Simply the best
Powered by incredible sponsors
“This is a great event! So inspiring! I hope Toyota keeps sponsoring. I love that the girls see women in STEM careers.”
– Annie Roberts, administrator,
fourth-time attendee
Building momentum across the country
Our sponsors’ extraordinary generosity enables us to advance our mission and embolden teens in grades in 9-12 nationwide.
Leaders Behind YWL
Since LEAD was a morsel of an idea, community leaders have shaped its vision – and its outcomes.
SOARYWL Curriculum
YWL Clubs and Leadership Curriculum for high schools carries forward and keeps alive the messages students hear at LEAD events.
Get Involved
LEAD offers organizations a wide array of opportunities to engage in and further our mission.
SponsorCompanies & foundations fuel our free offerings
One of our core values is to support and lift high school students from diverse backgrounds and experiences – regardless of where they live, their household income, or their GPAs.
It is through our sponsors’ generosity and ongoing commitment that we can offer YWL events and resources free to all teens nationwide. LEAD is funded solely from sponsorships and donations; we do not receive government funding or receive resources from other agencies.
Presenting Sponsor
Toyota: Driving education
Toyota is focused on educating today’s students to build tomorrow’s leaders. The company supports students throughout the life of their education – from kindergarten to high school and beyond.
One of Young Women LEAD’s first sponsors, Toyota makes grants to fund STEM curriculum in schools and invites students to visit its plants to learn firsthand about STEM careers.
It also builds the next generation of Toyota and Lexus certified retail service technicians through programs like the Technician Training & Education Network, which develops young people for high-demand, high-growth careers in the retail auto industry.
Just as Toyota prepares students for leadership, it is also focused on keeping everyone on the road safe. From teaching proper installation of car seats and a comprehensive teen program for that scary first year of driving, to refresher courses for mature drivers, Toyota supports a variety of safety programs along the continuum of life – for infants, teens, and the elderly.
Presenting Sponsorship
Marathon Petroleum: Equipping women to fuel their futures
Marathon Petroleum is a leading, integrated downstream energy company that operates the nation’s largest refining system. MPC’s marketing system includes branded locations across the United States, including Marathon branded retail outlets.
At MPC, community is critical to our success. It’s why we do what we do every day. MPC makes it a priority to be actively involved in efforts that have a positive impact on the community. We do that through Find Your Career Day, REAL World, Women in Vocational Careers events and partnerships with high schools and vocational opportunities offering scholarships and job shadow opportunities for students. In 2022, Marathon was named one of the top companies for women to work for in transportation. The award is given to companies with a corporate culture that fosters gender diversity, competitive compensation and benefits, flexible hours, professional development opportunities and career advancement opportunities.
Presenting Sponsorship
Materion Corporation: educating and nurturing future leaders
At Materion, we are committed to making positive contributions in the communities where we live and work. We support active investment and participation in our extended communities through volunteerism, sponsorships and collaboration with organizations that meet community needs in education, health and human services and the environment.
We are proud to invest in the development of future leaders through innovative educational programs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM K-12), active co-op education, college internship programs, and sponsorships of empowerment programs such as LEAD. We also have an employee resource group dedicated to the advancement of women, supporting their growth and leadership within the company.
Visit Materion’s website to learn more about our commitment to community engagement and leadership development.
TrailBlazer Sponsorship
SOAR: Transforming potential into performance
SOAR is the industry leading provider of creating thriving cultures for organizations through accelerating and diversifying leadership pipelines. With 20 years of experience in developing diverse talent, we have been here since the beginning. SOAR boasts over 150 clients in almost every industry, including Fortune and Global 500 companies that have trusted SOAR as their leadership development partner. From gender-specific programming to customized internal inclusion leadership programming, SOAR has a proven track record of preparing and advancing women and minorities to senior leadership roles.
Trail Blazer Sponsorship
Duke Energy: Creating powerful communities
Duke Energy powers the communities it serves with more than $30 million in charitable grants each year. The Duke Energy Foundation makes strategic investments to build powerful communities where nature and wildlife thrive, students can excel, and a talented workforce drives economic prosperity for all.
For students in kindergarten through 12th grades, Duke funds programs that prevent summer reading loss. This LEAD sponsor also advances energy, engineering, and environmental education. Duke’s grants for workforce education and training programs prepare future workers to develop innovative solutions for the energy industry’s most pressing challenges.