The conference lineup included a mix of speakers, panel discussions, and networking opportunities around how best to drive one’s career journey. “The power to shape that journey lies in our hands, and today is about equipping ourselves with the tools, insights, and connections we need to keep moving forward,” said René Hallock 20EvMBA, president of Executive Women of Goizueta and the director of integrated marketing for international markets at Intuit Mailchimp. “This is an opportunity to grow both personally and professionally and to deepen the relationships that strengthen our collective success.”

Unlocking Potential Through Purposeful Relationships

In her keynote address, “Potential—Have you ever wondered about your potential?” Grace Chadwick 14EMBA, chief operating officer of Crumbl Cookies, talked about growing up in Mexico City and the influence her family, especially her mother, had on her. “As I studied my mother, I discovered that there are three key elements for us to really, really hone in on if we want to maximize our ability for our potential. And those three elements are purpose, power, and vision,” Chadwick told the audience. “Potential is about existing in possibility, which means all of us have the capability to reach our potential. It is available right now to each one of you.”

During her session, “Building your Personal Board of Directors,” Marina Cooley 14MBA, assistant professor in the practice of marketing, asked the audience to be intentional about building a personal board of directors, one that includes mentors, sponsors, sounding boards, and challengers—all very different types of board members. “This is a group of people who can help you in a variety of ways,” Cooley explained. She challenged audience members “to come up with two to three names of people who fit into these chairs that would help you meet the goals that you’ve said you have.”

Breakouts: Managing Upward and Storytelling

The first of two breakout sessions, “Managing Upward: Controlling Your Narrative,” examined how to master the art of managing relationships with supervisors and higher-ups. The session was moderated by Danielle McGivney 16EvMBA, vice president of organizational change management and strategic communications at KWI. The panelists included Regenia Sanders, Atlanta office managing partner at EY, Luci Rainey, Executive Coach, career and business Coach at DAY ONE Consulting and Coaching, and Jenny Mitchell, senior vice president of customer success at Advisr.

The “Storytelling: Communicating and Advocating for Yourself” breakout explored how to craft and share one’s story in a way that authentically communicates value and advocates for one’s career goals. Moderator Tyler Ewing 05BBA, co-founder of Switch Consulting Group, was joined by Lauren McGlory 16MBA, media productions global lead for strategy and accounts at LinkedIn, Liz Stanton 10MBA, vice president of financial planning and analysis at Delta Air Lines, and Jackie Martin 02MBA, executive people & culture leader.

Leveraging AI and New Ways of Working

In the fireside chat: “Leveraging AI,” Rubina Ohanian, managing director at Accenture, spoke with Executive Women of Goizueta board member Hope Cowan 88MBA, principal consultant at Hope Cowan Consulting, about artificial intelligence (AI)—including how daunting it can be for women to enter the male-dominated field. Ohanian, who leads LLM, AI, and AI education efforts for Accenture in North America, explained that not everyone is “a geeky type of person like me,” but then added that it’s urgent to learn AI. “You can learn anything. But you’ve got to take that step forward,” she said.

The final topic of the day, “New Ways of Working: Growing in a Distributed Environment,” was tackled by moderator Ty Heath 12MBA, director and co-founder at The B2B Institute at LinkedIn, and panelists Rachel Nelms, principal and founder of formations consulting (and former director of Goizueta’s Executive MBA program), Nicole Mejias 21EvMBA, client account lead for retail media at Microsoft Accounting, and Jackie Blankenship, director of performance development at Protiviti. The session explored how to excel in the modern work landscape by leveraging technology, fostering strong communication, and building relationships across virtual and in-office platforms.

Scholarships and Awards

Each year, Executive Women of Goizueta supports the advancement of women in business by providing financial assistance to exceptional candidates pursuing their MBA at Goizueta. The $5000 scholarship aims to demonstrate a commitment to excellence, diversity, and making a positive impact in their careers and communities. This year’s recipients were pediatric surgeon Alexis Smith MD 03C 26EMBA and Victoria Johnson 25MBV, commercial operations site lead at Johnson & Johnson.

