In the last decade, corporate America has achieved measurable milestones in the journey toward gender equity. We've seen representation grow incrementally, with women increasingly occupying senior leadership positions and on governing boards.

In the Spokane community, progress here is most visible in the shift toward female leadership across economic development, finance, and large regional employers. For example, Lindsey Myhre is now the first woman to lead STCU as president and CEO in its 91-year history, Carla Cicero heads Numerica Credit Union, and eight of 10 "small" credit unions operating here are also led by women. 

Mayor Lisa Brown is the top city of Spokane leader, while Marey Brooks serves as chair of the Board of County Commissioners. Many of the region's economic development organizations are also being led by women, including Spokane Sports, Downtown Spokane Partnership, Spokane's University District, Spokane Public Facilities District, Greater Spokane Incorporated, Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Spokane Association of Realtors.

Additionally, Heather Rosentrater now leads Avista Corp., and Shari McMahan and Katia Passerini are leading Eastern Washington University and Gonzaga University, respectively.

While these recent appointments serve as a powerful reminder of progress here, they exist against a backdrop of a fragile national momentum. 

In specific sectors, such as health care and education, women now hold between one-third and about half of senior leadership positions nationwide. These are hard-won gains that reflect a genuine, but gradual shift in organizational priorities. However, we must confront a sobering reality: the progress of the past decade isn't guaranteed.

Currently, professionals are grappling with a "perception progress gap," where "feeling inclusive" is being used as a substitute for "being equitable". While more employees are now describing their workplaces as inclusive, the underlying systems of power and promotion remain largely unchanged.

The evidence of stagnation is found in several areas, according to recent research. McKinsey & Co. reports that for every 100 men promoted to manager, only 93 women — and just 60 Black women — reach that same milestone. McKinsey's report also reveals that for the first time in years, corporate commitment to women's advancement is wavering, with only half of surveyed companies ranking women's career advancement as a high priority.

Company culture can also act as a barrier to women's professional advancement. Culture sets the tone for the entire workplace, so reinforcing it will impact everything from promotions, to pay, to advocacy.

We can't afford to let "feeling inclusive" become a substitute for "being equitable." If we don't act now to deliberately develop a mechanism of mentorship for women to advance to leadership roles, we risk a generation of talented women being left behind.

One way leaders can help bridge the gap of career support for their teams is to institutionalize authentic sponsorship by creating formal programs with clear roles and commitments where senior leaders are held accountable for advocating for talent. 

Another strategy is to implement peer mentorship. Often, opportunities for top-down mentorship can be limited, but activating a smaller structured environment can offer similar support. Additionally, managers should prioritize regular check-ins and coaching for female employees.

When women receive the same level of career support and sponsorship as men, advancement to senior roles benefits everyone. By formalizing mentorship mechanisms, we can transform inclusion from an abstract ideal into an everyday reality.