Agenda

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

IWF Registration Desk
Foyer of Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

IWF Board Meeting

Closed Meeting (Board Directors only)

12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Pop-Up Shops
Foyer of Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

5:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.

Global Leaders’ Dinner Bus Departure
Meet in Wintergarden, at the Renaissance Center

The Global Leaders’ Dinner is a 25-minute drive from the conference hotel. Please plan to meet in the Renaissance Center Wintergarden as the bus will depart promptly at 5:45 pm.

6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Global Leaders’ Dinner
The Henry Ford Museum

Closed Event (For registered forum presidents and IWF Global Board Directors only)

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Presidents’ Council Meeting
Ambassador Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

Attendance at Presidents’ Council Meetings limited to: Forum Presidents, Chapter Presidents, the chose representative of Forum or Chapter President if she is unable to attend; and, as observers, Forum Executive Directors/ Administrators and IWF Global Board Directors.

9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

IWF Registration Desk
Foyer of Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Pop-Up Shops
Foyer of Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Bus Departure for The Henry Ford
Motor Lobby

Attendees are invited to visit The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation – a world renowned national treasure. Step into a world where past innovations fuel the imagination of generations to come. A vibrant exploration of genius in all its forms, Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation allows you to experience the strides of America’s greatest minds while fully immersing yourself in their stories. Attendees can engage in immersive and powerful experiences including sitting on the Rosa Parks Bus, viewing the Kennedy Presidential limousine, the Lincoln chair and many other exhibits representing innovation in America.

We are pleased to offer attendees access to a limited number of tour tickets to the museum, which you can register for during the registration process*. Shuttles will depart from the Motor Lobby and return by 2:30 pm.

*Tickets for The Henry Ford are now sold out.

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

IWF Advanced Leadership Action Session: Thinking Outside the Building
Ambassador Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

IWF Massachusetts member Rosabeth Moss Kanter is the Ernest L. Arbuckle Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. She specializes in strategy, innovation, and leadership for change. Positive action requires leaders to “think outside the building” to open new pathways, forge new coalitions, and find sources of personal nurturance. Professor Kanter will outline 5 tactics for coping, transcending, and contributing to solutions to respond to health and wealth gaps, ethnic tensions and cultural conflicts, or climate crises, whether as entrepreneurs in startups, seasoned business leaders, or concerned citizens and parents. The session will include lessons on what can make things worse, when the goal is to make life better. Kanter will discuss the essential ingredients of transformational leadership – taking power to the next level of impact beyond single organizations to impact on institutions and society. Through an interactive lecture with case examples, Kanter will consider approaches to tackling daunting challenges and will examine tactics for mobilizing support for change. This session will explore how small but smart innovations can grow into wider solutions. While women are still achieving power in many domains, Kanter will explore why broader impact outside single organizations and professions is the ultimate area for personal fulfillment and career success.

Speaker:

Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Arbuckle Professor, Harvard Business School (IWF Massachusetts)

6:00 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.

Opening Reception Bus Departure
Meet in Wintergarden, at the Renaissance Center

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Opening Reception
Detroit Institute of Arts

Always a joyful gathering, IWF Michigan will warmly welcome you to Detroit as you reconnect with old friends and meet new ones at the iconic Detroit Institute of Arts.

Thursday, October 5, 2023

6:45 a.m. – 7:45 a.m.

Rise and Shine Walk

Location: Meet in Wintergarden, at the Renaissance Center at 6:45 am
Kickstart your day by joining your IWF sisters for an early morning walk along the beautiful Detroit RiverWalk adjacent to the conference hotel.

7:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

IWF Registration Desk
Foyer of Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Pop-Up Shops
Foyer of Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

IWF Special Interest Group: Health Care
Ambassador Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Continental Breakfast
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

8:30 a.m. – 8:55 a.m.

Opening Performance & Remarks
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

Detroit Youth Choir
Carolyn Carter, President of the International Women’s Forum
Mary Kramer, 2023 World Leadership Conference Co-chair
Faye Nelson, 2023 World Leadership Conference Co-chair

8:55 a.m. – 9:25 a.m.

A Conversation with Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

Speaker:

The Honorable Gretchen Whitmer, Governor, State of Michigan

Moderator:

Stephanie Streett, Executive Director, Clinton Foundation (IWF Arkansas)

9:25 a.m. – 9:40 a.m.