The Guiding Star Award recognizes an up-and-coming business professional who has made progressive achievements in their career, demonstrates potential for the future, and guides others through their professional example and leadership in their community. This year’s recipient was Ariel Lomax, senior program manager at Medallia.

The Bridge Award recognizes a senior business leader with a demonstrated track record of creating opportunities for others, championing diversity, and producing results for the betterment of their community and/or workplace, which was awarded to Sarah Stansberry, senior vice president of Marketing at Fiserv.

About Executive Women of Goizueta

Started 22 years ago by Sarah O’Brien 03EMBA, Executive Women of Goizueta’s mission is to create a community that advances personal and professional leadership for Goizueta women and allies.  Executive Women of Goizueta’s Advancing Women in Leadership Annual Conference is open to the entire Emory University community and to friends of the organization. Current board members include: Hope Cown 88MBA, Abby England, Julie Friedberg 87C 23EMBA, Kuki Gandhi 15EvMBA, Tara Sconzo Halfon 14EvMBA, Rene Hallock 20EvMBA, Kristy Hoffman 17EvMBA, Tara Hornsby 24EMBA, Jen Kostyrna 04C 18EvMBA, Caren Lusk 13MBA, Lorry Perkins 15EMBA 17L, Setu Shah 15MBA, Missy Taylor 22EMBA, and Liz Wolfe 16MBA 16PH.

Learn more about Goizueta Business School’s Executive MBA and Evening MBA programs.

Enjoy more scenes from the 2025 Advancing Women in Leadership Conference below.

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Harnessing Artificial Intelligence and Mastering Personal Resilience

After her introductory remarks, Sconzo Halfon welcomed Gareth James, Dean of Goizueta Business School, to the stage. “I continue to be impressed by the Executive Women of Goizueta community and leadership,” noted James. “Goizueta is very proud of this incredible group and its longstanding commitment to the advancement of women in business.”

The opening speaker was Shani Boston 12MBA, senior director of product and engineering operations at Intuit Mailchimp. She tackled the subject, “Harnessing AI for Professional Growth.” Boston spoke about the transformative effects of generative AI. “Change is natural, change is constant, it’s necessary, it’s catalytic. It’s super exciting to see businesses come up with new products, but at the same time, it’s really unpredictable,” Boston told the audience. “Generative AI is wonderful, but it has limitations,” she added. “You have to think about how you’re integrating [AI] in a seamless way.”

Next, Emily Bianchi, associate professor of organization and management at Goizueta Business School, talked about building resiliency. “There is a congruence between who we are at our core and what we do,” Bianchi told the crowd. “When that congruence is met or optimized, we tend to be happier. We tend to have a more positive effect. And we tend to be more engaged in what we’re doing. We tend to have fewer depressive symptoms and considerably less stress.”

Expert Panels Offer Career Advice

Transforming Your Career Trajectory

A pair of panel discussions followed. “Transforming Your Career Trajectory” featured moderator Renee Bourbeau 22EMBA, executive director of MBA programs at Kennesaw State University. Speakers included Nicole Keaton Hart, chief strategy officer at Microsoft Security, Ria Aiken, director of technology and security at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and Kirstin Dorsch 05C, senior director of creative studios at The Coca-Cola Company. The panel discussed the skills crucial for success in leadership roles as well as the importance of building and leveraging their professional networks.

Leading Through Change

Moderated by Sarah King, vice president of HR strategy at Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd., the “Leading Through Change” panel included Tracy Barash 93MBA, principal at Cut-Thru Consulting and the former SVP of marketing for Turner Sports, Amy Zehfuss 99MBA, founder of Springboard Strategy, and Jamie Traynor 14EvMBA, partner at PwC Deals Transformation. The panelists shared their thoughts on leading through layoffs and restructuring, navigating difficult conversations, and managing the emotional impact of change.

Career Decisions—Strategies and Insights

After lunch, panelists Jasmine Grant 08MBA, head of treasury solutions technology at Truist Bank, Chi Nguyen, chief financial officer at Insight Global, and Sakinah Watts 19MBA, senior principal and market lead, Open Innovation, at Accenture discussed “Career Decisions—Strategies and Insights.” Amber Fritsch, teammate experience design and change lead in the HR transformation office at Truist, moderated the panel.

