A Conversation with Courtney Yeakel
We recently had the opportunity to sit down with one of our newest Board Members, Courtney Yeakel. Her story is one of legacy, leadership, and the ongoing fight for gender equity, carrying forward the work of her mother, Lynn Yeakel, a founding member of WOMEN’S WAY and trailblazer in the movement for gender equity.
Inspired by her mother’s dedication to representation and leadership, Courtney continues to advocate for collective action to protect and expand gender equity. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, Courtney’s dedication to her work speaks to the importance of honoring those who carried the torch before us and the urgency of taking action today.
WOMEN’S WAY:
What motivated you to become a WOMEN’S WAY Board Member?
Courtney Yeakel (Courtney):
So that’s an easy one. As you may already know, my mom was a co-founder of WOMEN’S WAY back in the ’70s, and she passed away unexpectedly and tragically about three years ago. Since her passing, I’ve been searching for a way to honor her legacy and the fight for gender equity, which was a lifelong goal — something she was striving for even up until the day she died. When the WOMEN’S WAY opportunity presented itself, it was just fortuitous. I said, “Aha, this is the way I can channel my mom’s energy and keep her legacy going.”
WOMEN’S WAY:
Your mother, Lynn Yeakel, was a powerful advocate for gender equity. Can you share more about the specifics of her work and what motivated her to fight for women’s rights and gender equity?
Courtney:
Well, I think one defining moment in her life — and I always remember her telling this story — occurred after she graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Randolph-Macon Women’s College. She went to interview for her first job in New York City with the SmithKline Corporation; she was under the impression that she was interviewing for a corporate job, but the very first question they asked her was, “Can you type?”
That moment set into motion this whole idea for her of, “Wait, why would the default assumption be that women are merely ‘assistants’ for men in more powerful positions? Women are more than 50% of the population. We are educated, our voices matter and we have something to contribute. Our voices and contributions need to be represented and recognized at all levels of society, including in positions of power — whether in the corporate boardroom, in the halls of the legislature, in the executive branch, or in the judiciary.” I think those early experiences led her to her role as a co-founder of WOMEN’S WAY.
After serving as Executive Director of WOMEN’S WAY, she went on to run for Senate in 1992 during the Year of the Woman. She was one of the five women who decided [to run for office] [following the outrage after the] interrogation of Anita Hill during the Justice Thomas confirmation hearings. She lost that Senate race by less than a percentage point, but that experience propelled her to a new level as a public figure in the fight for women’s rights and gender equity.
From there, my mom worked as the Regional Secretary for Health and Human Services under Donna Shalala during the Clinton administration. Then, she launched what I think was her most important initiative — the one she was most proud of — the Institute for Women’s Health Care Leadership at Drexel. That’s where she founded the Vision 20/20 initiative, a national initiative to achieve gender equity by increasing the number and power of women leaders to accelerate economic, political, and social change.
