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The Lancaster Area Express Network (LAEN) is an official Express Network of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA). On June 14, 2006, LAEN proudly became the first ABWA Express Network in Pennsylvania, marking a milestone in ABWA history. Founded by thirty-five dedicated Lancaster County professionals and their associates, LAEN was built on a shared purpose: to support one another in professional growth, leadership development, and career advancement.
Since our inception, we have offered a wide range of business-focused educational programs, motivational speakers, and meaningful networking opportunities. We are proud of our history and accomplishments—both locally and nationally—that reflect and advance ABWA’s rich heritage and mission, established in 1949. In today’s fast-paced business environment, time is one of your most valuable resources. LAEN’s meeting format is designed to help professional women make the most of every minute, with a strong emphasis on education, connection, and purposeful networking.
Join us and discover the power of community, collaboration, and growth. We think you’ll be glad you did.
Welcome to a new chapter for ABWA LAEN.
As I step into the role of President, I’ve been thinking about what makes an association truly valuable. The answer is simple: its members.
This year, our focus is on strengthening our foundation by getting back to the heart of what makes ABWA special—women supporting women, building meaningful relationships, sharing knowledge, and growing together professionally and personally. But honoring our foundation doesn’t mean standing still. The world of work has changed, and so have the skills, tools, challenges, and opportunities facing women today. We need to grow with it.
That starts with something simple but powerful: we’re going to listen harder.
I want us to go deeper in understanding our members and the women we hope to welcome into our organization. What do you need? What challenges are you facing? What skills would help you move forward? What conversations do you want to have? What tools, resources, and speakers would bring real value to your business, career, and life? Your answers should shape what we do.
That means being more intentional about our speakers, programs, and events—and creating opportunities for meaningful connection. We want you to leave our meetings thinking, “That was great! I’m really glad I came.” We believe professional growth and personal growth go hand in hand. Whether you’re building a business, advancing your career, leading others, navigating change, or figuring out what comes next, ABWA LAEN should be a place where you feel supported, connected, and inspired to grow.
My vision is simple: I want ABWA LAEN to be the #1 association for businesswomen in our community—the organization where businesswomen know they’ll receive the greatest value for their time, energy, and membership.
And that doesn’t happen because of one President or one leadership team. It happens because we build it together. So, talk to us. Tell us what you want. Tell us what you need. Share your ideas. And if there’s something we can do better, please tell us. We’re listening. And this year, we intend to listen harder, go deeper, and turn what we hear into action.
I’m excited about where we’re going—and even more excited to build it with you.
With gratitude,
Chris Drew
President
President
president@abwalaen.org
President-Elect
president-elect@abwalaen.org
VP of Finance
finance@abwalaen.org
VP of Programming
programming@abwalaen.org
VP of Communication
communication@abwalaen.org
VP of Membership
membership@abwalaen.org
VP of Registration
registration@abwalaen.org
VP of Marketing
marketing@abwalaen.org
Selfless Leadership - Be committed to doing the right thing, always. Be transparent in your actions even when no one is looking!
2. Building Community - Be committed to creating sustainable ABWA community where women can connect, learn, and grow together.
3. Values and Seek Diversity - Be committed to recruiting new members from diverse cultures, work industries and experiences.
4. Manage for Innovation and Excellence - Be committed to original thinking and delivering excellence in everything you do.
5. Life long Learning - Be committed to enhancing your own business knowledge, skills and acumen. Be unafraid to make mistakes and try again.
6. Focus on Facts and Own the Results - Be committed to using "data" to drive your decisions and actions, and be accountable for your performance--good and bad.
7. Choose to Make a Difference - Be committed to unlocking a member's potential and inspiring/motivating her to become the best version of herself.
8. Celebrate - Be committed to celebrating members' achievements.