Half Moon Bay, Calif., Nov. 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Athena Alliance, the global, digital community for the top women in business, is partnering with the Executive Leadership Council (ELC), the organization of more than 800 Black CEOs, C-Suite and senior-most executives and Board Directors of F1000 and equivalent companies and top-tier entrepreneurs, to support Black women executives at the top ranks of leadership. Through the partnership, executive women from The ELC will gain access to the learnings, community and opportunities that can uniquely support them in their rise to corporate board membership.

ELC women will join through the Athena Access Fellowship Fund, created earlier this year as part of Athena’s commitment to increasing diversity in leadership.

“The ELC and Athena are tightly aligned, in mission, in membership and in value,” said Coco Brown, Athena founder and CEO. “I’m thrilled to welcome the women executives of The ELC into Athena, allowing members of both communities to learn from, and grow with, one another.”

“The ELC is dedicated to expanding access to opportunities for Black women executives. Membership in Athena offers our women members an additional avenue for accessing board roles and more — all while being supported by an incredible community of leaders and on-demand learning,” said Crystal E. Ashby, ELC Interim President and CEO. “Having our members join Athena reinforces our mission to continue to grow the pipeline of Black executive women for the C-Suite and corporate boards.”

Athena formed the Access Fellowship Fund to ensure that leadership teams in C-suites and boardrooms can accurately reflect the communities they serve. The Access Fellowship Fund removes any barrier of entry for women to join Athena — and allows Athena to support women of all backgrounds to the top. Every woman who joins Athena will be given access to all Athena Virtual Salon events, its robust Learning Library and its full range of board and CxO opportunities.

Athena frequently partners with other women’s organizations, corporations and venture capital and private equity firms to support their senior women leaders. From group memberships to workshops and custom executive development programs, Athena is uniquely designed to support women as they rise.

About Athena Alliance

Athena is a community platform that brings together women leaders, investors, CEOs, board directors, and corporations in one global, digital ecosystem. Women join Athena for executive coaching, board opportunities, exclusive events, one-on-one mentorship, and more. Athena also guides CEOs, venture firms and corporations to evolve their approach to senior leadership development, to strengthen their boards, and to access the world’s top female leaders. www.AthenaAlliance.com

About The Executive Leadership Council

The Executive Leadership Council opens channels of opportunity for the development of Black executives to positively impact business and our communities. An independent non-profit 501(c)(3) founded in 1986, The ELC is the pre-eminent membership organization committed to increasing the number of global Black executives in C-Suites, on corporate boards and in global enterprises. Comprising more than 800 current and former Black CEOs, senior executives and board directors at Fortune 1000 and Global 500 companies, and entrepreneurs at top-tier firms, its members work to build an inclusive business leadership pipeline that empowers global Black leaders to make impactful contributions to the marketplace and the global communities they serve. For more information, please visit www.elcinfo.com.