New book, Together We Rise, emphasizes the power of women supporting women

--Tampa, Fla—Kim Pope, chief operating officer at WilsonHCG, has joined forces with 14 influential female leaders in the staffing industry to launch a new book, Together We Rise, to emphasize the power of women supporting women. 

Together We Rise, which features a collection of short stories that recount pivotal moments in the group’s lives, is the brainchild of The Lady Leaders Book Club. The informal group of staffing industry leaders came together during the pandemic, united by a shared passion to lift and inspire other women.  

While the book’s launch coincides with International Women’s Day, the experiences shared and lessons learned in Together We Rise, celebrate the professional, socioeconomic and cultural achievements of women every day. 

Proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated 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.  

Kim Pope, COO at WilsonHGC and contributing author, said: “My main mission in life is to empower other women to believe in themselves. I’m honored to be able to share my story alongside such an amazing group of women. Together We Rise is just one of the many initiatives we have planned to bring home the point that as women, we must support each other.”   

Leslie Vickrey, founder & CEO of ClearEdge Marketing, co-author of the book’s foreword and contributor, said: “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 research from the Women’s Business Collaborative, in partnership with Staffing Industry Analysts, American Staffing Association and TechServe Alliance, 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, Senior Vice President, Global Alliances, Aquent 
• 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  

Members of The Lady Leaders Book Club will speak at business and industry forums and conferences in the coming months to share their message and help women realize 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 WilsonHCG 

WilsonHCG is an award-winning, global leader in total talent solutions. Operating as a strategic partner, it helps some of the world’s most admired brands build comprehensive talent functions. With a global presence spanning more than 65 countries and six continents, WilsonHCG provides a full suite of configurable talent services including recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), executive search, contingent talent solutions and technology advisory.  

TALENT. ™ It’s more than a solution; it’s who we are. 

www.wilsonhcg.com