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While women make up about 47% of the approximately 161 million people in the U.S. labor force, the playing field remains uneven. The wage gap between men and women continues to shrink, but in 2023, full-time working women still earned just 83% of what their male counterparts earned, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Gains have come slowly, but last year women made up 29% of C-suite positions compared to just 17% in 2025, McKinsey & Co. reports in its 10th Anniversary of Women in the Workplace. The women profiled this year include those in leadership positions, although in different stages of their careers. Each talked about being part of a team, making a difference for their firms and in their communities.
DEVON WILLIAMS
Co-Managing Director
Ward and Smith, P.A.
800-998-1102
Asheville, Greenville, New Bern, Raleigh and Wilmington
wardandsmith.com
For Devon Williams, leadership was cultivated long before becoming one of the youngest women to helm a major law firm at age 34.
“That skill set has been developing since I was 6 years old, playing softball,” says Williams, who captained her Division I team at the University of Maryland. “Even when I wasn’t a team captain by title, I tried to be that constant teammate, rooting everybody on.”
This team-first philosophy defines the law practice at Ward and Smith, a 115-attorney firm with offices throughout North Carolina. For clients, the firm delivers “responsiveness, practical legal advice, problem-solving, and care,” Williams explains. “We want to take the burden off of them and put it on ourselves to navigate them through that challenging legal issue.”
For colleagues, the firm provides “a truly collaborative work culture where you can build a sophisticated legal career with support both professionally and personally.”
Williams’s journey at the firm has been “unexpected, but incredibly rewarding and humbling.” Starting as a summer associate, she quickly advanced through leadership roles before being nominated for co-managing director while pregnant —just before the 2020 pandemic.
“The practice of law is challenging, particularly when you’re trying to build a family,” Williams notes. “At Ward and Smith, we truly care about each other. We support each other through those times because sometimes performing at your best means knowing your team has your back when your attention needs to be elsewhere.”
This approach is exemplified through policies like gender-neutral parental leave. “Men and women alike benefit from that, and the firm benefits from having that kind of environment.”
What drives her passion? “Helping people. Knowing that I’ve earned their trust and confidence, I can help navigate them through a difficult situation and ease their angst.”
Though she didn’t initially plan on employment law, Williams found it “a perfect blend of legal analysis with people dynamics,” allowing her to empathize with clients
while sourcing practical solutions.
For young women starting careers, Williams advises: “Work hard. Be a team player. Be willing to pick up tasks others may not want—it makes you indispensable. Push yourself beyond what you think you can do because you are a lot more powerful and capable than you probably give yourself credit for.”
She adds, “Try to find joy in what you do, and if you don’t find joy in what you do, find it elsewhere—life is too short and precious.”
PENNY WHITEHEART
Senior Consultant
Creative Economic Development Consulting
336-526-1332
Elkin
creativeedc.com
Penny Whiteheart, senior consultant at Creative Economic Development Consulting (CEDC), is an expert in economic development with more than 30 years of experience. She specializes in regional innovation, cluster strategies, talent attraction, workforce development, and international trade. Since joining CEDC in 2016, Whiteheart has led economic impact analyses, facilitated strategic initiatives, and authored research and blogs.
Her background includes managing Foreign Trade Zones, regional cluster development, strategic planning and demographic analysis. She is a frequent speaker on economic trends, international trade and advanced manufacturing. With more than 20 years in regional economic leadership, Whiteheart has overseen business development, marketing and program evaluation. She currently serves as executive vice president of the Piedmont Triad Partnership in Greensboro.
PAT KAHLE
President and CEO
Union County Chamber
704-289-4567Monroe
unioncountycoc.com
Pat Kahle has made a significant impact in both the financial services industry and her entrepreneurial ventures, as well as in her leadership role as president and CEO of the Union County Chamber. Her ability to grow the Chamber and expand its mission to support various sectors like workforce development, manufacturing, small businesses, and specific programming for women and young professionals is truly commendable.
Her focus on attitude over skills in hiring shows her dedication to building strong, collaborative teams that can drive success. Kahle’s recognition as Union County Woman of the Year in 2011 speaks to the deep respect and admiration she has earned. Her retirement from the Chamber in June marks the end of a remarkable chapter, but her legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire those who follow in her footsteps.