Hover over photos to learn more. Click photos for speaker and session details.
2018 Keynote Speakers:
Schedule at a Glance
Inclusion in Action Panel
Breakout Session #1
Emerging Leadership Track:
Executive Leadership Track:
Technical Track:
Diversity & Inclusion Track:
Breakout Session #2
Emerging Leadership Track:
Executive Leadership Track
Diversity & Inclusion Track
Session and speaker details:
10:00-11:00am
Laila Ali, World-Class Athlete, Fitness & Wellness Expert
Laila Ali is a world-class athlete, fitness & wellness expert, TV host, cooking enthusiast, founder of the Laila Ali Lifestyle Brand, and mother of two. The daughter of late beloved global icon and humanitarian, Muhammad Ali, she is a four-time undefeated boxing world champion, whose stellar record includes 24 wins (21 of which were “knockouts”) and zero losses. Laila Is heralded as the most successful female in the history of women’s boxing.
Beginning January of 2017, millions of viewers will watch Laila showcase how much of a savvy business “knockout” she is in the boardroom as she competes on the all-new “Celebrity Apprentice.” Laila is also a regular panelist and contributor for the CBS Sports Network’s new all-female sports commentary program, “We Need to Talk,” the first of its kind in the history of sports broadcasting. For multiple seasons she hosted “Everyday Health” airing in national syndication on ABC, in addition to being the previous co-host of “American Gladiators” and former host of “All-In With Laila Ali,” which aired in weekend syndication on CBS. In 2012 when women’s boxing was included in the Olympics for the first time in history. Laila was the first women in history to provide expert commentary for NBC Sports. For two consecutive years since its conception in 2015, she was selected as host of the first ever televised ESPN Sports Humanitarian Awards.
Laila is a past President of the Women’s Sports Foundation, a non-profit organization that is supported by some of the biggest athletes in the world. Through WST Laila promotes equality for women in the world of professional sports, and she pushes programs that encourage young women to be confident, healthy and strong through sports. She was also a major voice for the 40th anniversary of Title IX which protects women’s rights to be included and treated equally in collegiate sports. She is also a major supporter of charitable organizations such as Feeding America and Peace 4 Kids. She is also quite proud of the work she has done on behalf of the American Dental Association to create oral health awareness for children.
Laila Ali is a sought after inspirational speaker and author of her life’s story in a dynamic book for young women entitled “Reach!” Laila studied business management at Santa Monica College. She and her husband, former NFL star Curtis Conway, live in Los Angeles, with their two children, son Curtis Jr., and daughter Sydney.
Beginning January of 2017, millions of viewers will watch Laila showcase how much of a savvy business “knockout” she is in the boardroom as she competes on the all-new “Celebrity Apprentice.” Laila is also a regular panelist and contributor for the CBS Sports Network’s new all-female sports commentary program, “We Need to Talk,” the first of its kind in the history of sports broadcasting. For multiple seasons she hosted “Everyday Health” airing in national syndication on ABC, in addition to being the previous co-host of “American Gladiators” and former host of “All-In With Laila Ali,” which aired in weekend syndication on CBS. In 2012 when women’s boxing was included in the Olympics for the first time in history. Laila was the first women in history to provide expert commentary for NBC Sports. For two consecutive years since its conception in 2015, she was selected as host of the first ever televised ESPN Sports Humanitarian Awards.
Laila is a past President of the Women’s Sports Foundation, a non-profit organization that is supported by some of the biggest athletes in the world. Through WST Laila promotes equality for women in the world of professional sports, and she pushes programs that encourage young women to be confident, healthy and strong through sports. She was also a major voice for the 40th anniversary of Title IX which protects women’s rights to be included and treated equally in collegiate sports. She is also a major supporter of charitable organizations such as Feeding America and Peace 4 Kids. She is also quite proud of the work she has done on behalf of the American Dental Association to create oral health awareness for children.
Laila Ali is a sought after inspirational speaker and author of her life’s story in a dynamic book for young women entitled “Reach!” Laila studied business management at Santa Monica College. She and her husband, former NFL star Curtis Conway, live in Los Angeles, with their two children, son Curtis Jr., and daughter Sydney.