Fritsch asked Grant if there was one question she always considers before taking a job. “Can I be myself?” Grant answered. “It’s all about authenticity. I think a lot of us have walked the line of imposter syndrome—I have to have this mask, I have to do this code switching, I have to be this thing. At some point, I woke up and I was like, I’m a pretty cool person. I’m smart, and I bring a lot to the table. If you don’t like how I do it, maybe that’s not a good fit for you and me, and that’s fine. There are other places for me to be.”

The Power of Perception and Relationships

Melissa James P21, vice chairman and managing director of global capital markets at Morgan Stanley, delivered the conference’s keynote address. Recognized by Black Enterprise Magazine as one the “50 Most Powerful Women in Corporate America,” James spoke about her personal journey as a black woman working for, as she described, “the white shoe, blue-blooded,” Wall Street firm, Morgan Stanley. What the firm lacked in minority representation, it made up for it in an “appreciation for diversity and inclusion,” James explained. “I learned you can’t judge a book by its cover.”

James also spoke about the power of self-awareness. It all started when she was passed over for a promotion she thought she deserved. Her manager encouraged her to meet with a number of the decision makers in the promotion process to get feedback from each of them. James was skeptical but took her manager’s advice. It was eye-opening. “I learned a valuable lesson. My colleague, Carla Harris, talks about this, which is that ‘perception is the co-pilot of reality,’” said James. “I needed to be aware of how others saw me.”

Relationships have played a major role in James’ career trajectory. “Men seem to get the joke much earlier in their careers that relationships matter not just as much but even more than expertise in many situations,” she said. “Cultivating those relationships is not just helpful. It’s imperative and critical to sustaining a long and successful career.”

Awards and Scholarships

The Executive Women of Goizueta also handed out three awards to deserving individuals during the conference. Anne Marie McKenzie-Brown MD 91R 25EMBA received the $5000 Executive Women of Goizueta Scholarship. Each year, the organization gifts at least one Executive MBA candidate with their namesake scholarship. McKenzie-Brown is a professor of anesthesiology and the vice chair of professional development for Emory’s Department of Anesthesiology.

Deepa Subramanian 05C won the 2024 Guiding Star Award. Subramanian is a shareholder and employment defense attorney at Olgetree Deakins. She is also on the advisory committee of Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta, an organization that provides free legal services to Georgia nonprofits.

The 2024 Bridge Award recipient was Kailei Carr 96Ox 98C, CEO of The Asbury Group. In addition to coaching clients, Carr hosts the podcast Beyond the Business Suit.

Conference sponsors included UPS, WestRock, PwC, Protiviti, and Hoffman and Associates.

About Executive Women of Goizueta

Started 21 years ago by Sarah O’Brien 03EMBA, Executive Women of Goizueta’s mission is to create a community that advances personal and professional leadership for Goizueta women and allies. The organization designed its event programming and scholarship awards to create opportunities and promote diversity in leadership while building professional networks. Executive Women of Goizueta’s Advancing Women in Leadership Annual Conference is open to the entire Emory University community and to friends of the organization.

Learn more about Goizueta Business School’s Executive MBA and Evening MBA programs.

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At Emory Business, we spotlight the remarkable women of Goizueta Business School all year long. As we look forward to celebrating Women’s History Month, we’re taking time this week to reflect on the many incredible contributions of women in the Goizueta community. We invite you to join us in finding inspiration in their stories.

The Advisory Board Chair

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone more loyal to the Goizueta community than Laura Balser 94BBA 01MBA, who began her term as Goizueta Advisory Board Chair on September 1, 2023. She’s an Atlanta native, Goizueta grad twice over, has spent nearly 20 years volunteering for the school, and is married to another equally successful and devoted Goizueta graduate.

Meet Laura Balsar.

