Menu Close

About

Vision 2020 has become VisionForward

VisionForward is a national coalition of organizations and individuals working to advance gender equity through women’s leadership.

Mission:

To achieve gender equity by increasing the number and power of women leaders to accelerate economic, political and social change.

Strategies:

  • Connect leaders and organizations with complementary agendas to collaborate for collective impact, especially in areas of economic equity and civic engagement
  • Amplify voices and messages for positive change
  • Focus on timely issues and opportunities that support the mission
  • Propel progress through partnerships, programs, events and media

How we honor founder’s legacy

A Message from the VisionForward National Team

With profound sadness, we share the news that the visionary founder and inspiring leader of VisionForward has died. Lynn H. Yeakel, 80, passed away January 13 after a brief illness. An article about her life of extraordinary accomplishment in pursuit of equality for women was published in the Sunday Philadelphia Inquirer.

We mourn her passing along with the nationwide coalition of leaders and organizations that answered her calls to work together for gender equity in decision-making positions across business and government. The daughter of a Virginia Congressman, she understood the dynamics of politics and power, and the extent to which women were disadvantaged by having too few seats at the table.

VIEW TRIBUTES TO LYNN YEAKEL

Lynn will be remembered for a uniquely formidable combination of personal and professional strengths, among them determination and grace, positive energy and sincere collegiality. Above all, in our view, she was the rare person who truly believes all people are equal and lived that value every day by treating everyone from senators to student interns with equal respect.

In her absence, Lynn’s can-do spirit will continue to drive us forward. We are fortunate that she led us last summer through the transition from Vision 2020 to VisionForward, recasting the organization to focus on the timely issues of caregiving and women’s civic participation. Last fall, she began planning to retire in April 2022 as director and Betty A. Cohen Chair of Women’s Health at Drexel University’s Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership (IWHL), where the VisionForward initiative is headquartered.

With Drexel already having begun the search for her successor, Lynn ensured the continuity of strong leadership in the programs she had created during her 20 years at Drexel. She named two experienced team members as co-directors of VisionForward and promoted others to manage IWHL operations and onboard a new director.

Proud Partners

5 Shorts Project
African American Museum in Philadelphia
ANNA Crusis Women’s Choir
Association for Public Ar
Barnes Foundation
Benjamin Franklin Birthday Celebration
Ben Franklin Technology Partners
Beyond the Bell Tours
Billy Penn at WHYY
Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra
Brandywine River Museum of Art
Center City Proprietors Association
Center for Art in Wood
Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia
City of Philadelphia
Commonwealth Monument Project
Community Arts Center of Wallingford
Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania
Eilandarts Center
Elfreth’s Alley
Envision2bWell Inc.
FBI Philadelphia Field Office
Frances Project
Free Library of Philadelphia
Friends of Laurel Hill & West Laurel Hill Cemeteries
Girls Know How
Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
Greater Philadelphia Film Office
Guild House Hotel
Historic Philadelphia, Inc.
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
In Her Own Right
Independence National Historical Park
Independence Seaport Museum
InLiquid
Justice Bell 2020
Justice Bell Foundation
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Langhorne Council for the Arts
Mural Arts Philadelphia
Museum Council of Greater Philadelphia
Museum of the American Revolution
National Constitution Center
National Museum of American Jewish History
NJ Women Vote: The 19th Amendment at 100
Opera Philadelphia
Our Minds Our Voices
PA Breast Cancer Coalition
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority
Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Historic Neighborhood Consortium
Philadelphia Hospitality
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Plastic Club
River Rock Project
RSM US LLP
Singing City
SteegeThomson Communications
Suffrage Wagon News
Taste 4 Travel Food Tours
The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Theatre Horizon
The Clay Studio
Upper Dublin Monthly Meeting (Friends)
Visit Philadelphia
We Did It For You!
WHYY
Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library
Women for Greater Philadelphia
Women’s Skydiving Network Pro Team
Women’s Whistle Stop Scranton
Woodmere Art Museum
Wyck Historic House, Garden and Farm