1:00-2:00 Emerging Leadership Track (2 talks - 30 minutes each)
Lead with your Super Power: the Resilience Factor
Session time: 30 minutes
Are you embracing your RESILIENT SUPER POWER to lead yourself and others through the chaos of change? Change is inevitable – but how we emerge on the other side has everything to do with how we manage ourselves and influence others. YOU make the difference in the outcome.
Resilient Women Leaders Know:
• They're MADE for Change: When things need to get done, the resilient woman is the one who will find a way.
• The difference between REACTING and RESPONDING: Reacting is instinctual. Responding is a conscious choice.
• It's THEIR story: they can control the outcome.
Statistics show that women are inherently GREAT leaders!
Your SUPER Power is a leadership differentiator!!!
Pattie Vargas, Principal, The Vargas Group
In 1995, Pattie Vargas encountered a life-changing event that set the course for the rest of her career. What could have resulted in a dead-end, bitter saga of mere survival instead led her on a journey to discover the difference between going under or pushing through!
Pattie is a recognized leader in performance and change management. She is a frequent conference speaker on the topics of change management, personal resilience, team dynamics and issues facing women in the workplace, and entertains and energizes audiences on surviving – and thriving! – during change! Experience across a wide array of industries and disciplines have demonstrated that her approach is applicable wherever change is the order of the day. Her practical message and humorous stories, born of the joys and sorrows that can only come from experience, brings about dramatic improvements in workplace and personal performance.
Pattie holds a Masters degree in Organizational Management, is certified in the use of DISC Behavioral assessments and is Vistage Chair in Sacramento, California. From her technical days she holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from Project Management Institute as well as certification in Total Quality Management and Process Improvement from University of California, San Diego.
Session time: 30 minutes
Are you embracing your RESILIENT SUPER POWER to lead yourself and others through the chaos of change? Change is inevitable – but how we emerge on the other side has everything to do with how we manage ourselves and influence others. YOU make the difference in the outcome.
Resilient Women Leaders Know:
• They're MADE for Change: When things need to get done, the resilient woman is the one who will find a way.
• The difference between REACTING and RESPONDING: Reacting is instinctual. Responding is a conscious choice.
• It's THEIR story: they can control the outcome.
Statistics show that women are inherently GREAT leaders!
Your SUPER Power is a leadership differentiator!!!
Pattie Vargas, Principal, The Vargas Group
In 1995, Pattie Vargas encountered a life-changing event that set the course for the rest of her career. What could have resulted in a dead-end, bitter saga of mere survival instead led her on a journey to discover the difference between going under or pushing through!
Pattie is a recognized leader in performance and change management. She is a frequent conference speaker on the topics of change management, personal resilience, team dynamics and issues facing women in the workplace, and entertains and energizes audiences on surviving – and thriving! – during change! Experience across a wide array of industries and disciplines have demonstrated that her approach is applicable wherever change is the order of the day. Her practical message and humorous stories, born of the joys and sorrows that can only come from experience, brings about dramatic improvements in workplace and personal performance.
Pattie holds a Masters degree in Organizational Management, is certified in the use of DISC Behavioral assessments and is Vistage Chair in Sacramento, California. From her technical days she holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from Project Management Institute as well as certification in Total Quality Management and Process Improvement from University of California, San Diego.
