Pamela Jeffery – Founder of the Women’s Executive Network (WXN)

Release Date: August 29, 2014 Pamela is the Founder of the Women’s Executive Network (WXN), Canada’s largest organization for women (17,500 members) in management, executive, board and professional roles.  Under her leadership, WXN works with 80+ global companies and others to support the advancement of women into senior management and executive roles.

During her 30 year career, Pamela has served as a Special Assistant to an Ontario Cabinet Minister, Communications Advisor to Prime Minister Paul Martin, Senior Consultant in a government relations firm and President and CEO of a public affairs firm in Toronto.  She is best known for creating WXN and Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards.  Pamela was inspired to create a network for female leaders back in 1997 because one did not exist.  In 2008, WXN was launched in Ireland – the first step towards creating an international community of female leaders.  In 2012, Pamela was the only resident Canadian named as a charter member of Fast Company’s League of Extraordinary Women which recognized 60 women globally including Hillary Clinton and Melinda Gates for their dedication to changing the lives of women and girls.

In 2009, she founded the Canadian Board Diversity Council with a mandate from the federal government to increase the board representation of women, members of visible minority groups, Aboriginal peoples including First Nations, Inuit and Métis and persons with disabilities.  Pamela is well-versed in corporate governance.  She has served on nine public sector and non-profit boards, including Trent University and the Canadian Opera Company, and 11 advisory boards and committees.  Her board service includes chairing three governance committees.  She currently serves as a member of the federal government’s Advisory Council for Promoting Women on Boards, the Ivey School of Business Entrepreneurship Council and is a Director of The Hincks-Dellcrest Foundation.

She holds an MBA and an HBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business, is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, Women Corporate Directors, International Women’s Forum (IWF) and The National Club (Past President).  She lives in Toronto with her husband Norman Inkster and is the mother of two sons Stephen and Samuel.

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