Leaders Share Insights at Annual Women's Impact Panel

The South Bend – Elkhart region commemorated Women’s History Month with the second annual Women’s Impact Panel at Saint Mary’s College. The panel celebrates and shares the achievements of women leaders across the region’s top industries, using their stories to inspire other people in the region.

This year’s panel featured a discussion with Jess Koscher, Founder, President and CEO of Write Connections; Joan McClendon, Director of Enrollment Culture and Community, the University of Notre Dame; Devereaux Peters, 2-time WNBA Champion, real estate developer, and advocate; and Andrea Short, President & CEO of 1st Source Bank and President of the 1st Source Corporation. Bethany Hartley, President & CEO of the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership, moderated the chat.

Topics included moments that changed the course of one’s career, mentors in one’s life and finding your leadership style. The event closed out with an opportunity for audience questions. One attendee asked the speakers for advice on being the only woman in the room and overcoming impostor syndrome.

“If you are in the room, you belong there,” said McClendon.

The South Bend - Elkhart Regional Partnership coordinated the event, in collaboration with Girls on the Run Michiana, Momentum Entrepreneurship Hub, Saint Mary’s College, Women in Business After Hours, and YWCA North Central Indiana.

In her opening remarks, Hartley cited statistics for women in the workplace, education and c-suite including:

• In Indiana, 38 percent of businesses are majority owned by women.
• The 2023 Impact on Women-owned businesses report from Wells Fargo ranked Indiana #10 in top states for Women-owned businesses.
• Women make up 58 percent of undergraduate degrees, 62 percent of master’s degrees, and more than half PhDs in the United States
• In 2023, women made up 39 percent of provosts, dropping to 30 percent of university presidents, with only six percent being women of color.
• According to the S&P Global Marketplace, women held 22.3 percent of senior positions in 2023, and only 11 percent of those positions represented C-Suite positions. 

“The Women's Impact Panel is more than just a discussion – it's a celebration of the resilience, leadership, and innovation of women in our region,” said Hartley. “By sharing their journeys, our panelists inspire and empower others to break barriers and create lasting change in their industries and communities. This event is an opportunity to connect, learn, and support the next generation of women leaders.”

Proceeds from the sold-out event were split between Girls on the Run Michiana and the YWCA North Central Indiana.