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In this inspiring episode of the She Lift Project podcast, host Cynthia Kirkpatrick sits down with Ali Hogan, founder of Rung for Women, a transformative St. Louis nonprofit. Ali created a holistic program that bridges the critical gap between crisis intervention and sustainable independence by providing women with career training, mental health support, financial coaching, physical wellness resources, and community—all under one roof. The conversation explores how Rung for Women empowers over 500 women through cohort-based programs in advanced manufacturing and IT, helping them move from survival mode to thriving careers earning $60K-$70K+ annually while building confidence, skills, and lasting sisterhood.
This episode is for anyone passionate about women’s empowerment, nonprofit leaders seeking collaborative models, employers looking to diversify their workforce, and individuals wanting to understand how comprehensive support systems create lasting change. Listeners will learn about the power of addressing the “whole woman” rather than just job placement, the importance of community and coaching in transformation, and how Rung for Women’s partnerships with healthcare providers, therapists, and employers create a unique ecosystem of support. After listening, you’ll understand how to get involved with Rung for Women as a volunteer, donor, employer partner, or applicant, and you’ll be inspired to think differently about what it takes to create generational change in your own community.
00:00 – Welcome & Introduction to Ali Hogan
01:23 – What is Rung for Women?
03:22 – The Gap Between Crisis and Sustainable Independence
05:23 – Why St. Louis Needs Rung for Women
08:08 – Bringing Nonprofits Together Under One Roof
10:13 – The Cohort Model: Building Community Through Career Training
12:03 – Confidence Building and Career Stories
16:08 – How Women Find Rung for Women
18:17 – The Application Process and Program Timeline
19:48 – Professional Power Skills: Building Confidence and Workplace Behavior
22:45 – Skills Everyone Needs But Aren’t Always Taught
25:36 – Progress Not Perfection: Changing Mindsets Takes Time
27:38 – Transformation Stories: From Couch Surfing to Antarctica
33:24 – Long-Term Support: We’ve Got Your Back
34:55 – Forklift Training and Skill Building Certifications
36:11 – Helping Women Discover What They Actually Want
39:13 – Being the Change: Representation in Tech and Manufacturing
40:47 – Real Talk: Creating Safe Spaces for Women’s Conversations
42:32 – Whole Person Wellness: Physical Health, Mental Health, and Career Success
45:35 – Women’s Health and Breaking Down Taboos
48:16 – Ali’s Background: Growing Up in a Family of Women Leaders
52:29 – Finding Her Purpose After “Failure to Launch”
54:45 – Lessons Learned: Moving Too Fast and Learning to Collaborate
56:59 – The People Pleaser’s Journey to Saying No
58:42 – Being the Baby: How Birth Order Shaped Her Leadership
1:01:09 – Coaching and Therapy: The Secret Sauce for Success
1:03:11 – How to Get Involved: Volunteer, Donate, Apply
1:05:36 – Volunteers Make the Magic Happen
1:08:02 – The Surprising Grit of Rung Members
1:11:02 – What’s Next: Growing Deeper or Wider?
1:13:53 – Final Thoughts: Hope, Progress, and Possibility
Content Notice
This podcast and all She Lift Project content represents the opinions of Cynthia Kirkpatrick and her guests. The content here is for informational purposes only, and should not be taken as professional advice – financial, legal, medical, or otherwise.
Views and opinions expressed in the podcast and across all She Lift Project media channels are our own and do not represent that of our places of work. While we make every effort to ensure that the information we are sharing is accurate, we welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
“These are brilliant people. But they’ve been so hyper focused on their career path that they don’t have the greatest life skills. They don’t know how to manage their finances, they don’t know how to buy a house, they don’t know what to budget for.”
“You can only lead as far as you’ve healed, because until you start to recognize that, you will perpetuate the same mistakes that got you there before, either yourself or the leader that you were under. And that’s why the healing part is so important, because it comes up again and you’re like, okay, wait, this is what this is.”
During COVID we realized that people wanted to have certain services and things basically in their home, but you couldn’t find an avenue where you could find a one stop shop that had everything offered and these people would actually show up.
“All of a sudden, it’s cold. I’m cold and I’m wet and. But my windows weren’t open. I’m like, oh, my gosh, this is not a drill.”
“And when you get into that routine of making sure everybody else is okay and you’re not filling your own cup, then you’re empty. And I think at that point, if it goes on for too long, that’s where silencing happens naturally, where you have no words for yourself because you’ve given it to everyone else.”
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