Speakers

Delphine Bellini

CEO

MAISON SCHIAPARELLI

Delphine Bellini has a degree in International Marketing and Management, with a specialization in Luxury industries. She began her career in the Luxury tourism industry and swiftly entered the universe of Fashion. 

In 2002, she joined the Couture House Leonard where she oversaw the management and business development of the brand licenses.  From 2005 to 2011, she worked for Jean-Charles de Castelbajac participating in the revival of the brand, developing its activities through a specific business model based on licenses and co-branding partnerships, to expand the label of the pop-centric Artist into a comprehensive lifestyle brand. She then launched her own consulting business bringing her global expertise in management, finance and business development to high end and luxury brands. In May 2014, she joined the mythic Couture House Schiaparelli to shape the brand and lead its strategic development. 

Since 2010, Delphine has been an Adjunct Faculty Member at IFM (Institut Français de la Mode) and an active mentor to young entrepreneurs in the fashion and luxury industry. Member of the Women Initiative Foundation, a philanthropic organization acting for the promotion of women in business and the economy, since 2017, she is a regular speaker in its training programs with the world's leading universities (Stanford, McGill…). 

Delphine was recently recognized as one of the 50 Women in Power who are impacting their businesses and communities by the WWD magazine.

Dr. Dana Bennett 

Interim Executive Director

KENNY C. GUINN CENTER FOR POLICY PRIORITIES  

Former President

NEVADA MINING ASSOCIATION  

Member of IWF Nevada

Dana Bennett recently retired as President of the Nevada Mining Association (the first woman ever in this role) and moved to the historic, remote Nevada hamlet of Midas. As the town’s longtime historian, she authored a book that benefits Friends of Midas, a federally qualified historic preservation nonprofit for which she is President. 

Over 30 years ago and with two history degrees, Dana launched a career in public policy development and advocacy. She began as a committee staffer at the Nevada Legislature, followed by operating her own research and consulting business in Reno and Las Vegas. Her client roster included companies in mining, broadcasting, health care, education and insurance. 

Dana interrupted her career to earn a history PhD from Arizona State University where she also worked for the Morrison Institute for Public Policy. Back in Nevada, she was Governor Brian Sandoval’s first Research Director and the Northern Nevada Regional Director for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. Currently, Dana is temporarily filling the role of Executive Director of Nevada’s Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities. She was also recently elected as the Vice President of the National Mining History Association.  

She has published several articles about Nevada history with a focus on women’s political activities. Her two most recent articles explore women's work in 20th century mining towns and identify the women who opposed Nevada's suffrage movement in 1914. Dana is a lifelong Nevadan who knows this state well and has proudly represented Nevada's world-class mining industry in local, national and international venues. She joined the Nevada IWF chapter in 2015.

 

 

Dr. Bo Bernhard

Executive Director

INTERNATIONAL GAMING INSTITUTE

Vice President of Economic Development

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS

Dr. Bo Bernhard, a fifth generation Nevadan, calls Las Vegas home, but works frequently in national and international jurisdictions spanning all six inhabited continents.

As the Executive Director of UNLV International Gaming Institute (IGI), Bo oversees all of IGI's research and academic functions. Recently, Dr. Bernhard was additionally appointed as Vice President of Economic Development for UNLV.

He has delivered over 200 keynote addresses in clinical, regulatory and government settings and is published in the top business and social science journals.

 

Carmen Best

Director of Global Security Risk Operations 

MICROSOFT

Ret. Seattle Police Chief

Member of IWF Washington State

 Carmen Best, Chief of Police Seattle (Retired) served with the SPD for 28 years, beginning as an entry-level patrol officer and later becoming the first African American woman Chief of Police, managing approximately 2000 sworn and civilian employees before retiring in 2020. Among her many accomplishments as Chief was her creation of the Collaborative Police Bureau, a segment of the SPD encouraging community partnerships and engagement. Carmen also facilitated record-breaking diversity hiring and recruitment within the department. She was awarded the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor, dedicated to recognizing individuals who selflessly contribute to society and uphold the ideals of America, an award read into the Congressional Record. Additionally, Carmen was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work on the public safety announcements “Safe in the Sound.”.

 

Adriane Brown

Independent Board Director; 

Strategic Director

FLYING FISH PARTNERS

Member of IWF Washington State

Adriane Brown currently sits on the Board of Directors for eBay, Axon, Washington Research Foundation, International Women’s Forum, and is the Board Chair at Seattle’s Pacific Science Center. Adriane serves as a Strategic Director at Flying Fish Partners, a venture firm that invests capital and expertise in Pacific Northwest startups focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning. She served as President and COO at Intellectual Ventures for 7 years; and 10 years prior, she served as President and CEO of Honeywell Transportation Systems and Vice President and General Manager of two Honeywell Aerospace business units. During her early career at Corning, Adriane rose from Shift Supervisor to VP/GM of the Environmental Products Division. Today, she  invests her time in mentorship of people from all walks of life and uses her voice for positive progress. Adriane holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Health and an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Old Dominion University. She received her master’s degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dr. Elaine Buckberg

Chief Economist

GENERAL MOTORS

Dr. Elaine Buckberg is Chief Economist of General Motors. She is responsible for assessing the impact of worldwide economic developments on the corporation, and for providing advice to top leadership on various competitive and economic policy issues. 

Immediately prior to joining GM, she was a Principal at The Brattle Group, a global economic consultancy. Previously, Elaine served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Coordination in the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Economic Policy. She also worked at NERA Economic Consulting, where she was a Senior Vice President, a member of the firm’s Board of Directors and Chair of the Strategy Committee. Elaine began her career at the International Monetary Fund and worked in currency strategy and risk management at Morgan Stanley.

Elaine holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.A. in Economics and English from Yale University.

