2017 Agenda

Once you’re through security, you’ll pick up a conference goodie bag that includes a printed program and a lanyard with badge holder (among other things).

To save time, cut out your badge when you print it so you can pop it into the holder and go! 

• Women-Owned Business Marketplace
• Bookstore featuring Author Signings and Meet & Greets
• Education Pavilion featuring The Girls Auto Clinic Car Care Workshops
• Complimentary Resume Review & Career Coaching
• Community Connection Pavilion
• Health & Wellness Pavilion and Classroom
• Social Hub featuring LinkedIn Makeover Workshops
• Small Business & Social Media Roundtables
• Financial Pavilion featuring Mini-Sessions
• Free Headshot Opportunities

Take advantage of free one-on-one “speed coaching” sessions and/or get help perfecting your resume from 7:30 am – 5:00 pm (excluding keynote sessions). Learn more. To sign up, just join the standby line in the Career Pavilion.

Career Pavilion Workshops

10:00 am – 11:00 am: Communicating Your Professional Brand

Your professional collateral lies on LinkedIn and other social channels. You should always be prepared to represent the best version of your professional self, highlighting your skills and experience and growing your network.
Speaker: Raquel Arredondo, assistant director, MBA/MS career services, Drexel LeBow College of Business

11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Effective Job Search Strategies

Without a plan, networking savvy, and the right tools, searching for a job can be an overwhelming process. Learn ways to focus your efforts and launch the right career for you.
Speaker: Stephanie Johnson, director, graduate career services, Drexel LeBow College of Business

12:00 pm – 12:30 pm: Position Yourself to Opt Back In

This session will feature strategies you can begin implementing now to position yourself for a return to the job market after taking time off.
Speaker: Raquel Arredondo, assistant director, MBA/MS career services, Drexel LeBow College of Business

12:40 pm – 1:00 pm: Getting to the STEM of It: Today’s Experiences for Tomorrow’s Careers
(For High School Students)

What do a crime scene investigation, the analysis of Drake’s latest album sales, and a botanist all have in common? Careers in STEM! In this session, young attendees will learn how stud- ies in the science, technology, engineering, and math elds can lead to a career that stands out from the rest.
Speakers: Carmita Champ, interim director, graduate student services, Drexel LeBow College of Business
Diana Jones, associate director, experiential learning, Drexel LeBow College of Business

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Considering an MBA? Learn More from Women Who Earned Theirs

A panel of MBA alumnae will talk about why they made the decision to earn an MBA, how their MBA led them to the next level, the gender-related challenges they’ve faced while moving up in their careers, nding work-life balance while adding a graduate degree program, and more.
Speakers: Angela Dowd-Burton, deputy director, commerce, Office of Economic Opportunity, Philadelphia
Elaine Goldwater, director, global marketing, anti-infectives, Merck & Co.
Karla Trotman, EVP, Electro Soft, Inc.

4:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Want to Serve on a Nonprofit Board of Directors?

During this session, attendees will gain an understanding of the key roles and responsibilities associated with serving on a nonprofit board and walk away with tips for navigating their journey to the boardroom.
Speaker: Alyssa Abbott, program manager, Center for Corporate Governance, Drexel LeBow College of Business

8:00 – 8:15 am: Fitness Through the Years

Speaker: Namita Ahuja, MD, senior medical director, Medicare and geriatric programs, UPMC Health Plan
Staying fit isn’t a sprint – it’s a life-long marathon. Unlike a grueling training grind, getting and staying t as we age can be enjoyable with life-long health benefits including chronic disease prevention. Since 75 percent of your overall health is due to your behaviors along with environment (healthcare and genetics are less than 25 percent), the power is in you to better manage your health. Discover your power with Dr. Namita Ahuja, M.D., a nationally-recognized expert on geriatric medicine and healthy aging from UPMC Health Plan, for a fun and engaging discussion on practical ways that women can enjoy fitness through the years.

8:15 am: Q&A with Namita Ahuja

11:00 – 11:20 am: Work, Women and Caregiving

Speaker: Estella Hyde, chair, Pennsylvania Council on Aging & spokesperson, CARE Act, AARP
As working women, we play many roles in our own lives and the lives of others. Perhaps none is more challenging or rewarding than the role of “family caregiver.” More than 1.6 million Pennsylvanians currently care for loved ones, helping them to live independently in their own homes. This session will cover the roles and responsibilities of caregiving, how to begin caregiving conversations with loved ones, necessary documents for end of life decisions and how Pennsylvania’s new CARE Act is making life easier for caregivers.

11:20 am: Q&A with Estella Hyde

12:35 – 12:50 pm: Creating More Energy in Your Life

Speaker: Angela Steel, VP, clinical operations, infectious diseases, GlaxoSmithKline
As women, we are pulled in so many different directions and often end up feeling depleted both personally and professionally. How can we increase our energy levels to not only survive, but thrive in our complex, overwhelming lives? In this session, we will explore how we can leverage managing our time, following our curiosity and recognizing the activities that inspire and energize us. Participants will also be provided with strategies to align your strengths at work for maximum energy that will hopefully fuel you in all aspects of your life.

12:50 pm: Q&A with Angela Steel

2:45 – 3:15 pm AND 3:30 – 4:00 pm: 30 Minute Meal Cooking Demonstration

Speaker/ Chef: Fabio Viviani, chef, culinary personality & Top Chef contestant
Feeling like dining out is the only easy option? Dinner doesn’t have to be daunting. In half an hour or less, you can cook up an Italian meal at home like a professional chef. Join Culinary personality and Top Chef “fan favorite” Fabio Viviani as he demonstrates a meal and provides the accessible, time-saving meal prep tips you need to prepare delicious and better meals at home.
* Don’t miss an opportunity to have a bottle of wine signed by Fabio. Purchase your Fabio Vivani wine from the Fine Wine & Good Spirits store at booth #148.

