Leadership in Action: A Powerful Week in Washington, D.C.

The Inaugural Gender, Leadership & Policy Cohort, a dynamic group of incredible women leaders from diverse fields and backgrounds throughout Oregon, had the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C. the week of March 10, 2025. This initiative, led by The Center for Women’s Leadership at Portland State University, is designed to deepen our understanding of gender equity, leadership, and policy at the national level. Our Founder and Director had the privilege of participating in this cohort!

We are grateful to the dedicated leaders representing Oregon at the national level. Their commitment and willingness to meet with us made our time on Capitol Hill truly memorable. A special thank you to Congresswoman Andrea Salinas, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, Congresswoman Val Hoyle, Senator Ron Wyden, and Senator Jeff Merkley, along with their supportive staff teams, for their invaluable time and insights.

As part of our cohort experience, we had the privilege of learning from experts in leadership and advocacy. We gained insights from Candice Vickers, MEd, MSSE, executive director of Family Forward; Nicolas Burton of N. Burton Consulting; and Andrea Cooper of A.L.A. Strategies. On International Women’s Day, we were joined by esteemed guests JoAnn Hardesty and Portland City Councilor Candace Avalos at our cohort dinner.

A major highlight outside of our learning sessions was touring the United States Capitol. The cohort visited Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY) office, where we left words of gratitude on the wall (see photo). We even had the opportunity to attend the Senate gallery as senators voted on an important bill. Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) gave our group an effervescent wave as he noticed our excitement to see him in action.

Thank you to everyone who made this experience possible. We are inspired, motivated, and ready to make a lasting impact. We’re especially grateful to The Center for Women’s Leadership for creating a space where training to impact is not just a concept—it’s a commitment. We are ready to lead, advocate, and amplify change.