Fast Tracking Your Leadership Career
Session time: 30 minutes
While American women hold 52% of all professional-level jobs, only 20% of them hold executive, senior leadership, and management positions in U.S. high-tech industries. Research has shown that while women are and have a potential to be better leaders than men, they fail to climb the corporate ladder because they think that by just doing great work, they will be promoted to leadership positions. Not True! This session will crack the code for you. We will dive deep into 7 key areas where you can focus right now to pave your road to the leadership positions. The 7 key areas are:
Rashim Mogha, Senior Director, Cloud Infrastructure, Oracle
Rashim Mogha is a dynamic, outcome-driven leader passionate about driving customer success through training and enablement. Her extensive career portfolio consists of prominent companies, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), VMware, Hitachi Data Systems, and NIIT. Rashim is an evangelist for women in technology and has been on speaker panels for organizations, such as the Girl Geek X. In addition, she also participates as a mentor at speed mentoring events in the Bay Area. Her thoughts on leadership, innovation, and diversity and inclusion have appeared in publications like Forbes - see here and here. In her current role as Senior Director, Product Management at Oracle, she leads the strategy for customer enablement through training and certification. Rashim is a published author. She shares her thoughts on technical training and certification strategy, women in technology and mindful leadership via speaking engagements and through Association for Talent Development (ATD). She is passionate about the power of positivity and coaches leaders to recognize, visualize, and actualize success using the power of positivity. She has recently started collaborating with the Mayor of Dublin, California to bring mindful leadership program for children to Tri-valley. Connect with or follow Rashim on LinkedIn or on Twitter. Visit her website.
Session time: 30 minutes
While American women hold 52% of all professional-level jobs, only 20% of them hold executive, senior leadership, and management positions in U.S. high-tech industries. Research has shown that while women are and have a potential to be better leaders than men, they fail to climb the corporate ladder because they think that by just doing great work, they will be promoted to leadership positions. Not True! This session will crack the code for you. We will dive deep into 7 key areas where you can focus right now to pave your road to the leadership positions. The 7 key areas are:
- Identifying your superpower
- Building your brand
- Investing in yourself
- Finding a sponsor
- Practicing mindful leadership
- Making sure you are heard
- Learning how to network
Rashim Mogha, Senior Director, Cloud Infrastructure, Oracle
Rashim Mogha is a dynamic, outcome-driven leader passionate about driving customer success through training and enablement. Her extensive career portfolio consists of prominent companies, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), VMware, Hitachi Data Systems, and NIIT. Rashim is an evangelist for women in technology and has been on speaker panels for organizations, such as the Girl Geek X. In addition, she also participates as a mentor at speed mentoring events in the Bay Area. Her thoughts on leadership, innovation, and diversity and inclusion have appeared in publications like Forbes - see here and here. In her current role as Senior Director, Product Management at Oracle, she leads the strategy for customer enablement through training and certification. Rashim is a published author. She shares her thoughts on technical training and certification strategy, women in technology and mindful leadership via speaking engagements and through Association for Talent Development (ATD). She is passionate about the power of positivity and coaches leaders to recognize, visualize, and actualize success using the power of positivity. She has recently started collaborating with the Mayor of Dublin, California to bring mindful leadership program for children to Tri-valley. Connect with or follow Rashim on LinkedIn or on Twitter. Visit her website.
1:00-2:00 Executive Leadership Track
Influence Beyond Your Team: How to Get Things Done Across the Company
Session time: 1 hour
While technical leaders often have the respect of their own teams/managers, they can get stuck when trying to influence others outside of their group, particularly those from different functions with different priorities, commitments and concerns. This workshop will provide 3 tools—for developing Trust, Strategic Thinking, and Organizational Savvy—that are essential to becoming influential and having your voice included in decisions across an enterprise. Participants will get an understanding of the tools and an opportunity to practice applying them to their own work environment.
Linda Lubin Thompson, L2T Leadership Development
Linda Thompson applies more than 20 years of HR experience at Silicon Valley companies to her leadership consulting practice. Linda holds a Bachelor's degree from Skidmore College and a Master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Her article, “Coaching Quicksand: Avoiding Hidden Dangers that Trap the Best of Us,” was published in the International Journal of Coaching in Organizations. She is a mentor for the WOMEN Unlimited LEAD program, and has coached for the Global Women’s Leadership Network, which supports women leaders all over the world. Additionally, Linda is a recipient of the YWCA Tribute to Women and Industry Award, which recognizes women leaders who represent leadership role models for others.
Session time: 1 hour
While technical leaders often have the respect of their own teams/managers, they can get stuck when trying to influence others outside of their group, particularly those from different functions with different priorities, commitments and concerns. This workshop will provide 3 tools—for developing Trust, Strategic Thinking, and Organizational Savvy—that are essential to becoming influential and having your voice included in decisions across an enterprise. Participants will get an understanding of the tools and an opportunity to practice applying them to their own work environment.
