The Meaning Behind the Elements in Our Logo

Throughout history, the progress of events and people has been marked by symbols. The NFBPWC emblem was adopted at the 1921 National Convention and incorporates five complementary symbols to represent light, peace, communication, achievement, and progress — concepts to which our Federation is dedicated.

Nike (Greek Goddess of Victory) depicts strength, progress, freedom and triumph, facing squarely the winds and waves of prejudice and all other limitations.

The Torch is the symbol of light, wisdom, principle, and leadership.

The Wand signifies a new day for women and represents opportunity, equality, harmony, cooperation, healing, and power.

The Ship of Commerce illustrates the entrance of women into business and the expansion of work and financial opportunities for women.

The Scroll denotes achievement and leadership, a record of accomplishments in solving economic problems and establishing equality for working women.

These five symbols are found within the Golden Circle, signifying unbroken harmony and endless friendship.

Shirley Zeller
NFBPWC Parliamentarian
Parliamentarian@nfbpwc.org

OUR PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

My NFBPWC Journey: From Local Waters to Global Stages

Reflecting on my 18-year BPW journey—from serving as Boulder, Colorado, Chapter President to leading as the NFBPWC National President (2020–2024)—my heart overflows with gratitude.

While our legacy is anchored by visionary founders, its true heartbeat remains our remarkable members.

My most cherished memories seamlessly bridge Colorado joy with global impact. Locally, white-water rafting down the Taylor River in Gunnison, CO, with fellow members closed a BPW Colorado convention in a burst of pure laughter and camaraderie. Globally, sharing breakfast in Grand Cayman with then-IFBPW President Yasmin Darwich in 2015 ignited my international passion. That spark led me to the base of the pyramids for my first International Congress in Cairo in 2017, and ultimately to the United Nations in New York City, proudly representing IFBPW as a delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women and incredible opportunity perfectly exemplify our present strength.

Some of those who traveled to Egypt.

Looking ahead, our mission demands that same bold vision. For over a century, BPW has marched for systemic change. My ultimate hope for our future is a world where the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is finally certified and published as the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution. Enshrining the ERA will secure a permanent legal bedrock for gender equity that cannot be dismantled, ensuring equal participation in power and decision-making becomes an unshakeable reality. Together, we honor our past, champion our present, and build a more equitable future.

The crew who went white-water rafting down the Taylor River in Gunnison, CO.

MEGAN SHELLMAN-RICKARD
Immediate Past President
2024-2026
immpastpresident@nfbpwc.org

A Journey From New Member to the Executive Committee

I have been a BPW member for 21 years. If you told me then that someday I would be writing this as the Treasurer of the NATIONAL Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, I would have laughed in your face that first day.

Ironically, today I received a message from my friend ClaraFaye, who was the Corpus Christi BPW treasurer when I joined.

She asked how I was and congratulated me for being on the Executive Committee. She wasn’t surprised I worked my way up to this position.

I was invited to my first Corpus Christi BPW meeting at a Chamber of Commerce event in 2005. It is because of the support and guidance I received from ClaraFaye, Maureen, and my other Corpus Christi sisters, my BPW-NC sisters, and all of you, that I am in my current position.

Yesterday, I was at a Nonprofit Expo and shared the NFBPWC information with men and women in Philadelphia. They were surprised to know we exist. Three of them may actually join us for the 2026 Biennial Conference either in person or online. You never know where you will meet potential new member!

Looking into the future, I see 20 more years of service in BPW Nationally and Internationally, will be exciting. I hope everyone reading this is excited too.

Dr. Joanne Carfioli Naylor
National Treasurer
2024-2026
treasurer@nfbpwc.org

Institutions Grow Through Connection

It has been my honor to serve as Secretary of NFBPWC over the past two years. This has been a period of transition and movement, during which our Executive Committee worked together to meet both expected and unexpected challenges with commitment and continuity. In the same period, NFBPWC has strengthened its presence within BPW International, becoming a more active participant in the wider conversations that shape our Federation.

What has become increasingly clear to me is that institutions do not evolve through structure alone. They evolve through connection—between people, among levels, and between opportunity and experience.

