Our History

NAAWLI was founded in 2000 by Dr. Gloria Scott, former president of Bennett College and former president of Girls Scouts of America, and Dr. Zulma Barrios, former Vice President at the Gallup Leadership Institute. The leadership program was designed as a twelve-day program spanning over seven months that focuses on key leadership tenets that support professional women. These highly curated sessions expose participants to the crucial workforce issues that uniquely affect African-American women through workshops, discussion groups, simulations, and other leadership development activities.

The founders of NAAWLI discuss the history of the organization and their vision for its continual success.

Conversation with NAAWLI Founders Scott and Barrios