Challenge Accepted: Seat at the Table Report Shows Women Sustaining Momentum in Corporate Leadership

Maintaining gains amid DEI rollbacks and economic uncertainty demands bold leadership and accountability

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., Oct. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Executive Women of New Jersey (EWNJ) unveiled its biennial Seat at the Table Reporttoday during its Corporate Gender Diversity Awards and Power Networking Breakfast at Brooklake Country Club. The report, the only one of its kind in New Jersey, provided a comprehensive analysis of gender diversity on corporate boards and in executive leadership at publicly held companies across the state.

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This year's report, themed "Sustaining the Momentum," revealed that despite national rollbacks in DEI policies, women's representation in New Jersey boardrooms and executive suites remained steady—and in some areas, continued to grow. The data and interviews featured in the report underscore that the progress made over the past decade is not easily undone. As one leader noted, "The genie is out of the bottle." The infrastructure, values, and talent pipeline supporting women's leadership are now deeply embedded in corporate culture, making meaningful change both resilient and irreversible.

Speaking at the event, Susan K. Dromsky-Reed, Esq., President of EWNJ, emphasized the significance of the findings: "The 2025 Seat at the Table Report affirms what we've long known: when women lead, organizations thrive," said Susan K. Dromsky-Reed, Esq. "Despite national setbacks in DEI policy, New Jersey's corporate boardrooms are sustaining momentum—with women now holding 29% of board seats and 29% of top executive roles. These numbers reflect not just resilience, but the undeniable value women bring to leadership. At EWNJ, we celebrate this progress and remain steadfast in our mission to ensure every woman has the opportunity to rise, lead, and shape the future."

Onome Adejemilua, Esq., Event Organizer and Incoming President of EWNJ, echoed the importance of diversity in the workplace. "Now more than ever do we need women leading organizations," said Onome Adejemilua, Esq. "Although we've made advances, it's simply not enough. Companies need to envision a long-term commitment to moving the needle."

Jennifer Thibodaux, CEO & Founder of JMT Speaks, moderated the event, which included panelists Kathy Card Beckles, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Verisk Analytics, and Amy Cradic, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Non-Utility Businesses, Strategy and External Affairs at New Jersey Resources.

Key Findings from the 2025 Report

• Women held 29% of board seats in New Jersey's publicly held companies—unchanged from 2023, but up from 14% in 2013.
• Women represented 29% of top executives and 22% of top earners, both showing continued growth.
• Four companies reached or exceeded gender parity on their boards.
• The number of women CEOs increased to seven, up from four in 2013.

The report included exclusive interviews with top corporate leaders who shared insights on the evolving role of women in leadership:

• Kathy Card Beckles, Verisk Analytics
• Megan Myungwon Lee, Panasonic Corporation of North America
• Susan Hardwick, American Water / NJ Resources
• Bob Garrett, Hackensack Meridian Health
• Cid Wilson, Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility
• Beth Walsh, Peapack Private Bank

These leaders emphasized that the momentum behind gender diversity is too great to reverse. The structures, networks, and values supporting women's leadership are now deeply embedded in corporate culture, making meaningful progress both sustainable and essential.

EWNJ encourages business leaders, policymakers, and advocates to use the findings of the Seat at the Table Report to drive meaningful change and ensure that the momentum behind women's leadership continues to grow.

About Executive Women of New Jersey (EWNJ) – www.ewnj.org
Founded in 1980, Executive Women of New Jersey (EWNJ) is the state's leading organization dedicated to advancing women into senior corporate leadership and board positions. Through research, advocacy, and strategic programming, EWNJ promotes gender equity in business and builds a pipeline of future leaders. As the largest provider of scholarships to non-traditional graduate students in New Jersey, EWNJ has awarded more than $1.4 million over the past 30 years through its Graduate Merit Award Program. EWNJ's biennial Seat at the Table report is the only publication in New Jersey that tracks the representation of women in corporate boardrooms and executive suites, offering data-driven insights and elevating the voices of women shaping the future of leadership.

SOURCE Executive Women of New Jersey