The Educator, LinkedIn Leader, and Alumni Board Member

Lauren McGlory 16MBA loves to be “Day One Ready.” When she wakes up in the morning, her goal is to hit the ground running and make an impact. The Detroit, Michigan native spent five years with Teach for America after graduating from the University of Virginia. McGlory then turned to Goizueta’s Two-Year MBA program to help her level up her career and continue finding ways to expand access to others. She now leads global strategy and accounts for LinkedIn Media Productions and has served as a member of Goizueta’s Alumni Board for the past two years.

Meet Lauren McGlory.

The Physician and Scholarship Recipient

Anne Marie McKenzie-Brown MD 91R 25EMBA is this year’s recipient of the Executive Women of Goizueta’s namesake scholarship. She is not only a dedicated student in the EMBA program, but also carries a wealth of knowledge and experience in the healthcare field that began when she graduated from medical school in 1987. Now, she’s a professor of anesthesiology and the vice chair of professional development for Emory’s Department of Anesthesiology.

Meet Anne Marie McKenzie Brown.

The Navy Veteran Turned MBA Student

The U.S. Navy has always been a part of Grace Miller’s 25MBA life, with four family members serving in the branch. Miller followed in their footsteps after high school when she decided to attend the Naval Academy. She served in the Navy for five years after graduation. Now she’s pursuing her MBA at Goizueta to transition from military service to business leadership.

Meet Grace Miller.

The Big Wig in Basketball

Recently, Lauren Cohen 00BBA entered her 24^th season with the National Basketball Association (NBA). But she doesn’t play basketball. She’s the vice president of partner management and operations lead for the NBA’s global partnerships group. Cohen credits two things with the stability and tenure she’s enjoyed at the NBA: the people she works with and her opportunities to change roles every few years.

Meet Lauren Cohen.

The Head of the Family Business

Maria Fernanda Genie 24MBA originally studied marketing and management at Georgetown University, where she spent semesters abroad in Hong Kong and Barcelona. After graduation, she spent more time traveling abroad and working in the U.S. and Mexico, before returning home to Honduras to join the family business. Genie created and now manages the marketing department for Henie Farma, a pharmaceutical company founded by her father and grandfather. Now, she has turned to Goizueta’s One-year MBA to teach her more about more about operation, strategy, and management.

Meet Maria Fernanda Genie.

The Hotel Industry Success Story

Cindy Murphy 10EMBA speaks fondly of her humble beginnings working at the local hotel. After a couple decades learning the ins and outs of the industry, she’s moved up in a big way. Murphy now serves as the regional vice president of operations at HEI Hotels & Resorts. Murphy credits the nationally ranked Executive MBA program at Goizueta with giving her the skills and deep business knowledge she needed to confidently close meetings and elevate her career.

Meet Cindy Murphy.

Show your support for these Goizueta stories—and the stories of the future—with a gift to the 2O36 campaign.

Are you ready to take your career to the next level? Learn how one of Goizueta Business School’s many programs can help you transform the world of business and beyond.

The post Women’s History Month: Celebrating Goizueta Students and Alumnae Making Waves in Business appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.

Scholarship candidates are nominated from Goizueta’s Executive MBA, perhaps without their knowledge, which makes receiving a letter stating you won the scholarship all the sweeter.

“I was stunned to realize that I was nominated for the scholarship,” says this year’s recipient Anne Marie McKenzie-Brown MD 91R 25EMBA 91R. “I checked the email many times to make sure they had the right person.”

They certainly did: McKenzie-Brown is not only a dedicated student in the EMBA program, but she also carries a wealth of knowledge and experience in the healthcare field that began when she graduated from medical school in 1987.

Now, she’s a professor of anesthesiology and the vice chair of professional development for Emory’s Department of Anesthesiology.

A History in Healthcare

McKenzie-Brown comes from a family of hard workers—she learned her determination and work ethic by observing her parents. The family left Jamaica at the end of McKenzie-Brown’s time in high school. But her father left beyond even more—his anesthesiologist practice and the legacy he created as founder of the Jamaica Anesthetist Association.

When they arrived in Maryland, her father had to start all over. He became a resident again at the age of 56.

Though her mom was not in the medical field, she was the one who encouraged McKenzie-Brown to pursue her passion for pain management and helping others.

“She was my strength,” shares McKenzie-Brown.

