Redefining What’s Possible: The Launch of Monitor’s LeadHer Women’s Summit

What is LeadHer Women’s Summit? Monitor spoke with the organizers, speakers and
attendees behind the inaugural summit to understand how the event aims not just to repeat
the industry’s conversation about women’s leadership, but to move it forward.

The demand for women’s leadership in equipment finance isn’t theoretical — it’s measurable.

A 2025 Monitor survey of past Women in Equipment Finance honorees found that 72% of respondents want leadership development and training for women to become a top priority over the next five years, while 81% say they aspire to reach senior executive or C-suite roles.

Yet the industry’s leadership ranks tell a different story. On the 2025 Monitor 100 list, only eight CEOs were women, highlighting the persistent gap between ambition and opportunity.

The findings, explored in the article “Ready to Lead: What’s Driving — and Deterring — Women in Equipment Finance,” delivered a clear message: women in equipment finance have a strong desire to lead. What they need now are clearer pathways, meaningful opportunities and sustained support to make that leadership possible.

For Lisa Rafter, publisher of Monitor, the findings were more than data points — they were a call to action. 

In response, she set out to create a space where women could actively shape their careers, influence their organizations and help define the future of the industry. That vision ultimately became a women’s leadership summit designed to stand apart from traditional conferences.

“LeadHer is an intentional gathering designed around what our industry needs right now — focused conversation, practical insight and clear takeaways participants can apply immediately to how they think, decide and move their organizations forward,” Rafter says. “LeadHer is about bringing women in our industry together to learn from each other and see what’s possible.” 

So what exactly is LeadHer? We gathered everything you need to know about the event and spoke with its speakers and attendees so that anyone can understand the value of investing in what is poised to become a history-making experience.

When & Where 

The inaugural LeadHer Women’s Leadership Summit will take place June 2–4 in Philadelphia.

The summit’s principal theme — “Redefine the Possible: Unlearning Limits. Unlocking Leadership.” — reflects a broader goal: empowering women to rethink assumptions about leadership and recognize the agency they have to define what is possible for themselves and their careers. 

Through conversations that explore the realities of current-day leadership, the summit will encourage participants to question inherited limits and step more fully into their influence. At a time when disruption is reshaping nearly every sector of business, women at every stage of their careers are being invited not only to have a seat at the table, but a powerful voice in defining what comes next. 

Who & Why

Rafter brings more than three decades of experience in equipment leasing and specialty finance to the initiative. In addition to her role as publisher of Monitor and ABF Journal, she is the CEO of Molloy Associates and founder of STRIPES Leadership Program. Her career also includes formal training in leadership development and more than 20 years of coaching professionals.

Early in the planning process for LeadHer, Rafter tapped Lori Frasier, founder and principal of BrightPath Workforce Strategies, to help bring the concept to life.

Frasier is a seasoned strategy and human capital executive with more than 30 years of experience. She previously served as chair of the ELFA Women’s Council and has long been a driving force behind advancing women’s leadership in equipment finance.

As the two began shaping the summit, they turned directly to the industry itself. Beginning in early 2026, Rafter and Frasier conducted focus groups with industry leaders to better understand what women want from a conference like this — and to include them in shaping the content. 

What they heard repeatedly was a shared sense that while visibility and opportunity have improved, structural challenges remain. 

“Over the years, I’ve seen tremendous progress in both visibility and opportunity for women,” Eileen Schoonmaker, president of the Americas at PEAC Solutions, says. “When I began my career, women were not represented in strategic commercial and senior leadership. Today, more women are leading businesses, overseeing P&Ls and influencing strategy at the highest levels.”

Still, Schoonmaker, emphasizes that continued investment is essential: “Despite the progress, there’s still important work to be done in order to build stronger talent pipelines and ensure women have access to the experiences that position them for executive- level roles.”

“It is hard to quantify the advances because the challenges continue to disrupt women’s careers at every level,” Nancy Robles, president and CEO of Eastern Funding, says. “We have more women in leadership; however, the number is minimal in comparison to the talent pool available. It would be irresponsible to claim that we have made great strides when in reality the inequities are steep.”

Robles notes that while progress has occurred in areas such as access to education and financial autonomy, meaningful advancement within finance career paths remains uneven. 

“Within the career path in finance, women are only scratching the surface because those who have had progress have been held to an unattainable standard that creates an imbalance in their quality of life,” Robles says.

Focus group participants emphasized that meaningful networking should be a top priority, alongside leadership development that is practical, tactical and directly applicable to real workplace challenges. 

They also called for direct conversations around representation, inclusivity and diversity, as well as a shift away from the idea of work-life “balance” toward work-life integration. Participants highlighted the importance of addressing gender gaps specific to the equipment finance industry, preparing women for the impact of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies and designing a conference that is experience-rich rather than content-heavy.

From those conversations emerged not just feedback, but a challenge: how to create an event that moves the conversation forward rather than simply repeating it.

What & How

LeadHer’s carefully curated agenda is designed to deliver both personal growth and measurable business value, but the true impact will come from what participants bring to one another. 

Mentor Circles

From the outset, attendees will be integrated into their “Mentor Circles,” seated alongside Catalyst Mentors — senior industry leaders who will guide discussion and reflection throughout the summit. These small-group anchors will provide continuity as themes unfold across sessions.

“The idea for Catalyst Mentors and Mentor Circles came directly from the focus group conversations we held while designing the summit,” Frasier says. “We heard two consistent themes. First, women wanted to build real connections at the conference — not just exchange business cards. Second, executive women in the industry said they were eager to give back by sharing their experiences and wisdom with emerging leaders.” 

