| 2009 Speakers |
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Marcus Buckingham
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Internationally renowned and celebrated, Marcus Buckingham is the go-to consultant in his field, a sought-after speaker, and a New York Times bestselling author. Challenging accepted and entrenched social theory, Buckingham pioneered a revolutionary concept—that people will be dramatically more effective, successful, and fulfilled when they play to their strongest skills rather than attempting to improve their weaknesses. 
Tory Johnson is an award-winning workplace advisor, national network television contributor, popular speaker and New York Times best selling author. She is the CEO of Women For Hire, now celebrating its 10th year producing high caliber recruiting events attended by more than 25,000 women annually. Johnson is also the workplace contributor on ABC's "Good Morning America" and the anchor of "Job Club" on ABC News Now, a 24-hour digital news channel. 
Suze Orman has been called "a force in the world of personal finance" and a "one-woman financial advice powerhouse" by USA Today. A two-time Emmy Award-winning television host, New York Times mega bestselling author, magazine and online columnist, writer/producer and one of the top motivational speakers in the world today, Orman is undeniably America's most recognized expert on personal finance. 
Ruth J. Simmons was sworn in as the 18th president of Brown University on July 3, 2001. She also holds an appointment as professor in the Department of Comparative Literature and the Department of Africana Studies. She was president of Smith College from 1995 until the time of her appointment at Brown. 
Massachusetts First Lady Diane Patrick has her own record of excellence and distinguished professional and public service. A lawyer, teacher, mother and active member of her community, Mrs. Patrick has extensive experience in many walks of life. Born in 1951, Patrick spent her early childhood sharing a Brooklyn brownstone with her parents, siblings and extended family. Her grandfather was the first African-American elected to public office in Brooklyn, and co-authored the Baker-Metcalf bill, the nation's first law enacted to prohibit discrimination in public housing. 
Jane Applegate is one of America's most respected small business management experts. A former syndicated columnist for the Los Angeles Times, she's the author of four books on small business, including "201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business," published by Bloomberg Press. Applegate serves as a small business commentator and speaker for Bloomberg TV. She's the founder and CEO of The Applegate Group, Inc., a multimedia production company that produces events, documentaries and corporate marketing videos for clients including the New York Times, Dartmouth College, Merrill Lynch and Hartford Life Insurance. 
Heather Campion is an accomplished executive with more than 25 years of public and private sector experience at leading institutions. She is a co-founder and chief administrative officer of BALANCE, a bank in formation. Until 2007, she served as group executive vice president and director of corporate affairs at Citizens Financial Group, Inc. From 1981-1998, Campion held several positions at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, including associate director of the Institute of Politics and director of the JFK Jr. Forum. Campion began her career in national politics, having held senior positions on presidential campaigns and served on the White House staff during the Carter Administration. Currently, Campion sits on the boards of the Private National Mortgage Acceptance Company (PennyMac), as well as AAA of Southern New England. She is also active in many community organizations and serves of the boards of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Foundation and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. From 2006-2008, Campion was president of the Massachusetts Women's Forum, a chapter of the International Women's Forum, which is an international non-political organization of pre-eminent women leaders worldwide.
Susan Colantuono is the CEO and founder of Leading Women, where cutting edge leadership development solutions help companies advance women from career-start to the C-suite and onto corporate boards. She is also the founder of the Women's Institute for Leadership at Bryant University and the architect of Lifespan's Center for Leadership Excellence. Colantuono is the author of "No Ceiling, No Walls: What Women Need to Know About Leadership but Haven't Been Told," is PINK Magazine's expert blogger on networking and is recipient of the Providence Business News Business Women Ally/Mentor of the year award. She has been a pioneer in the launch of women's initiatives, career and leadership development programming, and executive strategy on diversity and women's advancement for organizations as varied as Amgen, Burger King, the CIA, Corn Products, Exxon, Marriott, Pfizer and Wawa. Colantuono has been featured and/or quoted in the Providence Journal, Providence Business News, Women's Business Boston, Hartford Courant and Money Magazine.
Renee Connolly joined EMD Serono, Inc. in June 2004 as vice president of U.S. Communications, where she is responsible for all external and internal communications, including public relations and community affairs. Prior to joining EMD Serono, Connolly was general manager for the Euro-RSCG public relations firm where she led the life sciences practice. Connolly sits on the board of the United Way's Math, Science & Technology Initiative. She is a member of the Healthcare Businesswoman's Association, and is active in PhRMA, BIO, and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council. She received her undergraduate degree from Ithaca College in New York. 
Gabriela Cora, M.D., M.B.A., works with people and organizations that want to be healthy while they become wealthy and strive to discover, experience and enjoy the power of wellbeing. A renaissance woman, she is a wellness doctor and coach, best-selling author, keynote speaker, medical doctor with a master's in business administration, board-certified psychiatrist, spouse and mother of two young adults. She is author of The Power of Wellbeing Series: "Leading under Pressure, Managing Work in Life," and "Quantum Wellbeing;" and of the provocative Alpha Series, starting with "Alpha Female Leader." She has been interviewed by CNN, FOX, NBC, Lifetime television, the New York Times, Forbes and Business Week. Cora is president of the Executive Health & Wealth Institute, managing partner of the Florida Neuroscience Center and the Miami Chapter Chair of the Women Presidents' Organization. 