Her mother started her career in America as a bank teller. Despite having no previous experience, she worked her way up to become vice president of human resources.

I am thankful for the many women throughout my career who encouraged me to try ‘one more time,’ who supported my career when I was filled with uncertainty.

Anne Marie McKenzie-Brown

While working as the director of the Grady Pain Clinic, McKenzie-Brown had two pregnancies and a miscarriage. She says her supervisor at the time was unsupportive about what she was going through. Because of these experiences, McKenzie-Brown now ensures she’s the kind of leader who supports working mothers. 

“We need leaders who are encouraging, who meet people where they are. We need to see them for who they are and help them achieve their highest potential,” she says.

McKenzie-Brown started her career directing the pain clinic at Grady. She then opened a satellite pain clinic in Fayette County. That move led her to become the clinical director of the Emory Pain Center. She then progressed to take on the role of pain division chief and program director for the Emory Pain Fellowship. As program director, she overhauled the fellowship curriculum—a controversial decision. However, that adjustment has led to collaboration across the university. One of the graduates is now the pain division chief.

“I am proud to have been involved in developing the careers of many female faculty, first in our division and now in the department.”

McKenzie-Brown’s current role is professor and vice chair of professional development at Emory University School of Medicine. She enjoys having the opportunity to inspire other faculty who may feel stuck in their careers as she once did. While McKenzie-Brown has now achieved full professorship, her path to that goal was long and full of challenges.

 “My desire is to give back the lessons that I have learned. I want to help clear the path for other women leaders,” she shares.

The Foreign Language of Finance

McKenzie-Brown admits that she has long dreamed of getting her MBA. However, she put off her return to the classroom until her two daughters were adults.

McKenzie-Brown first planted the seed of continuing education when she was a division chief in the Department of Anesthesiology. She struggled to understand the financial aspect of running the division. She soon realized that in order to achieve her leadership goals, she needed the continuing education to bridge the knowledge gap.

“While medicine is a service industry, I wanted to be fiscally responsible as a leader,” she says. “I also aspire to be a leader in our healthcare system. I would like to understand the thought process of the large-scale financial decisions and the strategy behind those decisions.”

In 2023, McKenzie-Brown earned her Business of Healthcare certificate from Goizueta. The program is designed for existing healthcare professionals and only requires four courses, often taken over the span of less than three months. Courses cover cost and performance measurements in healthcare, continuous operations improvements, and how to be a strategic leader. Students can also apply the credits toward the EMBA degree.

“We have encouraged a growth mindset in our children,” McKenzie-Brown shares. “I wanted my girls to see me living out this principle of life-long learning, even though it’s hard. The program is challenging, and I have loved every minute of it.”

If you’d like get involved with Executive Women of Goizueta, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, or reach out to emoryexecwomen@gmail.com.

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The friendships I made at Goizueta are what I most treasure, and those continue to grow through my involvement with Executive Women of Goizueta.

Tara Halfon

Halfon would know about the value of relationships; she works within the human resources transformation office at Truist Bank as the lead of organization design for the Truist Enterprise. Her role is predicated on relationship building, given that she operates as an intermediary between the numerous nooks and crannies of the bank, tying seemingly disparate departments together to achieve broad reaching goals that serve the organization as whole. Her favorite part of her job is her colleagues, who “champion trust, care, and inclusion.”

Halfon cited her experience at Goizueta as pivotal for her career. “My classroom experience was energizing, and the experiential learning I was able to take advantage of challenged and built my workplace acumen.”

After she graduated, however, she soon found herself missing the intellectual development and team bonding she enjoyed in school, so when a couple of her close friends and fellow Goizueta Business School alumni urged her to join Executive Women of Goizueta, she gave it a shot.

One decade, several leadership roles, and a board presidency position later, she is eager to speak to the many benefits of joining EWG and to discuss where she’d like to take the organization next.

Why Join Executive Women of Goizueta?

Executive Women of Goizueta is an alumni affinity group of the Goizueta Business School that connects women in the business sector, encouraging them to help one another remove barriers, promote diversity, and develop into stronger leaders.