 

Dr. Jean Clinton

Clinical Professor 

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY AND BEHAVIOURAL NEUROSCIENCES, MCMASTER UNIVERSITY CANADA

 Dr. Jean Clinton is an infant child and adolescent psychiatrist in Canada. She is an author and international speaker focusing on the importance of brain development and the role that relationships and connection play in neuroplasticity and wellbeing. Her book Love Builds Brains is a Canadian best seller and is being used in Early Childhood training programs. She served as a special advisor to the Government of Ontario on wellbeing in education and early childhood development. Her interest lies in the crucial role relationships and connection play in mental health, wellbeing and child and youth flourishing. She is a Zero to Three fellow, a Special Advisor to Goldie Hawn's MindUp foundation’s parent program and sits on their Scientific Advisory committee.

Jean optimistically believes that high quality, competency based relationally focused education of our children and young people is the road to a better and sustainable world. As a mum of five great children and seven grandchildren under six she gets lots of opportunities to practice what she preaches.

 

Nolitha Fakude

Chairman

ANGLO AMERICAN SOUTH AFRICA MANAGEMENT BOARD

Member of IWF South Africa 

Nolitha Fakude is Chairman and Group Director of Anglo American South Africa. Nolitha brings to Anglo American significant management experience gained in various functional leadership roles across the oil and energy, chemicals, financial services and retail industries. Until 2016, Nolitha served as an executive director at Sasol Limited and as Executive Vice President of strategy and sustainability, following an 11-year career with the company where she held executive roles including human resources and business transformation. Prior to that she held senior management positions in corporate affairs, strategy and operations within the retail and financial services sectors.

She has previously served as Deputy Chair of South African Airways, Deputy Chair and Lead Independent Director of Datacentrix Holdings Limited, and as a Non-Executive Director of Harmony Gold and Woolworths Holdings. Currently Nolitha is a Non-Executive Director of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), Anglo American Platinum , Discovery Bank and Discovery Bank Holdings and a Patron of Guild Cottage home for girls. Nolitha is also Vice President of the International Women’s Forum South Africa (IWFSA). She holds a Bachelor of Arts and an Honours degree in Psychology from the University of Fort Hare, South Africa and attended the Senior Executive Program at Harvard Business School.


 

Betsy Fischer Martin

Executive Director of the Women & Politics Institute

American University; Principal

Fischer Martin Media

Member of IWF Washington DC

Betsy Fischer Martin is an Emmy-winning journalist and former TV news executive.  Currently she is the Executive Director of the Women & Politics Institute at American University and a faculty member in the School of Public Affairs where she teaches courses on campaigns and elections.  She also founded her own consulting business, Fischer Martin Media, where she specializes in providing media training to corporate executives.

During her earlier career in television news, she spent 23 years at NBC News starting as a college intern and later serving as the longtime Executive Producer of “Meet the Press with Tim Russert” and as the Managing Editor of NBC News Political Programming.

She is the President of the Washington DC Chapter of the International Women’s Forum and serves on the Board of Directors of the National Press Club’s Journalism Institute and the International Advisory Council of APCO Worldwide. She is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations and an alum of the Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum.

A native of New Orleans, Betsy did her undergraduate and graduate work at American University in Washington, DC.  She is a cum laude graduate of their School of Public Affairs and earned a master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from the AU School of Communication. 

 

Shari Graydon

CEO & Catalyst 

INFORMED OPINIONS

Member of IWF Canada

 Shari Graydon is an award-winning author, women’s equality advocate and sought-after speaker, who created Informed Opinions in 2010 to amplify women’s voices and increase their influence. She has since trained and motivated thousands of diverse women to share their insights from the podium and through print, online and broadcast commentary. A former newspaper columnist, TV producer and commentator for CBC radio and TV, Shari also previously served as press secretary to a provincial premier, and as president of two national women’s organizations. She has theatre and communication degrees from UBC and SFU, where she also taught. 
Shari is regularly invited to deliver keynote presentations to conferences in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Her impactful advocacy work has been recognized with Canada’s prestigious Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons’ Case, a Woman of Influence award and Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women list. She has written two award-winning media literacy books for youth and is currently updating her 2016 book, OMG! What if I really AM the best person?, which offers purse-sized inspiration for knowledgeable women whose voices deserve to be amplified.

In addition to training and promoting women, Informed Opinions runs the Gender Gap Tracker, a big data accountability tool monitoring the gender ratio of experts quoted in Canadian news media. In 2022 the charity launched a parity in politics initiative to challenge complacency around undemocratic representation practices, and its #ToxicHush campaign to address the torrent of online hate threatening to undermine women’s equality gains that took decades to achieve.

 

G. John Ikenberry

Albert G. Milbank Professor of Politics and International Affairs; 
Director, Project on Reimagining World Order

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

G. John Ikenberry is the Albert G. Milbank Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University in the Department of Politics and the School of Public and International Affairs. John is also a Global Eminence Scholar at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, Korea. In 2018-2019, he was a Visiting Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford University. In 2013-2014, he was the 72nd Eastman Visiting Professor at Balliol College, Oxford. John is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

G. John Ikenberry is the author of eight books, most recently, A World Safe for Democracy: Liberal Internationalism in the Making of Modern World Order (Yale, 2020), which was a finalist for the Arthur Ross Book Award, listed as “Best of the Year” by Foreign Policy magazine, and listed at Editors’ Best of the Year by Foreign Affairs. Other books include: Liberal Leviathan: The Origins, Crisis, and Transformation of the American System (Princeton, 2011); and After Victory: Institutions, Strategic Restraint, and the Rebuilding of Order after Major Wars (Princeton, 2001), which won the 2002 Schroeder-Jervis Award presented by the American Political Science Association for the best book in international history and politics. He is also co-editor of several new edited books, The Age of Hiroshima (Princeton, 2020), with Michael Gordin, and The Crisis of Liberal Internationalism: Japan and the World Order (Brookings, 2019), with Yoichi Funabashi. Among his many activities, John served as a member of the Policy Planning Staff in 1991-92, as a member of an advisory group at the State Department in 2003-04, and as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations Task Force on U.S.-European relations, the so-called Kissinger-Summers commission. He is also a reviewer of books on political and legal affairs for Foreign Affairs.
 

