Sandra Finley

  • President and CEO, League of Black Women
  • President, Praxis Leadership Institute



Sandra Finley is President and CEO of League of Black Women. She has emerged as an acclaimed communicator and has presented in institutions nationwide including Fortune 100 companies.

Sandra represented LBW at The White House Forum On Women & The Economy and she presented at the EU Commission Global Summit on Women Stabilizing an Insecure World in Brussels, Belgium. She presented at Harvard Business School Symposiums, Gender And Work: Relationships Among Women: Bridging, Generational and Global Divides, wherein LBW research work was featured. She has also presented VUCA Leadership Development for diverse audiences across corporate and nonprofit organizations.

The League of Black Women, founded in the 1970, is a national organization that provides strategic leadership research to communicate the collective voices of Black Women impacting societal issues and sustaining joyful living in our families, our communities and in our workplaces.

As President of the League of Black Women, Sandra focuses the organization on advocacy for leadership success for Black women and girls in our society. As the premiere leadership research organization for Black women, the League has carved out a distinctive niche. Sandra is committed to innovative leadership research that leverages the authentic voices of Black women as its main focus.

The League has been commended for doing more than merely describing the unique challenges and dilemmas facing Black women leaders, but to understanding and equipping Black women with the strategic resources to solve them. Holistic in its approach, the League also seeks to empower women and offer them strategies and approaches to ensure that they engage in sustainable leadership experiences and joyful living.

A graduate of Loyola University, Sandra is active in her community. She is a Trustee for the Village Olympia Fields Illinois. She has been selected as an honoree for the YWCA Of Metropolitan Chicago Award for Racial Justice. She is a past Board Member of the Illinois Health Maintenance Organization Guaranty Association; a former member of the Public Policy and Public Programs committee of the Field Museum of Natural History; and she is a past Chair of the Union League Club of Chicago’s Committee on Race.

 

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Rave Reviews About Sandra Finley
Sandra Finley is uniquely qualified as a leading authority on issues that face black women. Sandra provides a 360o lens that shines a spotlight on the challenges and opportunities from a social, health and professional perspective. Sandra is highly sought after to provide her leadership in establishing a call to action on issues dealing from a public policy platform that engages government, corporate America and the community. Sandra is personal and intentional in how she creates forums for which she challenges Women of Color to empower themselves. There are very few individuals that are as multifaceted and effective.

A Sample of the Groups That Have Hosted Sandra Finley
  • Harvard Business School
  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
  • Menttium
  • Deloitte Consulting LLP
Sandra Finley at Harvard Business School's Gender & Work Symposium - Get Sharable Link
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Sisters and Sista’s: Women and Race In Pursuit of Power

Throughout the ages, women have marched and worked together to close the gender gaps to modern opportunity. Why then, haven’t we closed the racial gaps to leadership opportunity amongst women? LBW research reveals the Achilles heels in “gender think” on leadership best practices c ...

Throughout the ages, women have marched and worked together to close the gender gaps to modern opportunity. Why then, haven’t we closed the racial gaps to leadership opportunity amongst women?

LBW research reveals the Achilles heels in “gender think” on leadership best practices concerning race disparities in diversity strategies.

Leadership outcomes have not kept pace with rhetoric. That is true for all women. Even so, it is unacceptable that equally and superbly qualified women of color continue to be suppressed in their pursuit of modern leadership opportunity. LBW research reveals that competitive retention and recruitment of highly competitive women is severely impeded due to flawed institutional investment in their leadership success.

Sandra Finley redefines Risk Strategy with new recommendations for women and for HR leaders who are looking for more effective diversity measurements and outcomes.

Sponsorship: When Mentoring Just Isn’t Enough for Advancement

Growing numbers of professionals attain advanced education degrees, fully expecting the new credential to deliver the promotional opportunity that they seek. It won’t. 49% of women participating in LBW research reported that they are behind their expectations for where they should be in their ...

Growing numbers of professionals attain advanced education degrees, fully expecting the new credential to deliver the promotional opportunity that they seek. It won’t.

