Women’s Leadership Academy

Mid- to senior-level leaders who are:

• Motivated to reflect upon and improve upon their personal leadership skills to become more effective and impactful.
• Committed to driving innovation and transformation within their organizations and the region.
• Dedicated to achieving top performance without sacrificing the well-being of themselves, their teams, or their families.

To apply for the Women's Leadership Academy, an applicant must submit the following:

1. A completed online application which should take approximately 20 minutes to complete. You can view a PDF of the application beforehand to prepare your responses by clicking here or access the required online application here. 

2. Access to your resume via LinkedIn and/or a copy of your resume (PDF only).

3. One letter of reference (PDF only): The letter should be from either a current or previous supervisor or coworker. The reference letter should highlight your strengths, achievements, and reasons why you would be a good candidate for the Women's Leadership Academy.

Please include "WLA documents" and your first and last name on the subject line when submitting your documents to PACS@loyno.edu.

 

Upon Acceptance to the Academy

Upon acceptance to the Women's Leadership Academy, participants will be required to submit additional information, including the following:

1. A commitment form signed by you and, if applicable, your employer.
2. A signed liability waiver and photo release form.
3. A brief professional bio and photo of yourself (professional photo is not required).
4. Your favorite quote about leadership.
5. A valid driver's license and vehicle insurance (to park on campus).

 

Scholarships

A limited number of partial scholarships will be offered to applicants who work for a non-profit organization. If eligible, you must complete the Women's Leadership Academy general online application, in addition to the WLA scholarship online application. Please click here to view a PDF version of the application for reference and click here to fill out the required scholarship online application. 

Women's Leadership Academy tuition: $2,995

Tuition includes lunch and a light breakfast for all full-day, on-campus sessions. Light refreshments will be provided for half-day, on-campus sessions.  Any activities and/or events held outside of the WLA scheduled dates listed, will be optional, and are not included in tuition.

Tuition must be paid in full by credit card or check upon registration.

Please make checks payable to:

Loyola University New Orleans

Address: Loyola University New Orleans

Office of Professional and Continuing Studies

6363 St. Charles Avenue, Campus Box 148

New Orleans, LA 70118

 

1. Opening Session - April 22, 2021
2. Your Work Style - May 20, 2021
3. Your Communication Style - June 24, 2021
4. Your Team Style - July 22, 2021
5. Your Decision Making Style - August 26, 2021
6. Your Conflict Style - September 23, 2021
7. Your Leadership Style - October 21, 2021
8.  How Stress Impacts You - November 18, 2021
9. Your Approach to Change - December 16, 2021
10. Individual Growth Strategy (IGS) Presentations Part 1 - January 20, 2022
11. Individual Growth Strategy (IGS) Presentations Part 2 - February 10, 2022
12. Make-Up Date - February 17, 2022 (In case of University closures due to weather, etc.)

Graduation Ceremony - March 10, 2022; 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

• All sessions are held at Loyola University New Orleans, 6363 St. Charles Avenue, in New Orleans. 
• All sessions are held from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
• All sessions are held on Thursdays unless otherwise noted.

^{* Some sessions may be held virtually depending on which phase and restrictions are placed on the City of New Orleans due to COVID-19.}

_{** Due to the Modified Phase One restrictions, the virtual Meet and Greet originally scheduled on March 18, 2021, will now take place On-Campus on April 22, 2021 during the Opening Session.}

To successfully complete the Women’s Leadership Academy at Loyola University New Orleans, a participant is expected to attend all sessions and complete an Individual Development Plan (IDP) including monthly one-hour mentorship meetings.

Individual Growth Strategy (IGS)

Each participant will create an Individual Growth Strategy (IGS) throughout the Academy. Preparation of the IGS will be guided by the class sessions, one-on-one mentorship meetings, facilitated online discussions, and voluntary growth group meetings.

Mentorships

Each participant will be assigned a mentor that is a business, community, and/or government leader within the region. Participants and mentors will meet once per month for a one-hour conversation, guided by a questionnaire prepared by Loyola. These conversations will aid participants in the creation of their IGS. The participant and mentor will schedule their one-on-one meetings directly to find a time and location that works best for both parties. Ideally, these meetings will be in-person, but due to busy schedules, they might sometimes be via telephone, video conference, etc.

Attendance Policy

Participants with more than two (2) excused absences may not be eligible to receive a certificate of completion. Please review the schedule thoroughly and make plans accordingly. If you anticipate that you will miss one of the scheduled dates, please let us know at PACS@loyno.edu in advance.

