detailsIndustry Panels:
Delivering the Right Advice to the Right Client
Consulting firms have targeted the unique needs of their clients by defining
distinctive and unique focus areas within their practices. As the industry
is challenged with addressing the increasingly complex needs of its clients,
the ability to both adapt to and understand the constantly changing business
segments is imperative. How have consulting firms formed niche expertise to
better serve a wider variety of clients? How has each panelist uniquely shaped
her career within her firm over time? In small-group breakout sessions, each
consulting veteran will share insights on how her firm has widened its breadth
of industry expertise, and at the same time, explore the ways in which she
has developed depth in a given niche sector.
Moderator:
Shalini Bhatia, Engagement Manager, Deloitte Consulting
Panelists:
Laura Beaudin, Manager, Bain & Company
Katherine Fulton, President, Monitor Institute
Vicki Huff, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Lauren Genck Lamm, Manager, ZS Associates
Corporate Responsibility: A New Imperative
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is one of the most significant modern business trends of our time. This panel will examine how CSR has evolved from being the focus of a trailblazing minority to becoming a mainstream business tool. Our pioneering panelists will discuss how they use CSR both to generate positive social good and increase corporate profitability. How does CSR help them connect with customers? How are they integrating it in their business models? What are the current challenges and issues in CSR, particularly in light of current financial pressures? Join us in a small group break-out session to learn how you can successfully incorporate CSR business strategies into your career path.
Moderator:
Kellie McElhaney, Co-Faculty Director of the Center for Responsible Business,
Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley
Panelists:
Janis Abbingsole, Director of Operations, Title Nine Sports
Brooke Golden, Consumer Marketing Manager, Clif Bar & Co.
Rachel Lichte, Brand Strategist, BBMG
The Only Constant is Change: Capturing the Ever-Evolving Consumer in CPG and Retail
Macro trends are rapidly impacting companies in the Consumer Packaged Goods and Retail industries. In a market characterized by cost pressures, private labels, and growing natural/organic products, how are industry leaders adapting their strategies? Our panelists will discuss how they innovate to stay competitive in this rapidly evolving industry. The discussion will include panelists’ varied approaches to everyday decisions, strategies for influencing others, and insights into the most relevant macro trends affecting the sector today and tomorrow. In small-group breakout sessions, each of our panelists will discuss her perspective on a specific trend and lead a discussion on how women, both as professionals and as consumers, can influence market dynamics.
Moderator:
Lori Proctor, Senior Retail Supply Leader, Procter & Gamble
Panelists:
Julia P. Fenske, Sales Finance Director of National Accounts, Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream
Lisa Fuchs, Director of Strategy, Gap Inc. Outlet
Joya Gray, Product Supply Business Lead, Clorox
Courtney Klipping, Senior Brand Manager, E&J Gallo Winery
Energy: Powering Our Future
The energy sector is transforming as the world adjusts to the increasing
demand and shrinking supply of natural resources. As energy jobs expand beyond
engineers and scientists, how do business, policy and design skills fit in?
A diverse panel of industry leaders will participate in a discussion about
the effect that federal policies (such as stimulus funding) and industry
trends (i.e., SmartGrid, cleantech) are having on their companies and jobs.
In small-group breakout sessions, each of the panelists will share her perspective
on where the industry is headed, how companies large and small will adapt,
and how you can get involved.
Moderator:
Bev Alexander, Cleantech-to-Market Co-Director, Haas School of Business at UC
Berkeley
Panelists:
Nicole Barber, PGPA/Public Policy Advisor, Chevron
Mimi Frusha, Chief Operations Officer, Renewable Funding
Molly Hoyt, Principal Program Manager, PG&E
Brenda LeMay, Director, EDP Renewables
When There is No Road: Life as an Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs must trailblaze, act globally, and lead in uncertain and rapidly changing environments. How do you find your way and excel when no clear path exists and obstacles abound? How do you build relationships with key partners: suppliers, distributors, customers, employees and investors? Meet a panel of successful female entrepreneurs and hear how they got started, learn about their current challenges and growth strategies, and understand the key factors that made them successful. Panelists work in different industries and are in varying stages of the business growth cycle. Following a larger panel discussion, small-group sessions will give each of our trailblazer panelists the opportunity to address questions on forming an idea and launching and growing a business.
Moderator:
Blythe Jack, CEO & Co-owner, Cahootie Toys
Panelists:
Heidi Ganahl, Founder & CEO, Camp Bow Wow
Penny Herscher, President & CEO, FirstRain
Julie Pickens, Founder & CEO, Little Busy Bodies Inc.
Jennifer Toney, Founder and CEO, WeMakeItSafer
Phoenix Rising: The Financial Services Industry in Transformation
Epic internal shifts and external pressures stemming from the global credit
crisis have spurred radical transformations in the financial services industry.
