A chairwoman is a female leader who presides over meetings, committees, boards, or organizations. She runs meetings by calling them to order, making sure everyone gets a chance to speak, helping the group make decisions, and keeping discussions focused and productive.

In a student council, the chairwoman might lead weekly meetings where classmates discuss upcoming events and vote on new ideas. In a company, the chairwoman of the board helps guide major business decisions. In Congress, a committee chairwoman decides which topics the committee will investigate and when they'll hold hearings.

Many organizations now use gender-neutral terms like chair or chairperson instead. You might hear someone say, “She chairs the committee” or “She's the committee chair.”

The role requires fairness and good judgment. A skilled chairwoman knows when to let debate continue and when to call for a vote. She makes sure quieter members are heard and that louder voices don't dominate. The position often carries significant responsibility and influence, whether running a school club meeting or leading a major corporation's board of directors.