Advancing Gender Parity: A Leadership Imperative

The Conference Board Women Leadership Conference to be Held May 1-2 in New York

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Feb 27, 2018, 01:17 ET

NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Senior executives from leading companies will discuss strategies to advance gender parity at The Conference Board Women Leadership Conference, May 1-2 at the New York Marriott Marquis. Participating companies include MetLife, Bristol-Myers Squibb, UPS, Carnival Cruise Lines, Hasbro, Thomson Reuters, Boeing, MGM Resorts, Pfizer, Claire's, Estee Lauder, Johnson & Johnson and others.

"On gender parity, change is imperative – and inevitable. For those organizations at the forefront of change, the benefits in talent, engagement, reputation, innovation and consumer insights are significant," said LaTonia Pouncey, Head of Diversity & Inclusion at L3 Technologies, and Conference Program Director. "This conference will feature case studies, tools and strategies to help managers take action, and advance systemic change throughout their organizations."

Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Lines, will deliver the opening keynote address on Wednesday, May 2. The travel industry – like many others – is one that has been dominated by women in the lower ranks, and by men in leadership positions. She will discuss initiatives she created to propel more women into leadership roles, during her journey from travel agent to president of the world's largest cruise line.

Alex Gorsky, CEO of Johnson & Johnson, will deliver the closing keynote on May 2 on "New Leaders, New Leadership," featuring a call to action to develop and advance new women leaders.

Other sessions include:

Paving Pathways to Power: Bringing More Women into Senior Leadership, the C-Suite, and Boardrooms – presenters include: Ron Marshall, CEO, Claire's Inc.; Teri Plummer McClure, Chief Human Resources Officer and Senior Vice President, Labor, UPS; Debra Perry, Board Member, Assurant, Genworth, and The Sanford C. Bernstein Fund.
From Anti-Diversity Memos to #MeToo Backlash: Dealing with Resistance – presenters include: Phyllis James, EVP, Chief Diversity and Corporate Social Responsibility Officer, MGM Resorts International; Mary Lee Hannell, Chief Human Capital Officer, The Port Authority of NY and NJ; Timothy Shore, Vice President and Chief Ombudsman, Pfizer.
How MetLife is Changing the Ecosystem Around Women's Leadership – featuring Elizabeth Nieto, Global Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, MetLife.
From Traditional to Transformative: How Bristol-Myers Squibb has Broken the Mold to Leverage the Power of Employee Resource Groups to Accelerate Business Performance – with Linda Leonard, Global Diversity and Inclusion Lead, Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Kick Some Glass: 10 Ways Women Succeed at Work on Their Own Terms – panelists include: Jennifer Martineau, Senior Vice President, Research, Evaluation and Societal Advancement, Center for Creative Leadership; Portia Mount, Vice President and Global Leader, Strategic Marketing, Ingersoll Rand; Kimberly Cline, President, Long Island University; Samantha Lomow, Senior Vice President, Hasbro Brands, Hasbro.
Sustaining Leadership Change: Amplifying Diverse Voices through Reverse Mentoring – with Natalie Runyon, Director, Head of Talent Platform, Legal Executive Institute, Thomson Reuters.
Changing the Conversation on Gender Parity: What Holds Back Male Champions and What Inspires Those Who Step Up – panelists include: Elad Sherf, New York University; Duane Holloway, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Ascena Retail Group; Mark Roellig, Chief Technology and Administrative Officer, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company; Kathryn Kolbert, Director, Athena Center for Leadership Studies, Barnard College.
Hidden Figures: Interactive Exchange of Experiences and Strategies – speakers include: Julia Sullivan, Co-President, Hispanic Alumni Chapter, Stanford University Graduate School of Business; Adriana Gascoigne, Founder and CEO, Girls in Tech; Gena Lovett, Vice President of Operations for Defense, Space and Security, Boeing; Ann Rodriguez, Senior Vice President, League Operations, Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

For complete details on this conference, click here.

About the Conference Board
The Conference Board is a global, independent business membership and research association working in the public interest. Our mission is unique: To provide the world's leading organizations with the practical knowledge they need to improve their performance and better serve society. The Conference Board is a non-advocacy, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.conference-board.org

SOURCE The Conference Board