Within NFBPWC, these connections span local clubs, the national Federation, and our engagement with BPW International. Each level has its own focus and energy, but the strength of the whole depends on how effectively these levels communicate, support one another, and recognize the value each brings to the wider community.

Moving among these spaces has shown me how often opportunity lies not only in formal structures, but in the connections we are able to make across them. As a global federation, we are defined not only by governance and meetings, but by the relationships that give our purpose meaning.

This became especially visible in several moments over the past two years. The 75th anniversary celebration of the Munich Club reflected both pride in its long history and the respect it continues to hold within its community.

Meetings in Montreal, Cyprus, Malta, and St. Kitts and Nevis demonstrated what becomes possible when members engage across borders and bring their experience into shared dialogue.

Engagement at the United Nations, both in committee work and international conferences, further reinforced how well-recognized and respected NFBPWC is within global conversations on women’s leadership and development.

These are not separate events. They reflect a single reality: connection is what transforms a federation from a collection of clubs into a living network of opportunity.

It is also clear that these opportunities are not always immediately visible. A global organization can appear distant when attention is focused locally, yet its value becomes most apparent when members step beyond their immediate context. In those moments, the same federation reveals itself as broader, more accessible, and more interconnected than it first appears.

This is one of the greatest strengths of NFBPWC. It lies not only in what we achieve individually or locally, but in what becomes possible when those efforts are linked across our sisterhood and extended into the wider BPW International community.

As I conclude this term, I am deeply grateful for the trust placed in me as Secretary and for the opportunity to serve alongside committed colleagues. It has been a privilege to observe the work of our Federation from this vantage point and to witness the strength that comes from collaboration across levels and across borders.

Looking ahead, I remain optimistic about what lies before us. As we continue to strengthen the connections among members, clubs, and international partners, we will continue to unlock opportunities that are not yet fully visible. It is through these connections that institutions evolve, and through them that NFBPWC will continue to grow in relevance, reach, and impact.

Thank you for the privilege of serving as your Secretary, and for allowing me to be part of this chapter of our Federation’s ongoing story.

Nermin K. Ahmad
National Secretary
2024-2026
Secretary@nfbpwc.org

It’s hard to believe that my time as your Vice President of Advocacy is coming to an end—where did the last two years go? I won’t lie; it was a challenge at times. I came into this role with big goals and a plan to achieve them, and, like many plans, it was promptly derailed. However, our team adapted, and I leave this role filled with immense gratitude and pride.

One of my biggest goals during this term was to strengthen our national legislative outreach and return BPW to its legacy of advocating for meaningful change.

The 2024–2026 term began with a campaign to push for the Equal Rights Amendment before Biden left office, and we got results! The day before leaving office, Biden declared the ERA the law of the land—a major victory for ERA advocates. While the current status of the ERA remains uncertain, I like to think our efforts helped contribute to that moment. Unfortunately, the political climate following the 2024 election made legislative advocacy increasingly difficult, particularly for social justice and women’s rights organizations.

As someone passionate about public policy, that reality has been frustrating. One of the most inspiring moments in BPW history for me is BPW/USA’s National President Dr. Minnie Miles standing beside JFK as he signed the Equal Pay Act. In recognition of our organization’s leading role in securing passage of the act, President Kennedy gave the first pen he signed with to her. What a legacy!

As your Vice President of Advocacy, I wanted to help revive that spirit. To support that goal, we launched a national bill screening team and developed resources for chapters interested in creating their own on a local level. Special thanks to the California and Colorado bill screening teams for sharing their expertise.

I am also proud to have saved the organization more than $3,000 annually by transitioning our digital advocacy platform from One Click Politics to New/ Mode, a comparable service offered at no cost. While concerns about legislative advocacy and our 501(c)(3) status limited its use this term, I hope future leaders will take advantage of this resource.

Our largest undertaking, and the legacy I hope to be remembered for most, is the Advocacy Hub.

I wanted our advocacy platform to be more than a list of positions adopted every biennium. Together, the Advocacy Committee built a new section of the website filled with information, resources, and tools tied directly to our platform priorities. It was truly a labor of love, and I look forward to continuing to build and expand it in the months ahead.

