"Gender Catalysts" in Action

After fielding original research in 2016, we launched the California Leadership Collaborative to bring together leaders from the business and political sectors to innovate new ways to advance investment in women’s leadership initiatives.  Despite the cultural narrative in our country about the lack of diversity in leadership, we continue to struggle to see the investment we need to truly prioritize the advancement of women leaders in both sectors, in both politics and business.

Mine The Gap coined the term “Gender Catalyst” after working with a number of women, and sometimes men, inside of companies who were taking action and making cultural, policy, and programmatic changes to build a climate where women thrive.  The term “Gender Catalyst” describes individuals who work within institutions and use their influence, reputation, and expertise to advance changes that help promote gender balance in the leadership of the organization.

On September 27, 2018, we held our third Innovation Team meeting for the California Leadership Collaborative.  There we further defined what a Gender Catalyst possesses to make an impact, including attributes that give her/him the influence to make change real. By identifying how catalysts use their abilities and skills, we were better able to identify how we can support Gender Catalysts operating in every sector. With the right tools we can help these change makers have a real impact for women across sectors.  You’ll see more from us on this important project in the months ahead.