Dear WEN Ohio Members,

I am very excited and honored to serve as your President for 2024! It is such a privilege to be part of this community of incredible women who continue to be an inspiration to me.

I was first introduced to WEN OH during our Membership Appreciation event in 2022. At the time, my daughter was 8 months old and I was faced with the decision to skip the event because I could not find a care taker or take her with me which felt like an unpopular decision. In the midst of struggle between motherhood and ambition, I decided to make both work and brought my 8-month-old daughter to her very first happy hour. When I arrived, the members were nothing short of supportive and I felt their genuine kindness and empathy. It was apparent that WEN OH cultivated the kind of culture I wanted to be a part of so I said ‘where can I sign up and how can I serve?!’. The following year I served as Vice President.

WEN OH is a relatively young chapter founded in late 2018. Though the initial years showed promise, Covid hit in 2020 and stalled its growth for about 2 years. Now the momentum is back, stronger than ever with the 2024 board and chairs fully staffed with amazing and talented women gladly donating their time and energy to this organization.

My plan for 2024 is to continue to foster our growth and provide the space for our members to connect and thrive. Part of the plan is to simplify complicated and/or unclear processes to help build our community easier. I am also a strong advocate for a psychologically safe work environment so that will be a part of the backbone of our community.

I look forward to seeing you at our leadership courses, industry engagement, networking and community service opportunities this year as we grow personally and professionally together.

Onward and upward!

Jackie Oostman, PE
WEN Ohio President