Women Lead Festival

07:30 AM - 08:30 AM ET

Registration and Breakfast

08:30 AM - 08:40 AM ET

Welcome and Introductions

Maj. Gen. Beth Salisbury, Commanding General, 807th Medical Command, U.S. Army Reserve

08:40 AM - 09:00 AM ET

Listening to Each Other

Attendees will use the conference app and a special networking exercise to meet each other and learn about their sectors, roles, and goals for the conference.

09:00 AM - 09:25 AM ET

Girls Inc.: Mentoring Tomorrow’s Corporate Visionaries at Middle School TodayGirls Inc.: Mentoring Tomorrow’s Corporate Visionaries at Middle School Today

The CEO of Girls Inc. has a message for all of us seeking to accelerate progress toward equity: to see more women on boards and in the C-suite in the future, starting mentoring girls in middle school today. These are the years when young women risk losing confidence, and the time to build skills including independent thought, data-driven decision-making, and financial literacy.
Joined by a volunteer in and a graduate of one of Girls Inc.’s mentorship programs, the CEO of the country’s longest-running girls’ leadership organization will share her and their stories, and discuss how mentorship is changing futures.

Stephanie J. Hull, President and CEO, Girls Inc

Sam Arriozola, Program Coordinator and Mentor, Girls Inc

Malika _, High School Senior, Participant, Girls Inc

09:30 AM - 09:55 AM ET

Turning Points: Bettina Deynes, Global CHRO, Carnival Corporation

Prior to the Festival, we asked our attendees to share a crucial turning point for them: A moment where a piece of advice, an opportunity offered, a risk taken, or something else made all the difference for their journey as a leader. You will see responses on our screens during the event. We will hear from Bettina Deynes, Global Chief Human Resources Officer of the Carnival Corporation, about turning points in a leadership journey where her first job in the United States was as a janitor.

Bettina Deynes, Global Chief Human Resources Officer, Carnival Corporation

10:15 AM - 10:50 AM ET

Panel: Women of Finance: Expanding Access, Education, Entrepreneurship and Wealth

According to Nielsen, by 2028, women will own 75% of the discretionary spend, making their spending and financial decisions incredibly important for households and businesses. Yet women continue to experiences greater financial stresses than men, due to pay gaps, family responsibilities, and more. In this session, we convene some of the most consequential women in finance to share their own journeys, and how they are expanding financial access, education, entrepreneurship and empowerment for women across the globe.

Jamie Sears, Managing Director, Co-Head of Social Impact and Philanthropy Services - US, UBS

Laura Miller, Chief Revenue Officer & Head of eCommerce, Nuvei

Dana M. Peterson, Chief Economist and Leader, Economy, Strategy & Finance Center, The Conference Board

Raquel Thompson, Managing Director Divisional Global Head of Technology, Cyber Risk Management & Third Party Governance, BNY Mellon

11:00 AM - 11:25 AM ET

Keynote Conversation: Ginni Rometty on Good Power

Former Chairman, President and CEO of IBM Ginni Rometty led one of the most high-stakes corporate transformations in business history. Under her leadership, the 100-year-old company reinvented 50 percent of its portfolio, built a $25 billion hybrid cloud business, and established leadership in AI and quantum computing, all while driving record results in diversity and inclusion. Just as remarkable was her personal transformation, having overcome childhood challenges to become one of the world’s most influential business leaders, including Fortune magazine’s #1 Most Powerful Woman three years in a row. We are honored to have her join us to share more about the experiences that defined her life and work, and about her bestselling book Good Power, a memoir with purpose that shares lessons on how each of us can redefine power as a way to drive meaningful change in positive ways in our own lives, our organizations, and the world.

Ginni Rometty, Former Chairman, President, and CEO of IBM, Co-Chair at OneTen, and author of Good Power,

Rachel Feintzeig, Work & Life Columnist, Wall Street Journal

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM ET

Women and Social Media: From Toxicity to Empowerment

Who among us has never fallen into a social media rabbit hole – and emerged angered, anxious or discouraged rather than informed or entertained? We welcome CNN Opinion contributor Kara Alaimo, author of the new book, Over the Influence: Why Social Media is Toxic for Women and Girls – And How We Can Take It Back. We will explore how social media can affect every aspect of the lives of women and girls and discuss how to fight misinformation and use our social platforms to empower ourselves and other women.

Kara Alaimo, Ph.D., Author, Over the Influence: Why Social Media is Toxic for Women and Girls – And How We Can Take It Back. Contributor, CNN Opinion, Associate Professor of Communications, Fairleigh Dickinson University

Rita Meyerson, Principal Researcher, Human Capital Center, The Conference Board

12:00 PM - 01:00 PM ET

Lunch: One Meal Mentorship

Can you mentor – or be mentored – by a colleague over the course of one meal? We will take up the challenge over lunch, where we encourage attendees and speakers to share: 1. The best advice they have ever received; 2. A challenge they are facing now; and 3. Suggestions to address the challenges of others at their table.

