Sessions are facilitated by local and national experts and cover a wide variety of topics from building executive skills to balancing career, board, and home life. In the spirit of the YWCA’s pioneering history of leading racial justice initiatives, the program presents very direct and specific training on eliminating discrimination and promoting racial and gender equity.

The program consists of monthly full-day sessions taking place annually January-June. Graduates receive a “Board and Equity Leader” certification and join a diverse network with access to exclusive networking and educational opportunities.

Rising Star Criteria:

• High-achieving professional woman with demonstrated leadership qualities and recognized potential for continued career achievement.

• Demonstrates community involvement and/or a commitment to social equity.

The Rising Star Equity Leadership Program is designed for individuals whose gender identity includes woman and who are between the ages of 25 and 40, though applicants outside this age range may also be considered. If you're unsure whether the program is the right fit for you, we encourage you to contact us—we're happy to help.

How to Nominate/Apply

The 2027 Rising Star Equity Leadership Program nomination/application program opens in mid-July. Check here for the forms or email Rising Star Manager Kristi Rohrkasse to begin receiving YWCA Greater Cincinnati email notifications.

Details:

• The program runs January-June with monthly full day sessions. Dates will be published in the application.

• Each candidate must receive a nomination and complete the application.

• Program tuition is $2,500. A separate application for scholarship is available.

YWCA Board Registry

Graduates of the Rising Star Equity Leadership Program are certified by the YWCA as ready-to-serve on non-profit boards and are added to the YWCA’s Board Registry. Area organizations are able to share their board openings with our alumnae by contacting Kristi Rohrkasse at (513) 361-2168 or krohrkasse@ywcacin.org.

Legacy

Since 2002, the YWCA has been recognizing outstanding young professional women leaders as Rising Stars in our community. The Rising Star Equity Leadership Program was started in 2007 to further empower our future and present female leaders. We are grateful to the Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee for funding support of the YWCA Rising Star Equity Leadership Program. We are also indebted to Kathy Beechem for her inspirational and dedicated leadership.

For more information or questions regarding the Rising Star Equity Leadership Program, contact Rising Star Manager Kristi Rohrkasse at krohrkasse@ywcacin.org or 513-361-2168.