Our Chapters

Chapter Spotlight: WISE Charlotte

Chapter President's Corner: Rae Kauder

What inspired you to found WISE Charlotte?
Co-founder Lauri Eberhart and I wanted to provide the female Charlotte community with the tools to reach their career goals. We also wanted to be a resource for peer support, mentorship and professional development for every stage of a woman’s professional journey.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of being chapter president?
Charlotte is ranked among the top 20 fastest growing cities in the U.S. for 2018 and it’s no surprise that powerful, driven, successful women are a part of that growth. After our first mixer, we just couldn’t wait to get together with the more than 100 women who attended.

What impact has your WISE Charlotte had on the local community?
We believe that we have provided a forum for networking, education and support in the Charlotte market.

What drives WISE Charlotte?
Networking as well as educational programming. Our chapter thrives on helping each other, whether it’s colleagues looking for new opportunities or learning how to better themselves (professionally and personally) through workshops and panels.

What's next for WISE Charlotte?
Our next step is to secure our financial foundation through sponsorship(s) to provide more opportunities to enhance the educational programming as well as introduce new events that excite our local community.

List three adjectives that best describe WISE Charlotte.
Active. Engaged. Eager.

Chapter Overview

Year Founded: 2018

Founding and Current Chapter President: Rae Kauder

Founding Board Members: Rae Kauder, Lauri Eberhart, Sarah Bundy, Amy Mork, Tina Kouchinsky, Brooke Faw, Maeve Hagen, Shannon Hooper and Kaitlyn Lamb

Most Popular Event: Women in Sports Symposium in partnership with the Charlotte Knights

Most Interesting/Highly Attended Speaker/Topic: Negotiation and Leadership Workshop with Carolyn Freyer-Jones

Approximate Number of Events Per Year: 8 to 10

Event Price Range: Typically, $10-$20 for members; $20-$25 on average for non-members

Average Event Attendance: 100

Do you offer Speed Mentoring Roundtables? Yes

Do you have an annual event exclusive to your chapter? Based on the success of our partnership with the Charlotte Knights and Charlotte Motor Speedway/Speedway Motorsports, we will definitely bring back events such as the Women in Sports Symposium with Charlotte Knights and the NASCAR All-Star Power Breakfast. They take place at wonderful local venues that we need to show off to all who can attend. 

Corporate Partners/Sponsors: NASCAR and Ally Bank(R)