49% of women participating in LBW research reported that they are behind their expectations for where they should be in their careers. While women believe that they are doing what they can to advance, they report that they are not satisfied with the outcomes of their career advancement.

The economic environment of the modern times have left the days of merit promotion are far behind. Many seek the support of Mentoring, which is invaluable when you want to know more about succeeding in the cultural environment at your current professional level. But when you want to rise, to higher levels, you need the distinctive “pull you up” effect that only comes from the having a powerful Sponsor in your corner.

Sandra Finley will reveal the difference between the Mentor you know and the Sponsor you need to know.

It's Not This, It's That: When Conventional Wisdom is a Waste of Time

There is a good reason for the warning on your car that, “objects in your mirror are closer than they appear to be.” You are being warned to course correct for the visual distortion. The majority of women responding to LBW research report that a barrier to their personal well-being was, ...

There is a good reason for the warning on your car that, “objects in your mirror are closer than they appear to be.” You are being warned to course correct for the visual distortion. The majority of women responding to LBW research report that a barrier to their personal well-being was, “not having enough women of color in positions of power.” As women who are striving look at the C-suites in their companies and see few or no women of color, the disappointment has deeply impacted them. Yet women work, as committed individuals, continuing their hopes that the objectives of their leadership ambitions, are closer than they appear.

Sandra Finley will use LBW research to reveal to leadership why it is more important to focus on the integrity of scalable diversity practice to support women striving in leaky talent pipelines rather than relying on the laudable but potentially distorting achievement of the few rare outliers as a true indicator of the potential contribution of current diversity strategy.

The Five Public Policy Issues Critical for Women

LBW research reveals that women are passionate about public policy issues, however they are reluctant to reach for leadership opportunity in these arenas because they are not convinced that they are powerful enough to prevail. Women’s voices are critical to societal improvement. Sandra Finley ...

LBW research reveals that women are passionate about public policy issues, however they are reluctant to reach for leadership opportunity in these arenas because they are not convinced that they are powerful enough to prevail. Women’s voices are critical to societal improvement.

Sandra Finley outlines the 5 public policy issues that are critical to the prospects for women’s achievement in modern times. The focus on economic recovery, health, domestic violence, innovation and communal peace are key to unlocking opportunity for women and the quality of life in the global communities that we anchor.

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Sandra Finley is President and CEO of League of Black Women. She has emerged as an acclaimed communicator and has presented in institutions nationwide including Fortune 100 companies.

Sandra represented LBW at The White House Forum On Women & The Economy and she presented at the EU Commission Global Summit on Women Stabilizing an Insecure World in Brussels, Belgium. She presented at Harvard Business School Symposiums, Gender And Work: Relationships Among Women: Bridging, Generational and Global Divides, wherein LBW research work was featured. She has also presented VUCA Leadership Development for diverse audiences across corporate and nonprofit organizations.

The League of Black Women, founded in the 1970, is a national organization that provides strategic leadership research to communicate the collective voices of Black Women impacting societal issues and sustaining joyful living in our families, our communities and in our workplaces.

As President of the League of Black Women, Sandra focuses the organization on advocacy for leadership success for Black women and girls in our society. As the premiere leadership research organization for Black women, the League has carved out a distinctive niche. Sandra is committed to innovative leadership research that leverages the authentic voices of Black women as its main focus.

The League has been commended for doing more than merely describing the unique challenges and dilemmas facing Black women leaders, but to understanding and equipping Black women with the strategic resources to solve them. Holistic in its approach, the League also seeks to empower women and offer them strategies and approaches to ensure that they engage in sustainable leadership experiences and joyful living.

A graduate of Loyola University, Sandra is active in her community. She is a Trustee for the Village Olympia Fields Illinois. She has been selected as an honoree for the YWCA Of Metropolitan Chicago Award for Racial Justice. She is a past Board Member of the Illinois Health Maintenance Organization Guaranty Association; a former member of the Public Policy and Public Programs committee of the Field Museum of Natural History; and she is a past Chair of the Union League Club of Chicago’s Committee on Race.