have to attend every virtual training session and small-group coaching?
Participation is essential to the success of the program. By agreeing to participate in the cohort you’re making a commitment to the selected group of women and yourself. That said, we understand that we are all working and living through a global pandemic. We will do our best to meet the needs of the cohort. Please contact us should you have a conflict with any of the dates.

Can I purchase additional coaching sessions?
Yes. Post-program coaching packages are available at a 20% discount to cohort participants.

How do I recommend a speaker or topic?
We are always open to receiving recommendations for speakers or topics that will directly address the challenges of women in journalism or who will inspire the cohort. Please, feel free to email the lead trainer to make a suggestion.

My organization is interested in becoming a program sponsor. How does this work?
A limited number of sponsorship opportunities are available. To donate to provide a scholarship for a program participant, go to https://www.taketheleadwomen.com/donate. Take The Lead is a 501(c)3 tax exempt nonprofit organization. Your contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. For all other sponsorship questions, contact us.

I’m not able to participate in this cohort. How can I stay engaged with the program?
To be placed on the list to join a future cohort, fill out our contact form, and we’ll notify you when we announce our next program. You might also be interested in being a program sponsor or providing a scholarship for a program participant.

I'm a member of the press/media and want to cover this event or interview a 50 Women Can participant, presenter or lead trainer. Who should I contact?
Press and media inquiries can be sent to Fara Warner.

Organizations Leading the Way in Journalism

Take The Lead’s 50 Women Can Change the World Leadership Program in Journalism is possible only through the generous support from partners & sponsors.

Want to show your support for women’s leadership? Become a sponsor for a 50 Women Can Change The World in Journalism program by contacting us.

Democracy Fund—2019 and 2020 Sponsor

Advance Local--2020 Executive Coaching Sponsor

Ford Foundation— 2019 Sponsor

“As women, we know there is often little room for a miss when it comes to leadership. Advance Local is proud to sponsor coaching that gives women the space to be vulnerable and thoughtful as they develop their voices to lead and inspire others.”

~ Caroline Harrison, CEO, Advance Local

What is Take The Lead?

Take The Lead is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to prepare, develop, inspire and propel women to take their fair and equal share of leadership positions across all sectors by 2025.

Learn from best-selling author Gloria Feldt, co-founder of Take The Lead and a national expert on leadership, and from a diverse slate of certified Take The Lead Leadership Ambassadors.