There’s been a lot of conversation lately, locally and nationally, on the lack of women in leadership roles. It’s a dilemma that isn’t exclusive to one community or industry, but the trend is changing, albeit slowly.

Related: Give Millennials the Chance to Grow

The latest UC Davis Study of California Women Business Leaders shows that while the glass ceiling still exists, more women are joining the executive ranks. But there’s more work to be done, which begs the question — how can the Capital Region foster future generations of female leaders?

When I started my professional career, nearly 20 years ago, I often experienced being the only woman on a board or the only person under the age of 50 in a meeting. I remember being told that, “People prefer a male boss,” or “Women are too emotional.” Today, many of the boards I sit on have more female faces. However, these positions are still unbalanced. The same is true for many of the companies my fellow EDGErs work for. It’s a gap we all have to do our part to help close.

Metro EDGE is focused on cultivating the next generation of regional female leaders. We offer robust professional development forums, networking events and a personalized mentorship program focused on connecting and learning from our more seasoned professionals. Building comraderie, confidence and connections, we want to ensure our emerging leaders have access to the tools and resources needed to help grow and advance our region.

If the quality of our nearly 700 EDGE members tells me anything, it’s that Sacramento has a bright future of women and men that are ready to lead. If you are looking for a chance to get involved or motivate a friend or colleague, encourage them to attend our Storm the Board Room on May 16 at a locally-owned, female powered business, Uptown Studios, where local nonprofits recruit young professionals to join their boards. Call me, and let’s continue the conversation around how we can support and cultivate more female leaders.