Keynote - Innovation for All: Autonomous Vehicles and Accessibility
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

Autonomous vehicles have the potential to reshape transportation and create more accessibility and independence for those who are differently abled.

How can self-driving technology break down barriers and revolutionize mobility? What are the obstacles to achieving equitable opportunities for individuals with diverse needs?

Speaker:

Carrie Morton, Chief Engineer of Accessibility, GM

9:40 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Coffee Break
Foyer of Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Plenary 1 – “Dancing in the Street”: Motown and More
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

Motown is one of the most globally beloved and influential musical genres of the 20th century, and it was born in Detroit. Diana Ross and The Supremes were Motown’s most commercially successful act. They transformed popular music as women of color, changing both what and who was on the radio.

Today’s music, how we listen to it, what we listen to, and how musicians are compensated for their creativity have evolved. Taylor Swift’s concerts create measurable changes in economic activity. Women rappers' numbers and popularity are growing exponentially. Women are leading in this industry that is a global, powerful, and cultural agent of change.

What does this mean for how women are perceived and how their creativity is valued in the marketplace?

Speakers:

Thea Mitchem, Executive Vice President of Programming, iHeartMedia
Robin Terry, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Office, Motown Museum (IWF Michigan)
MC Lyte, Pioneering Female Rapper, Actress, DJ, Entrepreneur

Moderator:

Ann Delisi, Host of Essential Music, WDET-FM

10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Plenary 2 – “You’re All I Need to Get By”: The Artificial Intelligence Revolution
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

AI, more specifically generative AI, is the biggest topic in the virtual world. It is everywhere. It has become a meme, and the complicated implications of its use are hotly debated. AI has the potential to make our lives easier and more efficient, but it also has significant risks.

How can it be deployed ethically by businesses? What regulatory and legal parameters are being set for its use? And how can it improve the quality of our lives?

Speakers:

Nuala O'Connor, Senior Vice President and Chief Counsel, Digital Citizenship, Walmart
Keo Shaw, Of Counsel, DLA Piper
Anita Mahon, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Healthcare, EXL

Moderator:

Missy Young, Chief Information Officer, Switch, (IWF Nevada)

11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Break

12:15 p.m. – 12:55 p.m.

Lunch
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

12:55 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Welcome from Dr. Sonia Hassan-Duggan
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

Speaker:

Dr. Sonia Hassan-Duggan, Associate Vice-President, Founder and Director, Office of Women's Health, Wayne State University; First Lady, City of Detroit

1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

“I Heard It Through the Grapevine”: Ideas Remaking the World
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

Listen as your IWF sisters share their ideas for remaking the world and transforming their communities. Meet the innovators, instigators, and disruptors among us, and find inspiration in their successful initiatives that run the gamut from arts to education, business to philanthropy, technology to the environment.

Speakers:

Mirei Endara de Heras (IWF Panama)
Beth Hedva (IWF Canada)
Maribel Concepción Méndez de Lara (IWF Mexico)

2:00 p.m.

Behind the Scenes Bus Departure
Wintergarden, at the Renaissance Center

Please refer to the back of your badge for your bus departure time.

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Behind the Scenes
Scheduled return by 5:00 pm

6:30 p.m.

Dine Around Reception and Bus Departure
Wintergarden, at the Renaissance Center

Grab a drink and connect before Members depart for Dine Arounds. Please refer to the back of your badge for your bus departure time.

7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Guest Dinner (Registered Guests Only)
Highlands Detroit, Renaissance Center

If you are not a member, we invite you to join us for a special dinner. The Highlands has a stunning view of the Detroit skyline.

7:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Member Dine Arounds

It would not be an IWF conference without our beloved Dine Arounds. Members will have the opportunity to meet and connect with your IWF sisters from around the globe in small groups over a shared meal. The dinners will be hosted by Members of IWF Michigan in private homes and clubs around the city.

Friday, October 6, 2023

7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

IWF Registration Desk
Foyer of Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

7:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Pop-Up Shops
Foyer of Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

6:45 a.m. - 7:45 a.m.