 

The Honorable Natalie Jaresko

Former Minister of Finance of Ukraine (2014-2016) 

Natalie A. Jaresko is a recognized International Finance Executive with successful transformational experience in the private sector, public service and non-governmental organizations.  Natalie currently works to raise funds for urgent humanitarian needs in Ukraine at www.strongerthanever.com.  Natalie recently served five years (2017-2022) as the Executive Director of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico. She led the sustainable negotiated exit from the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, while working to restore the Island’s fiscal health, enabling a return to capital markets. She served as Minister of Finance of Ukraine (2014-16) at one of the most difficult times in Ukraine’s history, rocked by a deep recession, Russian occupation and war on part of its territory. Natalie led the successful negotiation and implementation of the largest IMF program in the institution’s history. She spent two decades in the private equity industry focused on small and medium-sized business in the region, as co-founder and CEO of Horizon Capital, a fund manager with over $600 million under management, and as President and CEO of the Western NIS Enterprise Fund.

Natalie has extensive board experience as a Board member in many private portfolio companies, ranging from banks to insurance and from consumer goods to agriculture. She also serves as Chairperson of Aspen Institute Kyiv. Natalie began her career in the U.S. federal government serving in the U.S. Department of State, including service as Chief of the Economic Section of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine from 1992-1995.

 

Melanie Kenderdine

Principal and Executive Vice President

ENERGY FUTURES INITIATIVE 

Melanie Kenderdine is a principal of Energy Futures Initiative (EFI) and a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council. She is also currently a Visiting Fellow at the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC). Melanie served at the Department of Energy from May 2013 to January 2017, as the Energy Counselor to the Secretary and concurrently as the Director of DOE’s Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis. She was responsible for analysis and policy development in DOE’s annual review of the Renewable Fuel Standard Program. She produced two installments of the Quadrennial Energy Review and helped conceive of and develop the Energy Security Principles adopted by G-7 leaders in 2014. As Energy Counselor to the Secretary, Melanie provided key strategic advice on a range of issues, including Mission Innovation - a 22-country+ EU initiative that supports transformational clean energy RD&D; North American grid integration and security; and the modernization of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. 

Prior to her service at DOE, Melanie helped establish the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) and served as its Executive Director for six years. Melanie also started the C3E Symposium series, a joint MIT-DOE program to support the careers of women in clean energy with cash prizes; she still serves as a DOE C3E Ambassador. Before joining MITEI, Melanie served as the Vice President of Washington Operations for the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) from 2001 to 2007. From 1993 to 2001, Melanie worked in President Bill Clinton’s administration, where she served in several key posts at DOE, including Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary, Director of the Office of Policy and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs.
 

 

Cinny Kennard

Executive Director 

ANNENBERG FOUNDATION

Cinny Kennard is Executive Director of the Annenberg Foundation, one of the leading philanthropic organizations of the U.S. and is an award-winning broadcast journalist and longtime media executive. She served as a correspondent for CBS News in Los Angeles, Moscow, and London and won the DuPont Columbia University Award for coverage of the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

Prior to joining the Annenberg Foundation, Cinny had a long time career in executive non-profit management with well -known national brands including as Senior Vice President in charge of Programming at the Smithsonian Institution. In this role, she created partnerships with national and international partners for special educational and media initiatives and brought President Obama for a first-ever interview on Smithsonian Channel. Before the Smithsonian, Cinny was the first Managing Director and managing editor of National Public Radio’s West Coast Production Center and she worked with the University of Southern California on projects.

Cinny also served as a senior advisor to the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands, organizing outreach to Washington, DC stakeholders including the White House, Capitol Hill leadership, and the State Department bringing president Obama to Sunnylands and helped to organize the Obama XI Jinping summit and other key meetings.

Currently, Cinny is at work on a book about the surge of females in philanthropy and serves as the Chair of the board at the USC center on philanthropy and public policy.  
 

 

Dr. Avi Loeb

Professor of Science 

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Abraham (Avi) Loeb is the Frank B. Baird, Jr. Professor of Science at Harvard University and a bestselling author. He received a PhD in Physics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel at age 24 (1986), led the first international project supported by the Strategic Defense Initiative (1983-1988), and was subsequently a long-term member of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton (1988-1993). Avi has written eight books, including most recently, Extraterrestrial, and nearly a thousand scientific papers on black holes, the first stars and the search for extraterrestrial life. 

Avi is the Director of Harvard's Institute for Theory and Computation (2007-present) and the Head of the Galileo Project (2021-present). He had been the longest serving Chair of Harvard's Department of Astronomy (2011-2020) and the Founding Director of Harvard's Black Hole Initiative (2016-2021). He is an elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the American Physical Society and the International Academy of Astronautics. Avi is a former member of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) at the White House, a former Chair of the Board on Physics and Astronomy of the National Academies (2018-2021) and a member of the Advisory Board for "Einstein: Visualize the Impossible" of the Hebrew University. He also chairs the Advisory Committee for the Breakthrough Starshot Initiative (2016-present). In 2012, TIME magazine selected Avi as one of the 25 most influential people in space. 
 

Stephanie Maddocks

President and CEO

POWER STRATEGIES  

Member of IWF Nevada 

Stephanie Maddocks is the Founder of Power Strategies, a technology integration and implementation company, focusing on the casino and hospitality industry. Over her career, she directed casino openings and technology implementation projects for over 95 casinos across the United States, Canada and Asia. As a seasoned gaming industry Executive, Stephanie has earned more than 30 years of experience in both casino operations and game and systems manufacturing and is widely considered an expert on gaming systems technologies and casino openings. She holds three patents for gaming technology, has written extensively for gaming publications and has been a featured speaker and moderator at many industry events. She has been an adjunct faculty at UNLV’s International Gaming Institute, teaching gaming operations and audit classes worldwide. She was awarded the Great Woman of Gaming Proven Leader award in 2012. 

While pursuing her professional goals, Stephanie also dedicates time and support to a variety of charitable organizations. She serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors of Noah’s Animal House and past Secretary/Treasurer for the “I Have a Dream®” Foundation – Las Vegas. She is currently the Vice President of IWF Nevada’s Board of Directors and Co-Chair of the IWF World Leadership Conference in Las Vegas. She splits her time between Las Vegas and Hollywood, Florida when home from casino projects, enjoying SCUBA diving, fine wine and her hometown Vegas Golden Knights NHL hockey team.
 

