3 Organizations Professional Women in Portland Can Use to Connect

It’s no secret that women face many unique challenges in the workplace. Connecting with other women and female-identifying professionals can be key to overcoming these challenges. Finding a group of women to support you and your professional growth can go a long way toward boosting your career satisfaction.

If you’re interested in connecting with other women professionals, Portland is the place to be. It’s time to get together, share opportunities to strengthen the community of professional women in Portland and find inspiration for your own career. Here are five organizations you should know about that provide opportunities and foster connections for professional women in Portland.

Center for Women’s Leadership

The Center for Women’s Leadership (CWL) is the only organization of its kind in the Northwest. With a mission to increase women and girls’ leadership, CWL hosts leadership trainings, supports research on women’s leadership, develops and shares curricula on the achievements of Oregon women leaders, and supports Oregon’s women leaders through a speakers series and informational digital archive.

  • In their own words: “The Center for Women’s Leadership (CWL) uplifts and supports women and gender-expansive communities across Oregon through intersectional leadership training, community-building programming, and speaker series events.”
  • Keep in touch: @CWLpdx
  • Connect: Get involved with CWL by attending their regular speaker series and annual Power Lunch. If you’re a current college student, you can enroll in their NEW Leadership Oregon programs, too.

Women’s Foundation of Oregon

With values of being bold, compassionate, inclusive, determined, optimistic, and accountable, the Women’s Foundation is striving to make Oregon a place where every woman and girl can thrive.

  • In their own words: “At Women’s Foundation of Oregon, we dismantle sexism, racism, and structural oppression through the movement of resources and ideas toward gender justice.”
  • Keep in touch: @WomensFndOregon
  • Connect: Read their research report, Count Her In, which lists insightful stats about Oregon’s female workforce. You can also become a member of the foundation and attend their local events.
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Hub Dot

At the core of Hub Dot is the mission to revolutionize the way women network. It’s about removing labels. Through “Dot Alchemy,” Hub Dot lightens the pressure or awkwardness of networking, giving women the opportunity to connect based on discussing “What’s your story?” rather than “What do you do?” This group of women loves to support each other through sharing personal stories and connecting in an authentic and fun environment.

  • In their own words: “At the core of Hub Dot is the mission to revolutionize the way women network, regardless of whether they are in business, at the school gate, in higher education or philanthropy.”
  • Next step: Portland is lucky enough to be one of the handful of cities where Hub Dot takes place. Join their mailing list to hear about upcoming events, and join their online community to keep your inspiration flowing in the meantime.

More Networking Opportunities for Portland Women

This list is just a sampling of the networking opportunities for women in Portland, and we’ll work to keep it updated as more groups sprout up! Here are even more resources to check out:

  • Boss Ladies PDX is a Facebook group where female entrepreneurs ask questions and share advice and opportunities with each other.