Linda Lubin Thompson, L2T Leadership Development
Linda Thompson applies more than 20 years of HR experience at Silicon Valley companies to her leadership consulting practice. Linda holds a Bachelor's degree from Skidmore College and a Master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Her article, “Coaching Quicksand: Avoiding Hidden Dangers that Trap the Best of Us,” was published in the International Journal of Coaching in Organizations. She is a mentor for the WOMEN Unlimited LEAD program, and has coached for the Global Women’s Leadership Network, which supports women leaders all over the world. Additionally, Linda is a recipient of the YWCA Tribute to Women and Industry Award, which recognizes women leaders who represent leadership role models for others.
1:30-2:30 Technical Track (2 talks - 30 minutes each)
Inclusive and Accessible: Tooling Large Scale Web Apps for the Blind and Visually-impaired
Session time: 30 minutes
The advent of the single page app enables lightning fast UIs that respond and change seamlessly. But how do we make sure that our sleek looking apps don't leave behind our users who have visual and tactile disabilities, and who require assistive technologies to navigate our sites? In 2017, Scribd, a reading and audiobook app with over 100 million visitors a month, confronted these questions head on. Within a year, the Scribd web team transformed its web application to comply with the American Disabilities Act. In doing so, the company not only gave the blind and visually impaired to access an enormous library of documents, books, and audiobooks, but also tapped into unexpected technological and growth opportunities. Soo-Rae is one of the engineers who worked on the project, and she shares the challenges her team faced, as well as the Javascript tools and solutions they came.
Soo-Rae Hong, Scribd
Soo-Rae is a full-stack software developer who has been working on the Front-End team at Scribd since March 2017. In addition to working on the accessibility project, she has led the technological transition of their stack from Coffeescript to React and served as the lead developer on several key growth and retention projects. Prior to her work at Scribd, she’s worked in both the international non-profit and private sectors. In her spare time, she forages in the woods, practices archery, and dabbles in dozens of other hobbies.
Session time: 30 minutes
The advent of the single page app enables lightning fast UIs that respond and change seamlessly. But how do we make sure that our sleek looking apps don't leave behind our users who have visual and tactile disabilities, and who require assistive technologies to navigate our sites? In 2017, Scribd, a reading and audiobook app with over 100 million visitors a month, confronted these questions head on. Within a year, the Scribd web team transformed its web application to comply with the American Disabilities Act. In doing so, the company not only gave the blind and visually impaired to access an enormous library of documents, books, and audiobooks, but also tapped into unexpected technological and growth opportunities. Soo-Rae is one of the engineers who worked on the project, and she shares the challenges her team faced, as well as the Javascript tools and solutions they came.
Soo-Rae Hong, Scribd
Soo-Rae is a full-stack software developer who has been working on the Front-End team at Scribd since March 2017. In addition to working on the accessibility project, she has led the technological transition of their stack from Coffeescript to React and served as the lead developer on several key growth and retention projects. Prior to her work at Scribd, she’s worked in both the international non-profit and private sectors. In her spare time, she forages in the woods, practices archery, and dabbles in dozens of other hobbies.
Second talk - coming soon!
1:30-2:30 Diversity & Inclusion Track
Design Lab: Creating Inclusive Conversations
People engage in conversations about talent and performance at many stages of employees’ careers, from hiring to promotions, and in everyday situations such as team meetings. While people believe in the idea of meritocracy, bias can creep into evaluations of performance. This interactive workshop is designed to provide participants tools to catch bias in conversations about performance and then design more fair and effective outcomes. While the material can be applied to all aspects of the employee lifecycle, we will start with the hiring process.
The interactive-based workshop emphasizes three learning goals:
People engage in conversations about talent and performance at many stages of employees’ careers, from hiring to promotions, and in everyday situations such as team meetings. While people believe in the idea of meritocracy, bias can creep into evaluations of performance. This interactive workshop is designed to provide participants tools to catch bias in conversations about performance and then design more fair and effective outcomes. While the material can be applied to all aspects of the employee lifecycle, we will start with the hiring process.