Maureen P. Corcoran is an executive vice president in corporate finance at State Street and has responsibility for the business unit finance function. She also serves as chief operating officer of State Street's Basel II Program, focused on the implementation of a risk-based capital framework for the company on a global scale. Corcoran joined State Street in 1989, as a customer service officer in the Mutual Funds Division with responsibility for a large portfolio of major customer relationships. In subsequent years, she held various roles of increasing responsibility in Operations Management, Sales and Marketing, Client Consulting, the Strategy Development Office and Strategic Sourcing. Prior to joining State Street, Corcoran spent seven years with PricewaterhouseCoopers, in Hartford, Connecticut and Hamilton, Bermuda, and several years as director of auditing for the John Hancock Property and Casualty Insurance Group. Corcoran is a member of the board of trustees of Providence College and the William T. Blackwell Foundation.
Gwen B. Dadoly serves as market executive of U.S. Trust Bank of America Private Wealth Management. U.S. Trust is one of the nation's most established and respected wealth management firms having served clients for over two centuries. Dadoly's team in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts provide comprehensive wealth structuring, investment management, banking and credit solutions. Dadoly is also market president, Bank of America Cape Cod, the Islands and Southeastern Massachusetts. She provides business, civic and philanthropic leadership for Bank of America throughout this region. Dadoly serves on the board of directors for Leadership South Coast, the Cape Cod Museum of Art, The Zeiterion Theater, and the Commission on the Status of Women Regional Council Network. Dadoly is active in numerous community organizations, including the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod and the Islands, Cape Cod YMCA, Cape Cod Community College and Cape Cod Symphony. 
Tammy DeRosier became a Dorsey, Wright analyst in 1992. Currently an executive vice president at Dorsey, Wright & Associates (DWA), she started as a part-time employee gaining valuable experience throughout college in 1988. DeRosier is a co-author of four books with DWA and has also published articles for the Philadelphia Stock Exchange. She has appeared on CNBC's "Taking Stock" and other programs, such as Bloomberg TV. DeRosier can also be heard on several national radio shows and on DWA's weekly podcast. As an analyst at DWA she regularly contributes to the daily reports, teaches methodology across the country and develops guided ETF models.
Paula DeLaurentis is responsible for the identification, development and execution of strategic alliances and affinity agreements for the Company. She was a driving force behind the launch of the Save Yourself Account at TD AMERITRADE, which was developed in conjunction with Suze Orman's book, "Women & Money and her five-step Save Yourself Plan." This 2007 campaign recently earned a Pinnacle Award from the American Marketing Association. As a first vice president and group head at TD Waterhouse, Delaurentis managed and developed the company's active trader platform. She oversaw all active trader activities across functional lines including: strategy, marketing, sales, pricing, research and revenue generation. Earlier in her career, DeLaurentis led product marketing for the Banking and Brokerage division of Thomson Financial and was integral to the launch of the company's most notable product, Thomson ONE. DeLaurentis holds a B.A. in computer science from Manhattanville College.
Attorney Leigh-Ann Patterson Durant serves as associate general counsel at EMD Serono, Inc., a leading international biopharmaceutical company. Prior, she was a partner at the national law firm of Nixon Peabody and she clerked for the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island. She has served on the WBA's Board of Directors for the past 15 years. Durant served on the Massachusetts Government Appointments Project (MassGAP) Steering Committee. She served on the executive committee of the Boston Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights for a number of years. In 2009, the Lawyer's Committee awarded her its Outstanding Civil Rights Leadership Award. In 2007, the Supreme Judicial Court awarded her the Adams Pro Bono Publico Awards. In 2000, Durant was named as one of Boston Business Journal's "40 Under 40." Boston Business Journal has named her a Massachusetts Super Lawyer for the past 7 years and one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Massachusetts numerous times.
Maria Elena Duron is chief buzz officer, coach and speaker with buzz2bucks.com. Buzz2Bucks | a word of mouth firm serves as the community manager around your personal or business brand online and offline, and coaches community managers on how to be buzz-worthy. Buzz2Bucks is known for the talk that yields profits. She is author of the book "Mouth to Mouth Marketing" and the ebook "Social I.R.A." She has been recognized as an expert in personal branding in the books "Career Distinction" and "Cracking the Networking Code." She's been quoted as a marketing and word of mouth expert by Entrepreneur Magazine, Business Week, Alaska Airlines Magazine, Career Rocketeer, YOUnique, Brand My Career, Brand-Yourself and Career Apple. Duron contributes to several publications including the Personal Branding Mag and QuestionPro and is the editor of the Personal Branding Blog. She broadcasts weekly as the business coach with CBS7. 