3:15 pm AND 4:00 pm: Q&A with Fabio Viviani

4:15 – 4:35 pm: Work, Women and Caregiving

Speaker: Estella Hyde, chair, Pennsylvania Council on Aging & spokesperson, CARE Act, AARP
As working women, we play many roles in our own lives and the lives of others. Perhaps none is more challenging or rewarding than the role of “family caregiver.” More than 1.6 million Pennsylvanians currently care for loved ones, helping them to live independently in their own homes. This session will cover the roles and responsibilities of caregiving, how to begin caregiving conversations with loved ones, necessary documents for end of life decisions and how Pennsylvania’s new CARE Act is making life easier for caregivers.

4:35 pm: Q&A with Estella Hyde

8:00 am – 8:15 am: Keeping Your Retirement on Track: Protecting Against the Five Derailers

You’ve been saving for retirement and crunched the numbers. You’re fairly confident that you’re well on your way to being where you need to be. But have you prepared for the things that can derail all your careful preparation? The truth is, you may not be aware of what they are. Discover five derailers that can disrupt the retirement that you’ve been working so hard toward. We’ll then explore action you can take now to help fortify your retirement income against them.
Speaker: Jill Cooley, Financial advisor, Prudential Financial

12:30 pm – 12:45 pm: The Peace of Mind of Estate Planning: Your Checklist to Get It Done 

It’s not just about taxes. It’s not just about having a will and/or trust. It’s about making sure what you have goes to whom you want, when you want, and exactly the way you want – all with the least hassle possible to you and the people you love.
Speaker: George R. Barnes, Financial Professional, Prudential Financial

3:00 pm – 3:15 pm: How to Get An A+ In Saving for College

For many Americans, college has become a stepping stone to financial success. Yet many students leave school with onerous levels of student loan debt they must begin to repay almost right away— debt that can not only tax their ability to make ends meet as they embark on careers, but also jeopardize their financial security far into the future. With a dizzying array of options, terms, forms, and guidelines, parents might feel like they need to sign up for a few classes themselves as they try to figure out how they’re going to pay for a child’s college education. We can help you start to understand these options.
Speaker: Linda Lane, Financial Planner, Prudential Financial

3:30 pm – 3:45 pm: The Sandwich Generation: Tips for Caring for Aging Parents While Raising Kids

At a time when your career is reaching a peak and you are looking ahead to your own retirement, you may find yourself in the position of having to help your children with college expenses or the financial challenges of young adulthood while at the same time looking after the needs of your aging parents. Squeezed in the middle, you’re in the “sandwich generation” and the day-to-day demands of caring for both an aging parent and children can put a tremendous strain – both emotional and financial – on the primary caregiver. Find out how to gain peace of mind knowing you are doing all you can to provide for yourself and your family, and most importantly, to ensure your financial goals are secure.
Speaker: Alice Barnes, Financial Advisor, Prudential Financial

4:00 pm – 4:15 pm: Rocking Your Finances as a Newly Single Woman

The end of a marriage is an emotionally challenging time and thinking about finances may not be at the forefront of your mind. During today’s discussion, we will talk about the financial implications of being newly single in order to help ensure a more stable future for you and your loved ones. We will cover suggested next steps and strategies for financial security at this stage of your life.
Speaker: Gayle Hawkins, Financial Professional, Prudential Financial

4:30 pm – 4:45 pm: Planning Your Retirement as an Entrepreneur

As a small business owner, you have many options when choosing retirement plans for your employees. By exploring all of your options and fitting them to the fiscal and operational structure of your company, you can decide how much you can and want to contribute to employee retirement plans and what type of plan can best handle these contributions. You also need to think about protecting the future of your business by having a sound succession plan in place for life events that affect key people and can disrupt business and goals, such as retirement, disability, or the loss of a key person. How can you transfer or mitigate these risks?
Speaker: Jasmin O’Neal, Financial Advisor, Prudential Financial

At the Luncheon Keynote session, refer to your printed badge for your table assignment.

Morning Keynote Lineup:

Tamala Edwards, co-anchor, Action News Mornings, 6abc WPVI-TV
Mayor Jim Kenney
Sandra Leung, executive vice president and general counsel, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Carla Harris, Wall Street Powerhouse and author, Expect to Win
Ehrika Gladden, vice president, market strategy, enterprise infrastructure solutions group, Cisco Systems & board member, PA Conference for Women
Shonda Rhimes, prolific writer, executive producer and creator of the hit ABC series Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal
Niharika Shah, vice president, head of brand marketing & advertising, Prudential
Shawn Achor, New York Times best-selling author, The Happiness Advantage and Before Happiness and one of the most popular TED speakers of all time

LEADERSHIP: Designed for a seasoned or aspiring leader looking to climb the ladder and shatter the glass ceiling
Session I: 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Meeting Room 113

Is there room for civility in today’s high-paced, heads-down, sound-bite, cut-to-the-chase world? The answer is a resounding yes. Civility brings financial, emotional and physical benefits. Join researcher and rudeness expert Dr. Christine Porath as she leads a discussion with a panel of senior executives on the costs and remedies for incivility. This panel will share how you can foster a more positive environment at work, tactical strategies to limit digital interruption in conversations and meetings and finally, when there is no other recourse, how to confront effectively, maintaining civility for yourself and those around you. Leave this session with an arsenal of tools to help you stay on the high road for work and life.

Thought Leader: Christine Porath, author, Mastering Civility  

Panelists: 
⚬ Celeste Headlee, award-winning journalist and author, We Need to Talk
⚬ Lisa Tanzer, president, Life is Good
⚬ Kathy Ditto, senior director, U.S. public sector marketing, Cisco                                                           

CAREER ADVANCEMENT: Designed for the mid/senior level professional with significant experience looking for advice around professional skills and job advancement.

