Meet WEMN
Our Founders
Empowered Women Empowering Women
Our History
The Women’s Empowerment Mentor Network (WEMN) was founded by Simona Rabsatt Butler with the support of four powerhouse women in Northwest Arkansas - Twilla Brooks, Alicia Levy, Cammy Jo McCain, and Holly Gilbert. The idea took shape in 2023 after a Kimberly-Clark executive challenged the group to do more with the Women’s Empowerment Deck platform they were cultivating at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship,
a LPGA Tournament.
Simona dusted off a mentoring program she had designed years earlier and evolved it into today’s Mentor Circles - a model built for growth and impact. During one of the group’s biweekly planning meetings, Holly
contributed the name that stuck: WEMN.
The nonprofit officially launched in 2024 with 8 mentees from Bentonville and Rogers public high schools. By 2025, WEMN expanded into Springdale and welcomed 10 mentees, while also celebrating major milestones: securing 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, hosting the first Fore! HerFuture fundraiser,
and working to forge a partnership with Arvest Bank to bring
financial literacy education directly to mentees.
WEMN believes every young woman deserves a circle of support to walk beside her as she grows into adulthood. What began as a bold challenge in 2023 has quickly become a powerful movement - connecting high school juniors, college students, and young professionals across Northwest Arkansas with the mentorship, confidence, financial literacy, and skills they need to thrive.
Our Mission
WEMN cultivates confident, connected, financially aware, and purpose-driven young women through mentorship, community, and opportunity.
We envision a future where they step boldly into leadership,
chase dreams with confidence, and empower the next generation.
Our Mission
To cultivate confident, connected, financially aware, and purpose-driven young women through mentorship, community, and opportunity.
Our Vision
A future where young women across Northwest Arkansas and beyond step boldly into leadership, pursue their dreams with confidence, and
pay it forward by empowering the next generation.
Our Values
- Empowerment – Championing every young woman's right to be confident, courageous, and in control of her future
- Inclusivity – Creating spaces where all voices are heard, all identities respected, and every story matters
- Integrity – Operating with honesty, accountability, and purpose - modeling the leadership we wish to see
- Growth – Embracing learning, self-reflection, and personal evolution as essential to becoming our best selves
- Community – Encouraging the power of collaboration and shared wisdom to uplift individuals and transform futures
Winning with WEMN
Our Journey So Far
2024: Planting the Seed
WEMN launched its first mentorship circle with a vision to create community, connection, and confidence for young women.
- 29 applications and essays received - 8 inaugural mentees selected
- 3 Northwest Arkansas high schools represented
- 4 mentorship sessions hosted - 112 volunteer hours completed
- Recognized on stage at the Walmart and Kimberly Clark sponsored Women's Empowerment Summit for NextUp
What started as a single circle quickly became something much bigger.
2025-2026: Growing the Movement
Received official 501(c)(3) status in March 2025, with WEMN expanding its reach, programming,
and impact across Northwest Arkansas and beyond. Today, WEMN supports 35 mentees across
three active circles - HerHonor, HerEmpower, and EmpowHER.
Additional highlights include:
- 28 for 2025 and 31 applications and essays received for 2026 HerHonor Circle
- 22 in-person and 5 virtual in 2025 with 20 in-person and 4 virtual Meet+Greets in 2026 conducted
- 4 NW Arkansas high schools represented: Bentonville, Bentonville West, Don Tyson School of Innovation, and Rogers Heritage
- Expanded our Mentor bench from the initial 5 mentors to 15+ across 3 circles and continued recruiting efforts to identify more
- Launch of the EmpowHER Crew, supporting 7 young women ages 23-27 across Arkansas, Georgia, Washington, New York, and Africa
- Hosted new signature events including Mentor Mingle, HerFuture Holiday Fiesta, and our first Rising Star Reception celebrating graduating seniors and their families
- Established first partnership with Serve2Perform Community providing membership for mentors and access to programming for mentors and mentees
Most importantly, we've seen young women build confidence, create lifelong friendships, discover their voices, and step boldly into their futures.
What's Next
Fall 2026 WEMN aims to launch its fourth and final mentorship pathway, HerRise Collective,
supporting college-aged women and reconnecting alumni from our 2024 and 2025 HerHonor cohorts.
With four mentorship experiences - HerHonor Circle, HerEmpower Circle, HerRise Collective, and EmpowHER Crew -
WEMN is creating a lifelong leadership pipeline that supports young women through every stage of their journey.
Different stages. One network. Lifelong empowerment.