Dr. Rosina L. Racioppi of AscentPoint Leadership On How We Can Increase Women’s Engagement in Leadership and Management

Progress has been made, but barriers remain. Our work with corporate partners consistently highlights the need for a shared responsibility model.

As a part of our series about How We Can Increase Women’s Engagement in Leadership and Management, we had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Rosina L. Racioppi, President & CEO at AscentPoint Leadership. Dr. Rosina Racioppi leads strategic initiatives to help Fortune 1000 companies build strong pipelines of diverse, high-potential leaders. With over 25 years of experience in organizational development, human resources, and executive leadership, she brings deep expertise to every partner engagement. Before joining AscentPoint Leadership, she held executive HR roles at Degussa Corporation, Nextran (a division of Baxter), and Beechwood Data Systems. She holds a doctorate and master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where her research focused on mid-career mentoring for women, and a bachelor’s from Michigan State. A frequent contributor to leading business publications and a recognized voice in leadership development, Rosina also serves on the Advisory Council of the Women Business Collaborative and is an active member of the Reimagining Talent, Learning & Development Congress.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

My career path was not a straight line, and I am grateful for that! It was shaped by curiosity, adaptability, and relationships. I graduated with a degree in criminal justice during a recession, when the roles I was pursuing disappeared. Instead of waiting for the market to change, I leaned into a summer role I’d had in HR. That pivot opened the door to a career I love, one that focuses on helping organizations succeed by putting their people first. Over time, I held HR leadership roles across manufacturing, high tech, chemical, and biotech organizations. I discovered a consistent strength: helping organizations translate talent and leadership development into measurable business impact. That focus led me to leadership development work that bridges individual growth and enterprise results.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Meeting Jean Otte was pivotal. While working at a corporate headquarters, I partnered with Jean as she launched her company’s leadership programs at WUI, selecting participants, engaging senior leaders as mentors, and providing ongoing feedback on program design. During a corporate roundtable, Jean’s mentor suggested she consider adding me to her team. Two years later, she did. That moment allowed me to fully focus on what I care about most: helping individuals take ownership of their careers while partnering with organizations to build leadership capability aligned to business strategy, the work that defines AscentPoint Leadership today.

Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that significantly influenced your path to leadership?

A defining moment came when Jean shared her plans to retire and asked if I would consider buying the business. Stepping into ownership during an uncertain economic period required a fundamental leadership shift. I learned that leadership is not about executing every solution. It’s about creating an environment where diverse perspectives, expertise, and ideas come together to deliver results. That insight continues to shape how we design our programs: developing leaders who can orchestrate outcomes, not just manage tasks.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I’ve been fortunate to have leaders who invested in my growth. Early in my career, I reported to Doug Mieden, the CFO of a manufacturing company, who supported me as a newly appointed HR Director, building my confidence to contribute at the executive table and advocate for strategic talent decisions. Jean Otte also had a profound influence. She modeled authentic leadership, offered direct and actionable feedback, and truly “walked the walk.” Her approach to development continues to influence how we coach leaders and design learning experiences at AscentPoint Leadership.

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

The Leadership Challenge by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner had a lasting impact. The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership provide a practical and timeless framework that we continue to see resonate in our programs. I would also highlight my own book, Relationships Matter, which is based on my research into developmental networks. It reinforces a core belief in our programs: leadership growth does not happen in isolation — relationships accelerate impact for both individuals and organizations.

Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?

“Seek first to understand,” from Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, remains deeply relevant. Many leaders today operate in constant reaction mode. This principle reminds us to pause, understand organizational priorities, and genuinely listen to different perspectives. These are skills we intentionally develop in the AscentPoint Leadership program participants to improve decision-making and influence.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

Our mission is to help organizations build leadership capability that differentiates their business. So yes, I am grateful to say that through the programs, we are making the world a better place, one person at a time. Participants leave our programs with clarity on how to grow their careers while delivering results for their organizations. Mentors and managers also benefit by gaining deeper insight into the challenges and perspectives of emerging talent. This expands their ability to lead with greater inclusion and effectiveness. The shared growth of participants, managers, and mentors create sustainable organization-wide impact.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this report, only about 31.7% of top executive positions across industries are held by women. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from leadership and management?

