Vital Voices Global Partnership and Bank of America will bring together women leaders from the private sector, social enterprise and the nonprofit community in San Juan, Puerto Rico March 18-22 for the Global Ambassadors Program (GAP), a weeklong initiative that connects women leaders in business and social enterprise to mentoring and expertise. Connecting women entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders to tools and resources that give them the power to succeed is one way that Bank of America helps advance economic and social progress.
The Puerto Rico Global Ambassadors Program will pair a diverse group of women leaders of small business, social enterprise and nonprofit organizations (mentees) with 10 Global Ambassador mentors, established women executives from a range of sectors and organizations, including Bank of America, for a week of one-on-one mentoring and workshops. The week will focus on building organizational leadership and business acumen and enhancing skills in key areas such as financial and human resources management, business strategy, and communications.
“Investing in women through access to resources such as capital and mentoring is critical to reducing income inequality,” said Anne Finucane, vice chairman, Bank of America. “Partnerships like the Global Ambassadors Program are one way we help fuel economic growth in regions around the world and contribute to the global economy.”
The Puerto Rico program will assist women leaders in the business, social enterprise and nonprofit sectors one year after Hurricane Maria’s widespread devastation. According to a poll last fall, more than four in 10 Puerto Ricans suffered a job loss, reduced hours or lost wages from a business closure or missed work because of the hurricane, and 51 percent of Puerto Ricans remain concerned they won’t be able to find or keep a good job. From tourism to health care, GAP mentees are contributing to the local economy through jobs, revenue and investments in the community.
“We’ve partnered with Bank of America for seven years because of our shared commitment to advancing women’s economic opportunity around the world,” said Alyse Nelson, president and CEO of Vital Voices. “Our program in Puerto Rico comes at just the right time, and I have no doubt the women participating will strengthen their leadership and grow their businesses and organizations in bold, new ways.”
The Global Ambassadors for the Puerto Rico program include:
The mentees in Puerto Rico include:
Since the program launched in 2012, 18 Global Ambassadors Programs have been held in Haiti, South Africa, India, Singapore, Brazil, Qatar, Mexico, Northern Ireland, Poland, Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States, bringing together a total of 312 women (151 Global Ambassadors and 161 mentees) from 78 countries. The program is part of Bank of America and Vital Voices’ ongoing commitment to investing in women’s leadership development, a goal guided by the belief that strong women leaders are important for developing healthy, vibrant communities and advancing economic growth.
Bank of America’s support of women entrepreneurs is part of its broader commitment to helping women make meaningful contributions within the company and local economies. The Puerto Rico Global Ambassadors Program builds on the company’s support for Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria, which included directing $250,000 in funding from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation to assist recovery.
For more information on the Global Ambassadors Program, visit www.bankofamerica.com/globalambassadors. Follow @BofA_News and @VitalVoices for updates via #GlobalAmbassadors.
For more than 20 years, Vital Voices has identified, provided training for and invested in creative and fearless women so that they can lead change in their communities and around the world. Vital Voices searches the world for women leaders with daring vision for change, who they then partner with to make that vision a reality through grants, skill-building training, network expansion, mentorship and guidance – accelerating change on a global scale. Through their proven leadership model – a five-pillar process developed with input and insight from the 16,000 women from more than 180 countries and territories in its Global Leadership Network – Vital Voices connects, informs and empowers women leaders to increase economic empowerment, boost political participation and protect human rights. Vital Voices connects women already solving problems in their communities and equips them with the tools they need to incite global, positive change. Visit vitalvoices.org to learn more.
At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact.
For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, register for news email alerts.
Fiona Hill, Bank of America
Phone: 1.980.387.8687
fiona.a.hill@bofa.com
Lizzie Kubo Kirschenbaum, Vital Voices Global Partnership
Phone: 1.202.446.0522
lizziekubokirschenbaum@vitalvoices.org
.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/original){kind=logo}
Investing in securities involves risks, and there is always the potential of losing money when you invest in securities.
This material does not take into account your particular investment objectives, financial situations or needs and is not intended as a recommendation, offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security, financial instrument, or strategy. Before acting on any information in this material, you should consider whether it is suitable for your particular circumstances and, if necessary, seek professional advice. Any opinions expressed herein are given in good faith, are subject to change without notice, and are only correct as of the stated date of their issue.
Content contained herein may have been produced by an outside party that is not affiliated with Bank of America or any of its affiliates (Bank of America). Opinions or ideas expressed are not necessarily those of Bank of America nor do they reflect their views or endorsement. These materials are for informational purposes only. Bank of America does not assume liability for any loss or damage resulting from anyone's reliance on the information provided. Certain links may direct you away from Bank of America to an unaffiliated site. Bank of America has not been involved in the preparation of the content supplied at the unaffiliated sites and does not guarantee or assume any responsibility for its content. When you visit these sites, you are agreeing to all of their terms of use, including their privacy and security policies.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as “ MLPF&S” or “Merrill”) makes available certain investment products sponsored, managed, distributed or provided by companies that are affiliates of Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”). MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, Member SIPC and a wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp.
Trust and fiduciary services are provided by Bank of America Private Bank, a division of Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”). Insurance and annuity products are offered through Merrill Lynch Life Agency Inc. (“MLLA”), a licensed insurance agency and wholly-owned subsidiary of BofA Corp.
Investment products offered through MLPF&S and insurance and annuity products offered through MLLA:
| Are Not FDIC Insured | Are Not Bank Guaranteed | May Lose Value |
| Are Not Deposits | Are Not Insured by Any Governmental Agency | Are Not a Condition to Any Banking Service or Activity |
Bank of America" is the marketing name for the global banking and global markets business of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Securities, strategic advisory, and other investment banking activities are performed globally by investment banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation ("Investment Banking Affiliates"), including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp., all of which are registered broker-dealers and Members of SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. BofA Securities, Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp. are registered as futures commission merchants with the CFTC and are members of the NFA.
Company goals are aspirational and not guarantees or promises that all goals will be met. Statistics and metrics included in our ESG documents are estimates and may be based on assumptions or developing standards.
Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender
© 2023 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.
Subscribe to press release updates