Close the gender equity gap with powerful mentoring relationships According to a recent report, women earned 73% of doctorates in education, but only hold one-third of the school superintendent's jobs in the United States. At the current pace of change, it will take almost 30 years before there are as many women serving as superintendents as men. Trudy T. Arriaga, Stacie L. Stanley, and Delores B. Lindsey introduce a new model for creating mentoring relationships that help emerging women leaders thrive. Current and aspiring leaders can use Mentoring for Momentum as a standalone resource or in conjunction with the authors' Leading While Female and My Leading While Female Journey. Leaders will learn to mentor aspiring female leaders, and mentees will discover how to build these vital connections. Using the Tools of Cultural Proficiency, the authors guide readers in identifying and overcoming systemic barriers, helping aspiring leaders build the momentum needed to achieve their career goals and foster greater gender equity in their organizations. This practical guide includes: A framework for using the Tools of Cultural Proficiency to develop reciprocal and culturally responsive mentoring relationships Case stories from female leaders that offer models for navigating the challenges and opportunities of mentorship Guidance on how to locate a mentor, serve as a mentor, and establish effective mentoring programs within your organization Reflective prompts, end-of-chapter questions, and a free study guide to deepen understanding and encourage personal and professional growth Female leaders will learn how to leverage the power of mentorship to break through barriers, build supportive networks, and create lasting change for themselves and for the next generation of women leaders.
Dr. Trudy T. Arriaga served the Ventura Unified School District for 14 years as the first female superintendent. She began her career as a trilingual paraeducator and enjoyed 40 years of service in education as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, director, superintendent and university instructor at all levels. Trudy retired as superintendent in July 2015 and was honored by the naming of the VUSD District Office, The VUSD Trudy Tuttle Arriaga Education Service Center. She recently retired from Cal Lutheran University as a faculty member in the Educational Leadership Department in the Graduate School of Education. Trudy is the co-author, with her esteemed colleague Dr. Randall B. Lindsey of Opening Doors: An Implementation Template for Cultural Proficiency, which delivers a compelling account on how leaders can create and expand cultures of inclusion and equity by dismantling and crafting new organizational policies and practices on behalf of the students they serve. Her second book, "Leading While Female: A Culturally Proficient Response to Gender Equity" and co-authored with Dr. Delores Lindsey and Dr. Stacie Stanley offers a counter narrative and strategies to overcome the barriers of women in educational leadership, followed by the companion journal, "My Leading While Female Journal". It has been her privilege to assist educational districts, institutions and organizations throughout the United States through keynote speeches, workshops, leadership and equity institutes and online professional development to align the actions of the organization with their stated values and principles in their effort to build a culturally proficient and inclusive organization for each and every one. Trudy and her husband, Raymundo, are enjoying this grand chapter of life as grandparents to Rayo Mana and Sofia Anuhea. Trudy can be contacted at trudyarriaga73@gmail.com Dr. Stacie L. Stanley currently serves as the Superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools, the 2nd largest school district in Minnesota. Prior to her appointment in SPPS, she served as the superintendent of Edina Public Schools. Stacie has served in a variety of education roles including math teacher, school principal, director of curriculum, assessment and instruction & prior to serving as superintendent she served as the associate superintendent of Eden Prairie Schools. Dr. Stanley fervently believes that the "answer is in the room" and building leadership capacity through dignity supports organizational transformation. Dr. Stanley earned a doctorate degree from Bethel University in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where she researched the impact of intercultural development on K-6 administrative leadership practice. She is a fierce advocate for creating safe spaces of belonging for each and every student that allows them to know their worth and thrive. Stacie is the Co-Author of Leading While Female: A Culturally Proficient Response for Gender Equity. Dr. Stanley also served as a contributing author for the text Innovative Voices in Education: Engaging diverse communities. Dr. Stanley is a doctoral program adjunct faculty member and advisor at Bethel University in Minnesota. Stacie lives in a multi-generational home with her husband and 95-year-old father, and enjoys being an empty nester, power walking, and spending time with their grandchildren. Follow Dr. Stanley on instagram @DrStacieStanley or LinkedIn Stacie Stanley, Ed.D. Dr. Delores B. Lindsey served as assistant principal, principal, and county office administrator. She served as Executive Director of the regional school leadership center. Delores uses her skills as Cognitive Coach and Adaptive Schools trainer blended with her understanding and skills as a cultural proficiency trainer to design and implement the 10-Day Certification Program for Culturally Proficient Educational Practice. She served as assistant professor at California State University San Marcos for more than 10 years. She retired from the institution; however, she has not retired from the education profession. Her primary focus is developing culturally proficient leaders. She helps educational leaders examine their organizations' policies and practices and their individual beliefs and values about cross-cultural communication. Her favorite reflective questions are, Who are we? and, Are we who we say we are? Delores and her husband, Randall (her favorite SAGE/Corwin author), continue to co-write about the application of the four tools of Cultural Proficiency. Her most recent publications which are on Corwin's bestseller list are Leading While Female: A Culturally Proficient Response for Gender Equity, and My Leading While Female Journey: A Guided Reflective Journal with Trudy Arriaga and Stacie Stanley.