The interactive-based workshop emphasizes three learning goals:
- Identifying mechanisms of bias: How does bias creep into conversations about performance?
- Engaging in conversational tools to block bias: How can you design more consistency and clarity into conversations about talent and performance?
- Designing effective and fair conversations: How can you pilot micro-interventions to move conversations toward more inclusive outcomes?
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Lori Nishiura Mackenzie, Executive Director, The Clayman Institute for Gender Research
As Executive Director, Lori Nishiura Mackenzie leads the Institute's efforts to build impact with gender research. She is co-founder of the Institute's latest initiative, the Center for the Advancement of Women's Leadership. Mackenzie is creator of the workshops the Language of Leadership and the Dyanmics of Hyper-Effective Teams. She is founder of the online Voice & Influence program aimed at providing people with the skills, information and inspiration to be as effective as possible. This curriculum has been widely viewed through the Clayman Institute's partnership with LeanIn.org, the Stanford Graduate School of Business, the Darden Graduate School of Business and INSEAD. Stacy Blake-Beard, Deloitte Ellen Gabriel Professor of Women and Leadership, and Sr. Faculty Affiliate, Center for Gender in Organizations Stacy Blake-Beard is a Professor of Management at the Simmons School of Business where she teaches Organizational Behavior. She is also Faculty Affiliate at the Center for Gender in Organizations at Simmons and Visiting Faculty at the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, India. Prior to joining Simmons, Dr. Blake-Beard was faculty at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. She has also worked in sales and marketing at Procter & Gamble and in the corporate human resources department at Xerox. Dr. Blake-Beard holds a BS in Psychology from the University of Maryland at College Park and an MA and a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from the University of Michigan. |
2:30-3:30 Emerging Leadership Track
Present with Impact
Session time: 1 hour
As an emerging leader, whether you’re communicating in person or virtually, it’s vital to learn to present yourself and your ideas clearly and confidently. Whether you want to ensure your voice is heard at the table, persuade others to take action, or enhance your brand, this high-energy, practical workshop equips you with tools to take your communication and presentation skills to the next level. Learn how successful women manage anxiety before and during presentations. Discover three powerful secrets to convey confidence non-verbally. Identify actions you can take – immediately and authentically – to increase your personal impact.
Session time: 1 hour
As an emerging leader, whether you’re communicating in person or virtually, it’s vital to learn to present yourself and your ideas clearly and confidently. Whether you want to ensure your voice is heard at the table, persuade others to take action, or enhance your brand, this high-energy, practical workshop equips you with tools to take your communication and presentation skills to the next level. Learn how successful women manage anxiety before and during presentations. Discover three powerful secrets to convey confidence non-verbally. Identify actions you can take – immediately and authentically – to increase your personal impact.
Joy Leach
Tina Jackson
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About the presenters:
Joy Leach, Professional Resources Initiatives, Inc. Joy is a renowned speaker and author who has presented to thousands of women leaders around the globe. Joy’s background includes over 20 years speaking to large groups, regularly addressing audiences of over 1,000 women while promoting her first book, Personal Power. She supplements that with deep experience as a Master Certified Coach, providing transformational coaching that enables leaders to fully embody executive presence. She is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School and serves on the faculty of the Hudson Institute of Coaching. She has an impressive client list and currently works with clients in high tech companies such as Netflix, eBay, and Google. Tina Jackson, Clarity Consulting Tina is a dynamic facilitator who lights up a room. As an introvert, Tina shied away from presenting early in her career. Through training, practice, and mentoring, she learned to overcome anxiety and now loves to present! Tina designs and delivers customized workshops on leadership, executive presence, emotional intelligence, and team inclusion. She is co-author of A Practical Guide to Working with Diversity. As a Master Certified Coach with the Hudson Institute, Tina coaches executives and emerging leaders. She works with diverse clients including Fortune 500 companies (3M, Intel), high tech (Netflix, ipsy), professional services (PwC, BRG), and the intelligence community (can’t share!). |
2:30-3:30 Executive Leadership Track - 2 Speakers
Lessons Learned from Adobe’s Successful Transformation to the Cloud
Session time: 30 minutes
Digital transformation can often seem like a buzzword, but in 2011, Adobe was at a digital transformation crossroads, facing some of the toughest challenges in our 30-year history. We had grown into a multi-billion-dollar business with mature products and growth increasingly limited by the business model that had made us successful -- we needed to make some big changes. We embraced an aggressive shift of moving our core business to a cloud-based subscription service, with “Go big, or go home” as our mantra. This meant revolutionizing the creative process, and it wasn’t obvious to everybody that this was the right thing to do – but we realized there were huge advantages and opportunities to be had. These kinds of changes carry so much risk that many companies never undertake them. In this session, Ashley Still, VP/GM, Adobe Creative Cloud for enterprise and Document Cloud, talks about managing multi-billion dollar businesses at start-up speed, and shares the leadership lessons and risks that have to be taken for a hugely successful company transformation, and why digital transformation should be every company’s core business strategy for the next decade.
