This spring, Snoqualmie Valley Women in Leadership (SVWL) has announced two events designed to support and connect women leaders across industries and backgrounds.
From a hands-on workshop to sharpen strategic thinking to a bold boundary-pushing panel on ambition, SVWL invites women from across the region to register and join in an effort to expand their leadership, gain fresh perspective, and grow in community.
“The spring events will resonate with every woman leader—no matter her role, experience, or background,” says SVWL Founder Wendy Parslow. “We’re diving into one of the most requested topics we hear from our community—strategic thinking—and we’re tackling a tricky but important concept: ambition. The panel we’ve assembled for our Spring Connection Gathering is one of the most diverse I’ve ever seen, and the conversation is going to be powerful.”
Now in its third year, SVWL offers events beyond traditional professional development or networking. Its gatherings foster deep, meaningful connections between women leaders (and aspiring leaders) who represent diverse industries, life experiences, and stages of leadership.
According to Parslow, the organization emerged after pandemic isolation, when “women were hungry to connect beyond their home offices” and discover a third place—outside of work and family—where reflection, inspiration, and leadership development could happen locally.
Spring Event LineUp:
Workshop: Cultivating a Strategic Mindset
Tuesday, April 22 | 6:30–8:30 PM | Cascade Enrichment, Snoqualmie, Wash.
A high-impact, small-group workshop to help leaders think more strategically, make smarter decisions, and lead with clarity and confidence. Expect practical tools, peer conversation, and new insights you can use right away—whether you’re running a business, managing a team, or navigating your next move. Led by SVWL Founder Wendy Parslow, strategic consultant and leadership coach.
“Every day, we’re surrounded by stories, news, family, friends, and career challenges—all demanding our attention,” Parslow explains. “It’s easy to get stuck in the weeds of what needs fixing, what barriers to overcome, and what plans to make. Strategic thinking matters now more than ever because we live in a complex world, and staying in the intensity of those details is exhausting—especially when you have big aspirations.”
Info & Registration: snovalleywomeninleadership.com/events/cultivating-a-strategic-mindset-workshop
Spring Connection Gathering: Ambition Is Not a Dirty Word
Wed, May 7 | 7:00–9:00 PM | Meadowbrook Farm, North Bend, Wash.
Ambition: It drives careers, sparks innovation, and changes the world. However, many women leaders have a complicated relationship with ambition. SVWL has curated a multi-generational panel of women leaders whose experience spans industries, scope, and geographies to tackle this nuanced topic. Expect a candid, inspiring conversation about redefining ambition on your terms.
Parslow notes that the goal was to highlight not just a diversity of professional backgrounds but also a range of lived experiences. “Leadership doesn’t only show up in big titles—it shows up in influence, in courage, and in action. That’s why our panel includes a small business owner, a tax lawyer, an executive director, a strategy manager, and a woman balancing a day job with a thriving TikTok platform.”
Meet the Panelists:
• Rachel Lightenberg – Executive Director of Pike Place Market PDA
• Martha Segovia – Strategy Innovation Manager at Starbucks
• Lindi Tardif – Tax Lawyer at Slalom & Co-Director of Women in Tech Seattle
• Brandy Ferrer – President/CEO, Pathfinder Strategies
• Sheyla Cerda – Program Manager at Starbucks & TikTok Influencer
• Moderated by SVWL Founder, Wendy Parslow
Info & Registration: snovalleywomeninleadership.com/events/spring-2025-connection-gathering
Connecting Women, Strengthening the Valley
Snoqualmie Valley Women in Leadership (SVWL) launched in January 2023 and serves women living in the Snoqualmie Valley who are in (or aspire to be in) positions of influence and leadership.
The group helps women leaders connect, grow, and be supported in their leadership journey through its local Connection Gatherings, book clubs, email newsletter and other events.
Unlike leadership groups in larger metro areas, SVWL is deeply rooted in place—and that matters. “I hear it all the time: ‘It’s so nice to have something like this in my own community,’” says Parslow. “At SVWL, the chances of grabbing coffee with someone you just met at an event are high. The chances of recognizing that person at the grocery store or school pickup? Also high. And it’s in those small moments—the follow-ups, the familiar faces—that growth gets fueled, relationships are built, wisdom is shared, and leadership deepens.”
That deepening has already had a visible impact. At a past event, Parslow recalls one woman standing up to declare her goal of becoming the best florist in the Snoqualmie Valley—a moment of courage, she says, that exemplifies the power of shared space. At another gathering, a participant who had experienced professional burnout offered to mentor others going through similar challenges.
“Every event or newsletter reminds me of the power of bringing those identities together—woman, leader, and Snoqualmie Valley local,” says Parslow. “It’s just enough common ground to build trust, but not so specific that we can’t learn from one another. When leaders have a space and community to grow, the world becomes a better place—and our local communities thrive.”
Together, these events—and the community that gathers around them—underscore SVWL’s core mission: to create a meaningful local platform where women can connect, grow, and lead with purpose. As SVWL continues to evolve, its commitment to fostering leadership rooted in authenticity, support, and shared experience remains at the heart of every gathering.
