Agenda - June 21, 2022

7:30-8:30
Conference Check-In and Continental Breakfast
8:30-8:45
Welcome and Introductions
8:45-9:45
Morning Keynote - Jacqueline Moloney

UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney is a national leader in innovation in higher education. The first woman to lead the university since its founding in 1894, she was recognized in 2017 as one of seven prominent "Women Who Mean Business" by the Boston Business Journal. Since that year, UMass Lowell has been ranked in the top 15 of the Top 100 Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts by the Boston Globe Magazine and the Commonwealth Institute.

In her 37 years with UMass Lowell—where she also earned two degrees—Moloney has served in a number of roles, including professor, researcher, dean and executive vice chancellor.

Jacqueline Moloney
9:45-10:00
Break
10:00 - 11:00
Concurrent Sessions 1
Track A: Leading with Impact
Sponsored by Eastern Salt Company
Leadership 101

This session is for anyone who would like to connect with an exciting group of women who will share key leadership skills that have driven their success! Especially valuable for early career professionals, these conversations will provide exposure to excellent role models and highlight competences that have served leaders well along their paths. Our panelists will share stories including successes, and also situations that may have ended less successfully than originally anticipated, and what these leaders learned from the experiences.

Speakers:
Track B: Changemakers: Leading for Social Justice
Sponsored by Eastern Bank
Passion Over Politics: Navigating the Health Care Culture Wars to Save Lives

While access to health care is increasingly seen as a human right, destructive political efforts threaten to ban transgender youth from accessing the gender-affirming care they need to survive and thrive. Medical doctors are trained to provide high-quality care to their patients, but they don't enter the profession prepared to navigate the political minefield that is health care in the United States. Dr. Izzy Lowell isn't like other doctors: She started Queer Med, a private clinic that specializes in providing accessible health care to the trans community across 10 states in the South where anti-trans legislation would make her work a crime. Dr. Lowell's story shows us what it means to lead with passion and courage for social justice.

Speakers:
Track C: Women Leading in STEM, Sustainability, and Start-ups
Sponsored by NETSCOUT
How Women are Shaping the Future of Biotech

Hear from renowned innovation leaders about how they and their work are shaping biotech and the positive influence this will have for women in biotech for years to come.

Speakers:
Track D: Putting Well-Being to Work: Strategies for Success
Sponsored by Enterprise Holdings
Centering Well-being and (Re)defining What Success Means to You

How do you define well-being? What does success look like today? How has it changed over time, and—more specifically—in our adjustment to a post-COVID world? In this session, we will have a conversation about our definitions of well-being, how there are similarities and differences across generations and how we are learning to define success for ourselves.

Speakers:
  • Adeja Shivonne: Producer, CNN
  • LZ Nunn: Executive Director, Project LEARN
  • Amy Smalarz: Bureau Chief, New Hampshire Department of Public Health Services (Moderator)
11:10-12:10
Concurrent Sessions 2
Track A: Leading with Impact
Sponsored by Eastern Salt Company
Identifying Your Value Proposition

Would you like to be more assertive when it comes to declaring your value proposition and qualifications? Speaking up about your contributions and qualifications sends a signal of readiness for growth opportunities.

In this workshop, we will discuss an important element that can increase your visibility in the workplace—the elevator pitch, a two-minute summary that describes a person's present job and what they aspire to accomplish. Having a well-prepared elevator pitch sets you apart from others and enables you to advocate for yourself when the chance presents itself. Being ready with the right story can help you get the attention of others, ease you into a new role or let you advocate for an important project. You will walk away from this workshop ready to advocate for yourself or others.

Speakers:
  • Yana Shechterman: Owner, Yana Shechterman Consulting, Leadership and Organizational Consultant, Executive Coach, Part-Time Professor at D'Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University
Track B: Changemakers: Leading for Social Justice
Sponsored by Eastern Bank
Purpose + Profit: A Reebok Case Study on Doing Well While Doing Good

Increasingly, companies are expected to adopt a social purpose—but they don't have to forfeit revenue in the process. Just ask Reebok, whose BOKS program has helped more than a half-million schoolchildren across the country get active. BOKS Founder Kathleen Tullie and Reebok's Senior Director of Kids Global Footwear Diana Bitzas will tell the BOKS story and offer insights on how leaders can start small to make a large impact.

Speakers:
  • Kathleen Tullie: Founder of BOKS and Former Director of Social Purpose, Reebok
  • Diana Bitzas: Former Senior Director of Kids Global Footwear, Reebok
Track C: Women Leading in STEM, Sustainability, and Start-ups
Sponsored by NETSCOUT
Women in Sustainability

This panel will feature leaders in industrial and nonprofit sectors focused on sustainable solutions to today's environmental challenges. We will discuss how they have been able to leverage their leadership positions to drive sustainability efforts and mentor young colleagues.

