Who We Are
Our Origin Story
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Lead(h)er began with a simple idea and a powerful response. When founder Melissa Pepper hosted the first gathering to explore mentorship for women in the Quad Cities, more than 100 people showed up. That overwhelming turnout made one thing clear: our community was ready for something bigger.
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With early support from Royal Neighbors of America’s Nation of Neighbors Program, Lead(h)er launched its mentorship program and committed to keeping it free and accessible. Their support helped transform a powerful idea into a sustainable program serving women across the region.
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The first Lead(h)er Birthday Party gave our community a chance to celebrate the growth of the movement and the women who helped build it.
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Our first Lead(h)er Golf Outing teed off, quickly becoming one of the organization’s most beloved annual events and a major driver of support for our mission.
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What began as a single gathering grew into a vibrant network of mentors, mentees, volunteers, and supporters across the Quad Cities. Each year brought new matches, new connections, and new opportunities for women to lead and lift one another.
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Lead(h)er hosted its first Fuel the Fire Gala, bringing the community together to celebrate women making an impact and raising support to grow the mentorship program.
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A decade later, Lead(h)er has grown into a powerful community rooted in mentorship, leadership, and women supporting women. As we celebrate ten years, we’re just getting started.
Mentorship matters
Lead(h)er gives Quad Cities area women the personal and professional tools to address systemic issues that hold women back aka the sticky floor, the broken rung, and the glass ceiling. With a data-driven and connection-based approach, the Strike a Match mentoring program is creating new agents of social change to ensure the workplace is equitable for all.
Mentorship is the 6th highest barrier for working women in Iowa, so Lead(h)er is committed to offering the Strike a Match mentoring program free of charge.
Women are five times more likely to be promoted if they have a mentor. That means if you have a mentor you are five times more likely to hurdle past the broken rung.
62% of women of color say they believe a lack of mentorship holds them back in their careers.
Women are 24% less likely than men to get advice from senior leaders
Mentorship can help close the wage gap in the Quad Cities by teaching negotiation and advocacy skills.
Women who work full-time in the Quad Cities make 72 cents for every dollar earned by a man.
If the 28-cent pay gap that women in the Quad Cities experience was placed on a list next to pay gaps in all 50 states and Washington D.C., it would come in 48th, tying with Louisiana and coming ahead of just Utah and Wyoming. Iowa’s gender pay gap is 22 cents.
Poverty rates for women in the Quad Cities Area (Davenport, Rock Island, Moline) are higher than men at all education levels. The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that 17% of people in the Quad Cities live in poverty, compared with a statewide rate of 10%.
Median yearly earnings for women in the QCA(Davenport, Rock Island, Moline) and the surrounding counties of Rock Island, Henry, and Mercer lag the Nation and states of Illinois and Iowa
We can help retain talent in the Quad Cities through a network of over 900 working women.
Employees with mentors are 17% more likely to be satisfied in their job.
70% of jobs are acquired through networking.
Our program works to eliminate the disparities for women in leadership roles.
Women make up 8.2% of Fortune 500 CEOs.
Women are half as likely to be promoted as their male counterparts.
Every Quad Citizen can be an agent of social change in our connected region if they are leveraged through collective action.
Learning through experience has an 80%+ success rate, instead of just 5% with traditional learning.
70% of job knowledge is gained through experience.
Real Connections, Real Growth.
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![Two women smiling indoors, one holding a]()
Lillie (&) Cara
“Cara has been such a great leader and mentor! She has helped me navigate work challenges and always followed up to see how things turned out.”
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![Two women smiling for a selfie inside a well-lit store or cafe, with shelves and ceiling fixtures visible in the background.]()
Jennifer (&) Erica
Erica recently completed a post-secondary degree and came to Lead(h)er looking for a mentor who can help her translate the things she is passionate about into her professional life. She was hoping we could match her with someone who is confident both personally and professionally, and who is willing to offer guidance and advice.
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![Two women smiling for a selfie in a restaurant or cafe with dark walls, framed pictures, and booth seating.]()
Meredith (&) Rhonda
"I look forward to my time with Rhonda because she is so happy to help me and wants to see me grow. She has so much knowledge and is so willing to share everything she has learned. She is a very kind woman with a huge heart to serve.
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![Two women smiling and sitting close together, one with long curly hair wearing a blue top and the other with short hair, glasses, and a black necklace, sitting in front of a two-toned wall painted gray and dark green.]()
Jacki (&) Jen
While you might strike a match over a professional topic, we welcome the times when you're able to have a good time while you fuel career and community engagement!
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![Two women sitting at a table in a restaurant or bar, smiling at the camera. The table has glasses and some paper menus or programs on it. Other people are seen in the background, socializing near large windows.]()
Kate (&) Stephanie
Stephanie encouraged me from the beginning of our mentor/mentee relationship to take steps not leaps and was able to help me see the value in job prospects and opportunities outside of what I had wanted more clearly.
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![Two women sitting at a table smiling at the camera inside a bright room with large windows]()
Beth (&) Madelyn
I love that Madelyn is the age of my children, and despite the age difference we have much in common...The other day we were discussing the need for discipline when writing. Set aside specific times and places conducive to tapping our creativity.
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![A woman and a girl seated at a wooden table in a restaurant, smiling at the camera.]()
Michele (&) Olivia
Over and over, they tell us that they get just as much out of mentoring as they give to it. Michele's story is no different and we are so grateful she shared it with us!
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![Two women smiling and sitting on a wooden counter at the Regional Blood Center.]()
Holly (&) Cassie
Cassie has taught me so much about being real and giving selflessly to others. Her future is so bright and I’m so proud of how much she’s achieved in the short time we’ve been matched.