Margot McShane

Managing Director

RUSSELL REYNOLDS ASSOCIATES

Margot McShane is based in San Francisco and co-leads Russell Reynolds Associates’ Board & CEO Advisory Partners in the Americas. She is a senior advisor to corporate boards on a range of critical leadership issues, including CEO succession planning and recruitment, board succession planning and refreshment, IPO preparedness and board diversity. An expert in senior executive talent, Margot has extensive experience working at the intersection of consumer, retail, technology and digital transformation, as well as helping clients at every stage of the growth continuum to advance their strategic vision through talent. Based in San Francisco, Margot previously co-led the firm’s Global Consumer Digital & Media Practice. Her clients range from global Fortune 500 to private equity and venture-capital-backed companies. A passionate advocate for board diversity, Margot also co-leads the firm’s Women on Boards Initiative and is a member of RRA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Practice. 

Prior to joining Russell Reynolds Associates, Margot was a director in global brand management for Gap, Inc. Before that role, she held Director of Marketing positions at Odwalla, a fresh juice company acquired by The Coca-Cola Company, and at Wetfeet. Earlier, Margot spent several years working for advertising agencies, where she primarily served packaged goods clients, including Procter & Gamble and The Clorox Company.

Margot received her AB in political science and history from Brown University.
 

Dorthy Miller Shore
Co-Founder and CEO

PRIME WOMEN MEDIA

Dorthy Miller Shore has built her career on taking big risks for big rewards. Dorthy was among the youngest female entrepreneurs in the state of Kentucky, launching an automotive advertising agency that she grew to be the largest woman owned agency in the U.S. During her tenure, the ad agency won 100s of awards for creative distinction, including dozens of Telly Awards for excellence in video and television. After stepping down as the CEO of Miller Ad Agency and taking on the role of Chairman of the Board, Dorthy saw a need for a publication for women over 50, a market largely ignored by other media. The online publication PrimeWomen.com now has millions of readers on their website, Pinterest, social media, and newsletter. Her next step is expanding Prime Women Media beyond the internet, seizing not only the future for herself but for all women over 50.

Dorthy has been an active participant in her community serving as a past president for DFW National Association of Women Business Owners, past executive board member of Goodwill, past board member of the Texas Ballet Company, Dallas Women's Foundation, and Dallas Life Homeless Shelter.

Still an avid Wildcat fan, Dorthy received her B.S. degree from the University of Kentucky and a masters degree from Biola University.

 

 

 

Sandra Douglass Morgan

President and Independent Board Director

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

Member of IWF Nevada

Sandra Douglass Morgan was named President of the Las Vegas Raiders by Owner Mark Davis on July 7, 2022 and is responsible for all business operations, finance, sales, marketing, non-football personnel, and administration for the Raiders and Allegiant Stadium. A Las Vegas native, Sandra has long been a trailblazer and was the first person of color to serve as chair of the Nevada Gaming Control Board and first African American City Attorney in the State of Nevada.

She has 20 years of experience as a regulator, director, attorney, and advisor to integrated resorts, casinos, telecommunications companies, and various government entities. Prior to joining the Raiders, she was with Covington & Burling LLP. She is the immediate past Chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board and served as a Commissioner on the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

As the chief regulator for Nevada’s dominant billion-dollar gaming industry, Sandra led the passage and implementation of cashless wagering regulations, ensured that gaming licensees adopted policies prohibiting discrimination and harassment, and led a team of 400 employees in five cities across the state of Nevada.

While serving on Nevada State Athletic Commission, she was also an executive for a leading telecommunications company managing its policy, government and community affairs in Nevada. Sandra also served as the City Attorney for the City of North Las Vegas and was the first African American City Attorney in the state of Nevada. Prior to her public service with the City, she served as Litigation Attorney for MGM Mirage, now known as MGM Resorts International.

Sandra serves on the Board of Directors of Allegiant Travel Company (NYSE:ALGT) and Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF). She is a member of the State Bar of Nevada and the District of Columbia Bar. She and her husband Don have two children, Dylan and Dana.
 

Dr. Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Arbuckle Professor

HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL  

Founding Chair and Director

HARVARD UNIVERSITY ADVANCED LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE (2005-2018)  

Member of IWF Massachusetts

Rosabeth Moss Kanter holds the Ernest L. Arbuckle Professorship at Harvard Business School, specializing in strategy, innovation and leadership for change. Her strategic and practical insights guide leaders worldwide through teaching, writing and direct consultation to major corporations, governments and start-up ventures. She co-founded the Harvard University-wide Advanced Leadership Initiative, guiding its planning from 2005 to its launch in 2008 and serving as Founding Chair and Director from 2008-2018 as it became a growing international model for a new stage of higher education preparing successful top leaders to apply their skills to national and global challenges.

Author or co-author of 20 books, her latest book, Think Outside the Building: How Advanced Leaders Can Change the World One Smart Innovation at a Time, has won a number of accolades.

 

Patricia Mulroy

Owner and President

SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES

Member of IWF Nevada

 Pat Mulroy, a leader in the international water community for over 30 years, serves as a Senior Fellow and Practitioner in Residence at the UNLV Boyd School of Law and owns Sustainable Strategies, a consulting firm with corporate and public sector clients.

Between 1989 and 2014 Pat served as the CEO of the Las Vegas Valley Water District and of the Southern Nevada Water Authority. She was the lead negotiator for Nevada on all interstate and international matters on the Colorado River, guiding the region through an unprecedented period of growth and one of the worst droughts in the history of the Colorado River and spearheading the most aggressive urban conservation program in the nation.

Pat has been exceptionally active in regional, national and international water issues negotiating numerous trailblazing agreements with neighboring States and the country of Mexico and serving on the Boards of national water organizations. She has been a frequent speaker at water conferences around the world. After retirement she joined the World Economic Forum on their Water Agenda Council, worked with the World Bank in China and is helping develop a water governance structure for a futuristic city in Saudi Arabia.

