Connections to Success, a non-profit organization with locations in St. Louis, St. Charles, Columbia, and Kansas City, has been recognized by the Women’s Foundation of Greater St. Louis as a top place for women to work in their eighth annual “Women in the Workplace: Employment Scorecard.” The organization is one of 11 St. Louis employers demonstrating excellence in four areas of workplace gender equity – leadership, compensation, flexible work policies, and recruitment and retention.
“We believe gender equality starts from within,” said Brandi Jahnke, CEO of Connections to Success. “Just as we empower participants to break cycles of poverty and build stronger futures, we also strive to create a work environment where women have the opportunity to lead, thrive, and make a lasting impact.”
This recognition affirms the efforts by Connections to Success to create a supportive workplace that reflects the same values it provides to participants in the community. Women serve in key leadership roles at the organization, where the culture is intentionally designed to foster professional growth, inclusion, and empowerment.
Unlike most “Best Places to Work” lists that rely on employee opinion surveys, the Women in the Workplace: Employment Scorecard is based on objective criteria and blind data review, evaluating organizational policies and their impact on gender diversity.
Honorees met rigorous benchmarks, including having women in at least 28% of top leadership roles, ensuring women comprise at least 25% of the top 10% of highly compensated employees, providing a starting wage above the Missouri minimum, and offering family friendly policies and recruitment and retention programs designed to advance women in the workplace.
“This honor is meaningful because it reflects the heart of who we are,” said Rachael Meuser, Vice President of Community & Impact. “At Connections to Success, we model the change we hope to see in the world. By creating a workplace where women are equally valued, supported, and equipped to lead, we’re setting an example for our participants and our community.”
About Connections to Success:
Founded in 1998, Connections to Success is a non-profit organization based in Missouri, with locations in St. Louis, St. Charles, Columbia, and Kansas City. Connections to Success offers comprehensive support to families working toward economic stability and growth by providing practical resources, career preparation, and a strong foundation for lasting success. The organization provides a comprehensive network of services and referrals to help people achieve economic independence after facing challenges such as generational poverty, incarceration, and violence. The Connections to Success model integrates training opportunities, life transformation coaching, support services, and job development to set participants up for long-term success. This evidence-based model delivers a measurable ROI, resulting in sustainable change that positively impacts all areas of a person’s life while also having a positive influence on the community.
Since its original start in 1998, the organization has served over 40,000 individuals throughout Missouri, Kansas and Illinois.
