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W.I.T.H. Program History
Clara Carter, President and CEO of MCCSN, founded the W.I.T.H. Program in 2015 to fulfill her dream to recognize and encourage the contributions of women professionals at all stages of their careers. Her work began with a local focus on the women in tourism and hospitality in the San Diego metro-area. In five short years W.I.T.H. has grown and become the premier program significantly impacting the tourism and hospitality industry. It now embraces the recognition, collaboration, diversity, inclusion, elevation and community of women nationwide.
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The W.I.T.H. Awards Luncheon and celebration was the original W.I.T.H. program emphasis. Clara Carter says ”We believed that celebrating well known, respected, influential, and unsung women at the pinnacle of their careers would also inspire tomorrow’s leaders. We were right! Guests at the luncheon include tourism executives, industry insiders, new professionals, entrepreneurs, and students. They have coined the term “W.I.T.H. IT!” to express their delight in the concept of the award, the sisterhood embodied within it, and the event itself.” Thanks to W.I.T.H. supporters, industry sponsors, and donors, W.I.T.H. has grown by 25% every year since 2015 and now includes a Silent Auction to raise funds for the W.I.T.H. Scholarship.
The W.I.T.H. Networking Mixers was added in 2017 as a networking opportunity for industry career professionals to connect in a relaxed and professional atmosphere. Guests at the mixers include W.I.T.H. Honorees, key industry executives, business owners, industry suppliers, meeting and event planners, industry colleagues, community leaders, and entrepreneurs. Everyone at all levels has expressed appreciation for this opportunity to mix business with pleasure and enjoy the entertainment, hearty appetizers and opportunity gifts. and more.
The W.I.T.H. Advisory Board, W.I.T.H. Good Guy and W.I.T.H. UNITY were created in
2019, in response to requests from honorees, supporters and attendees to have greater involvement in what had become “the W.I.T.H. movement”. Our mission: W.I.T.H. supports, empowers and strengthens diversity and inclusion for women in the hospitality industry and provides education, leadership strategies, mentorship and networking opportunities in a forward-thinking environment.
The W.I.T.H. Advisory Board was created to be the “Guiding Light” for Clara’s vision. The Board is comprised of past honorees and industry executives selected because of their amazing work in the industry, their superb experience, their excellent reputation, their perceptive insight into industry trends, and their ongoing support of the W.I.T.H. program. Through their membership on the Advisory Board, these women and men continue to shape the inclusiveness of our industry by supporting today’s women leaders, helping to guide and prepare leaders of the future and helping to achieve WITH’s Clara’s vision of expanding this program to include a
“W.I.T.H. Conference”. W.I.T.H. MEN was created to reflect the organization’s Clara’s commitment to inclusion and diversity. It is the Male/Female Executive Nexus (MEN) linking and connecting the women and the men thought leaders who support women in the workplace. 10
W.I.T.H. UNITY was created to foster the idea of bringing women together in community. It helps support our mission and increase our capacity to lead, collaborate and create positive change. It is THE way members can access the W.I.T.H. executive network, connect to peers, learn new industry trends, market ourselves and our brands globally, talk creatively about the future of our industry, and have FUN.
This 2020 W.I.T.H. Conference is the next step towards our ultimate vision of a beautiful world where women collaborate with each other, companies, educational institutions, governments, corporations, and nongovernmental organizations to strengthen diversity and inclusion, and financial capacity. Thanks to the enthusiastic response and interest from around the globe, the program is well on its way to realizing that vision. Join us, follow us and work with us as we make history and become W.I.T.H. INTERNATIONAL. As Clara says, “ The future belongs to those who dream and work”. Let’s Get W.I.T.H. it! Building Capacity for Women Together.
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