Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing
  • Login
  • GDPR
  • Create a Free Account
Return to PRWeb homepage
  • News
  • Resources
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All News Releases
      • Multimedia Gallery

      • All Multimedia
      • All Photos
      • All Videos
  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace, Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads and Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking and Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalization
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls and Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil and Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers and Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines and Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics and Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture and Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewelry
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels and Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Advocacy Group Opinion
      • Animal Welfare
      • Congressional & Presidential Campaigns
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Domestic Policy
      • Economic News, Trends, Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • FDA Approval
      • Federal and State Legislation
      • Federal Executive Branch & Agency
      • Foreign Policy & International Affairs
      • Homeland Security
      • Labor & Union
      • Legal Issues
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Patent Law
      • Public Safety
      • Trade Policy
      • U.S. State Policy
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PRWeb provides efficient communication tools to continuously engage with target audiences across multiple online channels
  • Create a Free Account
    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us


      11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday

  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • News in Focus
    • Browse All News
    • Multimedia Gallery
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR

LEAP Program Delivers Impact with Social Innovation and Women's Leadership Development

The novel program proves impact by developing women leaders and boosting social innovation for two nonprofit organizations


News provided by

LEAP Program

Jun 26, 2019, 11:00 ET

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX

Ambassador Geraldine Byrne-Nason (center) with Co-Directors of LEAP Maura Kelly (left) and Courtney Sunna (right) at the 2019 launch of LEAP
Ambassador Geraldine Byrne-Nason (center) with Co-Directors of LEAP Maura Kelly (left) and Courtney Sunna (right) at the 2019 launch of LEAP

NEW YORK, June 26, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Leadership and Executive Acceleration Program (LEAP) celebrated the graduation of sixteen Irish and Irish-American women who participated in the 6-month leadership development, mentorship, and social innovation program. High-performing senior leaders were brought in to help develop and support the women to realize their full leadership potential and make significant institutional changes. Two not-for-profit organizations received support from its LEAP in the Community Project to help solve real business challenges, resulting in an increase in revenue and improved organizational strategies.

Social Innovation through LEAP in the Community

"LEAP is a fantastic initiative. Certainly you will not just be accelerated in your career development, but you will get to where you ought to be, which is at the helm.” Ambassador Geraldine Byrne-Nason, Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations

Post this

LEAP selected two Irish-American not-for-profit groups to partner with for the 2019 LEAP in the Community Program, Solace House and Aisling Irish Community Center (AICC), and each organization was able to benefit from a team of eight women from diverse backgrounds and industries to enhance their strategic growth plans. Solace House provides confidential, therapeutic support for families and individuals impacted by suicide and self-harm, while the AICC offers programs and services to assist Irish immigrants transition to life in the USA. Over 93% of women reported that the knowledge they gained through LEAP was applied to the social innovation Projects with Solace House and AICC.

"At the end of the LEAP Program, Solace House is now better equipped with documentation and strategy plans focusing on expanding our programs and organizational structure," said Danielle Gallagher, Director of Operations at Solace House. "Through a workshop on effective fundraising practices, Solace House was able to secure over $90,000 in additional revenue for our upcoming Solace Sunrise Walk."

"Working with LEAP was of great benefit to us in a number of ways, as it helped us focus on our strategic plan and identify the areas in which we needed most assistance," said Catherine Flood, Executive Director of the Aisling Irish Community Center. "As a result, LEAP helped us set new short-term measurable goals, re-evaluate our programs and services to prioritize it according to community need, and communicate these priorities in a coherent manner through creating a professional pitch-deck presentation to use when approaching corporate donors."

The two Directors of the LEAP Program, Courtney Sunna and Maura Kelly, are both particularly invested in women's leadership development and social innovation programs. "One of the most important pillars in any type of leadership development program is to prepare the next generation of leaders to invest in social innovation and the value of giving back," said Courtney Sunna. "If you want change to happen, you have to make the change happen. That's really what LEAP is all about: women supporting other women to increase diversity and inclusion in business leadership," said Maura Kelly.

Gains in Leadership, Professional and Business Skills

Over the course of the Program, LEAP focused on enhancing the women's professional and leadership skills with trainings and workshops on negotiation, effective leadership, entrepreneurship and fundraising, authenticity in personal branding, developing and managing teams, and building your dream network. LEAP tracked improvements in leadership skills through a series of pre- and post-surveys which were conducted by an external evaluator. Results include confidence gains in business knowledge as well as interpersonal skill development that can be applied in the workplace.

Understanding of...........................Knowledge Improvement:
Leadership......................................................................83%
My professional talents/skills..........................................81%
Interpersonal skills..........................................................73%
Futuristic Thinking...........................................................72%
My personal talents/skills................................................72%

Leadership skill..................................................Leadership skill improvement:
Create a sense of purpose and direction..................................... 83%
Inspire other people with a compelling vision............................ ..81%
Take risks to pursue the purpose, vision, or mission....................80%
Create a nurturing environment for others...................................80%    
Demonstrate integrity...................................................................78%

"The hugely important thing about having women in leadership roles in business is that it creates a different type of decision making and a different environment inside the workplace," said Ronan Dunne, President of Verizon Consumer Group at the 2019 LEAP Program launch event. "LEAP creates role models and improves the quality of thinking in leadership. The more diverse a board or a leadership group can be, the better the outcomes for the business, and of this I'm absolutely certain."

As she addressed the women, Ambassador Geraldine Byrne-Nason, Ireland's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Chair of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, said, "LEAP is a fantastic initiative. Certainly you will not just be accelerated in your career development, but you will get to where you ought to be, which is at the helm."

Another major outcome involved LEAP Speed Mentoring, in which the women were paired with senior leaders in rapid bursts of creative problem solving activities, for which 100% of participants rated that feedback received from the mentors was valuable. LEAP participants indicated that they would likely use and apply the mentors' advice towards their own career advancement (100%), workplace dynamics and growing visibility (71%).

The graduation ceremony, held at the Consulate of Ireland-New York, was attended by senior staff of the Irish Consulate, as well as advisors, mentors, and supporters of the LEAP Program and families of the program graduates.

About the Leadership & Executive Acceleration Program (LEAP): Generously supported by the Irish Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Irish International Business Network (IIBN), and various organizations, the LEAP Program is able to deliver substantial impact to the women participants and non-profit partners at no charge. LEAP is all about helping ambitious professional Irish and Irish-American women living in the Greater New York/Tri-State area get more opportunity—to have a voice in important discussions—to have a seat at the table with the decision makers, and to promote a culture of women helping other women.

For more information, visit http://www.leap-program.nyc
Media Contact: Elaine English, elainenglish(at)gmail.com

SOURCE LEAP Program

Related Links

http://www.leap-program.nyc

Modal title

Contact PRWeb

  • 11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday
  • Contact Us

About PRWeb

  • About PRWeb
  • Partners
  • Partnership Programs
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Resources

Why PRWeb

  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing

Accounts

  • Create a Free Account
  • Log in
  • Contact Us

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via [email protected] 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact Cision

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Online Member Center
  • ProfNet
Cision Distribution Helpline
888-776-0942
  • Legal
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 Cision US Inc.