“Executive Women of Goizueta is an incredible forum for continued growth and networking,” says Halfon. “It provides continued learning and development, something that I and many others tend to miss post-University. Getting involved with EWG is an opportunity to expose yourself to new ideas, a network of business professionals, and an energized community.”

Randall L. Ledkins, senior managing director of development of the Advancement & Alumni Engagement team, says that though he is relatively new to Goizueta, he’s had the opportunity to meet the current EWG leadership. “It is already evident to me how powerful the EWG community is,” says Ledkins. “As one of Goizueta’s longest standing volunteer led affinity groups, Executive Women of Goizueta continues to make an enormous impact serving and inspiring our alumnae and friends. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for this year and beyond!” 

Halfon is quick to emphasize that while Executive Women of Goizueta loves to “highlight passionate women in business,” it is open to allies and friends, including other gender identities and non-Goizueta graduates.

And that inclusive community is a vibrant one: in addition to featuring top executives from household names such as Starbucks, Deloitte, and Salesforce, their recent 20^th Anniversary Conference in March 2023 included the likes of Thai Randolph, CEO of Kevin Hart’s entertainment production company Hartbeat, and Jenn Graham, founder and CEO of Inclusivv, an organization devoted to cultivating better conversations surrounding inclusion in the workplace, as well as several other intrepid business women in the roles of entrepreneurs and team builders. Through fireside chats and panels, they tackled knotty topics, including hybrid workplaces, advocating for one’s worth, and the “great resignation.”

What Motivated You to Take the Position of President of Executive Women of Goizueta?

“I loved the exposure to motivated, collaborative women and exciting programming from speakers to social and networking events,” says Halfon, when reflecting on what initially drew her to EWG. Halfon benefits from having engaged with the group over many years and from various angles, first as an alumna, then through a committee to assist with programming, and finally through several chair positions on the board.

“Seeing EWG flex and learn through the years of the global pandemic and then come back in 2023 to our highlighted, in-person annual conference is a journey of which I am proud to have been a part. This motivated me to take the position of president, as we continue our momentum into 2024 and look to enhance our programming and activities to provide meaningful interactions and enable personal and professional growth through a variety of outlets.”

What Will Success Look Like One Year From Now?

Given Halfon’s knack for networking and connecting people to their passion, it comes as no surprise that her goals for the upcoming year center on designing exciting events and supporting others.

“As president, my biggest personal goal is to enable our board chairs to experiment and grow in their roles. I’m excited for our incredibly talented 2023-2024 board to bring new ideas, connections, and diverse backgrounds to our board activity and delivery. An additional goal is to bring more robust, regular programming back to EWG’s delivery, better engaging and expanding our community.”

That programming is already under way; next year’s line up promises engaging speakers and topics including “Networking for Your Career and Your Life” featuring Leadership and Business Development Coach Stewart Hirsch on August 30^th,  and the “Four Pillars of Health” Wellness Workshop with EWG Board Member Abby England on September 23rd (both of which are available for registration at engage.emory.edu), in addition to their annual signature March 2024 conference which is already in the works.

What Do You Believe Is One of the Biggest Challenges Facing Women in the Business Sector Today—and How Does This Relate to This Year’s Annual Theme?

“For all, not just women, doing more without boundary has become a major challenge in today’s workplace environment. The volume of touchpoints and interactions, the variety of how those are exhibited (in-person, virtual, multiple devices, etc.), and attempting to balance that with life outside of the ‘office’ is a struggle.”

Finding balance between the personal and the professional has never been easy, and in the wake of the pandemic, that boundary continues to shift as many employees navigate hybrid work environments that increasingly straddle home and the office.

“Seeing the pendulum swing from remote work during the pandemic, to finding a balance for in-person interaction, to having many companies enforce ‘return to office’ policies as of late—the ability to be resilient and adjust to these changes is experienced by many,” says Halfon. “The same could be said of mental well-being, physical health, finding balance when being asked to do more, often with fewer resources and less time.”

“Resiliency” was the word the board continued to land on when they reflected on how to handle this modern dilemma in which change seems to be the only constant; it was “what we wanted to learn more about both personally and professionally.”