Session I: 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Meeting Room 201

Your work day is filled with them–people who frustrate, impede, maneuver, undermine, plot, connive, and whine. This session will detail specific techniques for handling all of them, with easy-to-follow scenarios for every situation. Taking into account the modern issues that play into our work, including technology, generation gaps, and language barriers, researcher Amy Cooper Hakim and a panel of executives who have expertly handled many of these situations, will guide you through the 10 kinds of culprits, from tyrants and bullies (regular and cyber) to the pushy and presumptuous to connivers and camouflagers; and offer helpful tactics and phrases for diffusing workplace tensions and effectively resolving conflicts. Come away with a clearer understanding of why people operate in different ways as well as clear strategies for working successfully with different personality types.

Thought Leader: Amy Cooper Hakim, author, Working with Difficult People: Handling the Ten Types of Problem People Without Losing Your Mind

Panelists:  Yvonne Garcia, SVP, global head, client solutions group and program management office, State Street Corporation
Alice Rutkowski, body language expert
Celeste Warren, VP, human resources, global diversity & inclusion COE, Merck

CAREER ADVANCEMENT: Designed for the mid/senior level professional with significant experience looking for advice around professional skills and job advancement
Session I: 10:00 – 11:00 am
Ballroom A

Being passed over for a promotion you knew you were ready for is nothing new. What may be unique is this little culprit: a disparity in confidence. While men are prone to overestimate their abilities, women too often sell themselves short and confidence plays a crucial role in the ability of women to succeed. Confidence expert Grace Killelea has done the research and will share how to turn your job competency into the kind of authentic confidence that gets noticed. Attendees will learn:

1. The Four Rs of Success–relationships, reputation, results, and resilience;
2. How to build circles of influence, leverage and promote your skills and cultivate executive presence; and
3. Strategies to help you bounce back from setbacks.

Join this session to find the confidence you need to step off the sidelines onto the playing field–and claim the success you deserve. 

Speaker: Grace Killelea, CEO & founder, GKC Group and author, The Confidence Effect: Every Woman’s Guide to the Attitude That Attracts Success

Emcee: Nydia Han, co-anchor, Action News Sunday mornings, 6abc WPVI

EMERGING PROFESSIONALS: Designed for Millennials and newer professionals entering or re-entering the workforce
Session I: 10:00 – 11:00 am
Meeting Room 103

No matter how skilled you are, how experienced, how many years you’ve been in business, or how much you love what you do, if you do not have a commanding presence on every platform and can successfully communicate your story, you will continue to be under-recognized and labor to attract recognition. For women who have taken a non-linear career path or have taken a pause and now want to re-enter, this can be even more challenging. The ability to speak and communicate with confidence and charisma is critical and will eliminate these obstacles allowing you to take your career or business to the next level. Attend this session to learn from some of the best brand marketing agents about how to position yourself for your future.

Thought Leader: Ruth Sherman, public speaking consultant and author, Speakrets: The 30 Best, Most Effective, Most Overlooked Marketing and Personal Branding Essentials

Panelists:
⚬ Anna Akbari, Ph.D., sociologist, entrepreneur and author, Startup Your Life
⚬ Lisa Skeete Tatum, founder & CEO, Landit
⚬ Ebony Staton Weidman, assistant director, marketing, Drexel LeBow College of Business

Emcee: Tracey Santilli, EVP, paid, earned & owned media, Tierney

TRANSITIONS: Offering expertise for maneuvering career and life transitions
Session I: 10:00 – 11:00 am
Meeting Room 204

Failure and fear are a natural part of life. Although typically viewed as a negative, they can be harnessed to unleash innovation, growth and even lead
to success. Through setbacks and failure, we can learn invaluable skills like resiliency and risk taking to propel life in a positive direction. Using real-life experiences, this engaging discussion will help you discover how failure can work for you. Whether you are bouncing back from a job setback, trying to reinvigorate innovation in your company, struggling with a relationship, or facing the everyday obstacles that arise at work or home, attend this session to learn how to break free of the stigma and catapult growth for yourself both professionally and personally.

Thought Leader: Jessica Lahey, author, The Gift of Failure

Panelists:
⚬ Pam Cyr, EVP and chief retail officer, Beneficial Bank
⚬ Murdo Gordon, VP, chief commercial officer, Bristol-Myers Squibb
⚬ Lisa Stone, co-founder & former CEO, BlogHer Inc.

Emcee: Michelle Hare, marketing, State Farm

TRANSITIONS: Offering expertise for maneuvering career and life transitions
Session I: 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Hall F

Mellody Hobson is a nationally recognized voice on financial leadership and investor education, and a pioneering business executive. From her humble Chicago childhood to success as an investment guru to director of major public companies like The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. and Starbucks Corporation – and her marriage to filmmaker George Lucas, Mellody Hobson has shattered stereotypes of every kind and always kept true to herself. Starting as an intern and rising all the way up to president of Arial Investments, there is no doubt why she was named one of TIME Magazine’s most influential people in the world. Now is your chance to get up close and personal in this intimate fireside chat to learn from her successes and mistakes. You will walk away inspired to take control of your professional life, think and act bravely and ultimately become the authentic leader you always aspired to be!

Moderator: Renee Syler, television personality and former anchor, CBS’ The Early Show

Speaker: Mellody Hobson, president, Ariel Investments and chairman of the board, Dreamworks Animation

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Offering advice to help you enhance your life, grow and create more positive personal experiences outside of the workplace
Session I: 10:00 – 11:00 am
Meeting Room 108

Even though women are 50% of the workforce, they only represent 18% of the highest-level leaders. Responsibilities at work and home often leave women without the bandwidth to succeed and wondering if their career and personal goals are unachievable.  Tiffany Dufu, one of Fast Companies’ League of Extraordinary Women and once the poster child for doing it all, will offer a new perspective on why the women’s leadership movement has stalled and how we can stop that trend.  She will share actionable advice on how we can reevaluate our priorities, embrace imperfection and expect less of ourselves and more of  others so that we can focus on the goals we truly care about.  Attendees will walk away with practical tips to help us flourish at work and develop deeper, more meaningful relationships at home.