The Mentor Circle model grew from those insights, as well as survey data showing that the opportunity to mentor or lead others is the second most influential factor shaping women’s career ambitions in equipment finance, behind only compensation.

“That structure helps move beyond traditional networking toward genuine relationship-building,” Frasier says. “It also creates a meaningful role for senior women to help shape the experience for the next generation of leaders in the industry.”

The Agenda

The summit will open with an evening reception at the Sofitel Philadelphia, where attendees will meet peers and new voices from across the industry. Ultimately, it will set the stage for what the following days will emphasize — dialogue, reflection and shared experience.

By Wednesday morning, the pace will shift toward structured engagement. Optional wellness offerings, including yoga and chair massage, will provide a moment of grounding before participants move on to the networking breakfast and opening remarks. 

Programming throughout the day will blend keynotes, workshops and panel discussions on topics including authenticity, leadership perception and professional influence, with breakout sessions exploring tactical leadership skills such as: 

• AI in Practice

• Generation Next: Leading Gen Z

• Innovation + Risk

• Your Voice at the Table

• Building a Powerful Network

• Balance + Boundaries

Notable guest sessions on Wednesday include: 

• “Unmasking Authenticity: Embracing Your True Self,” with Wendi Wasik, founder of Wasik Consulting. In the fast-paced world of business, many women feel pressure to adopt personas to fit established norms and expectations. This interactive workshop will invite participants to examine the masks they wear in their professional lives and reconnect with their authentic leadership voice.

• “Strategic Boundaries: Protecting Your Time, Energy and Leadership Impact,” with Dr. Shanna B. Tiayon, social psychologist, executive coach and principal consultant at Yes Wellbeing Works. Participants will learn how to set clear boundaries, delegate with confidence and decline opportunities that dilute their impact. The session will focus on helping leaders direct their time and energy where it matters most.

Wednesday will conclude with an evening networking event at SPIN Philadelphia. LeadHer will take over the entire ping-pong club with 16 ping-pong tables, food, open bars and a ping-pong tournament! 

Anticipation for the event is already building among participants. The number of women who registered before the early bird deadline was unprecedented, and the activity has remained constant. The summit will likely sell out, providing more evidence of the importance of LeadHer. 

Kathy Berryman, managing director at Ansley Park Capital, says she is looking forward to “meeting other like-minded women in our industry and being a part of creating what we all hope to be an annual event. 

“The agenda is very robust — I view it as an investment in me,” Berryman says.

Schoonmaker echoes that enthusiasm: “The LeadHer Summit offers a unique opportunity for candid conversation and meaningful collaboration with so many powerful and talented women across our industry. I always leave events hosted by Monitor truly energized and inspired.”

Thursday’s programming will shift toward leadership-focused discussions, including executive perspectives on career navigation and influence. Workshops will continue the exploration of diversity, confidence and integrity in leadership. 

Featured sessions include: 

• “Leveling Up: Expanding Your Spheres of Influence,” with Dr. Terri Boyer, founding director of the Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Women’s Leadership at Villanova University.Participants will map their current sphere of influence and identify key gaps and opportunities for growth. The session will provide practical strategies for expanding reach, building stronger connections and leading with greater purpose.

• “Empowerment in Action: Conversations for Women in Leadership,” with Leigh Lytle, CEO, ELFA; Deb Baker, VP, head of Global Payment Solutions at HP and chair, ELFA; Reid Raykovich, CEO, CLFP Foundation; and Lisa Rafter, publisher, Monitor and founder, STRIPES. This conversation will bring together industry leaders to discuss the structures and opportunities that support women’s advancement. Panelists will share perspectives on building influence, navigating leadership paths and creating lasting change within the industry.

• “The Authenticity Key: Masks Off. Confidence On.” with Hilary Bilbrey, speaker, author and founder of HB Inspires.  Participants will uncover how confidence is not built by becoming someone new, but by reconnecting with who they already are. The session will focus on strengthening self-trust and leading with authenticity.

Bilbrey’s goal is for attendees to walk away with a renewed sense of clarity about who they are as leaders. 

“I hope that after The Authenticity Key, people will leave with an invitation or an affirmation,” Bilbrey says. “An invitation to fully, boldly and unapologetically step into who they are and who they are becoming or an affirmation for all the work they have done to be standing in that place of personal authority and agency in this moment.” 

The summit will conclude with a Mentor Circle luncheon centered on personal commitments and forward momentum. The intention is that participants leave not simply having attended sessions but having articulated tangible next steps — supported by accountability partnerships designed to extend LeadHer’s impact well beyond Philadelphia.

Impact & Legacy

“It’s the industry I’ve been in my entire career — I’ve always wanted to ‘lean into’ equipment finance and am excited to have the opportunity to make a positive impact,” Berryman says. “It’s about being a part of building a legacy for women in the industry as well as in general. I appreciate that it is being organized by women for women. Seeing the teamwork and collaboration and positivity amongst our peers has been very, very special. Leave the place a little better than you found it, you know?”

LeadHer is shaping up to be a historic event for the women in the room and those impacted by what comes out of it. The dedication, commitment and leadership driving the summit offer a powerful reminder of the depth of talent within equipment finance and why expanding opportunities for women at the highest levels of leadership matters. •

Erin Rafter is associate editor of Monitor and program manager of STRIPES Leadership Program.