The full list of session dates can be found near the top of this page. Monthly mentorship meetings will be scheduled individually once a participant is accepted into the program.

Please continue to follow this webpage, as well as the Professional and Continuing Studies (PACS) Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages for announcements on upcoming featured speakers for WLA Cohort 3.

Tania Tetlow

Loyola University New Orleans

President

 

 

Kate Merrill Balart

Supply Development Manager

Shell

 

 

 

 

Kim Boyle

Partner

Phelps Dunbar LLP

---

 

Amy Boyle Collins

Vice President

Gambel Communications

 

 

 

 

Michelle Craig

Managing Partner

Transcendent Legal

 

 

 

 

Deborah "Deb" Elam

Corporate Playbook

President & CEO

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill Ganon

The Ganon Group

Communication Coach & Consultant

 

 

 

Valerie "Val" Grubb

Val Grubb and Associates

Keynote Speaker, Executive Coach, Trainer

 

 

 

 

Dr. Michelle Johnston

Chase Minority Entrepreneurship Professor of Management

Loyola University New Orleans

 

 

 

Dr. Mary Killackey

Tulane University Medical Center

Robert & Viola Lobrano Chair of Surgery

Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics

 

 

Dr. Tanuja Singh

Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs

Loyola University New Orleans

 

 

 

Representative Julie Stokes

 

 

 

 

 

Fallon Aidoo, PhD
University of New Orleans
Jean Brainard Boebel Endowed Professor of Historic Preservation; Assistant Professor of Planning and Urban Studies

Cristina Alvarado
Delgado Community College
Program Director of Architecture, Civil and CADD Programs

Trish Andermann
Cook Medical
District Manager

Amy Boyle
Loyola University New Orleans
Director, Residential Life

Ronicka Briscoe
TNTP. Inc.
Director

Joy Bruce
CASA New Orleans
Executive Director

Shellond Chester
Xavier University
Assistant Provost; Chief Operating Officer for Academic Affairs

Dawn Collins
Sodexo Loyola University New Orleans
Catering Manager III

Lindsey Davidson
Lucid, LLC
Director, Project Success

Rosalyn Davis
Pan American Life Insurance Company
Compliance Analyst II

Shelley Dee
Ochsner Health System
Regional Account Manager/Solutions

Elizabeth Ellison Frost
Chalmette Refining - PBF Energy
Community Relations Manager

Emily Engberg
The Times-Picayune, New Orleans Advocate/ Nola.com
Advertising Director

Mary Hoffman
Isadore Newman School
Associate Director of Advancement

Anne-Louise Juttner, CSP
Northwestern Mutual - LA & MS
Executive Director of Recruitment and Selection

Fay Kimbrell
3rd Floor Consulting
Founder

Katherine Krikorian
Loyola University New Orleans
Assistant Director, Career Development Center

Denali Lander
Youth Run NOLA
Executive Director

Halima leak Francis, PhD
Tulane University School of Professional Advancement
Professor of Practice; Program Director, Public Administration Program

Kelley Mackenroth, JD
Northwestern Mutual
Financial Representative

Priscilla Mantilla
Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans
Integrated Workforce Director

Stacy Martin
Collegiate Academies
Senior Managing Director of External Affairs

Claudia Medina
Ochsner Health System
Director, International Program & Language Services

Olivia Mitchell
Tulane University
Executive Director, Office of the CIO

Lisa Morrison
InclusivCare
Director of Finance

Erica Perez
Collegiate Academies
Director of Student Recruitment

Stephanie Powell
Young Leadership Council
Executive Director

Anna Whitlow
Be Nimble Public Relations
President

Tammy Lewis Wilborn, PhD
Wilborn Clinical Services
Owner; Clinical Officer

 

If you are interested in being a mentor, please apply here.

Mindy Nunez Airhart
Southern Services & Equipment
President; CEO

Essence Banks
Marriot International
Area Improvement Manager

Stephanie Bell
Friends of City Park
Executive Director

Elizabeth "Liz" Broekman
P.O.W.E.R., Fidelity Bank
Director

Amy Boyle Collins
Gambel Communications
Vice President

Myra Corrello, PhD
Find Your Spice Seminars, LLC
Business Growth Strategist, Speaker & Trainer

Julie Couret
7602 Coach
Executive Coach; Keynote Speaker

Carla Courey
Career Management Center at Tulane University - A.B. Freeman School of Business
Director