Our panel of professionals, from banking and asset management, will be joined
by government regulator colleagues to discuss how changing appetites for
risk and transparency have affected their day-to-day functional roles. Will
new influences on the industry's traditionally male-dominated culture translate
to a more robust range of career paths for women? Will a global economic
recovery and an increased focus on compliance and risk management open opportunities
to a wider scope of industry participants? In small-group breakout sessions,
each of our trailblazer panelists will share her personal story and offer
insights to attendees considering similar careers.
Moderator:
Erin Gore, Associate Vice Chancellor of Budget & Resource Planning, UC Berkeley
Panelists:
Dana Green, Director of Banking Supervision and Regulation, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Rebecca Lynn, Principal, Morgenthaler Venture Capital
Sujatha A. Srinivasan, Vice President, FX Emerging Market Group, Goldman, Sachs & Co
A Timely Topic: The Business of the Healthcare Industry
There are many business tracks in healthcare – from life sciences and devices
to healthcare service delivery and consulting. A leader from each sector
will reflect on recent challenges and opportunities in her field, and share
tips for women interested in pursuing a career in healthcare today. How is
the movement for healthcare reform expected to impact each sector? How are
changes in the IT landscape and other innovations shaping the way healthcare
leaders approach their jobs? In small-group breakout sessions, these women
will offer an insider look into the real debate within healthcare and how
they have navigated the many obstacles to success in the industry.
Moderator:
Kimberly MacPherson, MPH Program Director, School of Public Health at UC Berkeley
Panelists:
LuAnn Aakhus, Regional Operations Director, DaVita, Inc.
Stephanie Fong, Manager, US Core Coronary Products, Abbott Vascular
Brooke Schwartz, Sr. Director of Food and Environmental Testing, Applied
Biosystems/Life Technologies
Sarah Wiley, Senior Manager, Deloitte Consulting
Heather Wilson, Vice President of IT Strategic Programs, Kaiser Permanente
A Growing Industry: Nonprofits in a Competitive World
Professionals from a wide range of nonprofit organizations (including education,
healthcare and poverty alleviation) will discuss the breadth of opportunities
and challenges today in the nonprofit sector. The landscape has changed
drastically in the last year and now is the time to position your organization
for growth and sustainability. Nora Silver, Director of the Haas Center for
Nonprofit and Public Leadership, will moderate a lively discussion focused
on managing a nonprofit organization during an economic downturn and on the
key trends likely to impact organizations in the future. Conference attendees
will have the opportunity to interact with the forward-thinking panelists,
learn more about the missions of their organizations, and discuss how lessons
learned can help avoid growing pains.
Moderator:
Nora Silver, Director of the Center for Nonprofit and Public Leadership, Haas
School of Business at UC Berkeley
Panelists:
Emily E. Arnold-Fernandez, Esq., Executive Director, Asylum Access
Dagmar Serota, Founder & Executive Director, Good Cents for Oakland
Delphine Sherman, Director of Finance, Aspire Public Schools
Still Leading the Pack: Women Innovators in Technology
Our panel brings together prominent women innovators with a broad range of experiences as entrepreneurs and leaders of corporations in the Technology industry. This panel will examine current trends in the technology sector and the role innovation plays in shaping the future of the industry. What role can a woman’s leadership style play in shaping future innovations in the technology industry? What were the turning points in panelists’ lives that have made them successful leaders in the technology field? In small-group breakout sessions, each of our trailblazer panelists will share stories of how they fashioned their route to success in the Technology industry.
Moderator:
Jennifer Walske, Lecturer, Lester Center for Entrepreneurship, Haas School of
Business at UC Berkeley
Panelists:
Susan Morrow, VP of Products, Blurb.com
Tori Locke, General Manager for State Law & Government Affairs, Microsoft
Sramana Mitra, Entrepreneur & Author of “Entrepreneur Journeys”
Cynthia B. Padnos, Managing Partner, Illuminate Ventures
Afternoon sessions - Panels & Workshops:
After the Bubble: Opportunities in Real Estate
Real estate is an inherently cyclical industry and has been traditionally male-dominated. Even still, there are opportunities for women to be successful in real estate today, especially given that some of the highest returns can be made in a down market if capital is available. Join us for an inside look at where some of the Bay Area’s most successful female real estate professionals think the market is heading and what opportunities will emerge in the near future. Panelists will discuss how women can break into and succeed in the real estate industry, and where the opportunities are in real estate today and in the future.
Moderator:
Jean Yoon, 2009 MBA Graduate, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business
Panelists:
Margo Bradish, Partner, Cox Castle & Nicholson
Anne Hoffman, President, Chamberlin Associates
Catherine House, Investment Broker, Private Client Group CB Richard Ellis
Connie Moore, President & CEO, BRE Properties, Inc.