More recently, Pat sat on the Nevada Gaming Commission and later joined the Board of Wynn Resorts. Shortly thereafter she joined the Boards of Bowman Consulting and NZero.

She is equally active in the community serving on the boards of IWF Nevada, the Keep Memory Alive Foundation, and Catholic Charities; and sits on Diocesan Finance Council. Her honors include the Nevada University system's Distinguished Nevadan Award and the Education Hero Award from the Public Education Foundation.
 

Ana Muñoz

Non-Executive Director

TUBOS REUNIDOS, NATRA, AND GRUPO LANTERO 

Member of IWF Spain

Ana Muñoz is a non Executive Director in several corporate boards, both in listed companies and in privately owned in Spain.

Ana has developed her career in institutional sales at Merrill Lynch in Switzerland, the UK, the US, and Spain, being part of the Executive Committee. After that she led a family office in Spain. She has a BA in Economics from Zurich’s University (Switzerland) and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. 

Ana serves also on several Advisory Boards. She is a member of the Global Board of IWF, and heads the Audit Committee.

She speaks seven languages fluently.
 

 

Cheryl Norton

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

AMERICAN WATER

Cheryl Norton serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for American Water. She is responsible for the successful performance of American Water’s regulated state subsidiaries. Cheryl also leads customer service across the company’s footprint, as well as systemwide Engineering, Health and Safety, and Environmental and Regulatory Compliance. 

Previously, Cheryl served as President of New Jersey American Water, where she was the principal external contact for American Water in New Jersey, serving approximately 2.8 million people. Additionally, she served as Senior Vice President of the company’s Eastern Division, which was comprised of New Jersey, New York, Virginia and Maryland. She was also the company’s Chief Environmental Officer, overseeing environmental leadership and compliance across American Water’s national footprint. Cheryl has served as President of Missouri American Water and Kentucky American Water. 

She serves on the boards of the Cooper Health System and The Water Research Foundation. Cheryl received a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in environmental studies from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

 

 

Grant Oliphant

Chief Executive Officer

CONRAD PREBYS FOUNDATION

Grant Oliphant is CEO of the Conrad Prebys Foundation, a major independent foundation working to strengthen San Diego’s future through a focus on impact in the arts, medical research and care, youth development, and higher education. Previously, Grant was president of The Heinz Endowments in Pittsburgh, one of the nation’s largest regional philanthropies, where he focused the foundation’s giving on sustainability, creativity, and learning. He also launched major initiatives to support democracy, public media, and racial and social equity, and worked with his board to bring the foundation’s investments into alignment with its social and climate change priorities. Prior to joining Heinz, Grant was President & CEO of the Pittsburgh Foundation, one of the nation’s largest community foundations, where he doubled the foundation’s size while helping to reinvent the national model of community philanthropy through an emphasis on regional leadership and impact.

An outspoken advocate for philanthropy that is both effective and clear, Grant launched and hosted a popular podcast, “We Can Be,” and writes and speaks frequently about philanthropic leadership. He is the immediate past chair of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, a national organization working to promote better giving, and chaired the Communications Network, which promotes better use of communications by philanthropy. Devoted to community leadership at the intersection of business, non-profits and universities, Grant served on the boards of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the August Wilson African-American Cultural Center and the Pittsburgh Promise, along with Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania and Riverlife, both of which he chaired. Earlier in his career, which also included a brief stint in advertising, Grant launched a magazine in Washington D.C. on American politics and co-hosted a radio talk show before joining U.S. Senator John Heinz as his press secretary. He is also the author of a novel, “Ring of Years.” Grant and his wife Aradhna, who have four grown children, are delighted to be making their home in Mission Hills and are looking forward to being active members of the San Diego community.

 

Dr. Nance Roy

Chief Clinical Officer

THE JED FOUNDATION  

Assistant Clinical Professor

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY, YALE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE  

Dr. Roy serves as the Chief Clinical Office of the Jed Foundation and is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Yale School of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry.  She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island, a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina and her doctorate from Harvard University.  Dr. Roy has over 30 years of experience as a psychologist working in college mental health.  She served as the Assistant Dean of Health and Wellness at Sarah Lawrence College and most recently was the Associate Dean of Health and Wellness at Rhode Island School of Design. Publications have focused on effective strategies for promoting emotional well-being among teens and young adults as well as treatment and management of at-risk students on college campuses.  She has been actively involved in strategic planning initiatives focusing on a holistic approach to education, crisis management and a public health model for delivery of care in high schools and on college campuses.  

Dr. Roy is a senior advisor for the National College Depression Partnership, serves on the Mental Health Task Force for the Ruderman Foundation and has worked on mental health initiatives with the Surgeon General, the Higher Education Mental Health Alliance, the Department of Defense, The Veteran’s Administration, the Milken Institute, the Clinton Health Matters Initiative and college and university systems across the country.

 

Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay

Former Sikyong (President) of the Central Tibetan Administration (2011-2021)

Senior Fellow

HARVARD LAW SCHOOL

Lobsang Sangay is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the East Asian Legal Studies Program, Harvard Law School. He was a democratically elected Sikyong (President) of the Central Tibetan Administration and served two terms (2011-21). Lobsang did his BA and LLB from Delhi University. He did his LLM and SJD ‘04 from Harvard Law School and received Yong K. Kim ‘95 Memorial Prize for excellence in dissertation and contributions to the understanding of East Asia at the Harvard Law School. Lobsang organized seven rounds of meetings and conferences between Tibetan and Western Chinese scholars at Harvard, most notably, the first ever meeting between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and 25 Chinese scholars. He was selected as one of the twenty-four Young Leaders of Asia by the Asia Society (2006).

Lobsang spoke at international conferences such as Forum 2000, Halifax Security Forum and Oxford Union. He has written numerous Op-eds in major newspapers including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and appeared on many international TV networks like BBC and CNN. He was awarded the Gold Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Public Discourse, College Historical Society (CHS), Trinity College, Dublin (2014) and Salisbury University Presidential Medal for Distinguished Community Leadership (2015). He has visited various capitals and parliaments around the world and played an important role in the passage of Tibetan Policy and Support Act 2020 by the United States Government.
 