Chapter 1: Finding our Momentum Chapter 2: Groups for Good Chapter 3: Equitable Relationships Matter Chapter 4: Personal and Professional Blending Chapter 5: What's My Role? Chapter 6: Breaking through Momentum Chapter 7: Resources for Mentees and Mentors Foreword
"Women Mentoring Women for Momentum: The Next Step in Leading While Female is a powerful call to action for women to be mentors for others as they journey through their personal and professional lives. As a mother of two daughters and a doctoral-level professor who mentors to emerging leaders, this book deeply resonates with me. It illustrates how sisterhood, intentional mentorship, and the "tap on the shoulder" can ignite confidence, open doors, and build sustainable pathways for women in leadership. Women investing in other women is the key to changing the future for those watching us." -- Dr. Jaime Welborn "This compelling book is an inspiring call to action for women everywhere, grounded in insightful research that underscores the critical importance of mentoring in leadership development. Through the heartfelt reflections of Dr. Trudy Arriaga, who shares the profound impact of the male mentors who shaped her journey; to Dr. Stacy Stanley's candid account of the randomness and unpredictability of mentorship; and to Dr. Delores Lindsey's powerful recollection of a challenging experience-an example of the subtle barriers women often face in their career advancement-this book illuminates the complex realities women encounter in professional mentorship. Women Mentoring Women for Momentum: The Next Step in Leading While Female challenges women to embrace their roles as mentors and leaders, emphasizing that mentorship is a vital pathway to creating momentum and advancing equity. It encourages us to see mentorship not just as a personal act, but as a collective movement to uplift women, foster growth, and shatter barriers. This book will ignite your passion to serve, empower, and lead with purpose. Whether you are an established leader or just beginning your mentorship journey, Women Mentoring Women for Momentum: The Next Step in Leading While Female offers valuable insights rooted in research and real experiences that will inspire you to shape a future where women's leadership and mentorship are valued and transformative. A must-read for anyone committed to fostering growth, amplifying women's voices, and building momentum toward a more equitable leadership landscape." -- Dr. Talisa Sullivan "Women Mentoring Women for Momentum: The Next Step in Leading While Female is a powerful and necessary call to action for women in educational leadership. The book speaks to my heart as a leader, a mentor, and a woman who has navigated the very barriers this book so clearly names. The authors honor our journeys with honesty and courage, shedding light on systems that were not built for us while reminding us of the collective power we hold when we lift one another up. More importantly, it offers a path forward through intentional mentorship, sisterhood, and collective empowerment. The authors beautifully illustrate how women can build one another up, accelerate leadership growth, and create healthier, more equitable systems for the next generation. This is an essential read for anyone committed to cultivating courageous women leaders-and ensuring they not only rise, but thrive." -- Julie A. Vitale, Ph.D. "Women Mentoring Women for Momentum: The Next Step in Leading While Female elevates the impactful, tangible power mentoring provides in nurturing female leaders across educational sectors. As women lean into spaces that have often been inaccessible or arduous to enter, the authors artfully convey compelling experiences which are further grounded in research. This work is a gift to those in education and those who seek to lead in ways in and out of the classroom.As I read this work, I am reminiscent of my own female mentors who challenged me and gently prodded me to realize my own agency, helping me to spread my wings to seek and engage in leadership opportunities.As emerging female leaders navigate leadership opportunities, the role of female mentors serving in leadership roles proves invaluable as trusted supports who have encountered barriers and situations often unique to those leading while female.The authors illuminate those barriers women have encountered in attaining and sustaining leadership roles. This includes perceptions at the onset of applying for leadership positions, where implicit bias and stereotypes may cloud the belief that women can serve as leaders and excel in ensuring the successful implementation of district initiatives.The timeliness of this work reflects contemporary challenges where women serve as primary caretakers not just for their immediate family but for elderly parents while rising to meet the needs of their students and staff. In fact, the ability to support in multiple spaces and manage competing priorities highlights one of the greatest strengths of women in leadership positions." -- Mercedes Hubschmitt "The authors have done it again. Women Mentoring Women for Momentum is a powerful and timely addition to the Leading While Female series, offering both inspiration and practical guidance for aspiring and current female education administrators. Dr. Delores Lindsay, Dr. Trudy Arriaga, and Dr. Stacie Stanley illuminate the transformative impact of mentorship, weaving together research, personal stories, and actionable strategies that speak directly to the realities women face in leadership. This book is more than a resource-it's a call to action for women to lift one another, build confidence, and create lasting momentum in our schools and systems." -- Dr. April Moore "Throughout my journey as a woman in leadership, I've been deeply influenced by the wisdom and generosity of women who led the way before me-mentors, colleagues, and dear friends who believed in me and helped me believe in myself. The authors of this book have been that to me.This book is both a call to action and a source of inspiration. It reminds us that mentorship is not a solitary act, but a shared responsibility-and that when women lift one another up and invest in each other's growth, we build unstoppable momentum." -- Dr. Candace Singh "As a mentor to women executives, superintendents, and courageous 'firsts' in their C-suite roles, I recognize the truth-and the tools-in these pages. Leading While Female: Mentoring Women for Momentum names the barriers so many of us still navigate-systems not made for women, biased hiring rituals, micro-aggressive comments and myths about our 'readiness'-and pairs them with concrete supports like Sister Circles, intentional taps on the shoulder, personal stories and resources that make mentoring both doable and powerful. It models the kind of purposeful, confidence-building 'mentoring for momentum' that moves us forward-together. Dr. Delores, my mentor and friend, and her co-authors have given us a generous, actionable blueprint my mentees and I will carry into every circle we convene." -- Dr. Shelley Jones-Holt "This compelling book celebrates women school leaders who cultivate sisterhood, lead with integrity, and use their positions to challenge inequities. It invites readers to reimagine leadership as relational, justice-centered, and rooted in collective empowerment-where lifting others is not optional, but essential to transformative educational change." -- Noni Mendoza-Reis
