This episode was first aired on First Federal Bank’s “Keeping it Local” podcast. 

Although women have made great strides in the workplace, they’re still often under-represented – especially women of color. Women only hold 20 percent of board seats, make up eight percent of Fortune 500 CEOs and receive three percent of all venture capital funding, all while being two times more at-risk when it comes to losing their jobs. 

Yes, those stats are staggering – but things are trending up as strong women in business lead the charge with inclusive, equitable, and diverse mindsets and actions. 

There are now two times the amount of women entrepreneurs than there were in the 2000s. There’s been a 500 percent increase in the number of Black women in business over the last two decades. And, although women only hold 20 percent of board seats in the U.S., that number is up six percent in just the last few years. So, while things are certainly not equitable yet, they’re at least trending in the right direction.

Women like today’s guests on the GoGedders Podcast – DeVona Wright Cottrell (Chief Legal Officer/General Counsel, GMR Marketing) and JoAnne Anton (Director of Giving, Herb Kohl Philanthropies) – are a big part of the reason why things are changing for the better.

In addition to being absolutely brilliant female leaders in Wisconsin in their roles listed above, they’re also members of Tempo, a professional Milwaukee women’s organization, as well as board members at First Federal Bank, a company that’s a close friend of ours. 

We strongly believe in their mission to empower women, people of color, and other diverse, underserved community members – so we’re proud to spotlight them with this crossover episode of The GoGedders, originally recorded for “Keeping it Local," a podcast powered by First Federal Bank.

Over the course of this episode, we’ll talk with these two leaders about why diversity is something so critical to the business world and why it’s so key to have women in leadership positions everywhere. We’ll also discuss how they personally embrace the idea of being a servant leader in the Milwaukee community and how that mindset has guided them to where they are today.