Esther Silver-Parker

President and CEO

THE SILVERPARKER GROUP  

Esther Silver-Parker is President and CEO of The SilverParker Group, a consultancy specializing in diversity, corporate social responsibility, reputation, strategic philanthropy, stakeholder relationships and leadership development. Before opening her firm in 2010, Esther served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., where she was charged with the strategic planning and execution of the company’s corporate responsibility, reputation, and relationships among key national and international stakeholders. Prior to this position, she served as Senior Vice President of Diversity Relations for Wal-Mart.

Before joining Wal-Mart, Esther served 28 years in various public relations functions for AT&T, including Vice President of Corporate Affairs and President of the AT&T Foundation. She also directed AT&T’s National Constituency Relations and Issues Management Departments and led the company’s award-winning Corporate Social Responsibility programs, including programs that grew the number of women and diverse people in such disciplines as engineering, business, arts production and small business development. Esther established AT&T’s first corporate affairs operation in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and developed the company’s first stakeholder relations organization and consumer panel.

A corporate leader of noted impact, she has served in leadership and volunteer positions for over 50 national and international nonprofit organizations. She currently serves on the boards of the Champions for Kids, The NAACP Special Contributions Committee, The United States Tennis Association Diversity Board and the Southern Tennis Association Diversity and Inclusion Committee, the Leadership Institute at Bennett College, The Haywood Institute, Art Ventures and the International Women’s Forum Foundation. Esther also serves on The Advisory Council for Honda North America. She previously served on the External Advisory Council for Deloitte, Wal-Mart, Inc. Advisory Council, and AARP’s Advisory Council. Esther speaks on arts as a convener of diverse perspectives and arts as an economic lever.

She received a Master’s in Journalism from Columbia University School of Journalism and a Bachelors of Arts, Magna Cum Laude, in Political Science from North Carolina Central University. She is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University’s Executive Management Program and holds an Honorary Doctor’s in Humane Letters from Benedict College. She lives in Rogers, Arkansas and is married to Ronald I. Parker. They have one son, Jamal O. Parker.

Maya Enista Smith

Executive Director

BORN THIS WAY FOUNDATION  

Maya Smith proudly serves as the first Executive Director of Born This Way Foundation. In this position, she engages a diverse array of partners across sectors to conduct innovative research, builds authentic youth-focused programming and leads effective campaigns that foster kindness and advance the conversation around mental health. With nearly twenty years of experience in the youth empowerment, civic engagement and community development fields, Maya previously served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Mobilize.org and began her career as East Coast Coordinator for Rock the Vote.

In addition to her work with the Foundation, she is a proud member of the Presidential Leadership Scholars Class of 2022 and serves on the Bullying Prevention Advisory Committee (BPAC) for the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC). Maya grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey, and is a graduate of Rutgers University. She currently resides outside of San Francisco with her husband, David, their two children, and their dog Kai.

 

Dr. Jill Tarter

Co-Founder and Chair Emeritus for SETI Research

SETI INSTITUTE

Member of IWF Northern California

Dr. Jill Tarter is an astrophysicist and SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) pioneer. She is the Bernard Chair Emeritus for SETI at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, and is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the California Academy of Sciences. Jill was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine in 2004. She was awarded the Telluride Tech Festival Award of Technology (2001), the Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization (2005) and the 2009 TED Prize.

Jill’s astronomical work is illustrated in Carl Sagan’s novel Contact. In the film version of Contact the protagonist, Ellie Arroway, is played by Jodie Foster. Arroway was ‘largely based’ on her work. Jill has spoken around the world and has published dozens of articles about SETI to engage earthlings across the planet in this important search and to encourage young people to pursue careers in science, engineering and technology.

Olivia Troye

CEO

PEOPLE’S COURAGE, INC.

Olivia Troye is a national security executive and media commentator with over twenty years of government and private sector experience. She served as Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Advisor to the Vice President of the United States and has served in leadership roles at the Department of Homeland Security, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the National Counterterrorism Center, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense (DOD) where she was a political appointee under President George W. Bush. Olivia has managed complex policy decisions and responses to large-scale crisis events, including the Covid-19 pandemic. She has also led technology projects for DOD with General Dynamics Information Technology and assisted Fortune 500 companies in navigating security challenges in the Middle East and North Africa for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. More recently, Olivia is working on countering extremism, resisting disinformation undermining U.S. elections, and protecting Americans upholding civic institutions that become the targets of online harassment and threats of violence. She is currently CEO of The Troye Group and the Founder and CEO of People’s Courage. A native of El Paso, Texas, she is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, the National Defense University’s College of International Security Affairs, and the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security.

Missy Young

Chief Information Officer

SWITCH

Member of IWF Nevada

Missy Young is the CIO (Chief Information Officer) at Switch. She drives the company’s solutions architecture to create a fundamental and sustainable change in the way clients ultimately design and implement intelligent data strategies. As a technologist, Missy has played an imperative role in the company’s evolution from the most innovative data center company in the world to the world’s only hyperscale retail colocation ecosystem that it is today. 

Since joining the company in 2005, Missy has also held roles with leadership responsibilities for all sales operations and solutions engineering with respect to potential clients and win-win contract negotiations. Her expertise in technology trends, forecasting client needs and connecting those trends with results has been a great asset to Switch and its success. Prior to becoming a partner at Switch, Missy was the Director of Sales Engineering and VoIP services for Mpower Communications. Her portfolio of experience also includes senior sales engineering positions at ICG Communications, InteleNet Data Centers, and FirstWorld Communications. She entered the industry back in the dot-com days of the mid-90s, as a network engineer through her Cisco, Microsoft, and Novell certifications. 

Missy serves on the FIRST® Nevada Robotics Board, the Foundation Board of the College of Southern Nevada, the Foundation Board of Opportunity Village, Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada Board, the Desert Research Institute Foundation Board, and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Board of Directors. Additionally, Missy is a strong advocate for the certification path of education for young students who desire to enter the technology field.

