IWF CONNECT

Step Up Today to Invest in the Future of IWF

In 1974, Elinor Guggenheimer, a philanthropist and civic leader in New York City, decided that professional women who were breaking into the executive ranks across all professions in the seventies needed what men had always had – a network to support, inspire, and help them climb the ladder. And the Women’s Forum was born.

Elly’s idea was powerful enough to travel the world, and today the International Women’s Forum is a global organization of nearly 8,000 women in 32 countries worldwide. As we approach our 50th Anniversary in 2024, we are proud to be the only global women’s leadership organization with consecutive year-over-year growth.

The relevance of IWF is just as strong today as it was in 1974 – in profession after profession, the glass ceiling is still there. It’s just higher, and the value of peer-to-peer support from a global community of outstanding women leaders is simply unmeasurable. Women inspiring women never gets old.

Today, we need to invest in IWF for the next 50 years to increase our mission and member services – including new digital and communications resources to extend our community to new generations. And we need to raise funds to do so.

That’s why we are launching Elly’s Ladder – a five-year committed giving society to give us reliable support to make the necessary investments.

How Does Elly’s Ladder Work?

Members to pledge support for five successive years at one of three levels: 

Support Level Amounts:

Bronze Ladder

$1,000-$4,999 per year for a total pledge of $5,000-$24,995

Silver Ladder

$5,000-$9,999 per year for a total pledge of $25,000-$49,995

Gold Ladder

$10,000+ per year for a total pledge of $50,000+

How Will My Support be Recognized?

Elly’s Ladder donors will receive special recognition in several ways, including

  • Acknowledgment on the IWF member portal, IWF Connect, at conferences, and in printed materials;
  • Invitations to exclusive events and programs, including the Visionary Leaders Celebration, and
  • Access to priority registration for IWF Conferences.
Make a Donation.

  • Simply select “Annually.”
  • Choose an amount.
  • Choose “Elly’s Ladder” from the designation dropdown.

Step up to Elly’s Ladder and help IWF ascend into the future.

We are excited to announce the founding members of Elly’s Ladder and are grateful for their leadership and commitment to IWF and its mission.
If you have questions about Elly’s Ladder, please contact Rachel Yost at ryost@iwforum.org.

Reem Abu Hassan
Terry Axelrod
Rebecca Barfknecht
Carol Bolton Sisco
Adriane M. Brown
Molly Burke
Esther L. Bush
Holly Cannon
Karen Caplan
Magdalena Carral
Kathleen Carroll
Doris Carson Williams

Carolyn Carter
Carol Cox Wait
Jodi Delahunt Hubbell
Patra De Silva
Priscilla H. Douglas
Ann M. Drake
Kathleen Duffy Ybarra
Debra Facktor
Dolores Fernandez Alonso
Sandra C. Finn
Sarah Flanagan
Judith D. Fryer

Barrie Gibb Christman
Julie Goldstein
Karen Hayes
Susan Hodkinson
Kathryn Johnson
Ruveni Kelleher
Lou C. Kerr
LeeAnne B. Linderman
Francoise Lyon
Sheryl R. Marshall
Linda McFarland Farthing
Rosel Moxey

Ana Munoz
Lisa Nassardeen-Buckley
Kathy O’Driscoll
Elizabeth Oliver-Farrow
Nancy Philippart
Becky Phillips
Brenda Pope
Beryl Raff
Pamela Rauch
Anne Marie Reidy
Drina Rendic
Andrea Roane Skehan

Carrie Schwab Pomerantz
Kathleen Shea Anderson
Esther Silver-Parker
Julie Spicer England
Sandy Stash
Gayle Tauber
Alison Taunton Rigby
Deborah Trudeau
Teresa V-F Weintraub
Peri Widener