The Chicago Network Introduces New Cohort ‘The Rung’ to Empower Women in Leadership

The Chicago Network, an exclusive group aimed at supporting women in leadership throughout the city, is introducing a new cohort of 40 women named ‘The Rung.’ This initial group seeks to connect high-achieving female professionals in Chicago who are in the earlier stages of their careers, offering them support to assume leadership roles.

Maria Doughty, CEO of The Chicago Network, expressed the program’s goal: ‘We are building this program for these women to come together, to be able to support each other in community,’ highlighting the challenge that many women build their networks too late in their careers.

The Chicago Network was founded in 1979 by nine female executives and serves as a support system for women in various sectors across the city. ‘It has grown exponentially ever since,’ Doughty noted, now boasting over 550 members including astrophysicists, Fortune 500 CEOs, artists, renowned surgeons, and university presidents.

Members have shared that they wished there had been such a group to network and receive career guidance earlier in their careers. ‘It’s lonely at the top, but getting to the top is also lonely,’ said Suzet McKinney, committee chair for The Rung. ‘I believe The Rung will fill that void.’

McKinney, CEO of the Chicago Loop Alliance and a former head of the Illinois Medical District, has been active with the network since attending a Launchpad event in 2012. She recognized the unique environment fostering professional women’s support and empowerment, which inspired her to join.

The Rung serves as a steppingstone, encouraging women to advance in their leadership journey together. Discussing the disparity in CEO roles among women, Doughty pointed out, ‘We make up more than 50% of the population, yet very few women sit in CEO roles—this is unacceptable.’

A major barrier for women in pursuing leadership positions is the tendency not to apply unless they meet most criteria, unlike men who apply after meeting fewer. The Rung aims to address this by developing a stronger pipeline for women into leadership roles.

With Chicago’s strong economic growth and investment, Doughty stressed the need for women to engage more on the profitability side of businesses. Companies should hold leaders accountable for sponsoring women and facilitating essential experiences, beyond mentoring.

Applications for The Rung opened on October 22 and will close December 1. To offer accessibility, the membership fee is set at $975 annually, compared to other costly citywide leadership networks. The 40 chosen women will be announced in the first week of January.

Doughty envisions Chicago evolving as a city renowned for deliberately nurturing women’s leadership across all career stages.