Kelly Sheard, Chief Strategy Officer, featured in the Forum of Executive Women's 2025 Pay Equity Report
About the Pay Equity Report
Although the Equal Pay Act was passed 60 years ago, Pennsylvania women, on average, will not achieve equal pay until 2068, according to the Women's Law Project. The Forum of Executive Women's annual Pay Equity Report is designed to be a catalyst in the Philadelphia region to close the gender pay gap and to provide all employers and employees across industries with the tools necessary for change. The Forum of Executive Women’s 2025 Pay Equity Report examines the structural, cultural, and policy barriers that continue to hold women back—and outlines the actions needed to close the gap.
“While pay equity conversations often focus on individual actions, like negotiating salary, we also need to address deeper structural barriers like racism, sexism, ableism, and patriarchy. These systems shape what jobs people can access and how their work is valued. Implicit biases show up in our ideas about productivity, rest, and deservedness, influencing how we perceive and reward labor. If we don’t critically examine these narratives, we risk repeating harmful patterns.”
-Kelly Sheard, Chief Strategy Officer, WOMEN'S WAY
