Programming Committee
The committee that designs how members actually spend their time with NAWBO.
The Programming Committee plans and assists with NAWBO Columbus chapter events — monthly meetings, workshops, networking opportunities, and the annual Visionary Awards.
What's Changing
About programming this term
Outcomes become the design principle.
The question we want to retire is "did members enjoy the event?" The question we want to ask instead is "did the event help members grow professionally or economically?" Both matter — but only one of them changes how we design programming.
High-value access events replace generic networking.
Signature programming including Women Who Win Contracts (procurement leaders + certified WBEs), Power Circles (small curated industry roundtables), CEO Access Series (executives in direct conversation with members), and AI for Women Business Owners (a signature initiative for this term).
Existing signature events continue and deepen.
Monthly Meetings. Women, Wisdom & Wine. The Visionary Awards. These are foundational to the chapter and they stay. The committee's job is to keep raising the bar on what each delivers for members.
Programming connects to outcomes measurement.
What contracts were opened from the event? What introductions were made? How many follow-up meetings happened? Programming and Communications will partner on tracking and storytelling.
Detail
About the Visionary Awards
The Visionary Awards have honored Central Ohio women business owners for nearly two decades. Past honorees include some of the most consequential women business owners in the region.
The Visionary Awards will continue to be a flagship event under this presidency — not just as a celebration, but as a visibility platform that elevates the broader profile of women-owned business in central Ohio.
Asks
What this committee will deliver
- A year-round calendar of high-value programming designed for outcomes
- Signature initiatives: Women Who Win Contracts, Power Circles, CEO Access Series, AI for Women Business Owners
- The Visionary Awards as a flagship visibility platform
- Tracking of follow-up meetings, contracts opened, and introductions made from each event
- Tight coordination with Membership, Communications, and Corporate Partners
Who It's For
Members who…
- Have backgrounds in event planning, programming, hospitality, or production
- Enjoy designing experiences and thinking about audience flow
- Want to shape what the chapter's biggest, most visible events feel like
- Are willing to put in the work behind the scenes so the visible work feels effortless
Next Step
How to get involved
To join the Programming Committee or learn more about current openings, visit the main committees page on the chapter site, or contact the Programming Vice President.