The Women’s Executive Network is an organization that fosters personal and professional development via networking between women in their fields. It’s as easy as the website states, ‘WXN inspires smart women to lead’. The organization also recognizes the contributions that remarkable women have made to their fields, most notably through the selection of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women.

Aside from the selection of this diverse group of women, the organization hosts mentoring programs including Wisdom II, which is a mentoring program between participants and one of the Top 100 and also the Wisdom Peers program. Beyond this, WXN holds keynote speaking events featured in both various brunch sessions, and the recently launched cocktail series.

Having participated in the Wisdom II mentoring program, I can say the experience is enlightening. The program actively supports the advancement of women and the transfer of knowledge through a multitude of networking opportunities. The organization also strives to pair the protégés in the program with a compatible mentor – I was lucky enough to have Maryse Carmichael, a pilot and the first female Commander of the Canadian Snowbirds, as my mentor.

The tech industry provides very few opportunities to network and communicate with female mentors and establishing a relationship with a female who can provide career advice is invaluable. Beyond that, the program indirectly emphasizes how important mentoring is at any age. Check out the website for more information on programs and events:

http://www.wxnetwork.com/