If interested in applying to be the 2023 GFWC IL LEADS Candidate, please return the 2022-2024 GFWC Convention LEADS Application, along with two letters of support from active GFWC club members, to Karyn Charvat, GFWC IL Leadership Chairman by March 8th. Applications can be sent via mail or email but must be received by 11:59pm on March 8th.
One candidate from all applicants will then be selected to represent GFWC IL at the 2023 LEADS!
The application can be found in the GFWC IL Members Center, under Awards & Contests. PLEASE NOTE: the application should be sent to Karyn Charvat, GFWC IL Leadership Chairman by March 8th; do not send to GFWC directly as your application will be invalid. Notifications to all who apply will be made by March 16th.
Applicants must currently hold, or held in the past, leadership positions in their local club, or at the district and state level. They must not have attended GFWC LEADS previously and may not have served in a leadership role outside of the state level.
The selected applicant must be willing to travel to Louisville, KY and attend both the Thursday June 8th pre-event evening reception and the day-long seminar on Friday, June 9th. Expectations are that the selected candidate will also attend the GFWC Convention, which officially opens Saturday, June 10th and concludes Monday, June 12th. GFWC IL provides a stipend of $300 to assist with travel costs and GFWC provides a reimbursement of the $325 program registration fee which the candidate will receive at the end of the seminar.
GFWC Great Lakes also requests the selected candidate report on their experience at the 2023 GFWC Great Lakes Region Conference.
Please keep these expectations in mind when applying; if selected, you will be asked to make a firm commitment to all.
Good luck and please reach out to Karyn Charvat with any questions!
What do past attendees have to say about the experience?
“GFWC LEADS was exciting and eye opening; I was able to understand how we (GFWC) can change the world, and it was mesmerizing.” Jaimie Kane, 2014
“To come together with 48 other club women and learn from knowledgeable GFWC Leaders that not only help with our Clubs, but our personal and professional lives as well…truly amazing! My entire LEADS experience was way beyond what I expected and I still use the tools I learned.” Amy Vicioso, 2015
“Attending GFWC LEADS was profoundly more than I anticipated. It offered little nuggets of wisdom and giant boulders of laughter! To say that I am blessed to have attended would be the grossest of understatements!” Haadhaq Lawrence, 2018
“I am truly honored to be a LEADS graduate and part of GFWC’s broader mission to provide leadership development opportunities to Clubwomen. Being a successful leader comes as we embrace the belief that we never stop learning.” Mary Meek, 2017
“I am on a path to leadership I wouldn’t have thought possible back in 1996. I have a greater understanding of GFWC, which helps me as a local club member and as a state Junior officer.” Katie Robey, 2016
“Friends made, lessons learned and leadership opportunities are what makes GFWC LEADS the outstanding program for future leaders.” Anita Jenkins, 2016
“My training was eye-opening, inspiring and very beneficial to my understanding of GFWC. I went from club woman to club leader, to state leader. Thanks LEADS! I am a grateful graduate!” T Jablanski, 2004
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