And of course, Halfon circles back to emphasize the value of relationships in developing resiliency.

Building understanding, empathy, and trust of our colleagues and teams (professional and personal) has become more and more important as we struggle to keep up and find balance.

Tara Halfon

And what better place to start than an organization like Executive Women of Goizueta?

What Advice Would You Give to Someone Beginning Their Career?

Halfon urges those finding their professional footing to “surround yourself with good people who know your worth and will champion it for you.”

“Your career path is unpredictable, but what you can control is your growth and how you define your value, she says. “The people around you—friends, colleagues, and mentors—will be there to help direct and encourage you through that growth.”

Executive Women of Goizueta Board, 2023-24

Executive Women of Goizueta is pleased to announce their new board members for the coming academic year:

• Abby England: Marketing Committee
• Caren Lusk 13MBA: Sponsorship Chair
• Danielle Donnelly 17EMBA: Immediate Past President
• Jen Kostyrna 04C 18EvMBA: Conference Logistics Co-Chair
• Julie Friedberg 87C 23EMBA: Conference Programming Co-Chair
• Kristy Hoffman 17EvMBA: Conference Programming Co-Chair
• Kuki Gandh 15EvMBA: Awards and Scholarship Chair
• Liz Wolfe 16MBA 16PH: General Programming Chair
• Lorry Perkins 15EMBA 17L: Marketing Chair
• Missy Taylor 22EMBA: Conference Logistics Co-Chair
• Nicole Rife 16EvMBA: Vice President
• René Hallock 20EvMBA: Treasurer
• Tara Sconzo Halfon 14EvMBA: President
• Tara Hornsby 24EMBA: Membership Outreach and Engagement Chair

Want to Learn More About Executive Women of Goizueta?

If you’d like to find ways to get involved with our thriving community, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, or reach out to emoryexecwomen@gmail.com. 

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The EWG 2021-22 vice president and past scholarship recipient Danielle Donnelly 17EMBA shared insight into the importance of this group to the Goizueta community. Professionally, Donnelly serves as executive vice president of strategy for Moxie and MRY. “Executive Women of Goizueta gave me a home to find a community of women who are as driven and as ambitious as I was,” she said.

Women have to support other women. We have to lift as we climb. We have to reach down, and reach across, and bring other women along with us.

Danielle Donnelly 17EMBA, 2021-22 vice president of Executive Women of Goizueta and Executive Vice President of Strategy for Moxie and MRY

Donnelly explained her motivation to lead EWG. “As a recipient and a beneficiary of organizations that are focused on cultivating and developing female talent and supporting women in leadership, it became so important when I got into a position to do the same, to give back, because I have so greatly benefitted from that.”

Scholarships Change Lives and Create Momentum

“Receiving the EWG scholarship was such an honor for me,” said Friedberg, vice president of development for Kindle Energy, a Blackstone Portfolio company.

To know that EWG is giving me a scholarship in recognition of things that I have achieved reinforces my enthusiasm to provide other women with mentorship and for being mentored by them. It’s important for us as women to help other women succeed.

Julie Friedberg 23EMBA, Vice President of Development for Kindle Energy, a Blackstone Portfolio Company

But being part of EWG also will allow me to reach out and influence more women, particularly students and younger women in the workforce. I’m so excited to be part of a group that is so focused on mentoring women to succeed.”

In thanking the scholarship donors, Friedberg notes, “I am very proud to have been selected, and I am eternally appreciative of the award.”

Jacobs is vice president of corporate communications and public relations at Cox Enterprises. As the 2021-22 distinguished scholar recipient, she expressed excitement about Goizueta’s vast network of global alumni. “Connecting with the Executive Women of Goizueta is a high point for me in thinking about my trajectory as a student and after I graduate in terms of what comes next in my career, my community service, and my life in general,” she said. “I want to thank the Executive Women of Goizueta for having a scholarship that recognizes students and invites and connects them into this special network.”

