Women in Leadership Summit: The Great Reinvention

The theme of this year's event is “The Great Reinvention.” The summit will feature leading-edge discussions, networking and skill-building focused on developing and celebrating female leaders in times of change.

This exciting event for Darden alumni, current and prospective students, and emerging leaders in D.C. will highlight scholarly thought leadership and research, forge new connections, and feature programming such as: 

• Conversations and skill-building workshops on topics including inclusivity and belonging, engaging in critical conversations and navigating ethical dilemmas
• Industry-focused workshops including experts from tech, media, venture capital/private equity, and entrepreneurship fields, with insights from all three Darden winners of the 2022 UVA Entrepreneurship Cup
• Expert panels on sustainability and the state of women in the workforce moderated by leading Darden faculty
• Hear from expert leaders from Lot Sixteen, Dcode, Meta, Deloitte and more
• Structured networking opportunities with alumni, guest speakers and fellow attendees

Preliminary Agenda

Sessions, times and topics are subject to change

We hope to see you in Rosslyn in September for this inaugural event celebrating the remarkable women in our community who are reimagining and reinventing a new world of work!

We look forward to adding speakers and panelists in this section as they are confirmed.

Faculty

Tatiana Batova, Associate Professor of Business Administration
Allison Elias, Assistant Professor of Business Administration
Mary Margaret Frank, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Development; Samuel A. Lewis Sr. Faculty Fellow; John Tyler Professor of Business Administration; Institute for Business in Society Academic Director
Yael Grushka-Cockayne, Altec Styslinger Foundation Bicentennial Chair in Business Administration, Senior Associate Dean for Professional Degree Programs
Rebecca Goldberg, Visiting Executive Lecturer
Toni Irving, Frank M. Sands Sr. Professor of Practice
Mike Lenox, Tayloe Murphy Professor of Business Administration, Senior Associate Dean and Chief Strategy Officer
Elena Loutskina, Professor of Business Administration, Peter M. Grant II Bicentennial Foundation Chair in Business Administration
Panos Markou, Assistant Professor of Business Administration
Roshni Raveendhran, Assistant Professor of Business Administration
Bobby Parmar, Shannon Smith Emerging Scholar in Business, Associate Professor of Business Administration
Melissa Thomas-Hunt, John D. Forbes Distinguished Professor of Business Administration
Kim Whitler, Frank M. Sands Sr. Associate Professor of Business Administration

Alumni 

Elizabeth Blankenship (MBA ‘22), CEO and Founder at by Eilly (formerly Coton)
Natalie Cucchiara (EMBA '20), Vice President at Lot Sixteen
Christine Fruehwirth (MBA '96), Founder at FlexCareers Consulting
Ivy Ghatan (MBA '09), Senior Account Executive, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions at LinkedIn 
Anshu Gupta (MBA ‘16), Incubation Manager, New Products at Meta
Karen Henneberger (EMBA '20), Senior Executive, New Ship Design at U.S. DOE
Claritza Jimenez (EMBA '21), Managing Producer, POLITICO live, POLITICO; Founder, InColorStock.com
Patrice Ju (MBA '14), Head of Business Operations, PeopleDev at Google
Ashley Keating (EMBA ’20), Founder & CEO at the Mediterranean Movement
Laure Katz (GEMBA '16), VP, Blue Nature & Co-Lead Blue Nature Alliance at Conservation International
Nicole Lindsay (MBA ’99/JD ‘00), SVP, People & Capability, Products and Technology at Mastercard
Tolu Oyefesobi (MBA ‘08), Head of Operational Risk and Financial Controls at Inter-American Development Bank
Cecilia Rios Murrieta (MBA ‘22), Founder at JAS Alcohol-free cocktails
Gretchen Pace (MBA ‘22), Founder & CEO of Goose & Willow
Chrissa Pagitsas (MBA ‘09), Founder & Principal at Pagitsas Advisors
Pavani Reddy (JD/MBA ’06), Managing Director at EAB
Bill Shelton (MBA '93), CMO at Group 1001; Co-CEO and Co-Founder at Parity
Erin Tollini (EMBA ’20), CEO & Founder at SoSocial App
Meg Vorland (MBA ’16), Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Dcode, Managing Partner at Dcode Capital
Meghan Welch (EMBA '10), Chief People Officer at Plaid
Elizabeth Weymouth (MBA '94), Founder and Managing Partner at Grafine Partners

Additional Speakers

Jenny Abramson, Founder and Managing Partner at Rethink Impact
Aurelia Flores, Venture Partner at New Market Venture Partners
Meghan Fennell, Director at Deloitte
Jack Speer, Nightly Newscaster at NPR
Stef Strack, Founder & CEO at Voice in Sport, VIS and Voice in Sport Foundation
Robyn Swift, Partner and Head of Investor Relations at Transform Capital

Several new women's leadership awards will recognize individuals in the community for their outstanding leadership and contributions to the advancement of women in business.

A fireside chat featuring the three award winners will be hosted by Mary Margaret Frank, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Development; Samuel A. Lewis Sr. Faculty Fellow; John Tyler Professor of Business Administration; Institute for Business in Society Academic Director

Women's Leadership Champion Award

Awarded to a prominent and successful leader in the corporate, public service or non-profit space who has demonstrated a long-term commitment to championing women in her field and an extensive focus on developing, challenging, motivating and supporting women in their careers and lives

Recent Alumni Leader Award

Awarded to a recent Darden graduate (2012-21) in the corporate, public service or non-profit space who has demonstrated a commitment to developing, challenging, motivating and supporting women in their careers and lives

Women’s Leadership Summit Trailblazer Award 

Natalia Alvarez Diaz (MBA '22)

For her leadership and numerous contributions to advancing women and gender equity at Darden, inside and outside of the classroom, through her work with faculty, Admissions, [email protected], the MBA Diversity Equity and Inclusion initiatives, and her presidency of the Graduate Women In Business club. Diaz is a visionary leader, paying careful attention to the individuals and the community around her, working to make Darden the best school it could be for diverse women and all. This award will be further recognized at the Women in Leadership Summit in September.  

Accommodations

Darden has special rates with both the Hyatt Centric Arlington and Le Meridien (Marriott). When making a reservation, please use the links below to receive a reduced rate at these nearby properties. Reduced rate rooms may be limited, and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Hyatt Centric Arlington
• Le Meridien (Marriot)

View additional information about visiting UVA Darden DC Metro

Health and Safety

In accordance with University of Virginia direction, all participants should follow CDC guidelines for safe in-person events and gatherings. We encourage all participants to be up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID-19, we kindly ask that you choose not to attend the Summit. Wearing of masks is not required at the Summit; however, we respect and support any participant who chooses to wear a mask.

Questions?

Contact us at [email protected]