Ashley Still, VP/GM, Adobe Document Cloud and Creative Cloud
As Vice President and General Manager of Adobe’s Document Cloud and Creative Cloud enterprise businesses, Ashley Still helped lead the transition of Adobe’s business and products from desktop software to SaaS, driving record-breaking business growth. Ashley and her team are putting design, mobility and artificial intelligence at the center of customer experience to usher in a new era of innovation for Adobe’s diverse customer base – whether it’s e-signing a contract from an airplane, or producing the latest Hollywood film.
Prior to her current role, Ashley was Senior Director of Product & Marketing for Adobe Primetime, an Emmy-award winning Internet television platform used by major media companies such as Comcast, Turner, NBC Sports and more to transform their television experiences.
Ashley was named a “2017 Working Mother of the Year” by Working Mother magazine. She is passionate about empowering women in technology to maximize their potential through one-on-one mentoring and Adobe programs such as the Women’s Leadership Summit, Women’s Executive Shadow Program and Adobe Women & Lunch. Ashley earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and international studies from Yale University and her Master’s degree from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Session time: 30 minutes
Digital transformation can often seem like a buzzword, but in 2011, Adobe was at a digital transformation crossroads, facing some of the toughest challenges in our 30-year history. We had grown into a multi-billion-dollar business with mature products and growth increasingly limited by the business model that had made us successful -- we needed to make some big changes. We embraced an aggressive shift of moving our core business to a cloud-based subscription service, with “Go big, or go home” as our mantra. This meant revolutionizing the creative process, and it wasn’t obvious to everybody that this was the right thing to do – but we realized there were huge advantages and opportunities to be had. These kinds of changes carry so much risk that many companies never undertake them. In this session, Ashley Still, VP/GM, Adobe Creative Cloud for enterprise and Document Cloud, talks about managing multi-billion dollar businesses at start-up speed, and shares the leadership lessons and risks that have to be taken for a hugely successful company transformation, and why digital transformation should be every company’s core business strategy for the next decade.
Ashley Still, VP/GM, Adobe Document Cloud and Creative Cloud
As Vice President and General Manager of Adobe’s Document Cloud and Creative Cloud enterprise businesses, Ashley Still helped lead the transition of Adobe’s business and products from desktop software to SaaS, driving record-breaking business growth. Ashley and her team are putting design, mobility and artificial intelligence at the center of customer experience to usher in a new era of innovation for Adobe’s diverse customer base – whether it’s e-signing a contract from an airplane, or producing the latest Hollywood film.
Prior to her current role, Ashley was Senior Director of Product & Marketing for Adobe Primetime, an Emmy-award winning Internet television platform used by major media companies such as Comcast, Turner, NBC Sports and more to transform their television experiences.
Ashley was named a “2017 Working Mother of the Year” by Working Mother magazine. She is passionate about empowering women in technology to maximize their potential through one-on-one mentoring and Adobe programs such as the Women’s Leadership Summit, Women’s Executive Shadow Program and Adobe Women & Lunch. Ashley earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and international studies from Yale University and her Master’s degree from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Navigating Politics for Impact
Session time: 30 minutes
Achieving impact and meaningful change at the executive level requires that decisions be taken about competing priorities within the company. Often these decisions will challenge historic assumptions. In order to be effective, an executive leader needs to step up beyond her department or function to a broader stage that crosses organizational boundaries within the company. This requires that she bring not only a data-driven analysis of the business, but also a shrewd understanding of politics and ways to effect change.