Alyssa Dver is the author of "No Time Marketing: Small Business-Sized Steps in 30 Minutes or Less" and teaches marketing through presentations, online courses and live workshops to hundreds of business people each week. She is a former chief marketing officer and currently the CEO at Mint Green Marketing providing marketing help to companies around the world. In 2007, BusinessWeek recognized Dver as one of eight female entrepreneurs to watch, and her accomplishments have been covered by a number of reporters and writers. She is a featured columnist for Software Magazine and has been published in Forbes, BusinessWeek, Entrepreneur, Chief Marketer, Reader's Digest and dozens more. Dver regularly presents at venues including The World Diversity Leadership Summit at the UN, The Women's Congress, The American Marketing Assoc., Ladies Who Launch, Downtown Women's Club and many more. She is a Wharton graduate and a certified product manager and product marketer. 
Maureen Fitzgerald is a senior managing director of State Street Global Advisors. Fitzgerald is the head of U.S. Institutional Sales and US Consultant Relations. She is responsible for managing the institutional sales team and the consultant relations team of SSGA in the United States. She is a 15-year veteran and has managed SSGA's consultant relations program since 2001. She also previously directed SSGA's business development within the consultant community in Australia and led new business development among U.S.-based investment management consultants. She also marketed investment products to corporate defined benefit plans, endowments, and foundations. Fitzgerald received a bachelor's degree from Boston College and a Master of Business Administration from the F.W. Olin School of Management at Babson College.
Lucy A. Flynn is vice president of global marketing communications for Raytheon Company. She was appointed to this position in 2006. Flynn's career spans 25 years in both government and private industry. She has held senior level positions at ADS Financial Services Solutions, Wang Global, Shawmut National Corporation and AT&T, before joining Raytheon late in the spring of 2002. Flynn works to develop and refine corporate image and vision statements so that companies can reposition themselves to enhance their competitive position in domestic and global markets. By integrating image development, press relations, marketing communications, community outreach, publications, charitable giving and legislative affairs, Flynn had been able to enhance the corporate visibility and participation in key markets. Flynn serves on the board of directors of Enterprise Bank in Lowell and the board of trustees of St. Anselm College. Flynn graduated cum laude from Emmanuel College as a political science major and holds a J.D. from the New England School of Law. 
Belinda Fuchs, financial success coach and CPA, is changing the money game for today's woman. Fuchs is the founder and CEO of OwnYourMoney.com, a financial coaching and education company teaching individuals, couples and business owners how to make personal finance and small business success rewarding, manageable and profitable. Her expertise is in high-demand and she hosts the TV show "Money On Your Mind" and radio show "Own Your Money: Financial Intelligence for the Modern Woman." She's been called on as the financial guru for Boston's ABC and NBC networks, Yahoo! Finance, SmartMoney.com, Inc.com, The Saturday Evening Post, Today's Financial Women, The Boston Business Journal, and even the Encyclopedia Britannica. Fuch's ability to inspire action in others is fueled by her passion for helping people appreciate their self-worth and realize their financial goals. 
Robyn Gilmartin is the regional sales manager for Continental Airlines. She leads a team responsible for the airline's travel management and distribution strategy throughout Upstate New York, New England and Canada and personally manages a portfolio of several of Continental's largest global clients. Gilmartin has served on the corporate social responsibility committee for the National Business Travel Association and is currently vice president of the New York State Business Travel Association. She attended Simmons College, holds an MBA from the University of Buffalo and is currently enrolled in the Global Leadership Program at the Wharton School. When not onboard airplanes or engrossed in academics, Robyn relaxes at home in Buffalo, NY with her husband and three children.
Girls' LEAP Self-Defense is a non-profit organization that empowers girls and young women to value and champion their own safety and well-being. Girls' LEAP serves girls between the ages of 8 and 18 throughout Boston, training them in verbal and physical safety skills and self-awareness. The Girls' LEAP Self Defense all-female teaching team consists of adult teachers, college-age assistants (Teaching Women), and high school-aged teen mentors. In addition to teaching introductory self-defense workshops, Girls' LEAP Self-Defense teaches 8- to 10-week self-defense and self-awareness programs to girls, provides teen-led Youth Speak-Outs on the topic of violence against girls, and leads "Voices on Violence" focus groups at local schools, community centers, and after-school programs. Since being founded in 1997 by Deborah Weaver, Girls' LEAP has served over 5,000 girls. For more information visit 
Hannah Grove is executive vice president of State Street Corporation and head of Global Marketing. In this position, Grove leads the brand, media relations, employee communications, creative, content and event management teams across the enterprise. Under Grove's leadership, the global team supports the company's revenue growth, customer acquisition and retention, and serves to positively influence all constituencies' understanding of State Street. Prior to joining State Street in 1998, Grove was marketing director for the Money Matters Institute - a collaborative between the United Nations and the World Bank that sought to foster sustainable development in emerging economies. With dual citizenship in both the U.K. and U.S, early in her career Grove owned and operated a public relations company in London, England. Grove came to the U.S. first with CNN as communications director of its World Congress event in Washington, D.C.