While this term did not unfold as I expected, I am deeply proud of what we accomplished and grateful for the dedicated advocates who served on the Advocacy Committee.

Looking ahead, I have full faith in whoever becomes the next leader of this team and look forward to seeing where she takes us. I hope she continues building on the foundation we laid during the 2024–2026 term.

As for me, I will continue contributing to the future of BPW through support on the Advocacy Committee and serving BPW International as a UN Representative. In that role, I also represent BPW on the board of the NGO Commission on the Status of Women/NY and help keep our members informed about developments regarding the UN, CSW, and UN Women.

Thank you for placing your trust in me and electing me to this role. It has been an honor to serve, and I hope I have served you well.

Wishing you all the best in the upcoming biennium.

Emily VanVleck
National VP Advocacy
2024-2026
vpadvocacy@nfbpwc.org

Recognizing Our Past as We Create our Future

I am so looking forward to meeting with all of you in Raleigh this month! Our Biennial conference will find us celebrating 107 years of BPW, and 250 years of this great country. We will be celebrating our past, embracing our present, and preparing for the future of NFBPWC.

The past two years have gone by so quickly. As I write this final July message of the 2024-2026 term, I find myself thinking less about the projects and accomplishments and more about the people who made this journey so meaningful.

One of the greatest privileges of serving as your president has been the opportunity to meet so many more of you. Some I’ve have known for a very long time, while others I met through Zoom calls, state conferences, committee work, and emails. Every conversation reminds me that our organization is filled with women who genuinely want to make a difference, not only within BPW, but in their communities and in the lives of other women. Your passion, your generosity, and your willingness to step forward inspire me every day.

Together, we have navigated challenges and celebrated successes. All the while, we have been working to strengthen the foundation of our organization, even when the challenges have seemed greater than we imagined. In the past two years, I’ve seen members bring forward innovations and new ideas that have done nothing but improve our value to our members. None of these things happened because of one person. Your choices, your talents, your belief in BPW as something worth investing in made it happen. For that, I thank you.

As we honor the women who built this organization and celebrate all that we are accomplishing today, I am excited about what lies ahead.

Every generation of BPW members leaves something valuable for the next, and I know the future will be shaped by leaders AND GENERAL MEMBERS who care deeply about our mission and the world we strive to make better.

Thank you for allowing me the privilege of serving as your National President.

With warmest regards,

Barbara J. Bozeman
National President
2024-2026
president@nfbpwc.org

Balancing Women’s Invisible Load

If I’ve been out of pocket lately, it’s because I’ve been navigating the unexpected illnesses of two family members—a stark reminder of the immense personal toll caretaking takes on working women as we strive to balance career, leadership, and family.

Beyond physical tasks, women usually shoulder the invisible "mental gymnastics" of the household: the endless planning, communicating, and managing schedules.

Too often, the profound work of raising a family is minimized as a secondary pursuit rather than recognized for the demanding, essential role it truly is. Yet, because we care deeply about building a better future, we still step up to volunteer for unpaid community and leadership positions.

The data validates this weight:

• The Caregiving Gap: Pew Research Center data consistently shows that women shoulder the vast majority of domestic labor and caregiving across all age groups.
• The Mental Toll: Studies on cognitive household labor confirm that the constant pressure of anticipating needs is a primary driver of female burnout.

Naming this invisible labor is the first step toward creating a community of genuine support.

I have deeply missed connecting with my beloved fellow members, and I look forward to reconnecting with NFBPWC to rejoin our shared fight for women’s equity.

Direct links and sources:

• Pew Research Center: How Do U.S. Men and Women Spend Their Time?
• Pew Research Center: Women More Than Men Adjust Their Careers for Family Life.
• Psychology Today: Mental Load: The Invisible Weight of Parenthood.
• University of Bath: Successful career women still shoulder the majority of the 'mental load' at home.
• PubMed Central: Cognitive household labor: gender disparities and consequences for maternal mental health and wellbeing.

MEGAN SHELLMAN-RICKARD
Immediate Past President
2024-2026
immpastpresident@nfbpwc.org

Three SDGs with One Intention

Sustainable Developmental Goals are important for everyone.

