International Women's Day 2021!

When I started working in a ministry / non-profit organization, in 2000, I didn’t see any women in non-profit leadership. Not one. I knew a lot of leaders’ wives who were extraordinarily gifted, but none of them got those roles. Funny thing was, I didn’t notice it until many years later. It was just that normal. One reason I didn’t notice it, possibly, was because I was being challenged to grow, and use my gifts, and grow into my own talents, by becoming skilled and gaining experience. I’m so grateful for the men, who were my dad’s age, who saw who I could be, chose to invest in me, and build my skill set. How did they do it? Mostly, by giving me a task beyond my capabilities - like, pulling off a major trade show booth for the first time, or developing and creating our first product catalogues, or running 8 trade shows a year, at the ripe old age of 25. That youth and inexperience worked to my advantage, making me less risk-averse, and willing to try. And I did it. I rose to the challenge - and failed regularly (including some epic missteps) - but was still challenged to do more. It was then I realized that the lack of women in leadership should not be normal. It should not be normal to sit at a table as the only female, in a room with 10 organizations represented, even though it was typical.

In the past few years, fortunately, the tide has started to shift. It has been my genuine privilege to work alongside Allison Alley, CEO and President of Compassion Canada, Kim Savage, Executive Director of HOPE International, Sue Simpson, Executive Director of Waterloo Region Family Network, Kim Cromer, Executive Director of NCFCA Christian Speech & Debate, Dr. Laura Lewis, Executive Director of Pregnancy Care Canada, and my colleague, Cheryl Hotchkiss. We’re seeing new generations of women challenged, growing and making change in our communities, across our country, and around the world. I know that none of their journeys have been easy, but, in rising to the challenge, those voices that have been missing from the table are now present. Today, with two decades of failing forward under my belt, I'm wondering where I might still need to choose to be challenged, and how I might choose to challenge others. It’s in rising to that challenge, that leaders are born, it seems. Here’s to an International Women’s Day, when my daughter will never have to say, “I didn’t see one woman in leadership. Not one.” May it be soon.

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President & Chief Strategist, Ellen Graf-Martin started her marketing career in 2000, hosting global mission leaders for the launch of the internationally-acclaimed, Operation World. Since then, she’s enjoyed the privilege of launching countless brands, films, books, and working with several national and international non-profit organizations. Ellen’s deep commitment to using the marketing tools in her hands to come alongside organizations working for good, is clear in the work that she and the team does. With a variety of cross-cultural living experiences, and a west-coast upbringing, Ellen now survives winters and enjoys summers in Ontario with her husband and daughter, and their feisty Bengal cat.