Marian Heard is the president and CEO of Oxen Hill Partners, a company that specializes in leadership development programs and brand enhancement strategies. She is the former president and CEO of the United Way of Massachusetts Bay in Boston and the CEO of the United Ways of New England. During her tenure, United Way moved from the #87 position in major gifts to the #1 position in America. Heard is renowned on the national level as she served as the founding president and CEO of the Points of Light Foundation and remains a board member today. This year marked the 20th anniversary of the Points of Light Foundation; President Obama, President Bush (41) and President Bush (43) honored Heard with special celebrations held at the White House and at the Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas. Heard also served as the CEO of the Steering Committee of the Presidents' Summit for America's Future, which was co-chaired by former President Clinton and President Bush. In addition, she is a founding board member of MENTOR. She is the recipient of 17 honorary doctorate degrees and serves as a trustee of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and is a board member of several corporations. She has received accolades and awards from a variety of local, regional and national organizations including the Buckley Orator Award and the Warren Bennis International Award for Outstanding Leadership.
Roberta Herman, M.D. is interim chief operating officer and chief medical officer for Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, one of New England's largest non-profit managed health care organizations plans, providing care and coverage to over one million members throughout Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire. As interim COO, Herman is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Harvard Pilgrim. She also oversees Harvard Pilgrim's Massachusetts Commercial Fully Insured Line of business. Herman currently chairs the board of directors of the American Heart Association of Greater Boston and is a board member of The Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. She is the former chair of the chief medical officers leadership council of the Association of Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and the former president of the Alliance for Health Care Improvement. She is an annual guest lecturer at the Harvard School of Public Health. Herman has worked at Harvard Community Health Plan and then Harvard Pilgrim combined for more than 20 years.
Kip Hollister opened the doors of Hollister, Inc., a Boston staffing firm, at age 26 with the dream of eliminating the transactional nature of the staffing industry. Her goal was to build an organization driven by values and relationships and guide both candidates and clients through the challenges associated with a continuously evolving job market. In 2009, those values and relationships are precisely what have shaped Hollister into one of the premier staffing firms in Massachusetts. Today, Hollister, Inc. provides direct hire, contract, and contract-to-hire solutions within the following specialty areas: accounting & finance, administrative, creative & marketing, human resources, sales, and technology. Hollister's entrepreneurial spirit, focus on innovation, and commitment to community service has helped differentiate Hollister, Inc. within the competitive staffing industry. She serves on the boards of YMCA, Training Inc., North Cambridge Catholic High School, and Everybody Wins!! Metro Boston. She is also actively involved with City Year and Year Up.
Diane Holman is vice president and chief learning officer for the Raytheon Leadership and Innovative Learning organization. Holman has 20 years of leadership and professional experience in learning, leadership development, organizational effectiveness, talent management and cultural integration. At Raytheon, she ensures the corporate learning strategy aligns with the overall Raytheon business strategy. In addition, she has accountability for Raytheon's leadership development programs, functional learning, program leadership, and Raytheon Six SigmaTM learning. Prior to Raytheon, she served as vice president, talent management and leadership development for Reebok International LTD, and was responsible for executive and leadership development, performance management and talent management. Holman also worked at General Electric (GE), where she led large-scale change, acquisition and cultural integration efforts, and helped establish the Corporate University for GE Financial Assurance (GEFA).
Julie Jason is a personal money manager who began her career as a securities lawyer thirty years ago. She is principal of Jackson, Grant Investment Advisers, Inc., of Stamford, CT. Jackson, Grant serves conservative retirees who want to create retirement income. A proponent of investor protection, Jason writes and lectures on investment topics. Her award-winning weekly column, published in the Sunday business sections of the Stamford Advocate and the Greenwich Time, is in its tenth year of publication. The column has been recognized by the IRS for "accurate, timely, informative and helpful tax information," and by the Connecticut Society of Journalists and Authors for excellence in journalism. Jason is also the author of several books, including "The 401(k) Handbook," "Julie Jason's Guide to Connecticut Probate," and most recently, "The AARP Retirement Survival Guide: How to Make Smart Financial Decisions in Good Times and Bad." For more information, visit 
Paula A. Johnson, M.D., M.P.H. is the executive director of the Connors Center for Women's Health and Gender Biology, and chief of the Division of Women's Health at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. As an entrepreneurial leader in medicine, Johnson has built organizations which stand at the leading edge of hospital-based interdisciplinary healthcare delivery, discovery and disease prevention. A cardiologist, Johnson is an internationally recognized expert in defining disparities and improving the quality of cardiology care for women and minority populations. Johnson is also the chair of the Boston Public Health Commission. Her contributions and commitment to the medical, public health and business community have been recognized by many organizations, including the National Library of Medicine, the Massachusetts Public Health Association, the Boston Chamber of Commerce and the Boston Business Journal.
Karen Kaplan is president of Hill Holliday. She joined the firm in 1982 as a receptionist - as a job to do before law school. And she never left. In recognition of her career achievements, Boston Magazine featured Kaplan on its cover as one of the most powerful women in Boston. The magazine also named her as one of the 50 most powerful people in Boston. In 2008 Advertising Age selected Kaplan for its highly coveted "Women to Watch" special report, which honors the nation's top women in advertising, marketing and media. She is president of the Massachusetts Women's Forum, vice chair of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, a director of the Executive Committee of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Board of Governors of the Chief Executives' Club of Boston and a member of the board of the Massachusetts Conference for Women. Kaplan is a trustee of Fidelity Investments, a Director of Delta Dental and a member of the Corporate Board Resource Committee of The Boston Club. 
