2020 Speakers
The 2021 speaker lineup will be posted here soon.
Save the date for registration opening on Wednesday, June 9th, and be sure to sign up for our emails to receive speaker and registration announcements!
Keynotes
Awkwafina
AWKWAFINA is an award-winning Asian-American writer, actress and rapper. Her “government name” is Nora Lum. Most recently, Lum earned rave reviews for her performance in Lulu Wang's The Farewell. Before ...
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Doris Kearns Goodwin
SPECIAL AUTHOR SIGNING EVENT
BOOKSTORE LOUNGE, INTERACTIVE HALL
DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN, local icon, presidential historian, and best-selling author, will be signing copies of her books in the Bookstore Lounge! 1:30-3:00 PM. Book purchase required. ...
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Master of Ceremonies, Celeste Headlee
CELESTE HEADLEE is a journalist, professional speaker, and author of the books We Need To Talk, Do Nothing, and Speaking of Race. Her TEDx Talk, 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation, viewed over 26 million times, ...
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Alicia Keys
ALICIA KEYS is a modern-day Renaissance woman—a fifteen-time Grammy Award-winning artist, songwriter, musician, producer, an accomplished actress, a New York Times best-selling author, a film, television and ...
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Lisa Ling
LISA LING is the executive producer and host of This is Life on CNN, now in its seventh season. For five seasons prior, Ling’s EP’d and hosted Our America on OWN. She was also a field correspondent for The ...
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Ellen McGirt
Moderator
Editor-in-chief, Design Observer
ELLEN McGIRT is an author, podcaster, speaker, community builder, and award-winning business journalist. She is the editor-in-chief of Design Observer, a media company that has maintained the same clear vision ...
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Special Guest Speakers

Joanne Chang
JOANNE CHANG is a pastry chef and the co-owner of Flour Bakery and Myers + Change. ...
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Mallika Chopra
MALLIKA CHOPRA is a mom, media entrepreneur, public speaker, and published author. ...
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Renee Connolly
Remarks
Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer & Head, Engagement, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany & Massachusetts Conference for Women Board Member
RENEE CONNOLLY is the chief diversity, equity & inclusion officer and head of ...
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Kathy Horgan
Introduction
EVP and Chief Human Resources & Citizenship Officer, State Street & Massachusetts Conference for Women Board Member
KATHY HORGAN is executive vice president and chief human resources and ...
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Kelli Kirwin
Host
Tackling Menopause to Boost Your Career Progression
KELLI KIRWIN is an award-winning and well-respected executive, currently ...
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Gloria Cordes Larson
Remarks
Former President, Bentley University and Board Member, MA Conference for Women
GLORIA CORDES LARSON is a respected lawyer, public policy expert, Boston business ...
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Laysha Ward
Host
Cultivating Creativity and Collaboration in Workplace Culture
LAYSHA WARD is an accomplished C-suite executive with thirty years of leadership ...
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Speakers
Mariana Atencio
MARIANA ATENCIO is a Peabody award–winning journalist, author and speaker, ...
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Ritu Bhasin
RITU BHASIN is president of bhasin consulting inc., and an award-winning speaker, ...
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Rachel Cargle
RACHEL CARGLE is an Akron, Ohio born public academic, writer and philanthropic ...
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Dr. Lisa Damour
DR. LISA DAMOUR is recognized as a thought leader by the American Psychological ...
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Dan Heath
DAN HEATH co-wrote four of the most-loved business books of the past decade, ...
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Admiral Michelle J. Howard
ADMIRAL MICHELLE J. HOWARD was the first female U.S. Navy Four-Star Admiral. A ...
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Laura Huang
LAURA HUANG is the MBA Class of 1954 associate professor of business administration ...
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Debby Irving
DEBBY IRVING brings to racial justice the perspective of working as a community ...
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Tania Katan
TANIA KATAN is the CEO of Creative Trespassing, bestselling author, inspirational ...
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Stephanie Land
STEPHANIE LAND is the author of the bestselling debut memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low ...
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Lisa Nichols
LISA NICHOLS is founder and CEO of Motivating the Masses, Inc., and one of ...
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Mel Robbins
Keynote Speaker
Creator & Host of Award-Winning The Mel Robbins Podcast and #1 New York Times Best-Selling Author
MEL ROBBINS is a globally recognized #1 NYT best-selling author, podcast host, ...
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Caroline A. Wanga
CAROLINE A. WANGA is currently the interim chief executive officer of Essence ...
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Session Hosts
Anne Marie Bernard
ANNE MARIE BERNARD is a senior vice president and senior director of human resources ...
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Colleen Beauregard
COLLEEN BEAUREGARD is head of global R&D communications at Takeda Pharmaceutical ...
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Romina Bongiovanni
ROMINA BONGIOVANNI is head of global communications at New Balance. She leads ...
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Naeemah Elias
NAEEMAH ELIAS is a managing director in the talent marketplace, responsible for ...
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Burcu Eryilmaz
Learning Stage ...
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Mariana Fagnilli
MARIANA FAGNILLI is vice president, global office of diversity and inclusion at ...
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Meeta Gulyani
MEETA GULYANI is head of strategy, business development, and transformation at ...
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Jennifer Merredew
JEN MERREDEW is the senior director of global marketing at Akamai ...
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Alice Monteiro
ALICE MONTEIRO is head of talent acquisition and diversity, equity, & inclusion ...
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Erin Smith
ERIN SMITH is a senior government relations manager at TD Bank, America’s Most ...
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Stephanie Walton
STEPHANIE WALTON is DVP of operations, where she leads a team of over 100 associates ...
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Laysha Ward
Host
Cultivating Creativity and Collaboration in Workplace Culture
LAYSHA WARD is an accomplished C-suite executive with thirty years of leadership ...
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Executive Spotlights
Alisha A. Alaimo
ALISHA A. ALAIMO is president of Biogen, U.S. Organization, and a board member of the ...
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Dantaya Williams
DANTAYA WILLIAMS is the chief human resources officer at Raytheon Technologies. She ...
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Esther Ayorinde
ESTHER AYORINDE is senior director of CX Go-to-Market at Cisco. Ayorinde is a ...
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Kimberly Lounds Foster
KIMBERLY LOUNDS FOSTER is senior vice president of the global supply chain at Bristol ...
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Michelle Garsha
MICHELLE GARSHA is vice president, global women’s health diagnostics at ...
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Wendy John
WENDY JOHN is the head of global diversity and inclusion for ...
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Christine Maroulis
CHRISTINE MAROULIS is currently the director of U.S. payer relations for the Johnson ...
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Julia McCarthy
Host
How to Advocate for Yourself and Others
JULIA McCARTHY is executive vice president and head of client experience for ...
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Dr. Iva Morse
DR. IVA MORSE is the vice president and head of BioProcessing, commercial Americas at ...
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Erin Smith
ERIN SMITH is a senior government relations manager at TD Bank, America’s Most ...
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Learning Burst & Break Speakers
Sean Bacchus
SEAN BACCHUS is a talent acquisitions manager at Sanofi. He has over twenty years of ...
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Jasmine Greenamyer
JASMINE GREENAMYER is vice president and head of global strategic partnerships at EMD ...
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Jennifer Lea
JENNIFER LEA, MS, CSCS, CPT, is a performance coach and the director of global ...
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Lisa Welker-Finney
LISA WELKER-FINNEY is the vice president of human resources for Boston Scientific ...
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