Third Annual ANNpower Vital Voices Leadership Forum Brings Together Global Women Leaders of Today and Tomorrow

Renowned Leaders Mentor 50 ANNpower Fellows

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Jun 23, 2014, 07:45 ET

Renowned Leaders Mentor 50 ANNpower Fellows

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, June 23, 2014

NEW YORK, June 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ANN INC. (NYSE: ANN), the parent Company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, and Vital Voices Global Partnership are proud to announce the successful completion of the third annual ANNpower Vital Voices Leadership Forum held last week in Washington, D.C. The annual event, which kicked off on June 16^th, brought together 50 exceptional young women from around the United States in their sophomore and junior years of high school for four days of comprehensive leadership training and mentorship from international women leaders across the private and public sectors.

Hilary Rodham Clinton, Kay Krill and Alyse Nelson with 2014 ANNpower Fellows

The 2014 ANNpower Fellows were selected from a highly talented pool of applicants for their leadership acumen and commitment to creating social progress. The intensive, four day training program provided the Fellows the opportunity to learn skills to help them spark and sustain change within their communities.

"I am amazed by our ANNpower Fellows and their compelling ideas for making social progress in their communities," said Kay Krill, President and CEO of ANN INC. "By providing them with real-life lessons and leadership skills from an impressive set of leaders, I hope they will leave with the confidence and tools to turn their ideas into impact."

Based on the Vital Voices Leadership Model, the ANNpower Leadership Forum curriculum includes training and mentorship from ANN INC. executives, global leaders from the Vital Voices Global Leadership Network, and notable women role models. Mentors and speakers provided inspiration, lessons, and real-life examples of leadership in action.

Program highlights included:

Leadership Journeys of Successful Women in Business Today: Intimate luncheon discussion with ANNpower Advisory Council Members, Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief, Anne Fulenwider, ANN INC. President and CEO, Kay Krill and Vital Voices Global Leadership President and CEO, Alyse Nelson
Lessons in Leadership: Training and workshops built around the Vital Voices Leadership Model, which includes the value of mentorships, finding your passion and vision for change, and paying it forward
Exploration of Leadership in Government: Roundtable discussion with members of the White House Council on Women and Girls, as well as Rosie Rios, 43^rd Treasurer of the United States
Visionary Leadership from Around the World: Panel discussion with 2014 Vital Voices Global Leadership Award Honorees
Executive Presence In-Person and Online: Ann Taylor in-store panel discussion with Lisa Axelson, Creative Director of Design for Ann Taylor, and representatives from Marie Claire and LinkedIn
Looking and Feeling the Part: LOFT in-store shopping event featuring Austyn Zung, Creative Director of Design for LOFT, on how style, makeup, and skincare can help put your best self forward every day
Speed mentoring and working sessions with an array of distinguished mentors and leaders

The ANNpower Leadership Forum also connects the Fellows to a longer-term support network of global Vital Voices leaders. "In our work, we've seen firsthand how the power of mentorship can propel women on their journey for change. Young women deserve and need role models who they aspire to be. I'm thrilled to continue our journey with ANN INC. as we leverage our complimentary networks and expertise to support these remarkable young leaders," said Alyse Nelson.

Armed with the skills they learn at the ANNpower Vital Voices Leadership Forum, the Fellows will return to their communities tasked with initiating their community projects. "The Forum was life changing and inspiring. I am excited to go back and see what I can do for my community," said Nadya, 2014 ANNpower Fellow. Each Fellow will be eligible to receive an ANNpower Project Grant to put her ideas into action.

To date, ANNpower Fellows have positively impacted more than 16,000 people in 12 countries around the world. For more information about the ANNpower Vital Voices Initiative, visit ANNpower.org.

About ANN INC.
ANN INC. is the parent Company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, two of the leading women's specialty retail fashion brands in North America. As of May 3, 2014, the Company operated 1,032 Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Factory, LOFT and LOFT Outlet stores in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada. Our Ann Taylor and LOFT brands are also available online in more than 100 countries worldwide at AnnTaylor.com and LOFT.com. Visit ANNINC.com for more information (NYSE: ANN).

About the ANNpower Vital Voices Initiative
The ANNpower Vital Voices Initiative is a groundbreaking partnership between ANN INC. and Vital Voices Global Partnership to empower young women from across the U.S. with the leadership skills they need to affect global progress, invest in their communities and begin their journeys as the next generation of leaders. The ANNpower Initiative aims to provide leadership skills and mentorship to 50 ANNpower Fellows annually and is designed to positively impact more than 5,500 people in their collective communities and around the world each year.

As part of the Initiative, ANN INC. announced a "Commitment to Action" at the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting that included training 150 ANNpower Fellows and the creation of the ANNpower Advisory Council. Progress on that commitment is evidenced by the new class of 50 Fellows and the formation of the ANNpower Advisory Council which is comprised of influential women in media, business, and entertainment who have displayed exceptional leadership. Members of the Council review and recommend outstanding grant proposals as well as serve as mentors to the Fellows and ambassadors of the ANNpower Vital Voices Initiative to the public. The Council currently includes award-winning actress Kate Hudson, actress Jennifer Morrison ("Once Upon a Time," "House"), Anne Fulenwider, Editor-in-Chief of Marie Claire, Shelly Lazarus, Chairman Emeritus and former CEO of Ogilvy & Mather, Kay Krill, President and CEO of ANN INC., and Alyse Nelson, President and CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership. Visit ANNpower.org for more information.

Voices Global Partnership
Vital Voices Global Partnership is a leading non-governmental organization that identifies, invests in and brings visibility to extraordinary women around the world by unleashing their leadership potential to transform lives and accelerate peace and prosperity in their communities. Founded by Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 1997, the organization trains and mentors women leaders as agents of transformative change in economic development, human rights and political participation. The Vital Voices Global Leadership Network includes more than 14,000 leaders representing 144 countries who have trained and mentored 500,000 additional women and girls in their communities. Visit vitalvoices.org to learn more.

About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 150 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date, members of the CGI community have made more than 2,800 Commitments to Action, which are already improving the lives of more than 430 million people in over 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $103 billion.

CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their communities and around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.