Heather Kempskie is the editor of Parents and Kids magazine, an award-winning parenting publication serving the suburbs of greater Boston. Each month, the publication delivers compelling family profiles, parenting tips and ideas for family fun. The free print publication is further complimented by an online counterpart - 
Gloria Cordes Larson, JD, prominent lawyer, public policy expert, and business leader, was named Bentley University president in July 2007. Formerly the co-chair of the Government Strategies Group at Foley Hoag LLP, Larson managed a practice that covered a broad array of federal, state and local regulatory and business development issues. Influential in economic policy, she led a business advisory cabinet for Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and served as co-chair of his transition team. Larson is currently the Chairperson of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA). Larson serves as a director of Unum Group and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, as well as being an active board member for several influential professional and community organizations. In addition, she serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. Larson is a member of the Massachusetts and Virginia Bar Associations. She received her bachelor of arts with honors from Vassar College and earned her juris doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Pam Lassiter, author of "The New Job Security," a Wall Street Journal award-winning book, is principal of Lassiter Consulting, a firm that provides market-driven career services to companies and individuals worldwide. Lassiter designs programs, seminars and training sessions for companies that need to "liberate" (outplace) or retain (internal career development) their employees. Her clients include Fortune 100 companies as well as start up and venture firms for outplacement, internal career training and keynotes at events. Lassiter makes appearances on regional and national television and radio programs and speaks on a regular basis to professional groups and national conferences. She has received multiple awards and recognition from professional associations. Her articles on career management appear in human resource and business publications including Fast Company, Fortune, The Financial Times, Bloomberg radio, Financial News Network and CFO. The services of Lassiter Consulting consistently receive strong evaluations and commendations from employees and management. 
Nadia McKay is Regional Vice President of Mom Corps, a staffing firm that serves the flexible employment market. McKay joined Mom Corps in 2007 with 20 years of agency and client-side experience in staffing, advertising and client service. Prior to Mom Corps, she spent 14 years at Digitas, a global marketing services firm. In her most recent role as Vice President/Director of Staffing, she served as a key business partner and advisor to the EVP of the Strategy & Analysis capability. Prior to that, McKay held various account management roles at Digitas, AT&T New Media Services, and Ingalls, Quinn and Johnson. She runs the Boston region for Mom Corps, where she serves a wide range of companies, matching their non-traditional staffing needs with top-tier talent. She is a frequent speaker at educational forums and working mother networking groups, and has appeared on Cable TV speaking on topics such as returning to the workplace during a difficult economic climate. McKay has a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Vermont. She lives in Milton with her husband Jim and their two young boys who appreciate her flexible schedule.
Makeup artist and visionary Trish McEvoy has helped women educate themselves in the power of their beauty from the red carpet to the girl next door since founding Trish McEvoy, Ltd., at the age of 25. In the 1970's, McEvoy went on to open one of the first medi-spas in the U.S. where she pioneered the marriage of cosmetics and dermatology, and over the years she has redefined makeup organization and customization through intelligent packaging with her patented Makeup PlannerTM, gone against the grain by launching her first fragrances as a complete collection, and opened in luxury stores throughout the U.S. and U.K. where she continues to teach master classes throughout the year. From "Larry King" to "Good Morning America," to authoring the definitive makeup textbook, to QVC today, McEvoy's end in mind has always been to empower women through teaching the Power of MakeupTM.
Noreen McMahon oversees public affairs, government relations, philanthropic activities, volunteer initiatives and special events for Citizens Bank in Massachusetts. She is a member of the bank's leadership team. Prior to Citizens Bank, McMahon served as an aide to Senator Edward M. Kennedy. McMahon is a board member of Partners for Youth with Disabilities and an alumni member of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Future Leaders program. McMahon received a B.A. in communications from Syracuse University in New York and a M.A. in international studies from the University of Limerick in Ireland. She currently resides in Braintree with her husband and two children.
Gail McMeekin LICSW is the president of Creative Success LLC in Boston. Her company provides services to help people find fulfilling work, activate their creativity, restore inner balance and grow their businesses. She is the author of "The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women, The Power of Positive Choices" and 3 e-books: "The Path to Creative Success, Boost Your Creativity, Productivity," and "Profits in 21 Steps" and "Creativity Courage Cards." Her work has been featured in periodicals from The New York Times to Redbook to The Boston Globe and she was recently a guest on the WBZ-TV News. Her website is 
Nancy Michaels is CEO and Founder of GrowYourBusinessNetwork, Inc., a company devoted to empowering business owners with the strategies to live a financially secure life of their dreams. Co-writer and writer of the best-sellers "Off the Wall Marketing Ideas?" and "Perfecting Your Pitch," Michaels is most at home showcasing her message virtually through web casts and tele-classes as well as at special in-person events. She's a sought after host and speaker for Fortune 500 Companies targeting the small business marketplace including Office Depot, UPS, The Home Depot, Microsoft, Wal-Mart, Alcatel-Lucent, AT&T and many more. Her expert opinion is sought after and has been profiled by Entrepreneur Magazine's Marketing Expert, Success Magazine, Fortune Small Business, and The New York Post, and Inc.com where she is the solo-preneur expert. In addition, her sales and marketing advice has been featured on "CNNFn," "The Weekend Today Show," and "Fox News." 
