Network President and CEO Neosha Franklin Featured on Focus St. Louis LEADher Panel
On Thursday, April 23, Community Impact Network President and CEO Neosha Franklin served as a featured panelist for Focus St. Louis’ LeadHER panel during their Women In Leadership Field Day.
The panel focused on inspired leadership in the St. Louis Business sector, highlighting the stories of service of prominent women leaders throughout St. Louis while sharing their personal leadership journeys.
The other featured panelists who joined Franklin included:
- Taliya King, Managing Director, Accenture
- Cynthia Kirpatrick, Senior Advisor, Moneta and Founder of She Lift Project Podcast
- Alison Niermann, Founder and Managing Partner, Tilley Partners
During the discussion, the panelists shared their experiences as women in leadership, speaking about what that looks like and offering guidance to the women in attendance.
When asked how she identifies hidden potential in someone who might not see it themselves, Franklin shared that she pays attention to patterns and those who are curious beyond their roles, not just performance.
“Potential shows up as curiosity before confidence. I look for the people asking better questions, not just giving better answers,” said Franklin.
Franklin also shared what she sees as the difference between giving advice and opening a door as a mentor, and how more mentors are needed to shift ecosystems.
“Advice is helpful. Access is transformational. We need more people willing to open doors, not just point to them.”
Franklin commented that she hopes her work will redefine what it means to build equity.
“If we’ve done this right, equity won’t just be a goal—you’ll be able to see it when systemic structures are aligned and not fragmented or siloed – we will all be working together for the good of the entire region and not just in pockets.”
Franklin is a graduate of Focus St. Louis’ 2021 Women in Leadership program and with more than 20 years of experience in education and philanthropy, she has been recognized for her leadership, including being named a St. Louis Business Journal 40 under 40 nominee, a Delux Magazine Power 100 Award recipient and named to St. Louis Magazine’s Business 500.
To view pictures of the panel, please click on the gallery below.
