JoAnne, “Jo,” Bass, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force #19, Recognized as SHRM’s 2024 Legend in Leadership

ALEXANDRIA, VA –  SHRM, the trusted authority on all things work, is honored to announce JoAnne, “Jo,” Bass, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force #19 and Founder of The Bass Group as the recipient of the 2024 Legend in Leadership award. 

The recipients of the prestigious “Legend in Leadership” award serve as an example of exceptional leadership. They are recognized each year at the Women in Leadership Institute, presented by Linkage. This year’s event will be held November 11-14th in Orlando and virtually. Bass will be honored with the award and deliver a keynote address on November 13th. 

Bass served in the U.S. Air Force for over 31 years. In August 2020, she was selected as the 19th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force and the first woman to become the highest senior enlisted leader in any military service, making her a unique trailblazer and role model to hundreds of thousands of men and women. She retired from that position in March 2024 and continues to champion national security and policies that impact veterans and their families using her influence and platform.  

Bass is also the founder and president of The Bass Group LLC, developing the leaders our nation needs and fostering a leadership style that breaks barriers, challenges convention, and ignites innovation. She is also an Honorary Board Co-Chair for the Women in Military Service for America Foundation, Member of the Board of Directors for the Robert Irvine Foundation, Adjunct Senior Fellow to Center for a New American Security (CNAS), and Strategic Advisor to the President of Columbia Southern University. 

“It is with great admiration and respect that we present the Legend in Leadership Award to JoAnne Bass. Her unwavering commitment, visionary leadership, and profound impact exemplify the very essence of excellence,” said Tamla Oates-Forney, CEO of Linkage. JoAnne’s dedication not only inspires those around her but also sets a remarkable standard for future generations of leaders. We are honored to celebrate her extraordinary achievements and enduring legacy.” 

To learn more and register for the Women in Leadership Institute, please visit: https://conferences.shrm.org/women-in-leadership  

Press registration: Media interested in attending the Women in Leadership Institute must email press@shrm.org to request complementary press credentials.  

About Linkage, Inc. 

Linkage is a global leadership development firm committed to advancing women and accelerating inclusion in leaders and organizations, trusted by more than 250 clients across industries. For more than 30 years, Linkage has been changing the face of leadership by impacting organizational effectiveness and equity. Through their work with more than one million leaders, Linkage continues to evolve their unique datasets, insights, and innovative products to create comprehensive solutions—empowering top organizations to solve their most pressing talent challenges. 

About SHRM

SHRM is a member-driven catalyst for creating better workplaces where people and businesses thrive together. As the trusted authority on all things work, SHRM is the foremost expert, researcher, advocate, and thought leader on issues and innovations impacting today’s evolving workplaces. With nearly 340,000 members in 180 countries, SHRM touches the lives of more than 362 million workers and their families globally. Discover more at SHRM.org.