15 of the Staffing Industry’s Most Influential Women Share Personal Stories of Tragedy and Triumph in Business and Life

CHICAGO, March 28, 2022 – Fifteen female leaders in the staffing industry today announced the launch of their book, Together We Rise, a collection of stories that recount pivotal moments in their lives, including struggles to rise up and stand out in an industry with too few women at its highest ranks. While the book’s launch coincides with International Women’s Day, the experiences shared and lessons learned celebrate the professional, socioeconomic and cultural achievements of women every day.

Together We Rise exemplifies the power of women supporting women. It is the brainchild of an informal group of staffing industry leaders who came together during the pandemic and formed The Lady Leaders Book Club. They were united by a shared passion to lift up other women and fueled by the undercurrent of the unknown at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In coming together, they found ways to guide and support each other as they all navigated their new normal.

According to Leslie Vickrey, Founder & CEO, ClearEdge Marketing, co-author of the book’s foreword and contributor, “In an industry dominated by women, we committed to not only be there for each other during the pandemic, but to find a way to lessen the gender gap from entry level to executive. Based on a survey from the Women’s Business Collaborative, in partnership with Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA), American Staffing Association and TechServe Alliance, and research published by SIA, we know that 48% female representation at the staffing industry’s entry level drops precipitously to 21% at the C-Suite and to only 4% for women of color. By publishing this book and sharing our stories, The Lady Leaders Book Club hopes to break down stereotypes, instill confidence and encourage the next generation of leaders to rise up. It is a rally cry for women to support other women and all allies to support the underrepresented. The time for change is now.”

Together We Rise recounts the uplifting journeys of these 15 trailblazers:

Joanie Bily, President, RemX Staffing & Chief Workforce Analyst, EmployBridge

Kelly Boykin, Head of MSP, Real Staffing, SThree

Sue Burnett, Founder & President, Burnett Specialists & Choice Specialists

Kendra Cato, Director Enterprise Strategy, Bullhorn

Beth Delano, COO, Paramount Staffing

Rhona Driggs, CEO, Empresaria Group plc

Anna Frazzetto, Chief Digital Technology Officer, Tential

Ericka Hyson, President, WorkN

Lauren B. Jones, Founder & CEO, Leap Consulting Solutions

Janette Marx, CEO, Airswift

Robin Mee, President & Founder, MeeDerby

Kimberly Pope, COO, WilsonHCG

Joyce Russell, President, Adecco Group US Foundation

Leslie Vickrey, Founder & CEO, ClearEdge Marketing

Ursula Williams, COO, Staffing Industry Analysts

Lauren B. Jones, Founder & CEO, Leap Consulting Solutions, co-author of the foreword and contributor to Together We Rise, said, “The very personal stories shared by all of the contributors speak of determination, endurance, overcoming grief and adversity, taking risks, seeking adventure, and finding joy. Their stories inspired us, and we believe they will inspire young women just starting their careers. As the global community celebrates International Women’s Day, we are proud to share these very personal accounts and to support those who follow in our footsteps. We are firmly convinced that it is past time for women everywhere to stand together and rise up.”

The Lady Leaders Book Club intends to donate proceeds from the sale of the book to nonprofit organizations that focus on promoting diversity, equity and inclusion of the underrepresented. The initial recipient is the American Staffing Association’s Women in Leadership Scholarship Program, which aims to raise the visibility of women in the staffing industry as well as provide scholarships that cover registration fees for high-profile industry events.

Carrying the banner forward, members of The Lady Leaders Book Club will address business and industry forums and conferences in the coming months to ensure women know they are not alone as they navigate the corporate world.

Published by Performance Publishing Group, Together We Rise is available on Amazon.

About The Lady Leaders Book Club

The onset of the global pandemic upended lives. For a group of 15 staffing industry leaders, it also served as the catalyst for the creation of The Lady Leaders Book Club, an informal support network of women redefining personal and professional priorities in a chaotic time. With an initial goal to share work-from-home experiences and a love of books, they soon came to admire and inspire one another through their personal journeys and shared commitment to help other women succeed. Through The Lady Leaders Book Club, they found strength, devotion, acceptance and true friendship—all of which inspired Together We Rise. Featuring stories of women who have worked and strived to be the best in their field, its purpose is to inspire others to be the best, knowing they are never alone.

About ClearEdge Marketing

Igniting brands since 2006, ClearEdge Marketing delivers solutions that help talent and technology brands soar. To ensure marketing initiatives are strategically aligned to business goals, ClearEdge couples domain expertise with a passion for creative and strategic thinking, laser-focused on results. Whether executing creative projects, integrated into a client team or an entirely outsourced marketing team, ClearEdge is agile in its delivery and meets clients at their needs. Since 2017, ClearEdge’s TheEdge podcast has provided a platform to uplift and inspire women in the industry by highlighting success stories to inspire the next generation of leaders. Learn more at www.clearedgemarketing.com.

About Leap Consulting Solutions

With a focus on mindful and responsible usage of technology in the staffing industry, Leap Consulting Solutions helps businesses align their future desires with the technologies of today, all with a singular focus in mind: keep the job process human. It supports businesses in adding clarity to the steps required to digitally transform with excellence. Company Founder Lauren B. Jones has been a leader, influencer and innovator in the staffing industry for more than 20 years. Her love and obsession for technology has helped shape her career and provided a stellar reputation as a tech stack expert, industry trailblazer and business operations guru. Learn more at www.leapconsultingsolutions.com.

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Media Contact:

Andrea Ryan

ClearEdge Marketing

740-501-3609

aryan@clearedgemarketing.com