Women in BizEd (WiBe) is a global network that champions women’s leadership in business academic. The CEO and Founder of WiBe Lisa Leander is a member of the EUMMAS Advisory Board and a Vice President of the EUMMAS Women’s Forum.
What is Women in BizEd? Women in BizEd or WiBE – is a global network that champions women’s leadership in business academia. WiBE Membership is a collaborative space for senior women administrators and academics looking to engage and connect with their peers. I invite you to come check out this amazing network of ambitious and successful women. WiBE uses community and professional development – like our workshops, global convenings, and huddles – to propel women in business academia into leadership. Today we bring together over 200 members from 15 different countries around the world.
Why did you start WiBE?
After working in business education for ten years, I had built an extensive network of connections around the world. From launching a business school in Karachi, Pakistan to running an experiential learning summit in Cambodia to developing new case studies in South Africa, I met so many exceptional women in business schools. I dreamed about bringing together all of the women leaders and administrators I had met along the way into a connected, engaged and active network.
I came up with the vision of Women in BizEd a long time ago. However, the idea lived in a draft email that I never sent. It felt like a huge endeavor, one I wasn’t quite ready to tackle. I was busy raising two kids and juggling a successful career, traveling the world. Life was busy, and I didn’t know where to start.
When Covid-19 shut down schools and dramatically changed life as we knew it, I realized I couldn’t wait any longer to go after what I wanted. I opened my draft folder, searched for an email that was over five years old, and sent WiBE out into the world. Covid-19 reminded women everywhere that we can’t wait to pursue our dreams. Because when we finally find the courage to do so, it may be too late. And in the height of the pandemic, there was no greater time to bring women together to connect with each other.
What’s next for WiBE?
WiBEFuture is next! WiBEFuture will be our second annual conference and we cannot wait to bring together senior women leaders June 4 – 5 of 2023. WiBEFuture will take place in the heart of Silicon Valley and will focus on technology and forward-thinking as we immerse ourselves in The Tech Interactive, the most innovative museum in the world. We will convene women business school deans, associate deans, and faculty to explore and discover the latest in technological advances and innovations in business education.
I invite you to learn more, visit https://wibenetwork.com
