Public Leadership Education Network (PLEN) is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. Its focus is to introduce college women and marginalized gender groups to role models, career paths, and skills trainings before they enter the workforce, to help prepare them for leadership roles in public service.

[4][5] Ruth and Betsey worked with Farenthold to turn her idea into a successful proposal to the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Programs aimed at preparing women students for leadership in the public arena were initially campus-based.

PLEN also partners with colleges and universities to curate on-site co-curricular programming in advocacy, running for office, and working on Capitol Hill.

Notable speakers include Laura Lane President of Global Affairs at UPS, Director of Federal Government Affairs at the American Express Company Ellie Shaw, and others Women Unlocking Nonprofits: Students meet with female leaders from nonprofit organizations and advocates doing policy work in and around DC.