In 2009, inspired by an event held by the Massachusetts Women’s Forum, Lauren Pimpare set out to found Tomorrow’s Women TODAY, a women’s professional networking organization that offers networking events, mentoring opportunities, and leadership training for emerging female leaders around Greater Boston. “My job is to empower women through connection,” says Lauren, whose left a career in hospital administration at Tufts. “I deeply believe in the impact of the work I do.” LOTR spoke with Lauren about the nonprofit's mission.  

In 2006, the International Women’s Forum/Massachusetts (IWF/MA) launched an event called Women Opening Doors for Women. Forum members invited younger emerging leaders from their own organizations to come for an evening of personal mentoring. I attended this event and was truly awe-struck. I soaked in every tidbit of wisdom and advice I could glean. I was inspired not only by the success of these remarkable women, but by the power of the network they had created. They were already-successful women who came together to support each other to advance their leadership roles and grow their impact in the commonwealth and beyond.

As I looked around the room at the other emerging leaders who attended the event, I asked myself, “Where is our network? How can we replicate this experience of collective support and empowerment, not just for one evening but consistently throughout the year?” Two years later, with the support of several IWF/MA members, I founded Tomorrow’s Women TODAY (TWToday).

We are the next generation of women leaders. Our challenges are the same but also very different. The pressures confronting this generation of leaders are something that keeps me up at night. I believe TWToday can help keep young women in the workforce and provide them with the support they need to lead tomorrow. This generation has the potential to be the generation of leaders the world is looking for … and it is the commitment of this organization to help them get there.

Unlike other professional networks, TWToday is, first and foremost, a women’s network. For over 10 years, we have connected thousands of women who have been influenced through our events. Our members are diverse in every way – racially, stage of life, industry expertise, sexual orientation. And while we celebrate individuality, by capping our membership to 100 for each tier, we have the intimacy to be there for one another through personal and professional challenges. Whether it’s promotions, salary negotiations, career pivots, graduate school, board appointments … or children, cancer, miscarriages, loss of parents, graduate school, marriage, divorce ... we have been there for one another for what it means to be a professional, to be successful, to be a woman. Together we are deepening our understanding of how we choose to define ourselves.

While our core business is the emerging leaders network I described above, we have established a network for undergraduate students, and a network for rising executives, The Boston Women’s Leadership Council. In 2016, high school student Katie Chiffer approached me with an idea to launch a program to meet with growing demands of undergraduate students. The student and post-graduate programs at Tomorrow’s Women TODAY were designed to empower the next generation of female business owners, corporate executives, government officials, and nonprofit leaders to lead authentic, service-oriented lives inside and outside of work. Our intention with this program is to empower TWToday student members with the mindset of lifting other women up as they rise personally and professionally. By pairing each undergraduate woman with TWToday and BWLC members, we hope the students will learn the value of female collaboration and mentorship and pay it forward when they launch into a career of their own. My vision is that 20 years from now, these young women will be leading local businesses. Establishing them with a network so early on will increase their opportunities for success exponentially. Katie (now a senior account manager at Ketchum) now sits on our board and leads all undergraduate, post-graduate, and fellowship programs supporting the growing needs of women 18 – 25 years old.

Our third tier was designed for rising female executives. The Boston Women’s Leadership Council (BWLC) was designed specifically for successful female executives seeking like-minded professionals for the purpose of creating an infrastructure to support the development of women, their relationships, the community, the sharing of knowledge and resources, and to foster potential business opportunities and alliances.  Similar to our emerging leaders group, TWToday, BWLC provides members an opportunity to network with women across all industries at similar points in their careers with increased exposure to prominent leaders and opportunities to join not-for-profit boards. We will work together to ensure that women are “at the table” in businesses in and around Boston. Boston Women’s Leadership Council members gain direct access to a select group of accomplished, ground-breaking female leaders looking to connect throughout the Boston region.

In addition to a vibrant, supportive network, our community cultivates personal and professional growth through dynamic events and access to prominent leaders. We try to help interested members find opportunities on not-for-profit boards or engage them in community-based activities that help expand their network and develop or fine-tune their professional skills. In addition, many of our members mentor the college students in our student member program.

My vision for making Greater Boston the best place for the next generation, and all people, to thrive … is twofold.  I believe that the work I am doing can help both women and children find their voices … and be heard. I believe in wage equality and that no parent should have to mourn a child who dies due to the complications of premature birth.  I believe that the voices of more women should be heard on boards of directors and that all children should have high-quality access to health care, including non-traditional therapies.  I believe that together, focusing on these efforts will ensure that the next generation and the generations to come will not only thrive but also flourish, with an understanding of equality and care. 

My previous work in healthcare, my work with Tomorrow’s Women TODAY, and as the mother of a child who cannot speak for himself have all defined who I am and the legacy I hope to leave. I draw on these experiences to better position the voices of women and children for tomorrow’s world.   Raising my son has enlightened me. I have a deeper understanding of not only what is important for me …. but also what is important for those whose voices are not heard.

For the voice of women: I believe that providing them with a community of peers who empower one another and work together to support one another will move mountains and pave the way for the women of tomorrow.  By supporting these women and providing them with a network where they thrive – my fervent wish is that this will help build a better Boston. I also sit on the board for the Boston Women’s Fund. An organization that advocates for and invests in grassroots organizations and community solutions led by women and girls to advance racial, economic, social, and gender justice in Greater Boston and beyond. As it pertains to women in business, my vision is that we can’t stop, we aren’t done, we must continue talking and doing and making a difference. 

We have some pretty exciting plans in the works. In addition to accelerating the pace where we are recognized as the premier emerging leaders network for young professionals in the commonwealth, we are working on establishing a viable presence in three new metropolitan markets in Rhode Island and the West Coast by 2025.