Not Just For Women: A Male Leader's Take on the PWH Leadership Summit

While the focus of the PWH Leadership Summit is for creating spaces for career development for women, a common misconception is that these spaces are solely for women. Professional Women in Healthcare was created with the mindset of furthering one’s self-learning with the intention of rising to challenges well equipped with leadership skills at the ready. These skills will help anyone in the industry, regardless of title, age or gender.

The recent leadership summit that took place in Frisco, Texas, offered powerful insights for professionals across the healthcare industry that reinstated this as the board’s mission. Mike Carney of Drive Medical was able to attend our most recent Leadership Summit and has provided his experience from the male perspective. He emphasizes the unique value that the summit provided through his reflection and highlights.

This year, I had the honor of attending the Women in Leadership Summit—an experience that broadened my perspective on leadership and reinforced the importance of inclusion at every level. As one of the few men in the room, I saw firsthand how valuable it is for male leaders to be present in spaces designed to advance equity and collaboration. These summits aren’t just for women—they’re for anyone committed to building stronger, more effective teams and organizations.

Male engagement in these conversations isn’t optional—it’s essential. We all benefit from diverse leadership, and it’s time more of us stepped forward, not just in support, but in active participation. Attending the summit was a reminder that showing up matters. It’s how we model shared leadership, how we grow, and how we help shape the culture of our organizations for the better.

This isn’t just a women’s summit — it’s a leadership summit. We need more men to show up, listen, and take an active role in building inclusive, high-performing teams.

Key highlights that were strong takeaways:

· Leadership development isn’t gender-specific—this summit offered insights every leader can benefit from.

· Presence matters. When men show up in these spaces, it signals that inclusion is everyone’s priority.

· Attending helped me reflect on how I lead and how I can support a more collaborative, well-rounded leadership culture.

· Equity and progress in leadership require shared responsibility. That starts with more men pulling up a seat at the table.

Leaving the summit, I was struck by the practical leadership insights and the candid, collaborative energy in the room. It was refreshing to learn alongside so many accomplished women and to see how diverse perspectives can strengthen teams and drive real results. This experience reinforced that advancing leadership and equity is a shared responsibility—one that benefits from more men showing up, listening, and contributing. As the industry evolves, it’s clear that building effective teams depends on broad participation and a commitment to learning from different viewpoints.

Save the date for our 2026 PWH Leadership Summit! Join us in West Palm Beach, Florida on May 18-20th for professional development and leadership skill building. We hope to see you there!