Leading with Gratitude: Empowering Women, Building Community
- Nov 13
- 3 min read
Founder & Board Chair - Young & Empowered Women (Y&E); Vice President, Recruitment - Teach For America
Gratitude comes into focus during the ‘Season of Thanks’, but for mission-driven leaders, it’s the foundation of how we show up every day.
Gratitude is not just a feeling, but a leadership tool that transforms organizations and communities. As the founder and board chair of Young & Empowered Women, I’ve learned that thankfulness isn't reserved for moments of celebration, but it's an everyday strategy that shapes how we show up, lead, and lift others.
Young & Empowered Women was created during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, created to close the wage and gender gap impacting women, especially women of color and first-generation young professionals. Based in Arizona, our nonprofit is rooted in a simple but powerful vision: leadership without limits—every woman, every role. Whether you’re leading in the boardroom, your family, your community, or in the earliest stage of your career, you belong in the conversation.
Today, we serve over 250 members and operate with a fully volunteer team: an executive team of ten and a board of ten. These women show up, give back, and pour into others, often while balancing demanding careers and personal responsibilities. That kind of dedication is fueled by purpose, and it deserves to be met with deep, intentional gratitude.
For me, thankful leadership starts with seeing people; not just their output, but their journey, their heart, and their growth. It’s not just a thank-you email. It’s about asking how someone’s doing, making sure every voice is heard, and creating opportunities for them to grow. It's about leading with empathy, trust, and generosity.
One of the greatest leadership lessons I’ve learned is that you can only move at the speed of trust. And trust is built through gratitude: by making people feel safe, valued, and empowered. When you lead with appreciation, you invite others to bring their full, authentic selves. That’s where impact begins.
I see my role not just as a leader, but as a connector and elevator. I reward our board and executive team with access to mentorship programs, speaking engagements, leadership development, and/or introductions to new networks. Gratitude should go beyond words; it should open doors.
Elevating your team is one of the most powerful things a leader can do. When your team wins, you win. And those wins don’t stay confined to our organization, but they extend into workplaces, families, and communities across. That ripple effect is how we begin to move the needle on representation in leadership.
Gratitude also grounds me in humility. It reminds me that leadership is not about being in charge, but about being in service and leading alongside your team. We co-create a culture of belonging and growth, where every contribution matters and every woman knows she is valued.
As we enter this “Season of Thanks,” I encourage fellow women leaders to reflect: How are you showing gratitude in ways that empower others? Who on your team needs to be reminded that they matter… not for what they produce, but for who they are?
At Young & Empowered Women, gratitude is our foundation. It shapes our culture, fuels our mission, and guides how we lead. And when women lead with gratitude, we build a future where leadership truly has no limits.
About Veronica Aguilar
Veronica Aguilar is the Vice President of Recruitment at Teach For America and the Founder & Chair of Young & Empowered Women. A first-generation college graduate from Arizona, she has dedicated her career to advancing equity in education and empowering diverse women leaders. Veronica has been recognized as a 40 under 40 honoree from the Phoenix Business Journal, Young Professionals ATHENA Award Recipient and a Phoenix Mercury's Believe in Women honoree.
Connect With Veronica
@aguilar1490
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