Cathy E. Minehan retired from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston in July 2007 after 39 years with the Federal Reserve System. She served as the president and chief executive of the Boston Bank and a member of the Federal Open Market Committee from July 1994 to 2007. She is an expert in payment systems, one of the key responsibilities of the Federal Reserve System. Minehan is a graduate of the University of Rochester and is chairman of the Executive Committee of the University of Rochester Board of Trustees. She holds an MBA from New York University and was named a distinguished New York University alumna in 1995. She is currently managing director of Arlington Advisory Partners LLC, an entity she uses to house her various profit and nonprofit positions. She is a director of VISA Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company and MITRE Corporation. She is also chairman of the board of trustees of the Massachusetts General Hospital and chairman of the Massachusetts Governor's Council of Economic Advisors. She serves on a number of other nonprofit boards in the areas of health care and education. She is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a recipient of many other honors and distinctions.
Laura Morgan Roberts, Ph.D. is an educator, researcher and organizational consultant who guides people in cultivating positive identities that create value in the workplace and beyond. She is the co-founder and senior partner of R-PAQ Solutions, LLC, an Atlanta-based research and consulting firm that brings strength-based practices to current and aspiring leaders who seek extraordinary performance and personal fulfillment. As a professor of organizational behavior, Dr. Morgan Roberts has served on the faculties of the Harvard Business School, the University of Michigan, the Wharton School, Simmons School of Management and Georgia State University. She has published her work on authenticity, identity, diversity and strengths in over 20 articles and book chapters and her co-edited book “Exploring Positive Identities in Organizations” was released in 2009. She holds a B.A. in psychology (Phi Beta Kappa, University of Virginia) and an M.A. and Ph.D. in organizational psychology from the University of Michigan.
Barbara Nobles Crawford, Ph.D. has extensive global corporate, entrepreneurial, and not-for-profit leadership experience in P&L management, strategic business consulting, organizational transformation, leadership/management development, executive coaching, and integrated talent management, as consultant and business executive in domestic and multinational companies. She is currently assistant secretary of human resources in the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. As CEO and president of Nobles Crawford & Partners, she worked with a large number of Fortune 50 and 100 corporations, including IBM, General Motors, Texas Instruments, Forum Corporation, Raytheon, Gillette, Aetna Corporation, Lotus, Mass Mutual Insurance Companies, and Fidelity Investments among others. Her remarkable rise through various corporate revenue generating and human resource positions, culminated in several executive roles in companies including TJX, Digital Equipment Corporation, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Wang Laboratories, and WFD, Inc. She serves on several boards and is a requested speaker and panel moderator for domestic and international conferences.
Ginny O'Brien, MS, PCC, named one of Boston's 2007 Top 10 Coaches by Boston Women's Business Journal, is an executive coach. In 1998, she founded The Columbia Consultancy, a leadership-development coaching firm with a specialty in women's leadership. She has coached hundreds of leaders from small, medium and large companies. She has also led workshops for thousands of people and presented at Fortune 500 companies, major national professional conferences, and regional association meetings. O'Brien's passion, insight, and knowledge have inspired thousands of people. She is the author of three books on leadership. Her latest book "Coaching Yourself to Leadership" (HRD Press, 2006) contains her Integrated LeadershipTM Coaching Model. O'Brien is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF), a Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst (CPBA), an adjunct coach with the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), and a member of the International Consortium for Coaching in Organizations (ICCO).
Sigrid Olsen is a nationally recognized fashion designer, but few people know her as an artist, entrepreneur and lifestyle personality. The account of her path from hippie crafter to corporate creative director and beyond is a fascinating story of intuition, determination, resilience and hope. Over the past three decades, Olsen has captured the heart of women of all ages over the country. As an art school graduate in the mid seventies, Olsen went on to build a successful fashion label which was bought by apparel giant Liz Claiborne in 1999 and subsequently closed in 2008. Since then Olsen has recaptured her artistic roots with her gallery, stationery and on-line art business. She has also branched out into the wellness field with "inspiration retreats" for women looking to awaken their creative side. She is currently at work on a book and has been featured in a number of publications and media. 
Karen Ong is a language and travel enthusiast. She speaks five languages and has traveled to over 100 cities in 6 continents. This passion for languages and different cultures led her to start LanguageInternational.com, an online language travel agent. After launching the site a few months ago, over 20,000 language learners from 208 countries are using her site to find and compare language immersion programs abroad. LanguageInternational.com is a continuation of Ong's interest in facilitating language and cultural exchange. Before starting Language International, Ong founded MyHappyPlanet.com, a peer-to-peer language exchange website with over 300,000 students. She is also a member of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, an organization promoting international education. Ong was born in the Philippines and now lives in Boston. She holds an MBA degree from Harvard Business School where she received the prestigious Robert F. Jasse Award honoring the student with the most outstanding entrepreneurship and leadership skills. 
Candy O'Terry is a singer and 19 year veteran of Magic 106.7, WMJX Boston. Heard workdays in Afternoon Drive with Dan Justin. She is the creator and co-host of Exceptional Women, winner of 29 local and national awards for excellence in women's programming. She is a seasoned performer who has released 3 songs for airplay including her latest single "You Are The Only One" with rocker Charlie Farren. O'Terry is the president of the American Women in Radio & Television/New England and is a member of the cast of the Emmy Award winning talent show "Community Auditions." She is rehearsing for her first role in the new feature film CO2. 
