WLI: An Inspirational Pathway to Belonging – Emma West

By Emma West, Chair of the Women’s Leadership Initiative’s (WLI) Americas Executive Committee

As I start my role as Chair of the Women’s Leadership Initiative’s (WLI) Americas Executive Committee, the North American leadership group for WLI, I have been reflecting on what WLI and ULI have meant to me over the years.

One of my key memories of WLI was when I was included as one of the inaugural WLI Toronto Championship Team members in 2014. I can clearly picture myself at my desk in my office, reading the invitation to become a member of the Championship Team. The purpose of the Championship Team was to shine a light on women leaders in the industry. I felt so honoured to be identified as one of those first 100 women. I was not sure what it was all about, but I was certainly intrigued and excited to be a part of such an esteemed group of women in the industry. I was also invited to join an event to celebrate the Champions. We were given pins to wear at the event and encouraged to wear them at all ULI events to get people thinking about WLI and women in the industry. I remember walking into that Championship Team event in awe. It was the first time I had been to an industry event that was filled almost entirely with women. The room was buzzing with excitement. Everyone seemed to be feeling what I was feeling: “We are thrilled to be part of this”. It was clear that it was the start of something important and it was clear that while we had come together to have an impact, it was also a celebration.

Emma West at a Championship event in 2022

People were excited to see each other, they were excited to be recognized and they were excited to see that there were so many incredibly accomplished leaders in the same room. WLI Toronto continues to host the event annually, adding more women to the Championship team each year and I always look forward to the event.

Another key milestone was when I was asked to join the WLI Toronto committee. Being the Chair of the ULI Toronto mentorship program at that time, it made sense to make sure that WLI was connected to that program, to make sure that we had enough women as mentors and mentees while aligning with the WLI mission to get more women into leadership roles. I can still remember attending my first WLI Toronto committee meeting. I did not really know anyone on the committee so was a bit intimidated to show up. It was a morning session before work and despite my feelings before the meeting, I left it feeling empowered and inspired. Being in a meeting that was comprised predominantly of women was not something that I had experienced very often. The commitment and approach to implementing the mission was clear. The group was pushing for change and championing women along the way.

I continued to attend those meetings monthly and every single one left me feeling like I could take on the world! It influenced how I felt outside of those meetings, when I was the only woman in a work-related meeting or when I was thinking about how to mentor younger women or when I was reflecting on the best way to be a leader. I learned many things about supporting women as they advance through their careers, sometimes you need to be an active advocate, sometimes you need to be a confidant, and sometimes you just need to celebrate them.

Another important WLI moment for me was taking on the role of WLI Toronto Co-Chair with Toni Rossi as the other Co-Chair. Toni and I became Co-Chairs after Leslie Woo and Godyne Sibay stepped down from their roles as WLI Toronto Co-Chairs. Those were big shoes to fill but because of the approach that they had taken, I feel emboldened to continue the efforts to push for change, to find ways to get more women into leadership roles, to get more women on panels (no more “manels”), to seek out the allies, including men, who were also committed to the WLI mission of advancing women as leaders in ULI and the industry. Becoming a Co-Chair of WLI meant that I would also have a seat on the Management Committee for ULI Toronto. There is no question, that the opportunity to be the WLI CoChair had an important part in becoming the Vice Chair and Chair of Mission Advancement for ULI Toronto, which eventually led to my role as the Chair of ULI Toronto. I benefited directly from the mission to get more women in the industry into leadership roles.

Emma West and Alex Rybak at WLI Toronto event “An Evening With Janet Graham”

Getting connected to the North American network of WLI began when I started to attend the Spring and Fall Meetings. There was the same level of excitement around attending the WLI events at these big meetings. It was inspiring to go to the sessions where the WLI groups from different District Councils across North America were there to share their initiatives. It was great to connect with people from across the network and learn about what they were doing. Meeting people at the WLI events at the Spring and Fall Meetings made those big conferences seem smaller and connected me with people on the WLI Americas Executive Committee. I was invited to work on a subcommittee for the WLI Americas Executive Committee to figure out how we could better integrate WLI across the broader ULI network. Through that, I had the opportunity to connect with women and men working on the WLI mission. Some of these incredible people were the ones who started WLI. They were all passionate and committed to seeing change happen. All were so welcoming. I think when you are working towards the same goals, you connect and support each other along the way. For me, these experiences gave me a greater sense of belonging in the North American and global ULI network.

I have been able to remain active in both WLI Toronto and WLI Americas for many years and have been so fortunate to meet and stay connected with so many incredible people in doing so. One of the greatest things about the WLI Toronto committee is that there are people of all ages and experiences on the committee and they are leading such meaningful programs. It is, and always has been a truly inspiring group.

As I reflect upon all these experiences with WLI, I know that not only has WLI given me a true sense of belonging in ULI and our industry, but it has also been an empowering and impactful influence on my career. I would not be who I am today without the influence of the incredible people I have met at WLI, the experience that I have gained and the spotlight that WLI has shone on me. I have been inspired to do more and to advocate for change. I have made meaningful connections and had joyful experiences. The list of women and men that I need to thank is far too long for me to list here. Their impacts motivate me to ensure that others get to experience what I have. While we have come a long way, there is still so much we need to do. So, my intention is to find ways to continue to champion women in the industry, to ensure that we are intentional about broadening the diversity of the group that participates in WLI, to make sure that there are a variety of ways that people can find a sense of belonging and connection in WLI and to share the power and joy of WLI!