Speaker: Tiffany Dufu, CLO, Levo and author, Drop the Ball

Emcee:  Suzanne L. Quigley, director, community affairs & CSR, QVC & board member

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Offering advice to help you enhance your life, grow and create more positive personal experiences outside of the workplace
Session I: 10:00 – 11:00 am
Ballroom B

Iconic couples’ therapist, erotic intelligence expert and best-selling author Esther Perel has traveled the globe and worked with hundreds of couples on their relationships.  Her latest research touches on infidelity and why it is so poorly understood. Affairs are a time-honored taboo, universally forbidden yet universally practiced, and have a lot of teach us about our relationships and about love, lust, and commitment. Join this session for a groundbreaking and provocative look at sex, infidelity (even thoughts of infidelity) and a daring framework for understanding the intricacies of love and desire. Attendees will walk away learning how to strengthen their relationships, making them more honest and more resilient.

Speaker: Esther Perel, author, Mating in Captivity and The State of Affairs

Emcee: Susan L. Anderson, Esq., former special assistant to Governor Edward G. Rendell & board member

YOUNG WOMEN’S PROGRAM: Designed for high school junior and senior girls
Session I: 10:00 – 11:00 am
Meeting Room 114

“Follow your gut” is advice easy to give, but harder to follow. How do you know when following your intuition will lead you to happiness and success?  In the session, super stars in their industries will share with you the reasons why fostering your passions, seeking purpose in your chosen interest and taking the road less traveled is often the most rewarding, despite (and because of) the hiccups and failures you may encounter on the way.

Thought Leader: Stephanie Kaplan Lewis, co-founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief, Her Campus

Panelists:
⚬ Robyn Moreno, editorial director, Latina Media Ventures
⚬ Becky O’Loughlin, VP Global HR, QVC
⚬ Tracey Welson-Rossman, CMO, Chariot Solutions and founder, TechGirlz

Anna Akbari

Tiffany Dufu

Amy Cooper Hakim

Celeste Headlee

Grace Killelea

Jess Lahey

Robyn Moreno

Stephanie Kaplan Lewis

Esther Perel

Christine Porath

Alice Rutkowski

Ruth Sherman

LEADERSHIP: Designed for a seasoned or aspiring leader looking to climb the ladder and shatter the glass ceiling
Session II: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Ballroom A

Gender exclusion is still prominent in today’s work environments putting women in a challenging position – for obvious reasons around the lack of equity– but also for those trying to exist in a corporate landscape as they climb the ladder and try to make a name for themselves as a leader in a boys’ club. This intimate discussion will bring you up close and personal with Margaret McKenna – the first woman Deputy White House Counsel, the first president of Walmart foundation and the first woman president of Suffolk University. McKenna has forged the path of firsts and has also been a change agent in her different roles, from leading an effort to appoint more women and people of color to Federal judgeships, to prioritizing hunger as the signature issue for the Walmart foundation and driving governance change at Suffolk University. She has moved from government to the university life to the largest company in the world. How did she obtain these positions? How did she learn to navigate such different environments? What lessons did she learn about creating positive change? Led by friend and colleague Marian Heard, we will answer these questions, and you will leave with strategies to influence and obtain the distribution of power and control necessary to drive positive change and make strides towards equity and partnership.

Moderator: Marian Heard, president and CEO, Oxen Hill Partners and founding board member, Massachusetts Conference for Women

Speaker:  Margaret McKenna, first woman Deputy White House Counsel, first president of Walmart Foundation and first woman president of Suffolk University

Emcee: Kelli Kirwin, director, value management office, Cisco

CAREER ADVANCEMENT: Designed for the mid/senior level professional with significant experience looking for advice around professional skills and job advancement
Session II: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Meeting Room 113

CEOs, top executives, and other business leaders say they need creativity and real innovation to thrive in a competitive world. But according to former Wharton management professor Jennifer Mueller, many business leaders chronically reject creative solutions and often embrace the familiar, even as they profess commitment to innovation.  Mueller’s research reveals that it’s not just CEOs, but many others often struggle to accept new and creative ideas even when desired. Mueller will address the tough questions these findings raise: Could people love but also hate creative ideas? Could the mindset we use to evaluate ideas turn this love or hate on or off—in an instant? Do experts struggle even more than novices with this bias? And even more startling, could the “best practices” that organizations employ to manage innovation activate this bias, and inadvertently, kill innovation?   Mueller diagnoses this hidden innovation barrier, and will share her solutions, including:

• A four-step process (and a fifth lifeline) to self-disrupt your current mindset and recognize creative opportunity;
• An idea-pitching framework aimed at helping you overcome other peoples’ sticky preference for the status quo;
• Key organizational levers to disrupt the cultural beliefs holding your company back;
• Tips to more accurately recognize creative leaders who can lead organizations in productive new directions, and
• Strategies to generate ideas without harming your ability to make them count with the decision-makers.

Speaker: Jennifer Mueller, author, Creative Change: Why We Resist It . . . How We Can Embrace It 

Emcee: Kim Keegan, manager, methods, training & mapping and document services, PECO Energy

CAREER ADVANCEMENT: Designed for the mid/senior level professional with significant experience looking for advice around professional skills and job advancement
Session II: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Meeting Room 204

Gender exclusion is still prominent in today’s work environments putting women in a challenging position – for obvious reasons around the lack of equity– but also for those trying to exist in a corporate landscape as they climb the ladder and try to make a name for themselves. The competition is fierce wherever you are, and whether you like it or not, you are part of it. How do you stand out without alienating others? How do you get taken seriously in a male-dominated room? Join this team of leaders to uncover key lessons learned and new insights on how to make strides towards equity and partnership. Attendees will learn how to:

• Handle manterrupting, bropriating and talk-blocking;
• Understand when to lead, when to follow and when to move on;
• Assert your presence using strong verbal skills and body language;
• Overcome bias and internal fears that prevent you from stepping up; and
• Ways you can pay it forward.

