Women continue to be underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and in STEM leadership positions. According to the most recent data available from the National Science Foundation, in academia only 31% of full-time STEM faculty and 27% of STEM deans and department heads are women. By comparison at Stevenson University (SU), 71% of the full-time STEM faculty members are female and 100% of the academic leadership in STEM is provided by women, which sets the university apart from the national norm. Together with an informed, innovative approach to curriculum reform, synergistic leadership and management principles and practices have allowed the School of the Sciences (SOS) at SU to do more with less in STEM education. Total enrollment in the SOS has grown dramatically in recent years and now represents 29% of the total full-time undergraduate population. Local and national STEM outreach programs led by the SOS serve to complement the undergraduate programs and to strengthen the STEM workforce and education pipelines at multiple points. By sharing strategies and results in a case study format, this paper will demonstrate a model for "what works" with regard to female leaders building and sustaining successful and effective academic programs in STEM. An important element of the model is the mentoring web that has been developed to support and sustain the leaders, faculty, staff, and students in the SOS. The SOS network includes both formal and informal structures in which one-on-one and group mentoring occurs on a regular basis. The nature of the mentoring is tailored to the position of the participants involved, but in each case the mentoring contributes to professional growth and development. The emphasis on mentoring has contributed to an increased sense of community and collegiality in the SOS and has enabled the School of the Sciences to make rapid progress in STEM curricular reform and program improvement. (Contains 4 tables.)