Michelle Craig, JD
Transcendent Law Group and Prosquire
Owner

Danielle Dayries
DMD & Associates, Inc.
Founder; CEO

Klassi Duncan
Women's Business Resource Center, Urban League of LA
Director

Deborah "Deb" Elam
Corporate Playbook
President; CEO

Dima Ghawi
Dima Ghawi, LLC
Executive Coach; Keynote Speaker

Deborah F. Grimes
Ochsner Health
Vice President; Chief Diversity Officer

Aimee Freeman
Aimee Freeman Consulting, Founder
LA State Representative, District 98

Kelly Huben
M S Benbow and Associates
Director of Operations & Human Resources

Sarah Kelly
Loyola University New Orleans
SVP of Enrollment, Marketing, and Student Affairs

Sandra Linquist
New Orleans Chamber of Commerce
Executive Vice President; COO

Carol Ann MacGregor
Loyola University New Orleans
Vice Provost, Academic Affairs

Camille Manning-Broome
Center for Planning Excellence
President; CEO

Lacy McManus
Amazon Web Services
Program Manager; Employer Lead

Tina Meilleur
Design Your Success
Founder; Owner

Lesley-Ann Noel, PhD
Phyllis M. Taylor Center for Social Innovation and Design Thinking
Professor of Practice; Associate Director, Design Thinking for Social Impact

Maria Pabon
Loyola University New Orleans
Professor of Law

Victoria Adam Phipps
New Orleans Business Alliance
Chief Strategy Officer

Mayra Pineda
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
President; CEO

Lesley Poche
McEnergy Residential, Licensed Realtor
Lesley Poche Construction, LLC, Owner

Michelle Seiler Tucker
Seiler Tucker
Founder; President

Lisa Taglauer
Magnolia Physical Therapy, LLC
Co-Founder

Shondra Williams, PhD
InclusivCare
Chief Executive Officer

Mary Garvey Algero, JD
Loyola University New Orleans
Associate Dean, Faculty Development & Academic Affairs; Professor of Law

October Ambrose, MA
Ochsner Health System
Clinic Operations Manager

Alexandra “Sashi” Band, DO, FACOG
Ochsner Baptist
Staff Physician, Obstetrics & Gynecology

Stephanie Barksdale
Tulane University
Director, University Partnerships and Social Innovation; Adjunct Lecturer

Mandy Barton
LCMC Health
Content Strategist

Jody Braunig, LMSW
Girls on the Run New Orleans
Executive Director

Heidi Colwell
Sodexo
Resident Dining Manager

Stephanie Comardelle
Lucid LLC
Vice President, Customer Success & Solutions

Carmen H. Cummings
Jefferson Community Health Center, Inc.
Corporate Executive Manager

Lauren DeFrates, MSHCM
Ochsner Health System
Vice President, Emergency Services

Lorey Flick, PE
Flick Engineering Professionals
Principal

Renata A. Granger, MBA, MSW
BoysTown
Early Headstart Director

Alejandra Guzman
The New Orleans Business Alliance
Vice President, Performance Management & Strategy

Avril Habetz
Northwestern Mutual
District Director

Emily Hartnett
InspireNOLA Charter Schools
Deputy Chief of Strategy & Advancement

Josephine “Jo” Heller, JD
St. Bernard District Attorney’s Office
Assistant District Attorney

Lauren Hickman
OJT
Architect

Allison Hjortsberg
Tulane University
Director, Special Projects

Michelle Huck
Lucid LLC
Vice President, Finance; Controller

Hannah Huppi
IMOTO photo
Senior Vice President
Stilio
COO & Co-Founder

Shirley Kakousky
Sodexo
Director, Resident Dining

Riley Kennedy
Woodward Design+Build
Director, Organizational Development

Suma Sangisetty Maddox
Louisiana State University
LSU Plastic Surgery Fellow

Meaghan McCormack
World Trade Center New Orleans
Vice President, Marketing & Communications

Krista D. Mincey, MPH, DrPH
Xavier University of Louisiana
Assistant Professor, Public Health Services

LaShaunda Pickett-Rene, MPA
TruFund Financial Services, Inc.
Assistant Vice President; Manager, Business Services & Program Development

Samantha Pollard
Loyola University New Orleans
Accessibility Counselor

Nicole Powell
New Orleans Police Department
Police Sergeant

Zozette "Zoey" Reed
Collegiate Academies
Director of Communications

Karla Rivera
Greater New Orleans Foundation
Special Assistant to the President & CEO

Elizabeth “Leigh-Ann” Sallis
Tulane University
Budget and Administrative Coordinator, Hayward Genetics Center