Thought Leader: Janet Crawford, founder & CEO, Cascadance

Panelists:
⚬ Julie Lythcott-Haims, author, How to Raise an Adult and Real American
⚬ Joyce Russell, dean, Villanova School of Business.
⚬ Lisa Stone, co-founder & former CEO, BlogHer Inc.

       Emcee: Nina Gussack, partner and chair, health sciences, Pepper Hamilton

EMERGING PROFESSIONALS: Designed for Millennials and newer professionals entering or re-entering the workforce
Session II: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Ballroom B

When women work to break the glass ceiling, they are more likely to rely on hard work and obtaining outside qualifications than engaging in networking, negotiation and office politics, which can often seem unnecessary and a waste of time.  But, recognizing the importance of these strategies can be the first step in advancing your career and a lack of willingness to engage can negatively impact your success.  Attendees will overcome this barrier to career advancement by learning the steps to developing these skills, enabling them the career success they desire and deserve.

Thought Leader: Michelle King, head, integrated strategy and partnerships for innovation, UN Women

Panelists:
⚬ Carla Harris, vice chairman and managing director, Morgan Stanley and author, Strategize to Win
⚬ Eileen McDonnell, Chairman & CEO, Penn Mutual

Emcee: Sharrie Williams, anchor, Action News, 6abc WPVI

TRANSITIONS: Offering expertise for maneuvering career and life transitions
Session II: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Hall F

Whether we have a good day or not depends partly on things we can’t control – perhaps we run into an unexpected crisis, or our colleagues seem unusually cranky. But behavioral science shows us that many things that seem “fixed” or “random” can be surprisingly strongly influenced by our own actions, once we understand just a little of how the brain works. Caroline Webb, economist and former partner at consulting powerhouse McKinsey, will demonstrate how tiny tweaks to our daily routines can transform our experience of what happens around us, the number of hours in the day, our level of intelligence, and even other people’s moods. She will teach us you to be at your best even under pressure, and equip you to handle common challenges such as co-worker conflicts and difficult deadlines. With this kind of powerful insight in your back pocket, you can change your “luck” and obtain more control over the quality of your days. Attendees will leave armed with the power to transform their approach to every day working life for boosted workplace performance and enjoyment.

Speaker: Caroline Webb, CEO, Sevenshift & author, How to Have a Good Day

Emcee: Susan Jin Davis, chief sustainability officer, Comcast Corporation 

TRANSITIONS: Offering expertise for maneuvering career and life transitions
Session II: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Meeting Room 108

We spend our days drowning in mundane tasks like meetings, emails, and reports, which prevent us from getting to the meaningful work we want to be spending our time on.  By learning how to eliminate redundancies, communicate with clarity, and make simplification a habit, we can recognize which activities are time-sucks and which create lasting value, leaving us feeling less overwhelmed, more empowered, and able to spend each day doing things that matter.  Lisa Bodell’s simplification method will show us that by using simplicity as an operating principle, we can eliminate the busy work that puts a chokehold on us every day, and instead spend time on the work that we value.

Speaker: Lisa Bodell, founder and CEO, futurethink & author, Innovation Revolution

Emcee: Stephanie Lim Capello, chief development officer, Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Offering advice to help you enhance your life, grow and create more positive personal experiences outside of the workplace
Session II: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Meeting Room 103

With ever-changing policies on retirement planning, it’s tempting to put off saving for retirement until there is a clear path to follow. Do you invest safely knowing that the money will be there, but might not be quite enough? Or do you invest more aggressively in the hopes that you have more money to spend later in life? Labor economist and a nationally-recognized expert in retirement security, Dr. Teresa Ghilarducci will help you cut through the confusion and misinformation with a strategy to help you achieve what you are planning for in your retirement savings. Her program will explain:

• What a person or household needs to have saved;
• How much to expect from Social Security; and
• How to make your money grow between now and then.

There are no gimmicks or magical thinking in this presentation—just valuable recommendations that will make attending this session a wise investment.

Speaker: Teresa Ghilarducci, Bernard L. and Irene Schwartz chair in economic policy analysis, The New School for Social Research & author, How to Retire with Enough Money

Emcee: Karen Farmer White, education consultant, former managing director, Mesirow Financial & board member

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Offering advice to help you enhance your life, grow and create more positive personal experiences outside of the workplace
Session II: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Meeting Room 201

Women are burned out and overwhelmed, working to balance personal and professional lives in the hopes of finding happiness.  Often this drive to do more does not lead to happiness, instead causing exhaustion, anxiety, guilt, fear, social comparison, inauthenticity and physical illness. Join Positive Psychology Professor Emily Esfahani Smith to find out why and learn ways to create a life with meaning and joy while increasing your energy and decreasing your stress. Panelists will share best practices to help you create your most meaningful life, avoid burnout and reap the benefits of increased health, happiness and satisfaction.

Thought Leader: Emily Esfahani Smith, author, The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life that Matters

Panelists:
⚬ Carol Lee Mitchell, SVP, account management, North America, Mastercard
⚬ Jamila Payne, president & CEO, Ideas Action Design, and creator, Daily Success Routine
⚬ Niharika Shah, VP, head, brand marketing and advertising, Prudential Financial

Emcee: Loraine Ballard Morrill, director, news & community affairs, iHeartMedia

YOUNG WOMEN’S PROGRAM: Designed for high school junior and senior girls
Session II: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Meeting Room 114

The best thing about life on your own terms? There is no one clear-cut course of action. But, how do you create the life you want when you’re not even sure you know what that looks like or how to get it?  Welcome to the Big Life—it’s not only within your reach; you get to write the rules. Led by Ann Shoket, former editor-in-chief of Seventeen magazine, this session offers insights to help you tap your ambition AND honor your dreams at the same time. This insightful session will explore what goes through your head when you fall down or hit a bump, and how that—not talent or luck—makes all the difference in creating your Big Life.

