NextUp Who we are Sarah Alter

We're what's now and what's next

Taking action for workplace equity

Across generations and genders, we work to advance all women in business now. As a nonprofit and community of professional women, allies, and corporate partners, we’re paving the path for tomorrow’s leaders, working toward a world of gender equality, helping women lift each other up, and reaching our unique potential along the way.

NextUp Forum benefit of membership
15,000 members representing 900+ companies
300+ partner organizations, with more than half on the Fortune or Global 500
21 regional communities where you are and everywhere you go
175+ regional, national, and digital events each year

From our CEO

“If we face our gender equality obstacles with courage and work together to build a future, I know we can get there faster.”

Saran Alter CEO of NextUp
Sarah Alter | President & CEO, NextUp

“20 years ago, this great organization was formed to acknowledge that women needed broader support for career development, family-life balance, role & compensation equality and opportunities to network and build mentorships.”

Mike Gorshe NextUp
Mike Gorsche | Accenture Managing Director- semi retired, NEW Ultimate Male Ally & First Board Member

“In a world where professional inequities still exist, we are a powerful community of women and allies that speaks up against barriers that hold others down. We work to advance all women in business today, while paving the path for tomorrow’s leaders.”

Abbe Luersman NextUp Board Member
Abbe Luersman | Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, Otis Worldwide, NextUp Board Chair

“Literally tens of thousands of women have benefitted from what [our founders] did to bring this to life. It has just been a terrific initiative and one that has benefited so many people – not just women but men...as well.”

Don Knauss NextUp
Don Knauss | Chairman Clorox Company, NextUp First Financial Supporter – Minute Maid

“NextUp is a network of men and women who are willing to help share their stories, share their challenges, share the obstacles they have overcome. And they are able to help others with mentoring, with advice, and sometimes just with cheerleading.”

Marla Thompson
Marla Thompson | SVP/GM, Marketing Cloud, Salesforce, Past NextUp Board Chair and Region Advisor

“My engagement with NextUp has been a gamechanger for my career. The relationships I’ve built, the coaching, the teaching – all of the lessons NextUp teaches you helped me be a more well-rounded leader and advance in my career.”

Melody Richard NextUp Board Member
Melody Richard | Merchandising Vice President, Pets- Walmart U.S., Walmart, NextUp Board Member, Strategic Value Committee Co-Chair, NextUp Northwest Arkansas Region Advisor and Multi-Region Leader

2021

NextUp Annual Report

In 2021, NextUp celebrated our 20th anniversary and readied ourselves for our current chapter! Today, only 23% of C-suite roles in America’s top 1,000 companies are held by women. Learn more about how we worked toward our mission and grew over the last year to meet the challenges of what comes Next.

NextUp closeup of speaker

Building a legacy

After 20 years as the Network of Executive Women, in 2022 we became NextUp. Why? Because our mission hasn’t changed but the world around us has.

While women have made major career gains over the last two decades, we’re now in the midst of a “Great Shecession” that spans industries and career levels and threatens the gains our founders worked so hard for. And now, we’re fighting to usher in the “Shecovery.”

To truly advance all women now and in the future, we evolved our programming, expanded partnerships, doubled down on DEI&B programming, and elevated our community to be even more inclusive—and our name needed to reflect this.

Inclusive Networking

Elevating today's leaders and creating tomorrow's

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Helping companies reach their DEI&B goals

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