Jackie Safier, Principal, Prometheus Real Estate Group
Lynn Sedway, Founder, Sedway Consulting
Lydia Tan, Interim President and CEO, BRIDGE Housing Corporation
Blazing to the Top
Did you know that for the first time, women make up half the work force, yet earn only 77 cents for every dollar earned by a man? Or only 15 of the Fortune 500 companies are run by women? In this session, we will examine the strategies and resources utilized by women who have successfully propelled their way to the top of their firms in male-dominated industries. Panelists will share insights on formal and informal programs that exist within their firms and the impact of these programs on their careers. Learn about the tools, resources, and strategies that can contribute to career success in middle and upper management.
Moderator:
Sharon Meers, Author of “Getting to 50/50”
Panelists:
Wendy Beecham, CEO, Forum for Women Entrepreneurs and Executives
Emilie Cortes, Account Manager, Axioma Inc
Anna McGrath, Founder & Executive Coach, WonderWorks
Sally Thornton, Cofounder & CEO, Flexperience
Gigi Wang, Managing Partner, MG-Team LLC
Designing Women
Do women have distinct approaches to human-focused design? "Design thinking" is
a hot topic in the corporate world, and women across industries are utilizing
its methods to drive change in everything from business practices to product
development. Our panelists are women who use the design thinking process
to foster innovative solutions for consumers. Join us for a discussion on
the distinct viewpoint that women bring to the innovation and design processes
and how design thinking will influence future business opportunities.
Moderator:
Sara Beckman, Co-Director of the Management of Technology Program, Haas School
of Business at UC Berkeley
Panelists:
Mary Jo Cook, VP Design and Innovation, Clorox
Claudia Fan Munce, Managing Director, IBM Venture Capital Group; Vice President,
IBM Corporate Strategy
Stacy Sanders, Founder, Big Picture Innovations
Jocelyn Wyatt, Social Innovation Lead, IDEO
Empowering Women Around the Globe
Did you know that 70% of the 1.3 billion people living in poverty are women? Or that women perform 66% of the world's work and produce 50% of the food, yet earn only 10% of the income and own just 1% of the property? Studies show that investing in women creates some of the highest economic impacts and largest returns on investment. There are many ways that women can empower and enable other women around the globe. This panel will take a cross-sectional approach to discuss educational, health-related, financial and social avenues of empowerment. During our time together, we will also hear about the inspirations that led our panelists to embark on their career paths and the impacts they have made. Learn about the joys, opportunities, and challenges of women helping other women.
Moderator:
Kimberly Dasher Tripp, Program Officer, Skoll Foundation
Panelists:
Elizabeth Blase, Director of Business Development, Wokai
Molly Christiansen, Manager of Health Practices and Business Development, Living Goods
Maame Aba Yelbert-Obeng, Program Officer, Global Fund for Women
Navigating Organizational Politics: Avoiding Blind Spots and Increasing Your Influence
Innovating within your company means challenging the status quo; don’t let
the right ideas (or you!) get run over before crossing the finish line. Competent
and capable women can be blind to power relationships, hidden agendas, and
organizational politics. Being aware of organizational dynamics can help
you avoid diminishing your impact and missing out on career opportunities.
This interactive workshop will help you adjust your attitudes about power
and politics, confront common naiveté about organizational dynamics that
are often swept under the carpet, and recognize “tip-offs” that you or your
projects may be vulnerable. You will be introduced to “street smart strategies”
that will help you avoid being passed over, underestimated, or even purposely
blocked from implementing your ideas or attaining a promotion.
Workshop Facilitator:
Mary Ann Rettig-Zucchi, Owner & Principal Consultant, Jupiter Consulting
A Women’s Guide to Negotiating Effectively
Negotiating effectively is an everyday skill that is critical to success
in both professional and personal settings. Have you ever wondered whether
women and men diverge in how they approach negotiations? Are men from Mars
and women from Venus when it comes to negotiating? Based on cutting edge
research, this session will shed light on a wide array of gender differences
at the bargaining table, while also providing practical advice for leveling
the playing field and getting to yes. Specific topics include competition,
cooperation, bargaining styles, ethical decision making, and the social ramifications
of negotiating.
Workshop Facilitator:
Laura Kray, Faculty, Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley
Using Social Media as Your Networking Copilot
Nothing will ever replace personal, face-to-face relationship-building. Particularly in a down economy, strong interpersonal connections are critical to leading a successful and impactful career. However, many professionals relinquish the benefits of in-person networking by failing to maintain contacts during the course of their careers. More than ever before, technology allows us to employ powerful social media tools to nurture these connections. After an experiential networking activity, three seasoned social media veterans will explain how to leverage technology as a part of a holistic networking strategy. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn: With whom do you connect and how can these tools develop your personal brand? Don’t get stuck on cruise control; learn how social media can lock in the right coordinates and accelerate your career.
Moderator:
Holly Schroth, Senior Lecturer, Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley
Panelists:
Wendy Lea, CEO, Get Satisfaction
Luanne Tierney, Vice President of Worldwide Channels Marketing, Cisco Systems
Inc.
Joanna Sammuels, Founder, JOALT