Rise and Shine Walk
Meet in the Wintergarden, at the Renaissance Center at 6:45 am

Kickstart your day by joining your IWF sisters for an early morning walk along the beautiful Detroit RiverWalk adjacent to the conference hotel.

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Continental Breakfast
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

9:00 a.m. - 9:05 a.m.

Poetry Reading
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

Speaker:

Jessica Care Moore, world-renowned poet, recording artist, book publisher

9:05 a.m. - 9:50 a.m.

Plenary 3 – “Reach Out I’ll Be There”: The Power of Cross-sector Collaboration
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

Collaborations among the private sector, philanthropy, and government have fueled the revitalization of Detroit neighborhoods and businesses. The same model has worked around the globe. From local economic development to the eradication of disease, to education, public-private partnerships have demonstrated the power and possibilities of cross-sector alliances.

What are the most important elements of success? How can they be replicated? Are there some initiatives that lend themselves to easier and more effective cross-sector engagements?

Speakers:

Angie Cooper, Executive Vice President, Heartland Forward
Faye Nelson, Michigan Director, W.K. Kellogg Foundation; Conference Co-Chair (IWF Michigan)
Ayesha Molino, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, MGM Resorts International

Moderator:

Judy Habib, Board Chair, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (IWF Massachusetts)

9:50 a.m. - 10:05 a.m.

Coffee Break
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

10:05 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.

Remarks from Sandy Pierce
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

Speaker:

Sandy Pierce, Senior Executive Vice President and Chair of Michigan, Huntington Bank

10:10 a.m. - 10:55 a.m.

Plenary 4 – “Baby Love”: Environmental Impacts on Child Development
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

The environment, broadly defined, has far-reaching implications for child development. Water quality, race, nutrition, social position, poverty, and conflict shape children’s developmental trajectories. Recent research shows that social, environmental, and economic stressors can even alter development at the genetic level.

What does this mean for our collective future? What are the most important interventions to ensure children become healthy, happy, productive adults?

Speakers:

Prof. Melissa Wake, Scientific Director GenV, Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Dr. Raquel Hatter, Managing Director, National Human Services Program, Kresge Foundation
Dr. Liliana Lengua, Director, University of Washington Center for Child and Family Well-being

Moderator:

Jen Giovannitti, President, Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation (IWF Pittsburgh)

10:55 a.m. - 11:10 a.m.

Transition to Breakout Sessions

11:10 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.

Breakout Sessions

1. Can Faith or Spirituality Strengthen Your Well-Being?
Ambassador 1, Level 3 - Marriott at the Renaissance Center

What does spirituality mean in 2023? How does it differ from religion – and how is it similar? Can faith – or a deep spiritual life – be galvanized to improve mental health and physical well-being for global citizens? How can faith and spirituality on a personal or community level be effectively channeled to minimize the ever-growing prevalence of cultural polarization? Detroit’s citizens have a diverse history when it comes to faith. From the role of the church in the Black community and the region’s historic Catholic and mainstream Protestant roots of early settlers to the waves of Jewish and Muslim immigrants that made Detroit home, faith and spirituality in all forms have shaped attitudes, identity, and community. We’ll tap experts to lead a conversation about the potential to enrich women’s lives in today’s fragmented world.

Speakers:

Rabbi Tamara Kolton Ph.D, independent rabbi, psychotherapist, author, and feminine mythologist (IWF Michigan)
Liz Dawn, CEO, Mishka Productions/Celebrate Your Life

Moderator:

Dolores Fernandez Alonso, President & Chief Executive Officer, South Florida PBS (IWF Florida)

2. IWF Masterclass with Fatma Samoura: Cross-Cultural Leadership
Mackinac Ballroom, Level 5

A masterclass is an opportunity for IWF’s membership to learn up-to-the-minute ideas and innovations that can help them make critical leadership decisions. Ranked as the Most Powerful Women in International Sports by Forbes in 2018, Fatma Samoura made history when she was appointed as the first African and female Secretary General of FIFA. Prior to FIFA, Samoura served in leadership with the UN in more than 7 countries. Having led two of the most culturally diverse institutions in the world, she will share her thoughts on how to successfully navigate and collaborate among many voices with many perspectives.

