Porter Wright is pleased to announce that Kate Van Schaik in the firm's Corporate Department and Health Care Practice Group, has successfully completed the Ohio Women's Bar Foundation (OWBF) Leadership Institute. The prestigious program is designed to cultivate the next generation of women leaders in the legal profession.

The OWBF Leadership Institute welcomed its newest class during Women’s History month in March of 2026, bringing together women attorneys from across Ohio who, in the words of the Foundation, “are ready to lead with purpose, integrity and impact.” The institute is open to female Ohio attorneys with at least five years of practice experience who are active members of the Ohio Women's Bar Association.

The program featured six comprehensive sessions organized around three core purposes: preparing and enhancing leadership capabilities; building meaningful professional networks; and addressing the unique challenges women face in the legal profession. Through expert panels led by recognized leaders in their fields, interactive workshops, and structured networking opportunities.

Participants collaborated throughout the program to advance the OWBF’s mission of elevating gender equity and developing women leaders across the state. The Foundation recognized the cohort’s achievement with a statement celebrating their selection.

“We celebrate their selection into this prestigious program and look forward to the remarkable contributions they will make as advocates, mentors and trailblazers in law,” organization leadership said in a statement.

For Kate, the program reinforced skills she applies daily in her work counseling health care organizations and corporate clients.

According to Kate, her biggest takeaway from the program was a sense of community.

“I took away a sense of support and community amongst other women lawyers both in my cohort and in the inspirational speakers and panels we had across the sessions. I found value in all of the sessions, but I specifically found immense value in the sessions about overcoming challenges, having difficult conversations and building my personal brand of leadership,” said Kate, noting “these sessions coupled with the open and honest conversations with my cohort and the various speakers left me with a sense of professional and personal growth.”

Kate’s practice focuses on advising hospitals, physician practice corporations, and home health agencies on matters involving compliance, entity formation, mergers and acquisitions, contracting, and joint ventures. She regularly counsels clients on federal and state anti-kickback and anti-referral laws, managed care contracting, patient care issues, risk management and professional liability concerns. She also assists clients with internal investigations and strategies to mitigate regulatory and litigation risk.

“Kate’s completion of the OWBF Leadership Institute is a meaningful achievement and a reflection of her commitment to professional growth, leadership and excellence in client service. Programs like this not only strengthen individual capabilities, but also help shape a more inclusive and forward-thinking legal profession. We are proud of Kate’s accomplishment and are confident that the insights and connections she has gained will continue to enhance her work with clients and her contributions to our firm and the broader community,” said Tami Kirby, partner-in-charge of Porter Wright’s Dayton office.

In addition to her health care work, Kate advises on securities compliance, transactions, and regulatory matters. Leveraging years of prior litigation experience, which includes complex claims involving product liability, Title IX, sexual assault and harassment, and fraud. She helps clients proactively address corporate legal challenges, prevent the escalation of issues and position themselves for long-term success.