Overcoming Barriers for First-Generation Female Professionals
Building equitable pathways to economic mobility
Mission
Our mission is to advance economic equity by empowering first-generation female professionals to overcome systemic barriers to career mobility through evidence-based mentorship, targeted skills development, and inclusive professional networks.
We are dedicated to supporting these trailblazing women as they navigate unique, invisible disadvantages—equipping them with skills for career advancement and community reinvestment, and fostering a balance between their professional and personal lives.
Vision
We envision a transformed workforce where women of all backgrounds thrive, driving inclusive economic growth and closing the wage and opportunity gap for underrepresented communities.
Join Our Mission
We believe that by investing in the leadership and professional capital of first-generation female professionals, we can catalyze a ripple effect of economic stability, community leadership, and inclusive growth.
Who We Serve & Our Founders’ Lived Experience
Our founding team—representing Asian, Amish, and Native American communities—leverages their lived experience as minority, ESL, first-gen professionals to design interventions that are both culturally competent and highly effective.
Research & Validation
We leverage this research to design programs that directly contribute to these macroeconomic and individual outcomes.
Global Lead for Societal Impact in the Consumer and Social Impact practices at Boston Consulting Group
Global Lead for Societal Impact in the Consumer and Social Impact practices at Boston Consulting Group
Harvard Business Review
Harvard Business Review
Forbes
Forbes
Our Programmatic Pillars: A Multi-Faceted Approach
Our initiatives are designed to create compound impact through four interconnected pillars:
Research-Backed Skills Development
We deliver curriculum and training in high-demand professional skills, leadership, and socio-emotional competency, directly addressing skill gaps that hinder advancement.
Structured Mentorship & Community
We facilitate long-term, cross-industry mentoring relationships and supportive peer cohorts to combat isolation and build the social capital crucial for career navigation.
Ecosystem & Network Building
We connect our participants to a robust national network of professionals, partners, and employers, creating pipelines to opportunity that transcend traditional socioeconomic barriers.
Wellness & Sustainable Success
Our programming integrates mental well-being and work-life balance, recognizing that sustainable career success is foundational to long-term economic security.
Partner with us to scale this proven model and expand our reach to thousands more women.
Evidence-Based Foundation
Our model is validated by leading research institutions:
Our Leadership & Expertise
Our founding team of first-generation women leverages lived experience and advanced academic credentials to address unique systemic challenges.
Expertise: Curriculum development, socio-emotional learning, and building human resilience
May is an educator, mentor, and curriculum designer dedicated to advancing the careers of First-Generation Female Professionals. With a Master’s in Education from Harvard University and over ten years of experience in curriculum development, teacher mentoring, and leadership training, she brings a unique blend of academic rigor and practical expertise to the nonprofit’s mission.
Her work focuses on addressing the hidden barriers that often hold first-generation professionals back, from inherited beliefs and cultural expectations to systemic workplace dynamics. Drawing on research-based frameworks, trauma-aware practices, and innovative tools, she designs programs that help women step into the Insider Leadership Mindset™ with confidence and sustainability.
As co-founder of Executive Insider, May leads the development of the RISE curriculum, a multi-tiered leadership pathway that equips women to move from survival mode to visible, impactful leadership. She is committed to ensuring that every graduate not only advances in her career but also becomes a role model in her workplace, family, and community.
Torah Bontrager, M.Ed. (University of the People)
Expertise: Active learning instructional techniques, policy, artificial intelligence (AI), and creating platforms for underrepresented voices
Torah is a social impact leader and technologist dedicated to leveraging innovation for economic equity. She brings a unique blend of entrepreneurial, nonprofit, and AI expertise to her work, focused on overcoming the challenges faced by first-generation professionals. Her direct experience running a decade-long internship program provides her with an evidence-based understanding of the preparation gap new graduates face in the modern workforce.
One of her specialties is producing groundbreaking conferences and thoughtfully curated programs that bring together experts and underrepresented voices across sectors that rarely connect, sparking unexpected collaboration, original insight, and lasting impact.
As co-founder of Executive Insider, she architects the holistic infusion of artificial intelligence throughout the RISE curriculum's pedagogy. This approach embeds AI as a foundational tool across all four tiers—from leveraging it for energy stewardship to strategic navigation to scaling impact—ensuring Fellows gain mastery over using technology to navigate and reshape systemic barriers.
Torah holds a BA in Philosophy from Columbia University in New York City; a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Advanced Teaching, specializing in literature and writing; and an MS in Data and Artificial Intelligence Management.
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