Women's Resource Group

The mission of our Women's Resource Group (WRG) is to unite and empower the firm’s talented women, leverage business and philanthropic opportunities, provide relevant professional development, and offer internal and external networking programs to help female employees achieve success in the workplace and enhance their overall experience at the firm.

The WRG is focused on four key areas:

Community Engagement

The community engagement committee creates a supportive, collaborative environment for all of Stout to get involved in local not-for-profit organizations with a mission to provide education, financial assistance, or other support to causes that benefit women and girls in that community.

Internal Networking

The internal networking and social events committee fosters internal and external relationships that provide mutual support and encouragement to facilitate professional development by providing information and lively events to share ideas, successes, and challenges.

Personal and Business Development

The personal and business development committee helps women achieve personal and professional success by empowering women with resources, tools, experiences, and connections, thereby developing Stout’s professionals individually and the organization at large.

Mentoring

The mentoring committee helps women by promoting, creating, and identifying mentoring relationships whereby women can find valuable guidance to confidently navigate their career at all levels.

Meet the Women of Stout

Heather Albright

MANAGING DIRECTOR

“Stout’s WRG has provided me with new opportunities to mentor and be mentored through connecting women across the organization to provide support and career guidance. I feel empowered when I am in a group of women that face similar obstacles and share common goals. It gives us all an opportunity to be more open and honest with how we are balancing our professional and personal lives and how we approach the unique challenges facing women. I feel fortunate to work for a company that supports and promotes a diverse and inclusive culture.”

Sook Lee

MANAGING DIRECTOR

“I have been fortunate to have great mentors and sponsors throughout my career, but they all have been white males. I have not seen many women in leadership consulting positions, and it is even more rare to see women of color in those roles. I recognize and value the importance of mentoring – it can elevate and advance more women at their work, help them identify and gain access to opportunities they might otherwise miss, and better prepare them for such opportunities when they come. I am excited to get more involved with Stout’s WRG. I would like to be a supportive listener who can provide practical suggestions and share my own experiences in consulting to navigate both personal and professional worlds successfully.”

Nadine Pizarro

MARKETING DIRECTOR

“I’ve always been a vocal advocate of initiatives that recognize the unique challenges women face in the workplace and that help build an inclusive environment to help them achieve further success, such as Stout’s WRG. I’ve seen firsthand the unconscious and conscious biases people have, and if the WRG can bring education and change to make the path more equitable for future generations, I want to be a part of that. My wish is that by the time my nine-year-old daughter enters the workforce, these types of workplace initiatives won’t need to exist.”

Marylee Robinson

MANAGING DIRECTOR

“Balancing a demanding career and a family in a field dominated by men is no easy task. Being a part of the WRG earlier in my career gave me the opportunity to learn from women in leadership. This has been critical to my own success as I progressed in my career. The WRG made it possible for me to develop strong relationships with professionals across the firm. It’s been rewarding to see these women thrive in their careers as well. As a more senior professional, I hope to be one of the people who can provide an example and lift even more women up at Stout.”

Gina Witherington

DIRECTOR

“I believe it is important for women to support and lift other women up. To provide a safe place to speak, voice opinions, and share experiences and ideas. In too many of the meetings I am in with my peers and C-suite executives, I am the only woman on the call. It is a sea of men and can feel like a very old boys’-club mentality. Society still places the labels of bossy or less-faltering terms on women who show authority, confidence, and/or ambition. I want to be part of the discussion to help change the narrative for women in the corporate world.”

Meet More of the Women at Stout

Facts and Figures

An important part of building a workforce that reflects the clients and communities we serve is being more transparent about our progress. The below data point shows how we are progressing against diversity goals. While it is clear there is much more to do, this increased transparency will build greater trust and accountability, and ensure our diversity journey continues to proceed with purpose and speed.

Firmwide Demographics

2013 24% female gender 2022 35% female gender

Note: Metrics as of 12/31/2022. Gender diversity increased 17% YOY (from 30% in 2021).

Women in Business Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to students who support the community of women in business and demonstrate a commitment to promoting diversity and contributing to the firm's diversity initiatives as a result of background, experience, personal attributes, or characteristics. The purpose of the scholarship is to provide financial support to help students succeed in their pursuit of a business-related career. Twenty-eight students have received Stout’s Women in Business Scholarships since the program’s inception in 2013. In 2022, Stout doubled its investment in this program, awarding $12,000 in scholarships to upcoming female leaders.

Learn More