Thursday, May 22, 2025

6:15 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.

Rise & Shine Walk
Hotel Main Lobby

7:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.

Disrupting Philanthropy: A conversation with Connie Ballmer, Ballmer Group Co-Founder, and Joanne Harrell, First Lady of Seattle
Level 5 Quinault

Hear firsthand from one of America’s most innovative philanthropic leaders in this fireside chat with Seattle’s remarkable First Lady. Learn about Ballmer Group’s revolutionary approach to philanthropy as they navigate these changing times. Come early for breakfast with the IWF Philanthropy Special Interest Group. Fresh insights and food for thought are featured on the menu!

Speakers:

• Connie Ballmer, Co-Founder, Ballmer Group
• Joanne Harrell, First Lady of Seattle (IWF Washington State)

7:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.

Fellow Aumnae Breakfast
Level 3 306 Duwamish

7:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

IWF Registration Desk
Level 4 Foyer

7:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., 
5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
 

Pop-Up Shops
Level 3 Foyer
 

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Continental Breakfast
Level 3 Columbia Pre-Function & Ballroom

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Official Conference Opening
Columbia Ballroom

9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.

Plenary 1: What Creates a Thriving Economy
Columbia Ballroom

Seattle is home to a diverse and thriving economy. But success isn’t a one-size-fits-all story. Across the globe, economic anchors vary, and complex dynamics are at play, creating diverse paths to economic prosperity.  

How are regions leveraging their resources, industries, and policies to foster sustainable growth? What lessons can we learn from different global economies? 

9:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Plenary 2: A Simple, Decent Place to Live
Columbia Ballroom

Without a place to call home, there can be no true stability. Yet, millions worldwide face inadequate housing conditions with rapidly rising costs, population growth, and insufficient supply exacerbating the crisis.

It’s estimated that 3 billion people will require adequate and affordable housing by 2030.  

Around the world, communities are grappling with these challenges through innovative policies, community-driven solutions, and public-private partnerships. How can we redefine housing access to ensure everyone has a place to call home? 

Speakers: 

• Olajumoke Akinwunmi, Co-Founder and CEO, Alitheia Capital
• Prof. Ada Fung, BBS, Former Deputy Director of Housing, HKSAR
• Alice Shobe, Global Director, Amazon Community Impact (IWF Washington State)

10:30 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.

Coffee Break
Level 3 Columbia Pre-Function & Foyer

10:45 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.

Plenary 3: The Nexus of AI and Sustainability
Columbia Ballroom

Sustainability is a global hot topic. Artificial Intelligence holds transformative potential to address accelerating climate change and global resource challenges by driving efficiency, optimizing resource use, and predicting environmental impacts. Yet, AI has created a surge in energy demand. Data centers' electricity consumption in 2026 is projected to reach 1,000 terawatts, roughly Japan’s total consumption.  

While AI is reshaping sectors like energy, agriculture, and conservation, what are the challenges of its energy footprint? How can AI be leveraged to both reduce environmental impact and democratize energy access?

Speaker:

• Jacky Wright, Chief Technology and Platform Officer (CTPO), McKinsey & Company

11:20 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.

Plenary 4: Risk Redefined: Strategies for a Complex World 
Columbia Ballroom 

Risk management is becoming increasingly complex and more important as an element of corporate governance. From geopolitical shifts to supply chain disruptions to extreme weather events to cyber risks, it is ever present and can threaten operations and the bottom line. 

How can leaders effectively prepare for and evaluate emerging risks to safeguard their organizations? 

Opening Remarks:

• Mary Knell, CEO and Head, Pacific Northwest Commercial Banking, Wells Fargo (IWF Washington State)

Speakers:

• Jackie Bolig, Corporate Risk & Broking, Willis Towers Watson
• Barbara Faulkenberry, Major General, Retired (IWF Colorado)
   

12:05 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Break

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Luncheon: AI & Big Audacious Goals
Columbia Ballroom

How can you achieve your most ambitious goals by leveraging AI? Kate Johnson, CEO of Lumen, shares her unique perspective on meeting the needs of customers with and for AI to reach goals and transform organizations to thrive in a world of constant change. From skilling and reskilling employees at scale to seizing new opportunities, this session examines how leaders can equip their teams with the tools to adapt, manage, and lead through the challenges of today and tomorrow.

A Conversation:

• Kate Johnson, President and CEO, Lumen
• Sandy McIntosh, Executive Vice-President, People & Culture and Chief Human Resources Officer, TELUS

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3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Behind the Scenes Tours
Scheduled return by 5:00 p.m.

6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Dine Around Reception
Columbia Ballroom

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

6:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.

Dine Around Bus Departure
Columbia Ballroom

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

7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Guest Dinner

If you are joining the conference but are not an IWF member, we invite you to join us for a special dinner.

