This past year, Rung welcomed its 500th member, helped 21 women earn promotions or new jobs, and supported members in reducing collective debt by $230,440. Gill sees these milestones as a foundation for continued growth, and there are plans to scale programs and introduce a new data analytics career pathway next year. Gill once trained as a competitive boxer, and she still enjoys staying active, but building the organization’s future is what drives her most.
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2026 QUESTIONNAIRE
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
What has been your/your company’s most significant success over the past 12 months? I feel very proud of the diversity of our membership and the success we see through them. We welcomed our 500th member, helped 21 women earn promotions or secure new jobs, and supported members in reducing collective debt by $230,440.23
What has you most excited about the future of your company or industry? I’m really excited about Rung’s plans for scale and growth. We’re helping women envision themselves in careers they might never have thought of for themselves, specifically in tech. We’re launching a new data analytics career pathway next year, we’re thinking about how to get our members comfortable with the adoption of AI into their work. There is a lot to look forward to!
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? The thing I would change about the nonprofit industry is the same thing I would change about every industry: The gender wage gap.
What’s the toughest business challenge you’ve had to overcome? As a leader, I think growing other leaders is both the hardest and most fulfilling part of my work. We put a lot of focus on attracting and retaining talent for our Rung team.
What’s a risk you took in business that didn’t pan out—but taught you something valuable? I spent some time working in the sports world as a consultant. I really thought that was going to be my trajectory before realizing athletes are just regular people. It taught me everything that glitters isn’t necessarily gold. It definitely helped me become more grounded in my decision making.
What advice would you give to the next generation of St. Louis entrepreneurs or leaders? Don’t worry about any mistakes you make before the age of 25. It’s not about the mistakes; It’s about how you recover.
MENTORS & PEERS
What is a key strength of the St. Louis metro area business environment? I think the relatively low cost to do business here is a great asset. For example, Rung was able to make a sizeable investment in our Fox Park neighborhood because the cost to purchase the real estate was affordable. Our region’s affordability allows people to have a good quality of life, and our geographic location makes us accessible. Rising talent sees the life they can afford here; they can put down roots and they can stay.
What is one thing you would change about the St. Louis metro area business environment? I think we have a parochial nature, which leads to a lack of diversity in key leadership roles – particularly missing people of color, and especially women of color. I would love to see St. Louis become more of a melting pot and attract more of an international influence. We have all the institutions that would support it, between healthcare, higher education, and bio science. It would be an interesting goal to put ourselves on the map as a global business destination.
Who is the most interesting under-the-radar/emerging business leader in St. Louis? Arica Harris at Edward Jones has such a big role, but I think she navigates in a way that is humble and below the radar. Tamara Keefe from Clementine’s has built a home-grown, St. Louis brand that has national prominence. Dr. Terry Harris, founder and CEO of The Collective St. Louis and The Legacy Center, is well-known in education circles, but the impact that he is having on the health and wellness of our community is impressive. John Kemper, the president of Commerce Bank, is homegrown in St. Louis and deeply committed to the region.
Who in your company (or industry) deserves more recognition for their impact? Ali Hogan founded Rung for Women. Her vision is so impactful, so important, and has the potential to be global in scale. I don’t think people realize how much she has poured her heart and resources into our mission to elevate women in St. Louis.
What’s a local organization, nonprofit, or initiative that more people should know about—and why? Rung for Women! We are a one-of-a-kind organization that is having a tangible impact on the lives of individuals, on our neighborhood, and on the St. Louis community.
BACKGROUND
Where were you born? East St. Louis
What educational degrees do you hold, and where were they earned? Master’s of International Business at Saint Louis University; Bachelor’s in English at Hampton University
What was your first job, and what did you learn from it? My first job was working at University Copiers, a local print shop at the Corner of Delmar and Euclid. I started there when I was 14 and stayed all the way through college. The owner was a man who immigrated from Nigeria to go to Saint Louis University, and he taught me the value in learning a little bit about a lot of things.
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
What’s your hobby/passion? My passion is growing and building Rung for Women. My hobby is being active every day. I’ll do yoga, pilates, walking, or weight training. I also love to travel and am making my first trip to Africa to visit Rwanda soon.
What is one book you think everyone should read (or podcast everyone should listen to) and why? Atomic Habits is about the power of making small adjustments that can have a big impact. Little tweaks to daily habits can have such a huge return on investment in anything you do in your personal or professional life. I’ve put the concept into practice in a lot of ways.
What do you do when you’re feeling stuck or uninspired? I get unstuck by going for a walk. My favorite place to do that is Forest Park.
What would people be surprised to learn about you (fun fact)? People don’t know that I trained to be a professional boxer in my 20s. I thought I was going to be the next Laila Ali.