Pat Parcellin is director of global business reporting for State Street. In this capacity she is responsible for the development and implementation of cross organizational systems aimed at optimizing the company's sales and customer relationship efforts as well as technologies to provide operational efficiencies across the globe. This includes oversight for Global Center, State Street's proprietary CRM and information management tool tracking and managing data from more than 27 countries and 100 markets worldwide. In addition, Parcellin holds the position of chief of staff to State Street's Chairman and CEO and oversees all board-related administration. She also chairs the company's global inclusion finance committee and is a member of its Working Group. Prior to joining State Street in 1991, Parcellin spent more than a decade at Bank of New England as a senior comptroller within securities services and in human resources. She is a member of the Investment Company Institute's Statistical Advisory Group and Research Committee. Parcellin is also a trustee for the Boston Children's Museum and a member of its Finance Committee and a member of its Audit Committee. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, she holds a bachelor's degree in business administration.
Alison A. Quirk is an executive vice president at State Street Corporation in Global Human Resources. Quirk joined State Street in September 2002. Her career began in 1983 at Boston Financial Data Services, Inc., moving through multiple roles to a senior-level capacity, reporting to the president and chief executive officer. Quirk later worked at Liberty Financial Companies as the head of human resources and administration and FleetBoston Financial as the director of Business Planning, Wealth Management Division. Quirk is currently a board member of Atrius Health, Inc. and chairs its Compensation Committee; a director of Boston Financial Data Services; trustee of the Boston Ballet and member of its Trusteeship Committee; board member of the Massachusetts Conference for Women and member of The Boston Club. Quirk has presented on career management, change management, work/life balance and talent management. She is an executive sponsor to the State Street Black Professionals Group and is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire.
Lori Reamer has an amazing ability to synthesize even the most complex nutritional concepts into something everyone can understand. Proficient, current and well-rounded in her knowledge of food, supplements, weight management and feeding the family, Reamer tells it like it is in the ever-changing world of nutrition. Director of nutrition at Canyon Ranch in Lenox since 2003 and the mother of two, Reamer is a valuable source of information and inspiration.
Marcy L. Reed is the senior vice president, public affairs for National Grid in the U.S. She is responsible for all government relations in the US, as well as the corporate giving programs and community relations for National Grid. She is deeply involved with policy development, advancing the company's climate change agenda and ensuring the tie between the company and the community is strong. Reed joined National Grid over 20 years ago and has held various positions in finance, merger integration and corporate affairs. Reed sits on the Boards of the New England Council, The Partnership, the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, the United Way of Central Massachusetts, the Citizens Budget Commission of New York City and British American Business and is a member of the Rockefeller Fellows Program within the Partnership for NYC. She is the global executive sponsor for National Grid's Women in Networks employee affinity group. Married with two children, she lives in Concord, MA.
Evelyn Resh, MPH, CNM, is a practicing certified sexuality counselor and nurse-midwife with a Master of Public Health degree from Boston University. She has worked in the field of women's health care for over 20 years. Resh was the Director of Sexual Health Services for Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts for ten years and is a frequent and popular speaker on the subject of women's health and sexuality. Her work focuses on helping individuals of all ages enhance their sexual satisfaction and in helping mothers of teenage girls facilitate their daughters' healthy sexual development. Resh is the author of: "The Secret Lives of Teen Girls: What Your Mother Wouldn't Talk About but your Daughter Needs to Know" published by Hay House. She will be the Director of Sexuality and Relationships Programming at Miraval Spa in Tucson, Arizona beginning in January, 2009. 
Diana Scott is senior vice president, human resources, for John Hancock Financial, the U.S. division of Toronto-based Manulife Financial Corporation. Scott oversees all human resource activities for John Hancock's employees in the United States and Canada. Her focus includes compensation, pension and benefits, recruitment, training and talent development, and administrative services that support John Hancock employees. Scott also had served as general manager of the John Hancock Freedom 529 college savings plans, responsible for operation, sales and marketing of one of the leading non-proprietary, broker-sold, multi-managed 529 plan. She is a member of the board of trustees and chair of the finance and compensation committee of the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, an affiliate of Partners Healthcare systems, as well as a trustee of the Boston Conservatory.
Ellyn Spragins inspires women to share their inner wisdom through her books, products and seminars. She is the author of "What I Know Now About Success," due out in the spring of 2010 and "If I'd Known Then: Women In Their 20s and 30s Write Letters to Their Younger Selves," published by Da Capo Press in May 2008. Previously she authored "What I Know Now: Letters To My Younger Self," a New York Times bestseller and Books For A Better Life finalist, published in April 2006. Previously, she was a columnist at The New York Times, writing Love & Money for the Sunday business section, and editor-at-large at Fortune Small Business. Spragins also was vice president of editorial development at Oxygen Media and a contributing editor to Newsweek. While at Newsweek, she won the National Press Club's Consumer Journalism Award in 1997 and the Clarion Award in 1998.