 

Dr. Kate Zhong

Director of Innovation

DEPARTMENT OF BRAIN HEALTH
SCHOOL OF INTEGRATED HEALTH SCIENCES
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS

Member of IWF Nevada

Dr. Kate Zhong is a geriatric psychiatrist, pharmacologist, and a trailblazer in Alzheimer’s and brain health research. She is the Director of Innovation and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Brain Health at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. 

She served as the Chief Strategy Officer for the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation. She was the Senior Director of Clinical Research for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health where she led the research programs for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury. She is the creator of Healthy Brains, an innovative platform to accelerate clinical trials and to empower the public to improve their brain health and reduce their risk for brain disorders. Kate has been a scientific consultant for multiple pharmaceutical and biotech companies in United States, Canada and Asia. 

Kate received her MD degree at age 22 from West China University of Medical Sciences in Sichuan, China. She earned her master’s degree in pharmacology and completed her residency in Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. 

She serves on multiple boards locally and nationally. She was named “Alzheimer’s Ambassador” and was honored with many awards such as “Women of Distinction Award”, “Health Care Headliner Research Award”, “Women to Watch” and “Minority Lifetime Achievement Award”. Kate was featured in the PBS documentary “MAKERS: Women Who Make America,” profiling her as one of Nevada’s most influential women.

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Moderators

Kimberly Archer

Managing Director

RUSSELL REYNOLDS ASSOCIATES

Member of IWF Washington, D.C.

Kimberly Archer specializes in advising purpose-driven clients across a multitude of industry verticals, with a focus on succession and overall team and leadership effectiveness. Based in Washington, D.C. she is a core member of the Social Impact and Education Industries and the Board & CEO Advisory Partners Capability at Russell Reynolds Associates. She leverages her extensive expertise to recruit high-impact CEOs and other key leadership roles in corporate and external affairs, as well as people and culture. Kimberly currently serves as a member of the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, responsible for operations across a range of geographies in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Since joining in 2005, Kimberly has held numerous leadership positions including co-leadership of the Social Impact & Education Sector, Practice Leader for Education, and Area Manager for the Washington, D.C. office. She has served on the firm’s Risk Management Committee and LEAP Committee, responsible for internal global promotions.

Prior to RRA, Kimberly worked in philanthropy, specifically developing strategic partnerships and corporate alliances for one of the largest U.S.-based public health foundations. She also held multiple roles in communications and marketing with Avon Products, Inc. and Federated Department Stores/Bloomingdale’s.  

Kimberly holds a BA in psychology from Hofstra University. She has also completed the Executive Education Leadership program at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Ann Clark

Executive Vice President, Social Impact & Sustainability   

EDELMAN

Ann develops and executes global impact strategies for the world’s leading brands. Her focus at the intersection of international issues, philanthropy, and systemic change has led to meaningful assignments on-the-ground – from advancing health equity in Rwanda to deepening understanding of the refugee crisis from the Zaatari camp in Jordan.

Ann is a Stephen M. Kellen Term Member with the Council on Foreign Relations and was selected by the Atlantic Council for its Millennium Fellowship – the think tank’s flagship program for connecting and empowering leaders who will shape the twenty-first century. She is a member of the International Rescue Committee’s GenR and a fellow advisor for Global Health Corps. Ann served as the lead press contact for the U.S. Special Operations’ rescue of humanitarian aid worker, Jessica Buchanan, from captivity in Somalia; her role was credited in Buchanan’s book, Impossible Odds.

Ann previously worked in print and broadcast journalism, reporting from London, New York, Chicago, and Seville. She also wrote and took photographs for two award-winning books that tell the story of the Oklahoma City bombing. As a professional photographer, she has published images in The Washington Post and National Geographic Adventure. Ann is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Dr. Priscilla H. Douglas

Founder and Principal

PHDOUGLAS & ASSOCIATES

Ideas Selection Committee Chair 

Member of IWF Massachusetts 

Priscilla H. Douglas, PhD, is the Founder and Principal of PHDouglas & Associates, a consulting firm that helps leaders achieve breakthrough results. The Boston Women’s Business Journal has recognized Douglas as one of the area’s “Top 10 Executive Coaches,” and her two books Getting There & Staying There and Woke Leadership: Profit, Prophets & Purpose extend her reach. She brings over thirty years of real-world experience and thought leadership to client engagements. Her professional career includes key executive positions in government, academics and business where she was often the first woman and the first African American. As a White House Fellow, she served as a Special Assistant to William H. Webster, Director of the FBI. She also was elected by her peers to serve on the White House Fellows Alumni Association.

Within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, she has held two key positions: Assistant Secretary for Public Safety and Secretary of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations. A former instructor in the master’s program for Harvard University Radcliffe Seminars, she taught courses in management, leadership, and organizational behavior. Priscilla is honored to be the Chair of the Boston Public Library Board of Trustees. She is also an active board member of Leader Bank, The Boston Museum of Science, the Museum of Fine Arts and The American Repertory Theater. Priscilla has presented as a thought leader at the Aspen Institute, Club of Rome, and in forums in Singapore, Australia, South Africa, and Japan. 

Cheryl Jennings

Multiple Emmy-award winning Journalist, Moderator, Media strategist

Member of IWF Nevada and NorCal 

Cheryl Jennings is an Emmy award winning journalist who has traveled for stories to Afghanistan (2005, 2015)   Kosovo (1999, 2001) South and North Korea, Vietnam, Peru, Mexico, Israel, and the West Bank.

She has been honored with nine Emmys while working in the broadcasting industry for 45 years in radio, television and online.  Cheryl was also rewarded with seven national “Gracie” awards by the Alliance for Women in Media for her stories on women’s issues.
She has hosted "in conversation" events with high-profile professionals including Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Gloria Steinem, Khaled Hosseini, Deepak Chopra, Carlos Santana, Maria Shriver, Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue and celebrity chef Jacques Pepin.

Cheryl worked at ABC TV in San Francisco for 39 years, anchoring the award winning 5pm news for 28 years.  Most recently, she founded her own media company to use social media for positive news locally and internationally.  @CherylCamMedia can be found on most social media sites. Cheryl is a moderator, producer and online host and reporter.  She enjoys mentoring visionaries of all ages in leadership roles to guide them in their message, media strategy and online presence.

