The Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, as a component of its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative, recently hosted PROPEL: A Women at Work Program at Chehaw’s Creekside center.

PROPEL is open to members and prospects of the Albany Area Chamber and is designed to connect, engage and inspire women in our community, and provide them with the tools they need to design their future. The September 14 luncheon featured Deb Angerami, Chief Executive Officer of Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, where she spoke on the topic of Authentic Leadership.

“At the Albany Area Chamber, we connect, convene and collaborate; we nurture and provide; and we design the path,” said Bárbara Rivera Holmes, president & CEO of the Albany Area Chamber. “PROPEL is aimed at designing a path for women in the work force, to better empower them to excel professionally and to be engaged as business leaders.”

The Albany Area Chamber spearheaded a business-led focus group on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in 2020, and has since developed an organizational division based on the initiatives identified by the task force. The division is represented by the Chamber’s DE&I Committee, chaired by Jeretha Peters, Chair -Elect of the Albany Chamber Board of Directors, branch manager and first vice president of investments at WellsFargo Advisors in Albany.

"Since its inception, the Albany Area Chamber's Propel has achieved remarkable strides in empowering women at work in Albany and the Albany Area.” Said Peters. “Our programming serves as a driving force behind fostering strong connections, facilitating mentorship and sponsorship, providing development opportunities and sharing best practices among women in the work force. This dynamic platform not only empowers and inspires participants but also feeds their unwavering commitment to advancing their careers."

“It was an honor to speak to this group of dynamic women.” Said Deb Angerami, who currently leads our local healthcare system in their mission to make every life they touch better. “I’m grateful we that we have a group like this in our community that prioritizes the professional development of women.

This event was sponsored by Synovus Bank, Molson Coors, Advent Business Interiors, and Albany Area Primary Healthcare.