After 25 remarkable years of empowering women and strengthening our community, the Board of Directors of Women Leading Kentucky has made the difficult decision to bring the organization’s journey to an end. Like many other nonprofit organizations, we’ve been navigating a challenging financial time.

Women Leading Kentucky has always been more than an organization—it has been a vibrant community of women supporting, inspiring, and lifting one another. Our attendees, as well as our sponsors, exhibitors, staff, and volunteers, have played an essential role in building a legacy of leadership and connection.

We are so proud of our accomplishments:

• Awarded more than $300,000 in scholarships for over 200 Kentucky women.
• Honored nearly 40 women for their outstanding achievements as industry trailblazers, community leaders, and advocates for all women.
• Built a community that has given thousands of women career opportunities and growth.
• Provided a platform for small businesses to reach customers and find highly qualified and motivated employees.

Though our formal structure is concluding, the spirit of collaboration, mentorship, and empowerment that defines us will continue to shine throughout our community.

We extend our deepest gratitude to our executive directors, staff members, event attendees, sponsors, exhibitors, volunteers, and board members for their commitment over the years to this organization and this community.

–The Women Leading Kentucky Board of Directors

November 5, 2025

After 25 remarkable years of empowering women and strengthening our community, the Board of Directors of Women Leading Kentucky has made the difficult decision to bring the organization’s journey to an end. Like many other nonprofit organizations, we’ve been navigating a challenging financial time and, like Bob Dylan sang, “the times, they are a’changing.”

Women Leading Kentucky has always been more than an organization—it has been a vibrant network of women supporting, inspiring, and lifting one another. Our attendees, as well as our sponsors, exhibitors, staff and volunteers have played an essential role in building a legacy of leadership and connection.

Though our formal structure is concluding, the spirit of collaboration, mentorship, and empowerment that defines us will continue to shine throughout our community.

We are so proud of our accomplishments:

• Awarded more than $300,000 in scholarships for over 200 Kentucky women.*
• Honored nearly 40 women for their outstanding achievements as industry trailblazers, community leaders, and advocates for all women.*
• Built a community that has given thousands of women career opportunities and leadership strategies for growing their business.
• Provided a platform for small businesses to reach customers and find highly qualified and motivated employees.
• Recognized dozens of women throughout the Commonwealth as leaders and mentors via the Martha Layne Collins Leadership Award and the Isabel Yates Service Award.*

Along with the Board, I extend my deepest gratitude to our executive directors, staff members, event attendees, sponsors, exhibitors and volunteers for their commitment over the years to this organization and to our mission: empowering women to lead, learn and give back to their communities.

*(See Pathlights, a book about the WLKY founding, history and its impact on women, available at barnesandnoble.com)

–Janet Holloway