This month, I have chosen three:

• Quality Education (Goal 4),
• Gender Equality (Goal 5),
• Climate Action (Goal 13).

These three goals can be achieved together by providing equal access to education that is directly related to the environment.

All professions that have some impact on the environment.

Medical fields include the use of paper for reports, chemicals for healthcare, and medical waste. There is a need for all employees to take part in the control and decrease of the use and management of resources.

The education field also requires the use of multiple resources, such as printed documents, plasticware for meals, and other potentially recyclable items. There are also many digital resources that are now used in many fields. I have done many Zoom interviews that have decreased my need for travel (plane tickets, hotel rooms), food (wrappers, cups, straws, bags), and printing (tickets, presentations, receipts).

There are many organizations that accept used items and repurpose them, a few are:

TerraCycle TerraCycle.com: They recycle so many different things that it’s impossible to list them all here. They range from the sprues miniature models come on to beauty items to Taco Bell sauce packets.

Image from TerraCycle.com

Habitat for Humanity Restore Habitat.org: They take used or excess items related to building such as the working light fixture you changed out or the left over un-returnable slate from a contracting job.

Goodwill Goodwill.org: They employ people with different abilities, like the children I work with every day.

Dress for Success DressforSuccess.org: They work with women who need clothes for interviews, and offer interviewing skills classes and other resources.

I have donated items to all four organizations, prior to each move (there have been four so far) and in general when I no longer need or want something, I know what to do with it.

I encourage ALL members to donate to the organizations I have listed and find others in your area. And to spread the word to everyone you know.

EVERY day is Earth Day!

And we all need to help keep the planet safe for everyone, forever.

We ALL need to educate each other with the intention of supporting and protecting the environment and reducing the dangerous effects of climate change.

Dr. Joanne Carfioli Naylor
National Treasurer
2024-2026
treasurer@nfbpwc.org

Building Impact Through Collaboration: A Practical Guide for Women’s Nonprofit Organizations

As I provided training for visits to permanent missions at the United Nations and worked closely with other NGOs, including those focused on women prior to the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), I realized that while I am proud of NFBPWC and of BPW International, it seems we may not have maintained our impact and relevance over time with new generations leading like-minded organizations.

This, despite how women’s organizations across the nonprofit sector often share overlapping goals: advancing economic opportunity, leadership, safety, and rights.

Impact is too often fragmented by geography, specialization, or limited coordination. For us and for our peers, collaboration is no longer optional; it is a force-multiplier that can expand reach, reduce duplication, and strengthen advocacy outcomes nationally and globally. Virtual access now makes this easier than ever.

Thinking of this led me to conceptualize a practical guide to build meaningful and sustained collaboration among women’s nonprofit organizations. While some of these actions may sound like obvious steps, I needed to be reminded of them as we work to shape a stronger future for emerging women leaders.

From Fragmentation to Ecosystem Leadership

For women’s nonprofits, collaboration is more than efficiency. It is about building systems that reflect the new realities of increasingly mobile, multi-sectoral, and global lives and careers.

The strongest collaborations combine:

• service delivery organizations that provide training and direct support,
• advocacy networks that influence policy,
• corporate and leadership coalitions that expand career pathways,
• and mentoring systems that provide continuity and human connection.

When intentionally structured, these partnerships create an ecosystem rather than isolated programs. The result is not only broader reach, but deeper and more sustainable impact, particularly for women navigating transitions across borders, sectors, and stages of professional life.

This approach also aligns closely with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

By strengthening collaboration, we can contribute to more inclusive economic systems and stronger pathways to leadership and opportunity.

Step 1: Define Core Impact Priorities

Before seeking partnerships, there has to be a clear definition of what is to be achieved, in measurable terms, and identifying of shared outcomes:

• expanding women’s economic empowerment,
• increasing leadership opportunities,
• improving inclusion for migrant and internationally mobile women,
• strengthening entrepreneurship access,
• and protecting workplace rights.

Effective collaboration is purpose-driven rather than opportunistic, so each organization has to assess its strengths, whether in membership networks, policy influence, training capacity, or global reach.