At this stage of her career, there are no rules and there is no documented process to follow. Rather, she must start with the end game in mind and align to the attainment of long-term goals of the organization. She must find allies among her peers and be prepared for opposition from others.
- What not to do: Achieving change at your expense
- Timing: The teachable moments
- Content: Take a risk that is big enough to be worth it
- Stakeholder support: Socializing change with your peers and the boss
Success will brand her as a future leader of the company. The stakes are high and require that she develop a new gear in navigating corporate politics at the highest level. This skill is not taught in MBA school and is only learned through experience. Deliberate planning combined with inter-personal skill and empathy are the keys to success.
Barbara Adey, President & CEO, The Adey Group
Barbara Adey develops strategies for companies in intensely competitive markets and advises on digital transformation. She has scaled multiple businesses from zero to hundreds of millions in revenues including a new market entry to $3 billion. Barbara has served as a Vice President at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and held executive positions at Cisco in product management, operations, and sales. She has led global organizations, overcome international regulatory challenges, and managed product lines in security and in the Internet of Things (IoT).
Session time: 30 minutes
Achieving impact and meaningful change at the executive level requires that decisions be taken about competing priorities within the company. Often these decisions will challenge historic assumptions. In order to be effective, an executive leader needs to step up beyond her department or function to a broader stage that crosses organizational boundaries within the company. This requires that she bring not only a data-driven analysis of the business, but also a shrewd understanding of politics and ways to effect change.
At this stage of her career, there are no rules and there is no documented process to follow. Rather, she must start with the end game in mind and align to the attainment of long-term goals of the organization. She must find allies among her peers and be prepared for opposition from others.
- What not to do: Achieving change at your expense
- Timing: The teachable moments
- Content: Take a risk that is big enough to be worth it
- Stakeholder support: Socializing change with your peers and the boss
Success will brand her as a future leader of the company. The stakes are high and require that she develop a new gear in navigating corporate politics at the highest level. This skill is not taught in MBA school and is only learned through experience. Deliberate planning combined with inter-personal skill and empathy are the keys to success.
Barbara Adey, President & CEO, The Adey Group
Barbara Adey develops strategies for companies in intensely competitive markets and advises on digital transformation. She has scaled multiple businesses from zero to hundreds of millions in revenues including a new market entry to $3 billion. Barbara has served as a Vice President at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and held executive positions at Cisco in product management, operations, and sales. She has led global organizations, overcome international regulatory challenges, and managed product lines in security and in the Internet of Things (IoT).
2:30-3:30 Diversity & Inclusion Track
Intersectionality in the 21st Century Workplace
Session time: 1 hour
Dr. Abad will present on how intersectionality is a useful tool for people interested in improving diversity initiatives. Her presentation will discuss the concept, how its useful for organizations, and how its lessons can provide a roadmap to create change within the organization.
Melissa V Abad, PhD
Research Associate, Clayman Institute for Gender Research, Stanford University
Melissa V. Abad, PhD is a sociologist at the Center for Women's Leadership at the Clayman Institute. She leads the Center’s intersectional leadership research agenda. Her research examines the career trajectories of women of color in the technology and finance. She also collaborates with the Seeds of Change, a leadership initiative that trains and supports young women in STEM as they transition through high school and college to successful technology careers. Dr. Abad’s scholarly research investigates the challenges women of color face in corporate setting and the tools they develop to work their way up. Current projects include work on: Latina leadership in the U.S,, how organizational practices sustain racial and gender inequality, and how labor market contexts influence the civic engagement of college-educated professionals.
Dr. Abad completed her PhD in sociology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She also holds an MA from the University of Chicago (Social Sciences) and an undergraduate degree in sociology from Northwestern University.