Speakers:

Fatma Samoura, Secretary General, FIFA

Moderator:

Joanne Salazar, Co-Owner & Director, QED Consulting Ltd (IWF Trinidad & Tobago)

3. Colorism
Ambassador 2, Level 3 - Marriott at the Renaissance Center

Consciously or not, people are judged by the color of their skin. In many cultures, even within the same ethnic group, lighter complexions are viewed more positively. Research is demonstrating that these attitudes are far-reaching and are reflected in housing, health care, media, employment, and the criminal justice system. What can be done to discourage and dislodge these long-standing presumptions and create truly equitable societies?

Speakers:

Dr. Vanessa Gonlin, Assistant Professor, University of Georgia
Dr. Nayeli Chavez-Dueñas, Psychologist, Scholar-Activist, and Professor, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Trina Jones, Jerome M. Culp Distinguished Professor of Law, Duke University

Moderator:

Marsha Sampson Johnson, Principal, Marsha Sampson Johnson LLC (IWF Georgia)

4. Operationalizing AI: Seismic Shifts in Enterprise Infrastructure
Ambassador 3, Level 3 - Marriott at the Renaissance Center

The traditional ways in which we have approached cloud, connectivity, co-location, and corporate data centers are shifting dramatically. The aggressive onset of AI and the resulting rapid consumption of physical infrastructure is impacting every industry. Your digital transformation plans could be thwarted if you don’t accelerate your timelines and efforts. This session will explain AI trends, identify potential roadblocks that could keep your company from successfully implementing its use, and explore mission-critical solutions to help your business flourish in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Speaker:

Missy Young, Chief Information Office, Switch, (IWF Nevada)

12:10 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Transition to Lunch

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Lunch
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

1:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Plenary 5 – Riding on the Freeway: Transforming Transportation
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

If Aretha Franklin could take a ride on the “Freeway of Love” today, her pink Cadillac might be an electric vehicle.

But for our cars to travel fast and far, we must be able to refuel easily. That will take new infrastructure from new sources. Patti Poppe, CEO of PG&E, shares their important work to make this happen in the context of increased stressors on the power supply.

Lisa Drake, Vice President of EV Industrialization of Ford Motor Company, will join her to offer their perspective on EVs and the collaborative work underway to ensure your trip is fun, far, and fast.

How can auto manufacturers ensure they have enough batteries to power an all-EV America? How are consumers reacting to these vehicles? What are the potential barriers to supporting increased demand? How can the grid provide the electricity to keep them moving?

Speakers:

Patti Poppe, CEO, PG&E
Lisa Drake, Vice President, EV Industrialization, Ford Motor Company

Moderator:

Janet Dietrich, Senior Managing Director, Macquarie Group (IWF Texas)

2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.

Special Interest: Philanthropy
Ambassador Ballroom 1, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Elly’s Ladder Information Session
Ambassador 1, Level 3 - Marriott at the Renaissance Center

All conference participants are invited to learn more about our new giving society, Elly’s Ladder. Created to raise reliable, predictable funds for IWF, we hope you will join us to hear more about how your support will help us expand our mission of advancing women’s leadership and championing equality worldwide.

6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Pre-Gala Reception
Foyer of Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

7:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.

IWF 2023 International Hall of Fame Gala
Renaissance Ballroom, Marriott at the Renaissance Center

Hall of Fame Honorees:

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, global finance expert and former Nigerian Minister of Finance
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, pediatrician, scientist, author, and public health advocate whose research exposed the Flint water crisis

Celebrate our honorees and experience the magic of IWF as you enjoy dinner and dance the night away with your IWF sisters.

Saturday, October 7, 2023

10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Tours of Motown Museum * Ticket Holders Only
Motown Museum

A visit to Detroit would not be complete without a stop at the Motown Museum, located in the original headquarters and music studio for Motown Records. The Museum is home to an extensive array of authentic company artifacts, photographs, costumes and other valued memorabilia.
We are pleased to offer attendees access to a limited number of timed tour tickets to the museum, which you can register for during the registration process*. Shuttles will depart from the Motor Lobby.

Looking for assistance with registration? Our registration support team is happy to help you. Please reach out to them via email at iwf@executivevents.com or by phone at +1 (866) 216-8040 [toll free]. They will respond to you within one business day.