Featured Speakers
 Sheila C. Johnson (Curry School Foundation board), CEO of Salamander Hospitality, LLC, President & Managing Partner of the WNBA's Washington Mystics, and a partner in Lincoln Holdings, LLC, served as the keynote speaker during the opening ceremonies at Newcomb Hall. Ms. Johnson’s speech, "From Learning To Returning, My Journey in Philanthropy," focused on three critical aspects of her life that she labeled "learning, earning, and returning." Sheila noted adults who mentored her during important periods in her life, her triumphs and challenges in the modern business world, and her determination to use the influence she has earned to give back and to elevate woman throughout the world. Learn about the milestones in Sheila’s life as well as her steadfast commitment and efforts to ensure that future generations benefit from the contributions of women today. Listen now.
 Elizabeth A. Smith (College '85), the president of Avon Products Inc., delivered a speech entitled "Empowering Women Through Corporate Mission." Ms. Smith served as the keynote speaker during dinner Friday night at the Boar's Head Inn. Smith discussed Avon's many programs empowering women – such as the Hello Tomorrow fund offering weekly micro-loans to women supporting community needs, Avon’s partnership with the United Nations to combat global domestic violence, and worldwide walks to benefit breast cancer research – and how her personal career path led her to Avon. Liz delivered an inspirational speech on the impact of women in leadership roles to enact positive change across the world. Listen now.
Panelists & Moderators:
Friday, September 26 – 2:15 – 3:30 p.m. (Newcomb Hall)
Women's Entrepreneurship
Allison Jones Evanow (College '86) – Founder and CEO, Square One Organic Spirits, LLC
Lynn Van Dermark (Nursing '87) – Founder and CEO, MedTrials
MODERATOR: Elizabeth Thurston – Assistant Professor, McIntire School of Commerce
The Environment & Sustainability
Deborah Lawrence – Associate Professor, College Department of Environmental Sciences
Margaret Mattix (Engineering '79) – Vice President Global Marketing, ExxonMobil, Corp.
Sylvia Smith (Architecture '79) – Senior Partner, FXFowle Architects, PC
Jill Tietjen (Engineering '76) – President and CEO, Technically Speaking Inc.
MODERATOR: Andrea Larson – Associate Professor, Darden School of Business
Trends in the Media
Donna L. Byrd (College '92) – Publisher, theRoot.com
Diane Naughton (College '83) – Independent Writer and Film Producer
Lauren O'Connor (College '09) – Former President of the Filmmaker's Society
Gretchen Tibbits (College '89) – Vice President, Hearst Business Media
MODERATOR: Andrea Press – Professor, College Department of Media Studies
Friday, September 26 – 3:45 – 5:00 p.m. (Newcomb Hall)
Global Action
Alexandra Arriaga (College '87) – International Human Rights Advocate
Meredyth Gilmore (College '10) – President, U.Va. Chapter, Building Tomorrow
Mary Ann Leeper (Adjunct Faculty in Darden School of Business), Senior Strategist and former President and CEO, The Female Health Company
Carolyn Miles (Darden '88) – Executive Vice President and COO, Save the Children
MODERATOR: Carol Ann Spreen – Assistant Professor, Curry School of Education
Educating the Citizens of Tomorrow
Georgia Willis Fauber (McIntire '83) – U.Va. Board of Visitors Emerita; Former President, Caroline Savings Bank, Caroline County, Va.
Edith 'Winx' Lawrence – Professor General Faculty, Curry School of Education Department of Human Services
Esther Vassar (Curry, MEd '71) – Commissioner and Board Chair of the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
MODERATOR: Nancy Deutsch – Assistant Professor, Curry School of Education
Women in Sports
Val Ackerman (College '81) – Former student-athlete; President, USA Basketball
Lea Ann Parsley (Nursing '92) – Olympic Silver Medalist (skeleton)
Debbie Ryan – U.Va. Women's Basketball Head Coach
Debby Stroman (Curry '82) – Former student-athlete; CEO, Soulful Golf, Inc.; Visiting Assistant Professor, UNC-Chapel Hill
MODERATOR: Jane Miller – U.Va. Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Programs
Saturday, September 27 – 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. (Darden School of Business)
The Resilient Leader
Victoria Harker (College '86) – Executive Vice President and CFO, AES Corporation
Barbara Jeremiah (Law '77) – Executive Vice President, Corporate Development, Alcoa Inc.
Elizabeth Twohy (McIntire '74) – President, Capital Concrete, Inc.
MODERATOR: Elizabeth Powell – Assistant Professor, Darden School of Business
Health Care Outreach
Wendi Wills El-Amin, M.D. - Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine; Assistant Dean, Medical Education; Director, Community Outreach, Center on Health Disparities; all at the U.Va. School of Medicine
Sophia Paige, M.D. (College '87) - Founder, Arboretum Obstetrics & Gynecology
Karen Rheuban, M.D. ('78 Med Res, '80 Fellow; U.Va. Parent) - Professor, Department of Pediatrics; Associate Dean, Continuing Medical Education; Medical Director, Office of Telemedicine; all at the U.Va. School of Medicine
MODERATOR: Connie Lee - Associate Professor, School of Nursing
Challenges in the Non-Profit World
Vandna Wendy Bhagat (College '91) - Senior Vice President & Executive Director of First Book National Book Bank
Cathy Gorrell (Nursing '79) - Board of Trustees, Nomadic Kenyan Children's Educational Fund
Meredith Gunter (U.Va. Parent) - Founder, U.Va. Cancer Patients & Friends
MODERATOR: Sandra Stern (Curry EdD '85) - Board of Directors, Parkinson Disease Foundation
General Sessions – Saturday, September 27 (Darden School of Business)
Women in Politics (9:00 a.m.)
Karin Agness (College '06, Law '09) – Founder, Network of Enlightened Women
Jennifer McClellan (Law '97) – Virginia House of Delegates, 71st District; Democratic National Committee
Meredith Richards – Former Charlottesville City Councilor & Vice Mayor; Campaign Fundraiser for local & statewide candidates; Gubernatorial Appointee to the Commission on Rail Enhancement for the 21st Century
Charmaine Yoest (PhD, College '04) – President, Americans United for Life
MODERATOR: Lynn Sanders – Associate Professor, College Department of Politics
Women in Leadership at U.Va. (12:30 p.m.)
Marcia Day Childress (College '76 MA, '96 PhD) – Associate Professor, Medical Education; and Director, Program in Humanities, Center for Biomedical Ethics and Humanities, School of Medicine
Adom Getachew (College '09) – Student Representative, U.Va. Board of Visitors
Yoke San Reynolds – Vice President and CFO, University of Virginia
Karin Wittenborg – University Librarian, University of Virginia Library
MODERATOR: Suzan Garson (Conference Honorary Co-Chair)
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