Kicking off the day with opening remarks by ICAN’s President & CEO as we kick off our day of leading bold conversations.

Incoming Board Chair
Deloitte US

Lara Abrash, Incoming Board Chair of Deloitte US, will share research findings from Deloitte’s 2022 “Women at Work” report, and remark on the bold conversations on women we’re all observing in the news and in our workplaces today. And finally, Lara will share her advice for women leaders in creating a bold vision for themselves – and for those they lead.

Gender Strategist and Author

Dictionary.com recently selected “allyship” as the word of the year. Engaging male allies is about proactive action. Yet the 2022 McKinsey Women in the Workforce study found that only 14 percent of companies are doing Allyship training. Does your company engage men to create an inclusive workplace that supports gender equity?  Through research and his own experience in Corporate training, Jeffery will discuss the imperative of organizations to promote Allyship training for men, a skill to be learned and honed in order to change the status quo and create inclusive work spaces.

Senior Manager of External Affairs and Sustainability
Unilever

Consumers around the world today want to live more sustainably. In one survey, 66% of all respondents, and 75% of millennial respondents, said they consider sustainability when making a purchase. Consumer preference is driving entire industries to change, and no market or sector is unaffected. With women driving up to 85% of all consumer spending, we hold considerable power in our choices. Stefani Grant, Senior Manager, External Affairs and Sustainability for Unilever, will discuss how women have already impacted the world when it comes to driving positive change, and what more we can do.

The recipient of our 2023 ICAN Leadership Award will be announced by award co-sponsor, Kiewit’s Jennifer Bradtmueller along with ICAN’s Aileen Warren.

Physician | Advocate for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Healthcare

The sole black graduate of her medical school class, Dr. Chicka knows firsthand of the institutional racial and gender discrimination that exists within the medical and health care communities. She is now a vocal advocate in confronting discrimination and promoting change, so that others do not have to face the same obstacles and burdens as she did being “a first”.  She will discuss some of those inequities she sees as a medical professional, and will also share her personal story of boldly speaking out against the establishment, and the ripple effect it has caused in her life and career.

Sponsored by Methodist Health System

Panelists:
Cardiothoracic surgeon HelenMari L. Merritt-Genore, DO
Breast Surgical Oncologist Lisa M. Poole, MD
Vice President of Human Resources Paula Pittman

Medical science and patient care have historically focused on male patients. Gender bias creates dangers in medical treatment. In today’s increasingly transparent workplace, efforts to support women’s physical and mental health must grow and evolve alongside a company’s journey to gender equity. The natural first step is to break down the stigmas and biases surrounding women’s health. Our panel will encourage us all to take part in these bold conversations – with each other, our healthcare providers, and within our workplaces.

Social media can be a tool for connection and change. Bringing real-world change thanks to online tools is not something new, but the pandemic has allowed us to rethink how we can use digital tools to share and rally people on social good or to amplify a cause. With a bit of creativity, social media can be useful beyond information. We can use it to get people talking, asking questions, and taking ownership of social causes. Deanna Hizon from Linkedin, will share how Linkedin can be a resource to you beyond simply building your profile!

As part of our exploration of the bold conversation of sustainability practices at this year’s conference, April Perrin will be joining us for a session on all things fast fashion. “Fast Fashion is like fast food: after the sugar rush, it just leaves a bad taste in your mouth.”

Have you ever thought about why we can buy the latest fashions at such an affordable price? April Auger Perrin asks us to consider whether the value we save is worth the cost of producing fast fashion, and she urges us to strive to make our wardrobes match our moral values. 

Are you and your male colleagues equipped with the skills needed to actively support the advancement of women leaders at all levels within your organization?

The 2022 McKinsey Women in the Workforce study found that only 14 percent of companies are doing Allyship training. Since men still represent 75 percent of leadership of the 423 companies McKinsey surveyed, it’s a given that we will never drive long-term systemic advancement for women without active male allyship. Simply put, until we engage more men in diversity and inclusion initiatives, the status quo will continue in the workplace. 

Engaging male allies is about proactive action. It’s a skill to be learned and honed in order to change the status quo and create inclusive work spaces. What is your company doing to engage men to create an inclusive workplace that supports gender equity? The workshop is designed to help attendees create a deeply internalized approach to gender equity, with a lens of intersectionality and a sense of urgency that will drive a competitive advantage in the workplace and marketplace. 

Jeffery’s workshop will: 

1. Examine “The Future of Work” and the current challenges every company is facing in winning the war for talent.
2. Explore the barriers that women are still facing and also the unique challenges faced by women of color. 
3. Discuss in depth the four barriers and the solutions to active male advocacy. 
4. Provide attendees with 10 Actions for Advocates, that they can implement in their workplaces immediately following the session.

This breakout session is targeted to both men and women who want to learn more about creating allies and advocates in their workplace.

Consultant and Author

Gone are the days when negotiating was only for a performance review, job interview or the big pitch. Professional women negotiate all day every day—for better project deadlines, to resolve a standstill within a team—even to take their PTO. How can you make the most of these conversations—regardless of whether it’s with a direct report, boss, peer or customer? Selena Rezvani teaches you how to prepare for these daily negotiations, flex your style based on the topic or person with whom you’re negotiating, manage tradeoffs, and get the “Yes” answer you need.

Author and Master Communicator

AmyK Hutchens introduces leaders and go-getters to the power of taking life one conversation at a time. Her humor and wisdom shine through in this compelling and energetic program filled with practical tools that will inspire and equip you to communicate confidently. She’ll help you navigate your toughest conversations without saying something you regret or giving your power away.

Data Engineer & Scientist | Social Media Transparency Advocate

Frances Haugen is an advocate for accountability & transparency in social media.  She fundamentally believes that the problems we are facing today with social media are solvable, and she is dedicated to uniting people around the world to bring about change. Frances believes that it is possible to have social media that brings out the best in humanity – she will share how she’s actively working to build a movement to create it, and how she wants to involve us!

Fitness Star | Author

New York Times Bestselling Author, Peloton Star Instructor, Nike Athlete and Motivational Speaker, Tunde Oyeneyin, has quickly become a household name, developing a global audience who have been moved by her mission to inspire and create great change. Oyeneyin describes her book SPEAK as not just a memoir but also a call to arms that hopefully empowers the reader to take chances, to claim their space, and to move forward on the path that’s right there in front of them. Trusting her gut led her to this exact moment. That’s her hope for our audience, and for anyone who reads her book.