Speaker: Ann Shoket, former editor-in-chief, Seventeen magazine and author, The Big Life

Emcee: Jenice Armstrong, Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News and Philly.com

Lisa Bodell

Linda Cliatt-Wayman

Teresa Ghilarducci

Carla Harris

Julie Lythcott-Haims

Jennifer Mueller Jamila Payne

Ann Shoket

Emily Esfahani Smith

Caroline Webb

Keynote Luncheon Lineup:

Monica Malpass, co-anchor, Action News at 5pm, 6abc WPVI-TV
Leslie Stiles, board president, PA Conference for Women
Governor Tom Wolf
Dr. Brené Brown, research professor, #1 New York Times best-selling author and one of the top five most popular TED speakers
Joanne Ryder, executive vice president & chief administration officer, Beneficial Bank and board member, PA Conference for Women
Kathy Sledge, Grammy-nominated music icon, member of Sister Sledge
A Conversation with former first lady Michelle Obama, moderated by Shonda Rhimes, prolific writer, executive producer & creator of the hit ABC series Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal

LEADERSHIP: Designed for a seasoned or aspiring leader looking to climb the ladder and shatter the glass ceiling
Session III: 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Meeting Room 204

By engaging men in advocating for more equal workplaces, we’re creating better leaders, stronger businesses, more fulfilling lives for both women and men as well as establishing a business imperative required at all levels from all managers. The stats are staggering, in terms of where women stand in the workplace even after all this time, and will need an all hands-on deck approach to make the changes necessary for equality. Yet, while progress is slow, it is critical to understand that advancements are being made and this forward movement is not being solely spearheaded by women. This session will bring together top female and male executives to share their firsthand experiences and contributions for achieving gender equity within their organizations. Together we will:

• Identify methods in which women can form closer ties and partner with male counterparts to work together more effectively;
• Illustrate tangible strategies in the workplace for the handling of personnel management, hiring and promotions so all employees are on an equal playing field; and
• Demonstrate practical steps in which you can build a business case internally to engage men as advocates to impact positive change and equity within your organization.

Thought Leader: Jeffery Tobias Halter, gender strategist, author and president, YWomen

Panelists:  
⚬ Megan Aubrey, head, Macquarie Investment Affiliates, Macquarie Investment Management
⚬ Janet Crawford, founder & CEO, Cascadance
⚬ John Graham, VP, value, evidence & outcomes, GlaxoSmithKline

Emcee: Monica Moody-Wrenn, senior manager, human resources, PECO

CAREER ADVANCEMENT: Designed for the mid/senior level professional with significant experience looking for advice around professional skills and job advancement
Session III: 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Meeting Room 113

If you think of networking as schmoozing at cocktail parties or scrolling through LinkedIn for new contacts to add, think again. In the social media age, you need a modern roadmap for creating and cultivating meaningful connections to stand out from the crowd and achieve any of your goals, no matter how big or small. In this session, networking expert J. Kelly Hoey will share her approach to mastering this timeworn skill in a world where everyone is posting, liking, and friending fast and furiously, but many are failing to leverage their connections successfully. Hoey will provide Innovative strategies for forming strong relationships—the genuine, mutually beneficial, long-lasting kind—using the social tools at your disposal and show attendees how to:

• Determine the most effective ways to connect with others so you don’t clutter your calendar with dead-end coffee dates and informational interviews
• Synchronize face-to-face networking efforts with your digital outreach
• Turn “closed door” conversations into strong personal relationships and business opportunities
• Harness the power of your network to accomplish any ambition, from landing your dream job or a coveted account or client to successfully crowdfunding a new business venture.

Speaker: Kelly Hoey, author, Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships in a Hyper-Connected World

Emcee: Denice Hasty, SVP, business marketing, Comcast Business

CAREER ADVANCEMENT: Designed for the mid/senior level professional with significant experience looking for advice around professional skills and job advancement
Session III: 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Meeting Room 201

Making a decision to “push the boundaries,” whether it is starting your own company, taking an innovative approach, making a job transition or joining a start-up can be overwhelming.  If you have dreamed of making a change, but not sure you are ready for the gamble, this panel of innovative women can help you navigate your fears and assess the risks involved. Learn the best practices of these seasoned entrepreneurs & executives, so that you are are prepared to push the limits and armed to achieve success. Sharing their personal stories, attendees will learn how to:

• Establish a climate that embraces smart risk and invites sustainable growth;
• Identify and eliminate barriers to progressive thinking; and
• Gain confidence to push the limits.

Thought Leader: Lisa Bodell, founder and CEO, futurethink & author, Innovation Revolution

Panelists: 
⚬ Patrice Banks, founder, Girls Auto Clinic and author, The Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide
⚬ Karen Cahn, founder & CEO, iFundWomen
⚬ Jennifer Roberts, head, Chase Pay and digital products, JPMorgan Chase

CAREER ADVANCEMENT: Designed for the mid/senior level professional with significant experience looking for advice around professional skills and job advancement
Session III: 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Meeting Room 103

When women work to break the glass ceiling, they are more likely to rely on hard work and obtaining outside qualifications than engaging in networking, negotiation and office politics, which can often seem unnecessary and a waste of time. But, recognizing the importance of these strategies can be the first step in advancing your career and a lack of willingness to engage can negatively impact your success. Attendees will overcome this barrier to career advancement by learning the steps to developing these skills, enabling them the career success they desire and deserve.