Mary Schulingkamp
Magnolia Physical Therapy
Chief Operating Officer

Rachel Strassel
Gambel Communications
Communications Strategist

Jennifer Sutton
Gulf Coast Veterinary Services
Partner; Veterinarian

Kelli Towers
American Lung Association
Executive Director

Elizabeth “Liz” Marcel Williams, Ed.D.
Center for Resilience
Founder and CEO

Amy Winchester, CFP®, CRPS™
Gulf Coast Wealth Management
Certified Financial Planner Practitioner

Heide Winston
Tulane University
Director of Communications and Civic Engagement, Office of the President Emeritus

Kate Witry
Witry Collective
Broker Owner, Realtor®

Tania Zachari
Techniques International Corporation
CEO

Cohort 1

WWL TV Eyewitness Morning News Interview with Sheba Turk

Loyola Launches Inaugural Women's Leadership Academy - The Advocate

Loyola New Orleans Launches Women's Leadership Academy - Biz New Orleans

Loyola Launches Women’s Leadership Academy - The Clarion Herald

Loyola Launches Women's Leadership Academy - The Maroon

Cohort 3

WVUE Fox News 8 Interview

Biz New Orleans

"One of the unique aspects of this opportunity, in addition to creating such a woman-positive professional space, is the exposure to such a variety of experts in thier field. Presenters provided meaningful content that ranged from big-picture professional and personal learnings, to concrete leadership and management tools we can immediately implement."

- Elizabeth "Liz" Marcel Williams, Founder and CEO, Center for Resilience

"I have so much admiration and appreciation for the women in this program. WLA is both a stimulating and supportive space that has allowed me to learn from and relate to women from different walks of life and career backgrounds. My fellow WLA participants and the guest speakers have provided me with insights and inspiration to be a more self-assured and impactful leader."

- Heide Winston, Director, Communications and Civic Engagement, Tulane University

"This program and my classmates are the reason why I am where I am today. In the time we have been together, I have grown (personally and professionally) far past my initial expectations. Every month I learn at least 3 new skills. These skills have significantly increased my value to my organization, as well as my direct team. I have learned about successful meeting strategies, logical thinking, decision making, as well as personalities blending in groups and how to handle these things as a woman. This program and its subject matter provided the knowledge no one wanted to give me, but everyone needs to know. I am surrounded by powerful women who make me feel large instead of small. I have taken this confidence with me to work and in my home. The ripple effect is my daughter and son will also benefit from this program. Thank you President Tetlow and staff! This program is a gift and I am excited for the future and for the long term bonds that I now have!"

- Mary Schulingkamp, Vice President of Operations, Magnolia Physical Therapy

"I strongly encourage women in leadership roles or interested in serving in a leadership role to particiapte in the Loyola Women's Leadership Academy. I look forward to these sessions each month because of the speakers, who are inspirational and informative, and because of the value of setting time aside to dream big. Moreover, the opportunity to attend this course with so many strong women is uplifting and amazing in itself. We learn so much from each other. We also see that strong leaders are as diverse as each individual in the room, from the extroverted, assertive leader to the introverted, deep thinker. Good leaders are lifetime learners, and this academy is fantastic, even for the "more experienced" of us in the room!"

- Mary Garvey Algero, Associate Dean of Faculty Development and Academic Affairs, Distinguished Professor of Law, Loyola University New Orleans

"What I have enjoyed about the classes is that we are learning practical skills. I feel like I leave with something practical from each session that I can not only implement now, but am able to tie and connect it to what I am currently doing at my current job.."

- Krista Mincey, Associate Professor of Public Health Services, Xavier University 

"The Women's Leadership Academy was appealing to me because I wanted to hone in on my leadership skills and meet other leaders in managing areas to help me to be a better manager, leader, and person. I have met amazing women in the program and equally amazing speakers. I have learned a lot about myself, leadership skills, how to effectively relate to others, build upon my communication skills, and network. Through networking, I am now an adjunct professor teaching trial advocacy here at Loyola which I am so excited about. Had I not been a participant in this program, it just would not have happened..."

- Josephine "Jo" Heller, Assistant District Attorney, St. Bernard District Attorney

The WLA Alumni Scholarship was formed after WLA Cohort 1, Class of 2020, completed the program and felt the need to give back to those with financial hardships that would benefit from attending Loyola's Women's Leadership Academy. 

If you would like to donate to the WLA Alumni Scholarship fund, please click here. You can click on "Make a Gift Now." Enter the amount that you would like to donate. Select "Other" for the Designation and type in "WLA Scholarship" or "WLA gifts" in the Other box.

Thank you for your contribution to Loyola's Women's Leadership Academy!

 

Office: (504) 865-3530      

Email: PACS@loyno.edu

Quick link to this page: http://www.loyno.edu/WLA