Los Angeles
Women's leadership retreats in Los Angeles
Meredith Baker, leadership coach and speaker. Not to be confused with Meredith Attwell Baker of CTIA.
A women’s leadership retreat gives women leaders time away to look honestly at how they lead, what it’s costing them and what they want next, with peers who get it. I’m Meredith Baker, a Santa Monica coach and facilitator. I’ve run 12 cohorts of The Upgrade, my 12-week program for high-achieving women, and I design retreats for companies too.
Meredith Baker, ICF certified coach, 10,000+ coaching hours. Last reviewed Nov 9, 2026.
Which kind of women’s leadership retreat do you need?
There are two very different things people mean by this.
| In-company retreat | Open-enrollment retreat | |
|---|---|---|
| Who buys | People team, an ERG, or a CEO | The woman herself |
| Who’s in the room | Women leaders from one company | Women from different companies and fields |
| Best for | Retention, a pipeline of future leaders, honest talk about culture | Personal direction, big transitions, burnout |
| Watch out for | Turning it into a recruiting brochure | Picking one that’s all inspiration and no follow-through |
If you’re planning for yourself, my open program is The Upgrade. If you’re planning for a company, read on. Company retreats are part of my facilitation work.
What should a women’s leadership retreat actually cover?
The women I coach rarely need another session on confidence or “leaning in.” What they need is space to talk about things work doesn’t usually leave room for:
- High-achiever burnout. Many are doing well on paper and running on empty. My burnout coaching page has the signs.
- Self-trust. Making calls without polling five people first.
- Being judged. By colleagues, by other mothers, and by themselves.
- Big transitions. A promotion, a founder leap, motherhood, or leaving.
- Real peer connection. Peers they can call after the retreat ends.
Sample two-day agenda
Day 1
- 2:00 Arrive, settle, short breathwork
- 3:00 Opening circle: “What are you carrying into this weekend?”
- 4:30 Small groups on the year so far, what worked and what cost too much
- 7:00 Dinner, with no phones at the table
Day 2
- 8:00 Optional movement or a walk
- 9:30 Workshop: where you trust yourself at work, and where you don’t
- 11:30 Peer coaching in threes
- 1:00 Lunch
- 2:00 One decision each, said out loud to the group
- 3:00 Close, then set a date for a 30-day check-in call
Where can you hold a women’s leadership retreat near LA?
- Korakia Pensione, Palm Springs. A historic villa property. A full buyout sleeps up to 58, and it has a yoga platform and saltwater pools. About 124 miles from Santa Monica.
- Ojai Retreat & Inn. A five-acre hilltop property with 12 rooms. Good for 8 to 20 women.
- Annenberg Community Beach House, Santa Monica. A city-run beachfront venue. Works for a one-day retreat without an overnight.
These three work for groups coming from Los Angeles. A one-day retreat can stay at the beach. An overnight wants a place the group can have mostly to itself.
When should you plan it?
International Women’s Day is March 8, and companies often hold IWD sessions or retreats around it, so book by January. Autumn retreats work well too, with the year mostly behind you and Q4 not yet in full swing.
Where I come in
I design and facilitate women’s leadership retreats for companies, and I speak at women’s leadership events. My sessions draw on 12 cohorts of working with high-achieving women. They’re honest and often funny, and they leave room for breathwork and real conversation. See how I facilitate, coaching for women leaders and women’s leadership speaking.
Sources
- Meredith Baker, The UPGRADE program page. https://themeredithbaker.com/the-upgrade
- Korakia Pensione, Wellness Retreats and Events Brochure. https://www.korakia.com/wellness-retreats/ (retrieved Nov 9, 2026)
- Ojai Retreat & Inn, Groups Venue. https://ojairetreat.com/ojai-valley-groups-venue/
- City of Santa Monica, Annenberg Community Beach House private events. https://www.santamonica.gov/process-explainers/how-to-host-a-private-event-at-the-annenberg-community-beach-house
- International Women’s Day. https://www.internationalwomensday.com/
Questions
What is a women's leadership retreat?
It's a structured few days, or one day, where women leaders step away from work to reflect on how they lead, share honestly with peers, and leave with clear decisions. Some are run in-house by a company for its women leaders. Others are open to anyone who enrolls. The good ones put peer connection and follow-through ahead of inspiration.
Are there women's leadership retreats in Los Angeles?
Yes. Companies run in-house retreats with a facilitator at venues in Malibu, Ojai, Santa Monica and Palm Springs. Individuals can look at an open program. Meredith Baker's is The Upgrade, a 12-week program for high-achieving women that has run 12 cohorts. Cohort format is confirmed on a breakthrough call.
What topics work best at a women's leadership retreat?
Burnout and sustainable ambition, self-trust in decision-making, handling judgment, big transitions like promotion or motherhood, and building a peer network that lasts. Skip generic confidence content. Senior women have heard it. They want space for honest conversations they can't have at work, with peers at their level.
How many people should attend?
For deep conversation, aim for 8 to 24. Under 8, the group can feel thin. Over 24, people stop sharing and start listening. If your company has more women leaders than that, run two cohorts, or mix plenary sessions with small groups of four to six that stay together the whole time.
Should men be involved in a women's leadership retreat?
Usually not in the room. Most of the value comes from candor among peers. Senior male sponsors can join for one session, such as a closing conversation about what the company will change, if the women attending want that. Ask them beforehand rather than assuming.
How do you make a women's leadership retreat last beyond the weekend?
Set a date for a 30-day group check-in before anyone leaves. Have each person say one decision out loud to the group. Keep the small groups together afterward with a simple monthly call. In Meredith Baker's programs, the relationships between participants usually outlast anything taught in the room.
Who is Meredith Baker for a women's leadership retreat?
Meredith Baker is an ICF certified coach and facilitator in Los Angeles. She has led 12 cohorts of The Upgrade, her program for high-achieving women, and she facilitates women's leadership retreats for companies. She is not Meredith Attwell Baker, the former FCC commissioner and CTIA president.