NEWS
Women As One and Edwards Lifesciences Foundation launch Global Leadership Initiative to support women structural heart specialists from LMICs
Published Date – 3 June 2026
Women As One is pleased to announce the launch of the Global Leadership Initiative, a new international leadership development awards program designed to support emerging women structural heart interventionalists from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Women cardiologists in many LMICs continue to face challenges that impede their professional advancement. The Global Leadership Initiative, created in collaboration with the Edwards Lifesciences Foundation, is designed to help address those challenges through structured mentorship, leadership development, and international community building. By connecting mentees with experienced structural heart specialists from the Women As One network, the initiative aims to foster professional growth and international collaboration.
“Women physicians in many parts of the world continue to encounter significant barriers to career advancement, despite extraordinary talent and dedication,” said Dr. Malissa J. Wood, Chief Medical Officer of Women As One. “Through this program, we are creating meaningful opportunities for women interventionalists from underserved regions to accelerate their careers and amplify their impact.”
Supporting the next global leaders in structural heart care
The 2026 Global Leadership Initiative will support five emerging women structural heart interventionalists from LMICs with a curated leadership and mentorship experience centered around RISE @ ESC Congress 2026 and ESC Congress 2026.
Mentees will receive:
- Structured mentorship from established topic area experts
- Curated introductions and networking opportunities with senior leaders in cardiology
- Travel and accommodation support
- Full registration for RISE @ ESC Congress 2026
- Full on-site registration to ESC Congress 2026
- Access to leadership development programming at RISE @ ESC Congress 2026
- Guidance navigating ESC Congress scientific sessions
- International visibility and support through the Women As One global network
Each mentee will be paired with a mentor selected from the Women As One community, which includes more than 3,000 women in cardiology worldwide. Mentors will be chosen based on their expertise in structural heart care and their experience with ESC Congress educational programming.
The program will begin with an in-person touchpoint on August 26, allowing mentors and mentees to connect before the scientific sessions begin. Throughout the event, participants will take part in daily mentor meetings, leadership-focused discussions, and networking opportunities designed to support both clinical and professional development.
Expanding access to opportunity
For many women cardiologists practicing in resource-constrained settings, attending major international congresses can be financially and logistically difficult. The Global Leadership Initiative was developed to make these opportunities more accessible while ensuring participants receive guidance and meaningful professional support during the event.
The initiative reflects growing recognition across cardiovascular medicine that mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership development are essential to advancing equity, particularly for women physicians working in LMICs.
“Our partnership with Women As One is a deliberate investment in patient impact, supporting women interventionalists advancing access to structural heart care in lower-resource communities,” said Amanda C. Fowler, Executive Director, Edwards Lifesciences Foundation. “By equipping these leaders to grow and thrive, we will accelerate access to life-saving therapies for those in need and help build more equitable systems of care around the world.”
Recruitment and timeline
Mentee applications will be made through The Pulse and will be open until July 1. Applicants will be asked to submit a statement of interest outlining their professional goals and commitment to full participation in the awards program.
Key dates include:
- July 1: Application deadline
- July 15: Applicants notified
- August 26: Arrival in Munich and in-person mentor-mentee gathering
- August 27: RISE @ ESC Congress 2026
- August 28 to 31: ESC Congress 2026
Advancing Women As One’s global mission
The launch of the Global Leadership Initiative marks another step forward in Women As One’s mission to promote talent in medicine by creating opportunities for women in medicine to thrive.
By combining mentorship, leadership development, and international scientific engagement, the awards are designed to create lasting impact not only for the mentees themselves but also for the patients and healthcare communities they serve.
As conversations around equity in medicine continue to evolve globally, programs like the Global Leadership Initiative highlight the importance of intentional investment in emerging women leaders and the transformative role mentorship can play in shaping the future of cardiovascular care.
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