Session time: 1 hour
Dr. Abad will present on how intersectionality is a useful tool for people interested in improving diversity initiatives. Her presentation will discuss the concept, how its useful for organizations, and how its lessons can provide a roadmap to create change within the organization.
Melissa V Abad, PhD
Research Associate, Clayman Institute for Gender Research, Stanford University
Melissa V. Abad, PhD is a sociologist at the Center for Women's Leadership at the Clayman Institute. She leads the Center’s intersectional leadership research agenda. Her research examines the career trajectories of women of color in the technology and finance. She also collaborates with the Seeds of Change, a leadership initiative that trains and supports young women in STEM as they transition through high school and college to successful technology careers. Dr. Abad’s scholarly research investigates the challenges women of color face in corporate setting and the tools they develop to work their way up. Current projects include work on: Latina leadership in the U.S,, how organizational practices sustain racial and gender inequality, and how labor market contexts influence the civic engagement of college-educated professionals.
Dr. Abad completed her PhD in sociology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She also holds an MA from the University of Chicago (Social Sciences) and an undergraduate degree in sociology from Northwestern University.
4:00-5:00pm
Megan Smith, 3rd United States Chief Technology Officer, Entrepreneur, Engineer
Megan Smith, 3rd United States Chief Technology Officer, Entrepreneur, Engineer
Megan Smith is an award-winning entrepreneur, engineer, and tech evangelist. As the third U.S. chief technology officer, Smith helped the President and his teams harness the power of technology, data, and innovation to advance the future of our nation and the world. She recruited top tech talent to serve across government and to collaborate on the most pressing issues of the day, from data science, AI and open source, to inclusive economic growth and criminal justice reform. She focused on broad capacity building by co-creating all-hands- on-deck initiatives, including the public-private program TechHire, the Computer Science for All initiative, and the Image of STEM campaign.
Prior to her role as U.S. CTO, Smith served as vice president of new business development at Google, managing early-stage partnerships across the company’s global engineering and product teams. She led acquisitions of Google Earth, Maps, and Picasa, steered the shift of Google.org to include more direct engineering impact, such as Google Crisis Response, and later served on the leadership team of GoogleX, where she co-created SolveForX and Women Techmakers.
As CEO of PlanetOut, Smith was a leader of the online LGBT community in the early days of the Internet. She drove engagement and revenue by partnering closely with top Internet companies, including AOL, Yahoo!, MSN, Netscape, RealNetworks, and others. She also worked as an engineer at General Magic on teams designing early smartphone technologies and at Apple Japan in Tokyo.
Smith is an advisor to the MIT Media Lab, Vital Voices, and the Malala Fund, which she co-founded. Over the years, she has contributed to a wide range of engineering projects, including an award winning bicycle lock, space station construction program, and solar cook stoves. Smith holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from MIT, where she now serves as a life member of the board. She was a member of the MIT student team that designed, built, and raced a solar car 2,000 miles across the Australian outback. She has recently been elected to membership in the National Academy of Engineering.
Prior to her role as U.S. CTO, Smith served as vice president of new business development at Google, managing early-stage partnerships across the company’s global engineering and product teams. She led acquisitions of Google Earth, Maps, and Picasa, steered the shift of Google.org to include more direct engineering impact, such as Google Crisis Response, and later served on the leadership team of GoogleX, where she co-created SolveForX and Women Techmakers.
As CEO of PlanetOut, Smith was a leader of the online LGBT community in the early days of the Internet. She drove engagement and revenue by partnering closely with top Internet companies, including AOL, Yahoo!, MSN, Netscape, RealNetworks, and others. She also worked as an engineer at General Magic on teams designing early smartphone technologies and at Apple Japan in Tokyo.
Smith is an advisor to the MIT Media Lab, Vital Voices, and the Malala Fund, which she co-founded. Over the years, she has contributed to a wide range of engineering projects, including an award winning bicycle lock, space station construction program, and solar cook stoves. Smith holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from MIT, where she now serves as a life member of the board. She was a member of the MIT student team that designed, built, and raced a solar car 2,000 miles across the Australian outback. She has recently been elected to membership in the National Academy of Engineering.
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