By Ashley Dobbelmann, VP, Product Enablement

International Women’s Day 2025 is March 8, celebrated with the theme Accelerate Action. According to data from the World Economic Forum, at the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158 to reach full gender parity. That’s roughly five generations from now! But we’re making progress: Women hold 31% of leadership roles — up from 29% in 2022 (POWERful Women) — yet many women still wonder how they can reach the top echelon. The old adage, “you have to see it to believe it,” is true; 86% of women feel empowered to pursue leadership roles when they see more women in leadership positions (KPMG Women's Leadership Study). 

Recently, Velera’s EVP and Chief Product Officer Denise Stevens, along with SVP of Technology and Data Delivery Pam Brodsack, hosted a conversation for Velera employees on the theme of Leading Boldly, in which these two accomplished leaders shared their journeys in predominantly male fields. The inspiring conversation offered powerful actions each of us can take to help propel women forward. 

Two main themes emerged in this focus on women leading boldly. First was the importance of women supporting women, which can be accomplished in many ways in the workplace:

• Engage in mentorship: Sixty-seven percent of women report learning the most important leadership lessons from other women (KPMG Women's Leadership Study). Informal and formal mentorship creates a supportive environment for women to lean on each other for advice and feedback. Finding a peer, friend or colleague who will be honest and has your best interest at heart can be invaluable. Beyond mentorship, this person can be a sounding board, help you identify areas to strengthen and provide authentic constructive feedback.
   
• Recognize the success of other women:  A rising tide lifts all boats. Rather than shying away from publicly recognizing other women, perhaps wondering why one person was chosen over another, or watching from the sidelines, engage and be supportive! Praise other women and cheer them on for their accomplishments and hard work. When women are recognized for their value and talent, praise and congratulations result in significant positive effects on the next generation of leaders and open more doors.
   
• Elevate each other’s voices: One of the most common experiences women face in the workplace is that their voices are not heard. This is often an unconscious bias men in the room don’t notice — yet it’s happened to most women. In today’s virtual work environment, it can be even more challenging to find the pause or space in a conversation to speak up. When other women are in the room, lift their voices by calling on them, create space for them to share their insights or ideas and give credit to the work or ideas shared by women who aren’t in the room. Lift their voice and create the space for them to be heard.

The second theme focused on how we can empower ourselves to lead boldly through confidence. 

• Confidence to ask for help: Being confident gives you the strength to ask for feedback. Rather than relying on the old trick of “fake it until you make it,” try asking for help. You’re not expected to have all the answers to everything, so seek out mentors to guide you. You’ll make fewer mistakes, get more done and make more contacts in the process.
   
• Confidence to raise up others: When you’re confident in your own abilities, you understand that acknowledging and praising others raises you both up. A good word about a colleague shows that you recognize good work, too.
   
• Confidence to speak boldly: Your unique voice matters — and your contributions add to a better discussion overall. But you must work at it; speaking boldly is a skill that takes practice and requires that you be accountable for your words and are willing to take action when sharing your ideas.

Empowered women around the world are stepping into leadership roles with a boldness that is reshaping industries, communities and the fabric of society. For International Women’s Day, we recognize the female leaders who are the personification of Accelerate Action, who have the courage to support other women and the confidence to show what’s possible. 

As Velera’s VP of Product Enablement, Ashley Dobbelmann leads a team within Velera’s Product department, overseeing strategic research to develop superior products. With over 10 years of experience in the financial services industry, she brings a wealth of expertise in guiding business decisions that drive innovation and enhance product capabilities.