
Cultivate Your Leadership Potential
The Virtual Cohort is an online, seven-week leadership training program that gives women the tools, mindset, and community needed to start preparing for a future run for office.
There are no more Virtual Cohort scheduled for 2020. Details about future cohorts in 2021 will be announced this Fall.
Who Should Apply
The Virtual Cohort is for women who are considering a run for office and are ready to start laying down the groundwork towards a future run. Ideally, you are two to five years out from a run for office and are curious about what you need to set yourself up for success when you do decide to run.
Have more questions? Read our FAQs.
Benefits of Participating in a Virtual Cohort
Discover Community
Virtual cohorts are made up of a diverse community of supportive women from across the country.
Feel Comfortable
Our cohorts are a virtual, judgment-free zone you can access from the comfort of your own home.
Learn from the Best
Learn first-hand from politically experienced speakers and facilitators who are experts in their fields.
The Virtual Cohort Curriculum

Cultivating Leadership
Connect the dots on how public service can be a path to achieving your vision for change, and how you can harness your own leadership power and style.
- Identify and articulate your leadership vision and style.
- Develop your vision for making an impact as an elected official.
- Identify and start addressing fears around running for office.
- Address internal barriers like imposter syndrome.
- Identify your unique leadership qualities and make a plan to expand them.

Building Networks
Start learning how your network can support your political leadership, how you can expand it, and begin to get comfortable with the idea of fundraising.
- Map out your existing network to utilize for future run for office.
- Learn how to expand your network for a future run for office.
- Learn the elementary basics of fundraising.

Fostering Communication
Build your leadership by sharing your story, honing your personal style, and communicating the possibilities you imagine to your existing networks and contacts.
- Start sharing your personal story and how it relates to why you want to lead.
- Connect with others through charisma that is unique to you and what you believe in by developing your own pitch.
- Learn how to communicate effectively through digital channels.
- Learn how to listen and develop a keen ear for information that matters by practicing your listening and emotional quotient skills.

Finding Pathways
Find your own way to elected office through your experiences, leadership style, and networks.
- Find a place to start your journey.
- Get comfortable taking risks.
- Tackle external barriers to running for office.
- Make your plan to start taking deliberate steps towards a future run for office.
About Our Program Facilitators
She Should Run Program Facilitators come from all different backgrounds and are experienced leaders. They have first-hand political experience either having run for office, served in elected office, or worked in the political space for most of their careers. Each trainer has an extensive understanding of She Should Run, our curriculum, and have been prepared for each Cohort with our own training.

Krystal Marx
Burien City Council Member

Eva Pusateri
Senior Communications Executive & Public Relations Leader

Joni Wickham
Co-founder of Wickham James Strategies and Solutions
Past Guest Speakers
In addition to our dedicated Program Facilitators, we invite women from various experiences to share their personal stories, touching on the Incubator-focused elements of leadership, networking and fundraising, communications, and finding your own pathway to public office. Guest speakers also often touch on how to overcome internal and external barriers to running for public office.

Anna Brosche
Former Jacksonville City Council Member

Dyana Limon Mercado
Chair of Travis County Democratic Party

Evelyn Sanguinetti
Former Lieutenant Governor of Illinois

Dr. Barbara Sharief
Broward County Commissioner

Jheanelle Wilkins
Maryland State Delegate
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the She Should Run Virtual Cohort cost?
The Virtual Cohort is free to apply. There is a $65 registration fee for accepted participants to complete before starting the program. The registration fee is non-refundable. Scholarships are given on a case-by-case basis.
I’m not sure if I want to run for office. Is this program right for me?
Yes! This isn’t your typical political training. Many trainings would drop you right into the proverbial deep end of the political pool. The Virtual Cohort instead helps you dip your toe in and get used to the water. While we’re sure you’ll be inspired to run someday while participating, we also know the Virtual Cohort and community will prepare you to be a stronger leader for however you decide to make an impact.
What can I expect to gain from participating?
Where you used to see barriers to running, we aim for you to see opportunities to run and serve. The Virtual Cohort will help you find your unique way to start envisioning a life in public service based on your own experiences, networks, and leadership style. You will gain increased confidence about running for office and feel more prepared to navigate the path to elected office, especially with a supportive community of women encouraging you along the way.
So this program is a campaign training, right?
The Virtual Cohort is NOT a campaign training. The Virtual Cohort is the beginning, not the end of your journey. The program focuses on helping you build a solid foundation to run someday. If you are looking for a nuts-and-bolts campaign program that focuses on voter outreach, targeted fundraising, etc., check out Pinpoint. Pinpoint helps you find and share local, state, and national resources focused on running for office and includes organizations that offer campaign programs.
Who are the women in the program?
Our Virtual Cohort participants are women from all different backgrounds, ethnicities, political parties, and from all across the country. Some are just starting to consider it and some know they want to run but are looking for the first place to start. We aim to build a supportive network among our Cohorts that you can lean on during the program and afterward.
What is the time commitment for the Virtual Cohort?
Each weekly session lasts 90 minutes and attendance is required. As this is an investment in your personal leadership journey, there is required homework outside of the program for participants to work on that can take between 30-60 minutes per week. We estimate cohort members will spend up to 2.5 hours each week, but it will vary from person to person. Participants should plan to block out time each week to focus on the cohort and their leadership.
How does a virtual program work, anyway?
Each week, Virtual Cohort members will meet for 90 minutes via Zoom, a video conferencing platform, to discuss the elements of leadership, building networks, fostering communication, and finding pathways. The sessions are interactive and members are expected to come fully prepared to engage with one another and their facilitator. Outside of the weekly sessions, participants have access to online groups where they can chat and get to know one another.
What is the attendance policy?
Due to the short nature of the program, we allow only one excused absence. If a participant is more than 30 minutes late to a session or leaves with more than 20 minutes left, this will count as an absence. If you miss more than one, you can remain in the program but you will not receive a certificate of completion. Participants are also required to give notification of absence within 24 hours of the virtual session or as soon as you are aware you will be absent.
If I miss a session, can I view a recording of it afterward?
In order to maintain the privacy of our participants, we don’t offer recordings of the sessions. Additionally, the weekly virtual sessions are interactive-style rather than a traditional webinar.
I know She Should Run is nonpartisan. Do you support candidates?
As a 501(C)(3) nonprofit, we do not work directly with candidates by providing political endorsements or financial support. If a woman in our cohort is actively running, we ask that she refrain from soliciting support from fellow cohort members for the duration of the program.