Trudy F. Sullivan was named president and chief executive officer of The Talbots, Inc. in August 2007. She oversees all aspects of the company's operations and is a member of its board of directors. With 35 years of retailing and merchandising experience, Trudy has keen insight on the specialty retail sector drawing from her previous leadership roles at both Liz Claiborne, Inc. and J. Crew Group, Inc. As the former president of Liz Claiborne, Inc., she was responsible for building multiple apparel and non-apparel men's and women's brands. Her career began in Boston, as a buyer for Jordan Marsh and then Filene's. Sullivan supports the health and welfare of women throughout her career. She served on the Executive Women in Fashion Advisory Board at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and has been honored by TechnoServe, the National Mother's Day Council, the YWCA-NYC Academy of Women Leaders and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation of New York.
Karen Swensen joined NECN in February 2006 and co-anchors "Good Morning Live." Swensen came to New England from New Orleans where she and her colleagues at WWL won the George Foster Peabody, duPont-Columbia and National Edward R. Murrow Awards for their coverage of Hurricane Katrina. At NECN, Swensen wrote and produced a one-hour documentary called "Katrina: A Flood of Tears." It was a first-person account of the storm and its aftermath that revealed the personal loss, strength and resilience of the people of the Gulf South. It won a First Place Associated Press Award. During her twelve years at WWL, Swensen earned six Edward R. Murrow Regional Awards, two Emmy Awards, and several Gracie, Gabriel and Associated Press Awards. Swensen graduated Phi Beta Kappa with honors from Penn State and was a Louisiana state finalist in the Rhodes Scholar competition. She has a master's degree in journalism from Penn State.
On air journalist Stacey Tisdale has reported on financial issues for 15 years. Tisdale, a financial expert on the "Today Show," authored the book "The True Cost of Happiness: The Real Story Behind Managing Your Money." From 2002 to 2004, she reported for the CNN networks. She has appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and in O magazine. Tisdale was also a business correspondent for CBS "MarketWatch," "The Early Show," "CBS Evening News," and CBS Radio. Tisdale's career began at Dow Jones & Co. Previously, she managed as much as $70 million dollars a day for the commodities firm Balfour Maclaine International. She is a board member for Operation Hope, a financial literacy organization, and has authored a personal finance curriculum on HOPE's behalf. The curriculum will be mandatory at Spelman College and is expected to be adopted by universities across the U.S.
Linda Waters is the CEO and founder of Back to Business, a career consulting firm that focuses on helping women get back into the workforce. Her passion and mission is to "un-stick" women in career transition. She and her team help clients develop clarity and confidence in their direction, and sound strategies to be successful. Her business has since grown to provide career direction and effective job search strategies to college-aged students as well. An accomplished business leader and presenter, Waters co-hosts a local TV show called "You're Hired", and speaks regularly to academic, professional and corporate audiences on career-related topics. She is the recipient of the prestigious ATHENA award, received for business excellence, making an impact on women nationally and internationally, and helping women reach their full potential. 
Melinda Weekes, Esq. brings a diverse set of skills in law, community development, urban ministry and non-profit consulting to her professional, civic and intellectual pursuits. As a senior associate at the Interaction Institute for Social Change (IISC), Weekes provides facilitation, process design, leadership training and strategic consulting services for social entrepreneurs, organizations and networks engaged in social transformation. For nearly a decade, Weekes operated and practiced law in her own firm in New York City before moving to Boston to pursue ministerial training. She currently serves as the protestant chaplain in the Office of Spiritual Life at Simmons College and is an ordained itinerant elder in the AME Church. A sought-after conference speaker, panelist and moderator, Weekes has published works for Harvard University, Journal for Black Music Research and Oxford University Press. She holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University, a M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School and a J.D. from New York University School of Law.
Kate White is the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, the best-selling women's magazine in the world. She also oversees Cosmopolitan.com, Cosmo Radio and Cosmo Books. White began her career in the magazine business by winning Glamour Magazine's Top Ten College Women contest and appearing on the cover. She was an editorial assistant at Glamour and later became a feature writer and columnist for the magazine. Before joining Cosmo, White was the editor-in-chief of four other magazines, including Redbook. In addition to editing Cosmo, she is the author of the New York Times best-selling Bailey Weggins murder mystery series, which has recently been optioned by Lionsgate Pictures. The latest in the series is "Lethally Blond." She is also the author of the best-selling career bible "Why Good Girls Don't Get Ahead but Gutsy Girls Do." Her first thriller, "Hush," will be published by HarperCollins in March 2010.
Pam Wickham is vice president of Corporate Affairs and Communications for Raytheon Company. As a member of the Raytheon Leadership Team, she is responsible for the company's media relations, public relations and brand management, internal communications, executive communications, corporate contributions and special events. Wickham is a member of Raytheon's Executive Diversity Leadership Team, which supports and directs Diversity initiatives across the company. Wickham is the vice chair of the board of directors of MATHCOUNTS®, a national math enrichment, coaching and competition program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement through grassroots involvement in every U.S. state and territory. She is also the former chairperson of the Communications Council of the Aerospace Industries Association. Wickham is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma.Speaker Guidelines
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