Creating a Community of Women Program
Sheryl joined Coupa in January of 2020 as Director of Alliance. As a global technology executive, she has driven businesses to success, cultivated forward strategies, and aligned business goals. She's a leader who is able to revolutionize practices and change the paradigms of business. A key business asset in numerous major technology moves, strategies, and programs, she has built a reputation as an instrumental business partner and asset.
Beyond her executive influences and impactful strategies, Sheryl is an advocate for social impact and change. She has lent her insight and voice to numerous board seats and memberships with Aleria Research Council, Forbes Nonprofit Council, New York Academy of Science, How Women Lead, IMPCT Coffee, National Diversity Council, and The Dallas Entrepreneur Center. Additionally, Sheryl has earned numerous industry awards and recognition including Tribute to Women, (TWIN), Women in Technology from Dallas Business Journal, and Global Innovation Partner of the Year from EMC.
Many corporations have women’s organizations. However, at Coupa, our Empower community takes it to the next level. Beyond the support and advocacy we offer employees, our network extends to impacting customers and partners, ultimately helping them become even more successful.
Empower's mission is to break down barriers to women’s success by creating a community of individuals and organizations working together to unleash the impact of women in business.
Why Empower?
From a business standpoint, it’s clear that demand for ERG programs is in a growth phase. We need to capitalize on this development to deliver benefits to all of us as well as the organizations we work for. But let’s not forget about broader societal trends. COVID-19 forces us to work from home, leaving many exhausted by the constant online interactions, longing to make a real difference in the world. Seemingly unconnected circumstances — but in this instance, they opened a door. Since we are all online, why do we need company-specific regional programs and events? Why not create a community that can engage across organizational boundaries to share best practices, and drive change more rapidly, with less effort?
Empower at a glance
And that is what we are doing. With executive sponsorship, I built an international team of 25 strong. Together, we relaunched Empower in September 2020. Although in its early days, we already have over 50 partner organizations who are helping us spread awareness among a global community of leaders about our wider approach to supporting women. And over half of our internal Coupa community is already engaging with Empower in some way.
Empower is bigger than Coupa, and any single organization. It is about working smarter together to engage and unleash the impact of women in business. What exactly does it look like when individuals and organizations team up to promote professional development, share best practices, build partnerships, and align on social impact goals? Empower leverages three broad pillars to accomplish this:
- Discover — tools and resources to help women grow and improve their visibility
- Connect — collective insights for organizations to apply to their own programs and initiatives
- Impact — opportunities to bring positive change to communities, both global and local
The path forward
I had the great fortune to not only select what I believe to be the best organization to work for, but in doing so, was offered the opportunity to redefine and lead Empower. My vision of women’s leadership is intertwined with Coupa’s long-standing vision of creating communities. It is a distinct match, and one that grows with time, resources, and investments. We have an amazing ride ahead of us, and I am thrilled to be a part of it.
Experience what Empower is all about
To learn more about Empower, please go to our website and download the replay of Women of Impact Working Smarter Together.
We’d also like to welcome you on International Women’s Day on Monday, March 8 when we will host “A Seat at the Table,” a new Women of Impact program delivered virtually. This event features three public board members: Leslie Campbell (Coupa Board Member), Nora Denzel, and Homa Bahrami. Representing diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, these panelists will share insights into how women can ensure their voice is heard no matter where they are in their career.
