Power Plays: How Renee Wittemyer is Flipping the Script on Gender Equity

The Caring Economy with Toby Usnik

The data is clear: when women thrive, economies flourish. But are we really putting our money where our values are? In this powerful episode of The Caring Economy, we sit down with Renee Wittemyer, VP of Program & Strategy at Pivotal Ventures, the Melinda French Gates-backed organization reshaping how we fund gender equity and economic opportunity.

Renee shares eye-opening insights into how strategic investments in women’s leadership, innovation, and workforce inclusion are driving real, measurable change—and why traditional philanthropy isn’t enough. We discuss:

✔️ The ROI of Gender Equity – Why funding women isn’t charity, it’s smart economics
✔️ Breaking Systemic Barriers – The biggest challenges preventing women from accessing capital, leadership roles, and opportunity
✔️ Pivotal Ventures' Bold Approach – How innovative funding models are accelerating change across industries
✔️ What’s Next? – The shifts we need to see in corporate and VC spaces to build a truly inclusive economy

If you're serious about rethinking corporate social responsibility, gender equity, and how capital can drive systemic change, this is an episode you can’t afford to miss.