Speakers:
Track D: Putting Well-Being to Work: Strategies for Success
Sponsored by Enterprise Holdings
Sense of Belonging and Its Impact on the Culture of Work

How do we create a culture of work? What might this look like for the multi-generational workforce? In this session, panelists will share how they have impacted their work environments to improve the culture of work and help foster a sense of belonging.

Speakers:
  • Matilda Matovu: Program Administrator, Office of Community Engagement, Equity, & Belonging, Harvard Law School
  • Constanza Cabello: Vice President for Equity Programs, State Street
  • Elaine White: Chief Operating Officer, Bridgewell
  • Elaine Keough: Director of Digital Strategy, UMass Lowell (Moderator)
12:15-1:15
Lunch
1:15 - 2:15
Concurrent Sessions 3
Track A: Leading with Impact
Sponsored by Eastern Salt Company
Leadership in Action: Real World Stories

This session is for participants who are interested in learning from the leadership stories of senior professionals. Hear the unique stories and perspectives of accomplished leaders. No two paths are the same. Whether you are contemplating a career change, have an entrepreneurial spirit, are interested in learning about leadership in nonprofits, love strategic planning, or just would like to discover how other women leaders have been successful, this panel is for you!

Speakers:
  • Renee Bordner: Music School Founder and Studio Director, Noteworthy Experiences
  • Irina Astashkevich, Ph.D.: Principal, RSM Online Elementary School & Visiting Research Associate, Brandeis University
  • Nicole Gilmore: Director of Development, MITRE Corporation
  • Chantal Bray: Head of Risk Strategy and Governance, MassMutual
  • Karyn Puleo: Executive Director of Facilities Business Operations, Adjunct Faculty, Manning School of Business, UMass Lowell (Moderator)
Track B: Changemakers: Leading for Social Justice
Sponsored by Eastern Bank
Women in Nonprofits: The Challenges and Opportunities of Working in Social Impact Roles

This panel of seasoned nonprofit leaders will share the lessons they've learned over years of work in the nonprofit sector. This roundtable discussion will explore everything from fundraising and board development to career advancement and leveraging of relationships. Whether you currently work for a nonprofit—or aspire to someday—this panel will offer valuable insights into the unique challenges and opportunities of that world.

Speakers:
  • Nana Younge: Founder and Executive Director, Get Girls Going
  • Alex McAdams: Director of Operations, Gender Equality Law Center; Development Director, World Beyond War
  • Henrietta Isaboke: Executive Director, World Farmers Inc.
  • Erica Steckler, Ph.D.: Associate Professor, Manning School of Business, UMass Lowell (Moderator)
Track C: Women Leading in STEM, Sustainability, and Start-ups
Sponsored by NETSCOUT
Start-up Mash-up: Investors, Founders and Start-up Resources

Entrepreneurial ventures succeed when they are well funded, well supported, and well run. This panel features women on the leading edge of all three. Our speakers include the CEO and founder of a winery who took a dream and made it a reality, along with the CEO and founder of medical device company that is changing the lives of people with nerve and muscle disorders. We also will hear from a leading early stage investor in the greater Boston area who continues to invest in and mentor founders across a range of industries. We round out the panel with other experts involved in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Come join us for what is sure to be a lively and informative session!

Speakers:
Track D: Putting Well-Being to Work: Strategies for Success
Sponsored by Enterprise Holdings
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace and its Impact on Employee Well-Being

A wide range of topics related to DEI need to be promoted throughout an organization. This includes trainings, workshops, dialogues, etc. A climate that promotes a positive and inclusive workplace will contribute to improving the health and well-being of the employees. Learn how leaders in various industries strategize and promote DEI in their organizations.

Speakers:
  • Marie Meslin: Executive Director, The Capital Network
  • Charmain F. Jackman, Ph.D.: Psychologist, Consultant, & Founder/CEO, InnoPsych, Inc.
  • Pascha McTyson: Program Manager, Student Engagement, Bloomberg Center for Cities
  • Clara Reynolds: Associate Vice Chancellor for Equal Opportunity and Outreach and Diversity and Inclusion, UMass Lowell (Moderator)
2:15-2:30
Break
2:30 - 3:30
Afternoon Keynote - Abby Chin

Abby Chin is the Boston Celtics courtside reporter and studio host for NBC Sports Boston. While in her 10th season covering one of the most storied franchises in professional sports, Chin also served as an on-site reporter for NBC Sports at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

A graduate of the University of Colorado, where she earned a B.S. in broadcast journalism, Chin began her career as a production assistant for Monday Night Football at ESPN, moving on to become an on-air reporter and host in Alabama and then for NBC Sports Portland, where she covered the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers and PAC-12 football.

Abby Chin
3:30-3:45
Closing Remarks
3:45-5:00
Closing Networking Reception