Step 2: Identify Complementary Clubs within NFBPWC or Organizations outside

We need to better understand who is already working toward similar goals and where gaps exist.

This lets us map potential partners across three broad categories:

• service delivery organizations,
• advocacy and policy networks,
• and bridging organizations such as women’s chambers, federations, or migration-focused groups.

Rather than partner with everyone, this approach lets us see where collaboration creates complementary value. We already duplicate training and awareness efforts among our clubs, and this is compounded across organizations. Greater impact could come from combining different strengths rather than repeating the same activities.

Fewer, deeper partnerships are often more effective than broad but symbolic alliances. We could prioritize partners that:

• serve similar populations in complementary ways,
• influence funding or policy systems,
• or demonstrate strong implementation capacity.

For example, pairing an entrepreneurship support initiative with a policy advocacy network creates stronger long-term impact than parallel partnerships.

Step 4: Establish Shared Goals and Accountability

Successful collaborations often are based around Memoranda of Understanding that clearly lay out shared objectives and responsibilities.

They let us jointly define:

• two or three measurable outcomes,
• timelines,
• resource contributions,
• and operational responsibilities.

Even simple agreements or charters will move organizations working together from general goodwill to coordinated action.

Step 5: Create Cross-Organization Working Groups

Collaboration only succeeds when it becomes operational. Joint working groups can enhance focus on:

• entrepreneurship,
• leadership development,
• policy advocacy,
• or migrant and mobility-focused inclusion.

Sustainable collaboration must extend beyond conferences and symbolic events and ensure continuity and accountability.

Step 6: Make Mentoring a Core Strategy

Mentoring remains one of the most discussed—but underutilized—tools in women’s advancement. For internationally mobile women in particular, mentoring provides continuity during career transitions, relocation, or re-entry into professional networks. There should be shared mentoring pools that connect:

• corporate leaders with entrepreneurs,
• experienced migrants with newly relocated professionals,
• and policy experts with emerging advocates.

This could include onboarding guidance, meeting expectations, and outcome-tracking related to career growth, business development, and network expansion. Mentoring should be treated as infrastructure rather than an informal activity.

Step 7: Co-Design Programs, Not Just Events

Jointly designed initiatives have greater impact one-off events or awareness campaigns.

Titles might include:

• entrepreneurship pathways for internationally mobile women,
• leadership pipelines for women professionals,
• or business acceleration initiatives for migrant women entrepreneurs.

The strongest programs distribute responsibilities across partners:

• one organization provides training,
• another mentoring,
• another advocacy,
• and another access to funding or certification systems.

This allows each group to contribute its comparative advantage while expanding the overall impact of all groups involved.

Step 8: Align Advocacy and Policy Messaging

Fragmented advocacy weakens influence, while more unified messaging strengthens credibility and visibility. We can strengthen this from clubs, through the national, regional, and international levels, as well as with partner organizations.

Identifying a small number of shared advocacy priorities each year, while coordinating participation in major policy forums and consultations, strengthens impact at all levels.

As does consistent messaging on issues such as:

• women’s economic inclusion,
• access to capital,
• recognition of professional credentials,
• and protection from discrimination and exploitation

Step 9: Build Shared Impact Measurement Systems

To evolve effectively, there has to be some form of measurement of impact resulting from the collaboration.

A limited number of shared indicators could be used:

• women supported,
• business formation or career advancement outcomes,
• financing access,
• certification achievements,
• and leadership progression.

This shared information can improve funding opportunities, demonstrate effectiveness, and strengthen advocacy efforts. Quantitative data can be strengthened through narrative and lived experiences.

Institutionalizing collaboration helps ensure that progress survives leadership transitions and funding cycles.

For NFBPWC, BPW as a whole, and for similar organizations, the opportunity is not simply to participate in partnerships, but to help build an interconnected ecosystem for women’s advancement.

Strengthening collaboration across entrepreneurship, advocacy, mentoring, leadership development, and migration-informed networks, creates the opportunity to develop a more coordinated and sustainable model of empowerment—one that reflects the realities of today’s globally connected professional world and better supports future generations of women leaders.

Nermin K. Ahmad
National Secretary
2024-2026
Secretary@nfbpwc.org