Thought Leader: Michelle King, head, integrated strategy and partnerships for innovation, UN Women

Panelists:
⚬ Anna Fieler, CMO, POPSUGAR
⚬ Carla Harris, vice chairman and managing director, Morgan Stanley and author, Strategize to Win
⚬ Alison Young, managing director, leadership & civic engagement, Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business and board member

EMERGING PROFESSIONALS: Designed for Millennials and newer professionals entering or re-entering the workforce
Session III: 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Meeting Room 108

Millennial women are changing what it means to be powerful and successful in the world—for everyone. Forever. As former editor-in-chief of Seventeen magazine and now the voice behind the popular Badass Babes community, Ann Shoket has been a cheerleader for millennial women for more than 15 years.  She will share actionable guidance combined with personal stories from well-known, uber-successful millennials, plus intimate conversations with a cast of compelling young women and Shoket’s own stories from her quest for The Big Life. Attendees will learn to tackle all of the issues on heavy rotation in their minds including:

• How to get respect from a boss who thinks you’re lazy, entitled, and self-obsessed;
• Networking Dos and Don’ts; and
• Why you need a “side hustle”

Speaker: Ann Shoket, author, The Big Life: Embrace the Mess, Work Your Side Hustle, Find a Monumental Relationship, and Become the Badass Babe You Were Meant to Be


Emcee:  Tricia Holck, AVP, field marketing & events specialist, Beneficial Bank

TRANSITIONS: Offering expertise for maneuvering career and life transitions
Session III: 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Ballroom B

Whether we have a good day or not depends partly on things we can’t control – perhaps we run into an unexpected crisis, or our colleagues seem unusually cranky. But behavioral science shows us that many things that seem “fixed” or “random” can be surprisingly strongly influenced by our own actions, once we understand just a little of how the brain works. Caroline Webb, economist and former partner at consulting powerhouse McKinsey, will demonstrate how tiny tweaks to our daily routines can transform our experience of what happens around us, the number of hours in the day, our level of intelligence, and even other people’s moods. She will teach us you to be at your best even under pressure, and equip you to handle common challenges such as co-worker conflicts and difficult deadlines. With this kind of powerful insight in your back pocket, you can change your “luck” and obtain more control over the quality of your days. Attendees will leave armed with the power to transform their approach to every day working life for boosted workplace performance and enjoyment.

Speaker: Caroline Webb, CEO, Sevenshift & author, How to Have a Good Day

Emcee: Amber Czonstka, principal & head, institutional large market sales, Vanguard

TRANSITIONS: Offering expertise for maneuvering career and life transitions
Session III: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Meeting Room 114

Establishing financial security and maintaining our lifestyle through retirement is something we know is important, but may not always prioritize in our day-to-day decision making.  These behavioral inhibitors further exacerbate our financial gaps. Join this session to bring these challenges and behaviors to light and learn how to get back on track to reaching your long-term financial goals. The panelists will address:

• What financial challenges are unique to women?
• How can these challenges and behaviors hinder your ability to meet your long-term financial goals?
• What decisions and actions can you take to start addressing these unique challenges in an appropriate and savvy way?

Thought Leader: Carmen Rita Wong, co-creator and host, CNBC’s On the Money and CEO, Malecon Productions

Panelists:
⚬ Maddie Brooks, manager, financial services, The Prudential Insurance Company of America
⚬ Joey Fortman, founder, Real Mom Media
⚬ Rene Syler, television personality and former anchor, CBS’ The Early Show

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Offering advice to help you enhance your life, grow and create more positive personal experiences outside of the workplace
Session III: 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Ballroom A

Julie Lythcott-Haims’ provocative manifesto, How to Raise an Adult, drew worldwide acclaim for outlining the harms of helicopter parenting and offering her strategy for raising preteens and teens to self-sufficient young adulthood. Come hear Julie in person talk about her philosophy as to why over-parenting harms children, their stressed-out parents, and society at large. While empathizing with the parental hopes and, especially, fears that lead to over-helping, Lythcott-Haims will share practical alternative strategies that underline the importance of allowing children to make their own mistakes and develop the resilience, resourcefulness, and inner determination necessary for success. This session is relevant to parents of toddlers as well as of twentysomethings—and of special value to parents of teens—or anyone interested in ensuring that the next generation can take charge of their own lives with competence and confidence.

Speaker: Julie Lythcott-Haims, author, How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success and Real American

Emcee: Ashley Primis, executive editor, Philadelphia Magazine

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Offering advice to help you enhance your life, grow and create more positive personal experiences outside of the workplace
Session III: 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Hall F

Iconic couples’ therapist, erotic intelligence expert and best-selling author of Mating in Captivity Esther Perel has traveled the globe and worked with hundreds of couples on their relationships.  Her latest research touches on infidelity and why it is so poorly understood. Affairs are a time-honored taboo, universally forbidden yet universally practiced, and have a lot of teach us about our relationships and about love, lust, and commitment. Join this session for a groundbreaking and provocative look at sex, infidelity (even thoughts of infidelity) and a daring framework for understanding the intricacies of love and desire. Attendees will walk away learning how to strengthen their relationships, making them more honest and more resilient. 

Speaker: Esther Perel, author, Mating in Captivity and The State of Affairs

Emcee: Susan L. Anderson, Esq., former special assistant to Governor Edward G. Rendell and board member

Culture may trump strategy, but intentionally creating your company’s culture takes strategic thinking and planning. It’s worth the effort, too; how we get things done drives performance, innovation, retention, and ultimately pro ts. Strategic HR consultant Tonushree Mondal walks participants through how to determine and de ne your company culture, why it matters, and steps you can take immediate- ly to start establishing yours.

Speaker: Tonushree Mondal, owner, Tonushree Mondal Consulting LLP

Media relations specialist Haniyyah Sharpe-Brown leads this roundtable conversation about maximizing print, television, radio, and web coverage to get your small business or nonprofit organization noticed. If you run a nonprofit or own a small business and want to build your media presence, this is the roundtable for you. Participants will walk away with practical steps to take and creative solutions to gain media access.

