Story highlights Cecile Richards has served as president of Planned Parenthood since 2006

She spoke at the Women's March "Power to the Polls" rally in Las Vegas

Washington (CNN) Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards will step down this year, she announced in a statement on Friday.

"Leading Planned Parenthood over the last 12 years has been the honor of my lifetime," she said. "Together, we have made real progress in this country, expanding access to services and making reproductive rights a central priority of our nation's health care system. I'm deeply proud of the progress we've made for the millions of people Planned Parenthood health centers serve across the country each year."

After 12 years, I will be stepping down from my position as president of Planned Parenthood this year. pic.twitter.com/L6ttLDjyS1 — Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) January 26, 2018

During her tenure, which began in 2006, Richards -- a Hillary Clinton supporter -- helped elevate the profile of Planned Parenthood, which has been the subject of criticism by anti-abortion organizations, which have called on the government to strip the organization of its funding.

Her announcement comes just one week after the anniversary of the Women's March. Richards marched in New York on Saturday and spoke at the Women's March "Power to the Polls" rally in Las Vegas on Sunday.

"Last year, we dared to hope for a better, brighter, more inclusive world," Richards told the audience in Las Vegas. "This, year we're going to go out and build it. And if we dare to be powerful, and if we use our strength in service of our vision, nothing and no one can stand in our way."