By Sarita Bartaula

WASHINGTON, DC: There is no single blueprint for women’s leadership. But if there was one word running through all the talks at a recent Indian American International Chamber of Commerce (IAICC) leadership forum, it was ‘empathy’ – spoken directly by some, demonstrated without being named by others. 

The IAICC US and Mid-Atlantic Region hosted “Beyond the Blueprint: Perspectives of Women in Leadership” on 23 July at the Rockville offices of CTIS, Inc., a health information technology firm that contracts with federal health agencies.

The event was sponsored by Radiant Digital and CTIS, Inc., with eShe as media partner.

Dr Shankar Rachakonda, chairman of IAICC – US & Mid-Atlantic Region and CEO of Radiant Digital, opened the evening with a fireside conversation with Bharti Shah, CEO and chairwoman of CTIS. 

A panel discussion followed, featuring Sudha Mathew, CEO of TalTeam, and Anisha Agrawal, director at Aurrera Health Group, moderated by Aparna Arvind, CEO of Christopher Leah Consulting.

“Did you know that four out of 10 businesses in the US are women-run? There are about 15.7 million women-owned businesses in the US,” Arvind said, opening the panel.

But behind those numbers, panelists said, are stories of women who had to create their own opportunities. For many immigrant women, leadership has meant adapting to a new country, learning new systems, earning new certifications, and proving themselves in spaces where they weren’t always expected to lead.

Read the full report on eShe

Lead image: Sarita Bartaula, managing director, eShe, speaking at the IAICC event