Hillary Rodham Clinton Delivers Keynote at 2014 Massachusetts Conference for Women

BOSTON, Dec. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered the keynote address at the 10th annual Massachusetts Conference for Women. Speaking before a sold-out audience of more than 10,000 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Secretary Clinton discussed the importance of continued economic and social progress for women, calling for paid leave, equal pay for women, and affordable childcare. "To chart a path forward for women and girls we have to understand how far we've come, yet how far we have to go," she said. Later, in a light-hearted reference to the much-discussed likelihood of a 2016 presidential run, Secretary Clinton responded to a question about the qualities desired in a "first gentleman," should there be one. "I think you need people around you who will kid you, make fun of you," Clinton said. "I have no shortage of such people in my own life."

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Secretary Clinton also spoke about the recent deaths of two African-American men who died during separate encounters with police. "I'm very pleased that the Department of Justice will be investigating what happened in Ferguson or Staten Island," she said. "Those families and those communities and our country deserve a fair and full accounting as well as whatever substantive reforms are necessary to ensure equality, justice, and respect for every citizen." Continuing, Secretary Clinton said "The most important thing that each of us can do is to try even harder to see the world through our neighbor's eyes, to imagine what it is like to walk in their shoes, to share their pain and their hopes and their dreams…These tragedies did not happen in some faraway place. They didn't happen to some other people. These are our streets, our children, our fellow Americans and our grief."

Earlier in the day, Conference attendees also heard from award-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o, who won an Oscar® for Best Supporting Actress for her powerful performance in 12 Years a Slave. Clinton and Nyong'o helped celebrate the Conference's 10th Anniversary along with other acclaimed speakers, including designer and philanthropist Tory Burch, Bank of America executive Anne Finucane,  former Young & Rubicam Brands Chairman and CEO Ann M. Fudge, and Life is good® co-founder John Jacobs.  

The nonpartisan, nonprofit Massachusetts Conference is the nation's largest and premier event for women, drawing women of all ages and backgrounds for a full day of inspiration, reinvention and networking. This year's 10^th anniversary event featured 100+ speakers on topics including leadership, career advancement, money management, health and wellness, small business and entrepreneurship, social media, branding and more.

"Today's Conference saw thousands of women come together to discover their power, to reimagine their futures, and to make a difference in their communities," said Gloria Larson, President of the Board of the Massachusetts Conference for Women and President of Bentley University. "Our attendees will leave here today equipped with the confidence, motivation, and inspiration they need to realize their personal and professional goals."  

In addition to the renowned keynotes, attendees heard from and participated in sessions with nationally known experts discussing the issues that matter most to women. Speakers included Katrina Alcorn, author of MAXED OUT: American Moms on the Brink;  Lisa Belkin, senior national correspondent, Yahoo News; John Gray, leading relationship expert in the world and best-selling author of Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus; Ellie Krieger, host of Food Network's & Cooking Channel's popular "Healthy Appetite" and New York Times bestselling author; Betsy Myers, founding director of Bentley's Center for Women and Business and former adviser to President Bill Clinton;  Jane Bryant Quinn, best-selling author and personal finance expert; Gayle Sheehy, New York Times best-selling author of Passages and a new memoir Daring; Kate White, former editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan; and Judy Smith, founder and president of Smith & Company, a leading strategic and crisis communications firm, and real-life inspiration for the ABC series Scandal.

The Conference awarded its annual "Be the Change" Award, recognizing a Massachusetts women who personifies compassion for her community and commitment to improving the lives of those around her. This year's recipient is Deborah Hughs, President and CEO of Brookview House, an organization dedicated to changing the lives of homeless women and their children.

Attendees also had the opportunity to participate in Local Leader Meet Ups and Expert Exchange sessions for one-on-one conversations with local businesswomen and community leaders.  The popular Bentley University Career Pavilion featured resume reviews by human resource experts, one-on-one "speed coaching" sessions with local career coaches and executives, workshops on communication skills and social media, and much more. Additionally, the Conference Health & Wellness Pavilion featured speakers and companies dedicated to improving women's health, while an onsite Exhibit Hall hosted hundreds of organizations and companies with products or services that appeal to women. The Conference also featured the EMC Technology Pavilion with social media roundtables, the Santander Small Business Marketplace with small business round tables, and the State Street Community Connection pavilion offering volunteer opportunities.

The Massachusetts Conference for Women is presented by State Street Corporation.  It is also generously underwritten by EMC Corporation, EMD Millipore and EMD Serono; Cisco; Bentley University, Boston Scientific, Raytheon, Santander, Suffolk, Tyco Security Products, Akamai Technologies, Bank of America, CVS Caremark, Fresenius Medical Care, Hill Holliday, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, John Hancock, Liberty Mutual, MassMutual Financial Group, Morgan Stanley, National Grid, Riverbed, Kristin Mugford and Sankaty Advisors, Thermo Fisher, The TJX Companies, Inc., Tufts Health Plan, Crimson Lion Lavine Family Foundation and Bain Capital Community Partnership, Alex and Ani's Charity by Design, Amtrak, BJ's, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Canyon Ranch, Comcast, Hail Merry, MFS Investment Management, Ocean Spray, TIAA CREF Financial Services, United Airlines and Weber Shandwick. Media partners include Radio 103.3 FM, Mix 104.1, WBZ 1030 News Radio, Boston Magazine, The Boston Globe and WCVB TV Boston.

"Today's extraordinary speakers offered invaluable insights that encourage women to affect change in their personal and professional lives," said Alison Quirk, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources and Citizenship Officer for State Street Corporation. "State Street has long recognized the impact that the women in our global workforce have on driving our business forward.  We are proud once again to be the Presenting Sponsor of the Conference and to celebrate the 10^th Anniversary of this pivotal event."

To learn more about the Massachusetts Conference for Women, visit our website at www.MAconferenceforwomen.org, follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/masswomen or like our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/maconferenceforwomen.

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SOURCE Massachusetts Conference for Women

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http://www.MAconferenceforwomen.org