At Merit Medical, we believe we do our best work when all voices have a seat at the table. In the spirit of fostering inclusivity and growth, we operate a global Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI). Designed to facilitate learning, networking, and professional development for all genders, the WLI celebrates diverse perspectives, enabling better collaboration—and better innovation in the work we do.
For Women’s Month, we sat down with Helen Houben, current chair of the WLI’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) branch, to gain her perspective on how this initiative supports our team.
Leadership and Learning
With a mission of supporting and promoting the advancement of women, the WLI hosts multiple training sessions for professional development throughout the year. The initiative also sponsors various committees, each with a unique focus. The committees are led by women, offering a chance to hone leadership skills, arrange workshops, and forge relationships.
“We try to make people more visible,” says Houben. “We value getting to know what is important to our members. We ask, ‘What drives you to come to work every day? What makes you enthusiastic about being with Merit?’ Understanding what matters to our team serves as inspiration and motivation for the work we do.”
Another source of motivation? The WLI arranges for healthcare professionals to speak with the organization, so members can see the direct application of the life-changing products they develop, build, and distribute.
“We collaborated with female healthcare professionals to demonstrate how women can lead in the medical field,” Houben explains. “It also demonstrated how Merit products help advance women’s health. For example, we hosted a podcast during Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a female oncologist to discuss how her career developed and how she works with our products to help other women.”
Having the chance to see how one’s work benefits communities builds confidence, a trait the WLI always aims to grow.
Global Goals
Established in our EMEA region in 2022, the WLI has provided leadership opportunities to a wide range of members. When it comes to participation, Houben notes that all are welcome.
“It’s a very inclusive network for everyone to participate in,” she says. “We have many men who join the groups. The initiative is for women’s leadership, but it’s meant to be inclusive. We’re happy to have anybody who is interested.”
Beyond gender, the WLI also takes pride in the global diversity of its members.
“As of 2025 within the WLI, we have employees working in 24 different countries. Among these, we have 46 nationalities and 15 languages spoken,” Houben notes. “So the organization is not just about gender, but also the culture of our professional backgrounds. What can we learn from our peers to understand each other better?”
This improved understanding helps empower our team to work more closely together, enabling the free exchange of ideas. An open mind is a creative mind.
Health and Wellness
Health matters to the WLI too, from physical to mental.
“We taught a chair yoga session,” says Houben. “Because our organization is spread across so many countries, many of our meetings are held via video call. Showing our members a way of benefitting their health through an accessible yoga activity reminds us to prioritize our well-being, regardless of where we are.”
As for mental health, Houben notes that the WLI promoted education and resources for neurodiverse individuals during Diversity Week, such as those with autism or ADHD. These resources help foster appreciation for the myriad points of view our team brings to the table.
Eyes to the Future
“We’re always looking for ways to grow,” Houben says. “We seek to spread awareness of what we do throughout the company to encourage people to participate and expand the initiative.”
Helping each other helps us all.
Through demonstrating collaboration and communication to achieve their goal of advancing leadership opportunities, the WLI is a shining example of teamwork—one of Merit’s primary values.
Get to know our other values in the Merit Way, and if you’re seeking a career where all voices are heard, browse openings here. We look forward to helping you grow.