Speaker: Haniyyah Sharpe-Brown, communications manager, City of Philadelphia, and founder, On Point Communications

The tech industry in Pennsylvania is growing, and with it come new opportunities for entrepreneurs to fund and scale their big ideas. Former director of entrepreneurial investment for the City of Philadelphia and tech strategist Archna Sahay demystifies VC funding, partnerships, and tech adaptations for small businesses in this roundtable discussion.

Speaker: Archna Sahay, former director of entrepreneurial investment, City of Philadelphia

Do you know which tax deductions apply to your business? Accountant and tax professional Erica Booth has over ten years of experience in nance and small business taxes and will take you through the tax deductions applicable to small business owners. While this roundtable discussion is not meant to replace the services of a qualified tax professional, participants will walk away with a greater aware- ness of where small businesses t into the tax code.

Speaker: Erica Booth, CEO, Erica Booth Tax & Accounting Services, LLC

Motivating your staff can make or break your business’s productivity. In a multi-generational work- place, your understanding of drive can impact your employees’ efficiency and retention. As Executive Vice President of PNC, Denise Viola-Monahan enhances sales force effectiveness and talent development. In this roundtable, she leads a discussion about managing communication and best practices to drive excellence in the workplace.

Speaker: Denise Viola-Monahan, executive vice president, corporate banking group, PNC Bank

The wage gap between female and male employees persists, but a recent study conducted by Babson College found that even women business owners pay themselves less than their male counterparts. Career Coach Rita Friedman has seen women entrepreneurs thrive by approaching negotiations with confidence and understanding of the true value of their work. In this roundtable, she will share lessons learned from salary negotiations and share strategies for commanding the price you deserve.

Speaker: Rita Friedman, coach, speaker, and consultant

A poorly timed tweet, a misworded caption, or an inappropriate hashtag can lead to a cringeworthy moment online with real world ramifications. Even the most conscientious person can have one. Publicist and communications expert Parisnicole Payton dissects real social gaffes and responses so that, should the unintended happen to you, you’ll know the steps to make changes and move on.

Speaker: Parisnicole Payton, director, PR, marketing, and communications, The PNP Agency

Like any business, blogging requires hard work, patience, risk, and strategy, but the payoff is that you might be able to make a living doing something you love. This roundtable will provide you with actionable ideas and take- aways as well as what you can expect from the blogging world. We will discuss monetization strategies such as sponsored content, affiliate programs, and advertising opportunities, along with some other creative ways to earn money through your blog. You can absolutely monetize your content without losing sight of your core vision – let’s brainstorm together!

Speaker: Shari Medini, co-owner, Adore Them, & host, Push Pull Sales & Marketing

We have all heard about that Kickstarter campaign that reached its goal within the hour. Or that GoFundMe cam- paign with a brilliant concept that failed to meet its goal. What are the strategies that will make your crowdfunding campaign a success? Before you start, meet Vanessa Chan, founder of re.design, whose Kickstarter campaign for loopit last year exceeded its fundraising goal by 130%. She will share how to maximize your campaign while mini- mizing the risk to your business idea.

Speaker: Vanessa Chan, entrepreneur & founder, re.design

Are you looking to give your social media presence more than just a “boost”? Tierney Account Director and Content Strategist Hannah Moulden will take you through the convergence of paid, earned, and owned media and show you how to optimize each to amplify your reach on social. Participants will learn to position their businesses for growth with ad spend efficiency, engagement tactics, and influencer and brand partnerships.

Speaker: Hannah Moulden, account director & content strategist, Tierney

When creating a personal brand online, the line between being authentic and maintaining privacy is a fine one. In this roundtable, iHeart on-air personality and Director of Social Media Nicole Michalik helps navigate questions about addressing personal challenges, deciding whether to include or exclude your family, and being true to your- self online.

Speaker: Nicole Michalik, director, social media, iHeart Media

With 250 million daily users of Instagram Stories and 166 million more on Snapchat, social storytelling is become a key tool of engagement for creatives, bloggers, and businesses. In this session, communications and brand expert Rakia Reynolds will teach you how social video can help your brand, blog, or business (no matter the size of your budget), which platforms are right for you, and the tools needed to create unforgettable stories.

Speaker: Rakia Reynolds, owner, SkaiBlue Media

Social media offers unprecedented opportunities to define and build your brand. But each social channel is unique, and a cookie cutter approach just won’t cut it. How can you create consistency across multiple platforms and leverage different channels to support your message? Director of Digital Content & Media Charlie Widdoes shares insights from his work with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Speaker: Charlie Widdoes, director of digital content & media, Philadelphia 76ers

Digital communications are integral to your professional life, and consistency is key. But unless social media management is your full-time job, it can tax your time and resources. An editorial calendar can help. In this roundtable discussion, Chatterblast digital strategist Jackie Kollar will share tools to plan out your digital content and time its delivery while still keeping it timely and fresh.

Speaker: Jackie Kollar, director, digital strategy, Chatterblast

You are vital to your small business or non-profit’s branding, and Instagram is an ideal platform to show who you are and what you stand for. In this roundtable conversation, we will discuss putting a face to a name online, moving beyond your logo to create a personal connection for your business. Participants will learn practical tips for increasing community engagement, creating partnership and collaborations, and setting yourself apart on Instagram.

Speaker: Tracy Buchholz, founder, TLBTB Creative Services

Patrice Banks

Lisa Bodell

Jeffery Tobias Halter

Kelly Hoey

Julie Lythcott-Haims

Esther Perel

Ann Shoket

Caroline Webb

Special thanks to our sponsors Fine Wine & Good Spirits for hosting this wine and spirits tasting in the Exhibit Hall from 4:00 – 5:00 pm.

Also take time to visit the Fine Wine & Good Spirits Store adjacent to the tasting area to purchase some of the fantastic products. From 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., Fabio Viviani will be on site in the store to sign bottles of his wines following his cooking demonstrations in the Health & Wellness Pavilion.

Erica Booth

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