International Women's Day Conference

**registration required, detailed timeline will be sent to registered attendees 3/7

Speakers:

-Avalon Fenster: @theinternshipgirl on Instagram & TikTok (350,000+ followers), entrepreneur as a mentor and content creator and Cornell Law student, worked in the offices of history-making women leaders such as Secretary Clinton, New York State Attorney General Letitia James, and Stacey Abrams, and have supported the legal, global government affairs, and public policy teams at companies like Intel, Verizon, and Google; Forbes 30 Under 30

-Julie Coffman: Chief Diversity Officer at Bain & Company, Bain Healthcare Private Equity Managing Partner

-Nikita Gupta: 4x tech startup founder of Symba, Yello, Anywhere Accelerator, and SF Cohort 10, Forbes 30 Under 30, cooking blogger (www.nikitaskitchen.com), Forbes Technology Council Member, Software Engineer for Quorum

-Priya Abiram: Chief Research Officer for Operation Period, Cadet Lieutenant Colonel, intern for NASA and Boeing, analog astronaut, Congressional Award Gold Medalist, Forbes 30 Under 30, Life Support Systems Design Engineer for Vast

-Pat Reilly: Leader in software/tech at IBM and AT&T

-Lorraine Hariton: CEO of Catalyst, 2x CEO of tech startups, board member, leader at IBM, Obama Office Alumni

-Kathleen Walsh: Weill Cornell leader, Global Health Research Fellow

-Lori Quigley: speaking on Native American women leadership studies

-Hannah Riley Bowles: hosting a negotiation workshop; Co-Director at Harvard Center for Public Leadership, leading expert on gender in negotiation, chair for HKS Management, Leadership, and Decision Sciences

The Annual International Women’s Day Conference: "Women in Leadership" brings together an exceptional, cross-sector lineup of founders, technologists, scientists, policy advocates, and academic leaders for a full day of networking, mentorship, and high-level workshops at Cornell University, in the Willard Straight Hall Memorial Room. Hosted by the Smart is Strong Foundation, this flagship event convenes voices from global corporations, cutting-edge startups, advanced research, and top academic institutions to equip the next generation of women leaders.

The event will be catered with lunch and sweets and there will be tote bag painting, a workshop, a fireside chat, presentations, and a Q&A panel where you will be able to ask questions of our esteemed speakers!

This year’s featured speakers and panelists include leadership and equity experts from IBM and Catalyst, venture-backed tech and HR innovation platforms, aerospace and women’s health research, and nationally recognized founders in beauty and consumer brands. Attendees will hear directly from a Catalyst president and former Obama-administration appointee, a venture-backed tech executive, a NASA-path aerospace and women’s health researcher, a multi-brand beauty and fashion founder, senior professionals from IBM, and professors in chemistry, Native American studies, and medical leadership from leading universities. The program also spotlights rising legal and entrepreneurial voices advancing women’s representation in law and business through national pre-law and women’s leadership organizations.

Through keynote conversations, expert talks, and interactive panels, the conference connects students with leaders operating at the highest levels of corporate innovation, scientific research, social impact, and entrepreneurship. The result is not just a speaker series, but a high-credibility leadership forum designed to educate, empower, and elevate women across disciplines and career paths.

**Registration is required, as attendance is limited.

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