Cheryl says: “I have dedicated my career to serving the community, locally and globally, helping to raise awareness and millions of dollars for those in need. “The causes range from children with life threatening illnesses, including HIV and AIDS, women’s rights, domestic violence, veterans, mental health, children of war and landmine removal.  She is a member of the International Women’s Forum, Northern California Chapter and Nevada chapter.  She is a media advisor for several non-profits, including Roots of Peace in California which promotes peace through agriculture in war torn countries including Afghanistan and Vietnam. Jennings is currently helping to produce a documentary on the lost history of pediatric aids.

She is a proud military daughter.  Her father served in the U. S. Army for decades, retiring at the rank of Lt. Colonel.  He served in Germany, Korea, and Vietnam. Her oldest brother was in the U. S. Navy and also served in Vietnam.  Cheryl is the eldest of seven children. The family traveled across the United States and Germany while her father was in the military.   She was given a suitcase at 18…and told, “if you want to go to college, you’ll find a way to succeed.”

 

Mary Kramer

Vice President and Director

CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS

Member of IWF Michigan 

Mary Kramer joined Crain Communications in 1989 as editor of Crain’s Detroit Business. She went on to hold several senior roles, including Vice President/Group Publisher for Crain’s city publications in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and New York. In 2021, she moved into new product development and successfully launched Crain Currency in 2022, a digital newsletter and website aimed at families managing wealth and legacies.

She continues to direct Detroit Homecoming, an initiative she co-founded in 2014 to bring successful Detroit-area “expats” back to their hometown to re-engage with its revitalization.
She chairs the board at the Detroit-based Skillman Foundation and is a member of the board of directors for MiBank Corp., in suburban Detroit. Prior, she served eight years on the board of Grand Valley State University, two as chair. She also was the first woman to be elected president of the historic Detroit Athletic Club, serving in 2003.

Honors include induction into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame and naming to the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame (November 2022).

 

Jeanne Meserve

Moderator, Facilitator, Emcee, and Host 

Jeanne Meserve is a homeland security expert and analyst, moderator, and award-winning journalist. She is currently a Security Expert for Canada’s CTV News. While a correspondent and anchor at CNN and ABC, Meserve earned her profession’s highest honors, including two Emmys and an Edward R. Murrow Award. She also contributed to two CNN Peabody Awards.

Jeanne is a member of the Homeland Security Experts Group and the Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity, and serves on the board of the non-profit Space Foundation. She moderates discussions on topics ranging from technology and security, to medicine and the environment. Clients include AtlanticLIVE, the Munich Security Conference, the Aspen Security Forum, and the Halifax International Security Forum. 
 

Tony Waller

Vice President, Constituent Relations & Racial Equity

WALMART

During his 14 years at Walmart, Tony has committed to advancing diverse and multicultural communities. In his current role as Vice President of Constituent Relations and Racial Equity, Tony sets strategy for driving reputation, augmenting outreach opportunities, and maximizing social investments in diverse and multicultural communities. Tony also helps to shape public policy, communication strategy, federal and state government relations, and community relations through a racial equity lens. Additionally, Tony and his team help lead efforts to expand the company’s racial equity efforts across diverse and multicultural communities.

Tony is originally from Puerto Rico and attended the University of Virginia. Outside of work, serving is important to Tony. He serves on several nonprofit boards focused on community and the arts. He is a passionate collector of African-American art & sculpture, antique watches, vintage cufflinks, eyewear, children’s story books and quotes. Shoes, however, are his kryptonite. Tony strives to live each and every day by the words of his mother, Barbara Jean Motley Waller, “Keep flowing with The River for The River knows exactly where It is going.”

Teresa Valdes-Fauli Weintraub 

Managing Director 

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH, INC

Member of IWF Florida

Teresa Valdes-Fauli Weintraub joined Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. as Managing Director – Wealth Management, Financial Advisor, in January 2016 where she advises high net worth families on their wealth management planning and estate planning needs. She has over 40 years experience assisting families accomplish their goals and educating successive generations.

For the prior 18 years, she was President, CEO and Board member of Fiduciary Trust International of the South, one of the largest trust and investment management companies in Florida. She served on the Board of its Delaware affiliate and as a member of the Executive Committee of Fiduciary Trust Company International, the parent company. Teresa formerly was a Vice President and Trust Officer of the Northern Trust Bank of Florida, and previous to that was employed by the University of Miami for 11 years in positions of increasing responsibility. Her last position at the University of Miami was as Executive Director of Development. She began her career in 1979 as a Tax Attorney with Exxon Corporation in New York City.

Teresa has lectured and written extensively in the areas of leadership, trusts, estates and charitable gift planning. She has been recognized by many organizations for her leadership in the Greater Miami Community. She has served on numerous not for profit boards including United Way, Carrollton School, Philanthropy Miami, Miami Children’s Health Systems, Miami Jewish Health Systems and many others. From 2016 – 2018, Weintraub served as the President of the Global Board of the International Women’s Forum (IWF), an invitation only network of the most accomplished women in the world. She was honored by IWF by receiving its Leading Light Award for her contributions transforming the organization. Teresa has a B.A. and J.D. from Boston College.

Vanessa E. Wyche 

Director 

NASA'S JOHNSON SPACE CENTER

Vanessa E. Wyche is the Director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, home to America’s astronaut corps, Mission Control Center, International Space Station, Orion and Gateway programs and its more than 11,000 civil service and contractor employees. She is responsible for overseeing a broad range of human spaceflight activities, including development and operation of human spacecraft, commercialization of low-Earth orbit and Johnson’s role in landing the first woman and first person of color on the surface of the Moon.

Vanessa previously served as Deputy Director at Johnson, a position she held since 2018. Other key leadership positions include: Assistant and Acting Deputy Director of Johnson; Director of the Exploration Integration and Science Directorate, Flight Manager of several missions of the retired Space Shuttle Program, Executive Officer in the Office of the NASA Administrator, and led additional center-level technical and program organizations. She is a native of South Carolina and earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Master of Science in Bioengineering from Clemson University. Vanessa is an alumna of the International Women’s Forum Leadership Fellows Program.