7:15 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Member Dine Arounds

It would not be an IWF conference without our beloved Dine Arounds. You will have the opportunity to meet and connect with your IWF sisters from around the globe in small groups. The dinners will be hosted around the city by Members of IWF Washington State.

Friday, May 23, 2025

6:15 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.

Rise & Shine Walk
Hotel Main Lobby

7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

IWF Registration Desk
Level 4 Foyer

7:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Pop-Up Shops
Level 3 Foyer

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Continental Breakfast
Columbia Pre-Function & Ballroom

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Special Interest Group: Health Care Breakfast
Quinault

8:30 a.m.

Day 2 Opening
Columbia Ballroom

8:45 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.

Exploring the Grievance Gap
Columbia Ballroom 

Join us for an insightful session to unpack the findings of the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, which reveals a society that is grappling with economic fears, deepening polarization, and a pervasive sense of grievance. With trust in institutions at historic lows, a growing zero-sum mindset legitimizes extreme measures for change, highlighting the urgent need for cross-sector collaboration. We'll discuss how businesses, NGOs, media, and government can play pivotal roles in restoring trust, fostering unity, and addressing challenges and reveal previously unreleased data through a gender lens.

9:15 a.m. – 10:35 a.m.

Plenary 5: The Civility Crisis: Understanding the Roots and Rise of Uncivil Behavior 
Columbia Ballroom

Is incivility becoming the new norm in modern society? From online spaces to professional settings to political institutions, uncivil behavior seems to be becoming more commonplace. Instances like the rapid spread of misinformation, the pervasive culture of “canceling,” and complex issues being reduced to polarized extremes are eroding trust and making it difficult to engage in meaningful, respectful dialogue. 

How are these uncivil behaviors shaping our interactions? What role does social isolation, worsened by digital communication, play in this breakdown of respect? In a multicultural world, how can we rebuild civil discourse and create spaces where disagreement doesn’t lead to hostility?  

Keynote Address: Love Your Enemies

America is afflicted with a "culture of contempt," says Brooks. It is increasingly common for people to view those who disagree with them as worthless, instead of just misguided or incorrect. This is fomented by an “outrage industrial complex” in media and politics. Through ancient wisdom and cutting-edge behavioral science, Brooks provides a roadmap to the happiness and gratification that comes when we choose to love one another – gaining strength from our differences.
 

• Arthur C. Brooks, Harvard Professor and Best-selling Author
   

Inaugural Susan Hammer Memorial Lecture:

• Dr. Bernice King, CEO of The King Center (IWF Georgia)

10:35 a.m. – 10:55 a.m.

Coffee Break
Columbia Pre-Function & Level 3 Foyer

10:55 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.

Plenary 6: Philanthropy: A Force Multiplier for Good
Columbia Ballroom

Philanthropy around the world has long been a space for innovation, enabling investments to address challenges that governments, individuals, and communities cannot solve alone. Seattle’s philanthropic community stands as an epicenter of this transformative work. 

Where are the largest philanthropic entities in Seattle and across the globe looking to invest for the greatest impact? 

Speakers:

• Connie Collingsworth, Independent Board Member, Banner Corporation (IWF Washington state)
• Julie Gehkri, Vice President of Programs, Walmart
• Precious Moloi-Motsepe, Co-Chair, The Motsepe Foundation, Chancellor, the University of Cape Town (IWF South Africa)

11:40 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Transition to Breakouts

11:50 a.m. – 12:40 p.m.

Breakouts 

Breakout 1: When Boys and Men have problems, Girls and Women have problems too
Level 5 Quinault

Boys and men are facing an unprecedented crisis. Over recent decades, sweeping economic and social changes have left many struggling in the classroom, the workplace, and the family. The implications of these challenges for society at large are significant. Richard Reeves, author of Of Boys and Men and President of the American Institute for Boys and Men, brings his insights as a policy expert and father of three sons to this urgent discussion. Reeves will share his thoughts on the structural challenges boys and men face and how to address these issues with meaningful solutions.

Breakout 2: How Arts Define a Place
Level 5 Elwha A

Art serves as a mirror of culture, shaping how communities see themselves and are seen by others. From the iconic glass sculptures of Chihuly to the music legacy of grunge to the murals that color its neighborhoods, Seattle’s vibrant arts scene offers a compelling backdrop for this exploration. Join experts in the arts as they discuss how creative expression creates community, drives economic growth, and preserves cultural heritage.

Breakout 3: To be Announced
Level 5 Elwha B

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Closing Lunch 
Columbia Ballroom 

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Elly’s Ladder Reception 
Level 5 Quinault

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Gala Reception
Columbia Pre-Function & Level 3 Foyer
 

7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

IWF 2025 International Hall of Fame Gala
Columbia Ballroom 

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

9:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Gala Party Continues 
Level 5 Elwha Ballroom