They say that behind every great man you’ll find a great woman. The opposite is true as well.

Tide Risers is a year-long cohort experience for women leaders committed to the greater good. It was founded by a woman (me!), it is led by a team of powerhouse women, and its membership is exclusively for people who identify as female. Tide Risers does, however, owe a huge debt of gratitude to the men who have been working behind the scenes to make it a success. It’s high time you all got to know these men.

First and foremost: my husband, James Forrester.

Men, if you’re searching for a model of how a husband can best support his wife, look no further. When I came up with this wild idea to start a movement for women that had no precedent, no proof of success, and no promise of being able to create an income, he said, “go for it.” When said movement took me out of the house for evenings, weekends, and more, he said, “no worries; we'll manage at home.” And when I fretted about how to be more inclusive of women who do not live within commuting distance of our cohorts, he said, “I’ll make an app for that.” (Yes, I know not all husbands can do this last one.) Point is, he found a way to contribute to making my venture stronger and more vibrant. That’s true partnership, and Tide Risers would not exist without it.

Oh and he also takes our daughters to technology conferences. (mic drop)

Duane Cranston.

How do I even begin my list of things to thank this man for? First of all, he made me an aunt (thanks for providing my niece and nephew, brother!) and secondly, he selflessly gives of his time to provide me with exceptional legal advice to make Tide Risers not only a phenomenal community of amazing women, but to make it a real and functional business as well. I only wish all entrepreneurs had such sound (and cost-free!) legal advice. Seriously, I don’t know what I’d do without this man.

Raphael Davis.

Raphael is a dear friend whose absence was acutely felt when he left Brooklyn with his family for Charlottesville, VA. When I reached out to him about wanting to bring Tide Risers to Charlottesville, this man hit the pavement for me in a way that would put most community organizers to shame. Raphael, thank you for rallying your new community in Charlottesville, and for your faith in me and Tide Risers.

And finally, my father.

I suspect he wouldn’t use this term unprompted but this man embodies the concept of what it means to be a feminist. He taught me and my sister how to change a tire, manage a budget, do real, unbiased research, and throw a baseball properly (I still appreciate that one). He also applauded when, as children, we modeled newly-bought dresses and then diligently served as editor to my early 20's radical feminist writings as I raged against the patriarchal machine. He cheers as Tide Risers grows and encourages me to think big about my future as a leader. Thanks, Dad.

Tide Risers creates a safe, supportive, restorative space for women. A women-only environment is essential for the type of self-reflective learning and growing we do together. But outside of intentional communities like ours, excluding others based on gender isn’t the answer to any of our problems. One look at the men behind Tide Risers shows us that we can and must work together. The dedication of these men to our work is testament to their faith that when we support and uplift one another — men and women alike — we all rise.

The Men Behind Tide Risers

First and foremost: my husband, James Forrester.

Duane Cranston.

Raphael Davis.

And finally, my father.