01:10 PM - 01:55 PM ET

How We Navigate Leadership and Burnout

In this session, we will delve into strategies for effectively managing leadership roles while combating burnout. Through interactive discussions and practical exercises, participants will gain valuable insights into maintaining resilience, setting boundaries, and prioritizing self-care in their leadership journey. During this time together, we’ll explore key strategies for navigating the unique challenges faced by women leaders and fostering sustainable success.

Audrey McGuckin, CEO and Founder, McGuckin Group

01:10 PM - 01:55 PM ET

How We Develop a Personal Brand with Authenticity

In this interactive workshop, we will explore what it means to develop a “personal brand” while remaining true to one’s authentic self. Engage in illuminating exercises and share insights with fellow attendees.

Ashlee Davidson, Vice President, Communications, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control

02:15 PM - 02:55 PM ET

Panel: Meeting the Continuing Challenge of Health Equity

The World Economic Forum has suggested that women’s health may be “the world’s best – and most under-financed – investment.” We will meet leaders working to expand access and improve gender parity in health care, and explore how they are using technology, education, new products, and employee benefits to help close gaps in research, diagnosis, treatment, and coverage.

Michelle Carnahan, President, Thirty Madison

Catherine Anderson, Senior Vice President, Health Equity Strategy, UnitedHealth Group

Saranya Loehrer, Chief Health Equity Officer, Teladoc Health

Alyson Watson, Founder & CEO, Modern Health

Erin McLaughlin, Senior Economist, ESF Center, The Conference Board

03:00 PM - 03:30 PM ET

Panel: How We Build the Pipeline

According to the Women in the Workplace report, women are just as ambitious and interested in promotion as their male colleagues. Yet at every stage of advancement, they remain underrepresented, and today account for only 28% of the C-suite. Hear from top leaders working to change that, and discover best practices for identifying and preparing high-potential women leaders for their next steps.

Gaëlle de la Fosse, President, LHH

Diana Scott, US Human Capital Center Leader, The Conference Board

Alyssa Harper, Principal, Firm Planning & Strategic Execution, Edward Jones

Maj. Gen. Beth Salisbury, Commanding General, 807th Medical Command, U.S. Army Reserve

03:45 PM - 04:10 PM ET

Keynote Conversation: Maggie Wilderotter

Maggie Wilderotter has stood at the forefront of business and technology her entire remarkable career, from leading Frontier Communications as CEO as it reached a more than 10X increase in revenues, to serving as Board Chair of DocuSign today. She currently also serves on the boards of Costco Wholesale Corporation and Sana Biotechnology, and as a Senior Advisor to Accenture, Okta, and the Blackstone Group, among many others. Today we are honored to have her advise us, on her career journey, her leadership lessons, and on what has – and hasn’t – changed in the challenges and opportunities for women leaders over the years.

Maggie Wilderotter, Chairman and CEO, Wilderotter Vineyard

Dana M. Peterson, Chief Economist and Leader, Economy, Strategy & Finance Center, The Conference Board

04:15 PM - 04:45 PM ET

Panel: Our Paths to the C-Suite

Members of The Chicago Network, an organization of some of Chicago’s most senior and influential women, share their paths to the C-Suite, the advice they wish they had known earlier, and how they are helping empower more women on their leadership journeys.

Maria Doughty, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Chicago Network

Suzet McKinney, DrPH, Principal and Director of Life Sciences, Sterling Bay

Natasha Galavotti, President, Bimbo QSR

04:45 PM - 05:15 PM ET

Panel: Encouraging Young Women to Pursue STEM Careers

According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math remains huge, with women making up only 28% of the STEM workforce. In an inspiring conclusion to the first day of the festival, we will meet leaders working to change that, including some brilliant young women scientists, and discuss efforts to engage more girls and women in STEM studies and careers.

Maya Ajmera, President and Chief Executive Officer, Society for Science

Christina Chan, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Eden Full Goh, Founder & CEO, Mobot

Brooke Dunefsky, Hahn Scholar, Yale University

Robin Lloyd, Visiting Scholar, New York University; Contributing Editor, Scientific American, Inc.

05:25 PM - 05:30 PM ET

Day One Recap, Day Two Preview

05:30 PM - 05:40 PM ET

Performance: Fogo Azul, Brazilian Samba Reggae Marching Band

05:40 PM - 06:40 PM ET

Reception