Progress has been made, but barriers remain. Our work with corporate partners consistently highlights the need for a shared responsibility model: Leaders must create environments where diverse perspectives are valued and leveraged. Managers must provide strength-based feedback and stretch opportunities that expand enterprise thinking; topics we address directly in our Manager Forums. Employees must self-advocate by clearly articulating their strengths and how they align to business needs. This holistic leadership framework is embedded in all AscentPoint Leadership development programs, and we see its impact consistently.

This might be intuitive to you but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become leaders and managers?

Organizations with diverse leadership teams produce stronger, more innovative outcomes. Our partners are intentional about building broad, inclusive coalitions because leadership diversity directly strengthens decision-making, execution, long-term growth, and the bottom line.

Here is the main question of our interview. Can you please share “5 Things We Need To Increase Women’s Engagement in Leadership and Management?” If you can, please share an example or story for each.

Provide feedback that helps women identify and leverage their strengths.

AscentPoint Leadership uses 360 assessments to help participants identify foundational strengths and use them as a lens for career decisions. Clarity in career decisions is essential. When individuals lack this clarity, they often wait for opportunities instead of shaping them.

Be curious about the business and where impact is created.

We help leaders connect their role to enterprise priorities, enabling more strategic contributions.

Build a diverse network.

Exposure to different perspectives accelerates learning and opportunity.

Create developmental relationships with mentors.

Mentors provide insight, context, and sponsorship that expand leadership readiness.

Be visible and speak up.

We coach leaders to confidently articulate ideas and perspectives that influence outcomes.

In your opinion, what systemic changes are needed to facilitate more equitable access for women to leadership roles?

There are specific actions for all constituents to create lasting equity and to move beyond isolated efforts. Senior leaders set the tone by building cultures where diverse perspectives are actively sought, respected, valued, and used to drive better business outcomes. People managers must ensure equitable development by offering strength-based feedback and intentionally assigning stretch opportunities that broaden enterprise-level thinking, capabilities we develop in our Managers’ Forums. Employees need the skills and confidence to advocate for themselves by clearly communicating their value and how their strengths support business goals. This approach is central to AscentPoint Leadership programs, and is brought back to partner organizations. We consistently see it translate into stronger pipelines, greater engagement and more inclusive leadership practices.

What strategies have you found most effective in mentoring and supporting other women to pursue leadership positions?

The most effective strategies combine strengths-based feedback, exposure to enterprise-level challenges, and intentional mentoring relationships. At AscentPoint Leadership, we focus on helping women translate confidence into visible impact.

How would you advise a woman leader about how to navigate the challenges of being a woman in a leadership role within a male-dominated industry?

Focus on clarity: clarity of strengths, business impact, and leadership voice. Start by gaining concreate knowledge about your strengths and areas for growth. Focus on sharing what you know with others so that you can be in the most useful role. When leaders connect their contributions directly to outcomes that matter, credibility follows regardless of industry norms.

How do you balance the demand for authoritative leadership with the stereotypical expectations of female behavior in professional settings?

Effective leadership is situational. We help leaders build a range of leadership responses, regardless of gender, grounded in authenticity. They learn to lead boldly with confidence, adaptability, and credibility without compromising who they are.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

I would inspire a movement where leadership development is viewed as a strategic investment, not a perk, because when leaders grow, organizations and communities benefit. I am honored to say that I have already witnessed the result in many partner organizations that have engaged with us over the years.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Website: AscentPointLeadership.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rosina-racioppi-792b941/

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Thank you. It’s been a pleasure to share our work and perspective.

> This story originally appear in Medium on January 15, 2026 – click here to see original story