Introducing Women@WTCA: a new WTCA Community

Across the WTCA network, women are leading businesses, driving trade, shaping policy and building the relationships that power our global community. In a network as diverse as ours, intentionally creating opportunities for members to connect around shared experiences and perspectives helps foster the relationships that make this community so dynamic.

That spirit inspired the launch of Women@WTCA.

Women@WTCA is a new community within the WTCA network - created to bring women (and allies) together in a more intentional way - providing a platform for increased visibility, access, education, and support across our global Membership.

One of the things that has always stood out about the WTCA Membership is the depth of expertise and experience across the network. Women throughout our community represent an incredible range of industries, perspectives and professional journeys - from those beginning their professional careers to those with decades of experience. Creating a space where those voices can connect more directly opens the door to new ideas, collaboration, mentorship, and shared learning. Just as importantly, it helps cultivate the next generation of leaders within the WTCA network and beyond.

Women@WTCA is not about creating something separate from the broader network, but rather another way to engage more deeply with it. By highlighting and connecting the contributions women are already making across WTCA, this community creates space for even greater visibility, collaboration, and growth. Like the network itself, Women@WTCA is grounded in the values of inclusion and diverse perspectives that strengthen our global community.

To coincide with Women’s History Month, WTCA Members from across the network gathered on March 9 for the inaugural Women@WTCA community meeting, where the foundation for this new community began to take shape. From the outset, the conversation focused on building a space grounded in inclusion, support , and diverse perspectives, reflecting the values that define the WTCA network itself.

We were also fortunate to be joined by a dynamic Leadership Coach & Motivational Speaker, Rachel Mohr, PPC CCPQC, who led a thoughtful and engaging discussion on the value of professional emotional intelligence in leadership and collaboration. One particularly striking insight from the conversation was the idea that many of the skills that strengthen teams and organizations are not absent - they are simply uninvited. Creating environments where those skills are welcomed and encouraged can unlock stronger collaboration and more effective leadership.

Following Rachel’s remarks, participants broke into smaller discussion groups to explore how these ideas could be applied within their own WTC businesses and organizations and the broader WTCA network. The conversations focused on how intentionally bringing emotional intelligence into our work can help strengthen communication, collaboration, and partnerships across the network.

As the session came back together, Members participated in a collective brainstorming exercise to identify the values they want to shape this community moving forward. Several themes emerged clearly: normalizing women’s voices as leaders, creating a culture of support and empathy, and strengthening communication and knowledge sharing across then etwork - including the exchange of best practices and experiences among Members.

Over the coming year and beyond, we will continue building Women@WTCA through programming, conversations and opportunities that showcase the remarkable work happening across our network. From leadership discussions and peer exchange to sector-focused conversations and collaborative initiatives, this space will evolve through the participation and ideas of the Members who help shape it.

Like many of the most meaningful initiatives within WTCA, this community will grow organically. Its strength will come from the relationships formed, the ideas shared and the willingness of Members across the network to contribute their perspectives and experiences.

The women of WTCA are already shaping the future of our network - Women@WTCA is where that collective momentum continues to grow.

If you are interested in joining the Women@WTCA community or participating in future conversations , we encourage you to reach out to support@wtca.org to learn more.