Stressing the importance of open conversations in the workplace and in our communities, Jacobs pointed out, “Many women are still hitting the proverbial glass ceiling. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen how remote and hybrid work have, in many cases, had a positive impact on women who are balancing a career with raising children and taking care of partners, spouses and elderly parents. If we don’t have that perspective in the workplace, it’s hard for people to understand the challenges that many working women face,” she said. 

In addition, how we speak to each other in the workplace, how we evaluate each other and how we open up opportunities all have a gender component.” Jacobs added, “The more women we have in leadership positions and in the board room, the more we’ll be able to bring their perspectives into the decisions about how we’re hiring and promoting people and the future of companies overall.

Sonji Jacobs 23EMBA, Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Relations at Cox Enterprises

Donnelly thanked the many donors who have made the EWG scholarship possible. “First and foremost, thank you for your generosity and kindness, for you continuing to invest in women and do that time and time again, not just for me, but for many of the EWG Scholarship recipients that have come before me and those who have come after me. It’s just so incredible in today’s world, where there are so many organizations to give to and so many things going on, we’re so incredibly grateful and appreciative that you are continuing to choose to invest in women.”

Are you interested in becoming a member of Executive Women of Goizueta? Membership is for women who are Goizueta alumnae, current Executive or Evening MBA students, and BBA grads with professional experience. The organization has no dues. To join/be added to our member distribution list you can reach out to us over social media or email. Follow the group on Facebook or reach out to emoryexecwomen@gmail.com. Write to Executive Women of Goizueta, Goizueta Business School, 1300 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30322.

If you would like to learn more about ways to invest in Goizueta’s future, please join us at emory.biz/give.

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The 2021 Executive Women of Goizueta Virtual Speaker Series will focus on “Carving New Pathways for Leadership and Growth.”

Like countless other enriching events, the annual Advancing Women in Leadership Conference, hosted by Executive Women of Goizueta, was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic. In response, the leadership group launched the Executive Women of Goizueta Virtual Speaker Series—an opportunity for students and alumni to safely gather to learn from and support each other. Despite missing the time for face-to-face connection, the new approach allowed alumni from coast to coast to participate and the event realized an uptick in attendance.

Last year saw a stellar lineup of speakers, including Nicole Jones 04MBA, global innovation leader at Delta Air Lines; JoAnn Lynen 02MBA, executive vice president of global talent management at Bain & Company; and Allison Dukes 06EMBA, senior managing director and CFO at Invesco. The theme of the virtual conference, “Own the Opportunity: The Next Evolution of Success,” focused on the unique challenges and opportunities introduced by the global pandemic. For instance, in closing schools and office spaces, COVID-19 has exacerbated the work/life balance struggles that so many women already face. In the “Adaptability and Resilience” virtual panel in August, panelists Jones, LaShonda Oglesbee 02MBA (global VP, Assurant) and Melinda Sung 06BBA (director, Oppenheimer & Co.) discussed these problems and their own experiences in overcoming them.

“It was impressive to see so many diverse and successful Goizueta alumnae who were also willing to be very real about their personal lives,” said Tara Sconzo 14MBA, director at Jabian Consulting and last year’s conference programming chair. “Some of them had really fascinating personal stories to tell of perseverance, how they’ve grown their careers in the workforce, and how to maintain personal and professional balance.”

Despite all the downsides of the pandemic, one silver lining for Executive Women of Goizueta was the increased attendance the virtual events received. Whereas in previous years, breakfast meetings and other small speaker events garnered around 30 participants, the virtual speaker series attracted over 100 attendees for each session, including many international and West Coast alumni who otherwise would not be able to participate. The board hopes this year’s virtual events will encourage even more Goizueta community members to get involved.

“Our programs promote the advancement of women in leadership and inspire inclusion and diversity in all forms,” said Executive Women of Goizueta board member Andrea Carswell 11EMBA, principal at Insignia Management Consulting. “With this year’s theme, ‘Carving New Pathways for Leadership and Growth,’ you can expect a continued tradition of outstanding programming from another dynamic slate of speakers curated by the EWG Board.”

Although details have yet to be finalized, participants can look forward to more high-quality speaker events, one each in August, September, and October. “We choose speakers from all different industries and backgrounds who will deliver tools and resources to promote women in leadership regardless of role, title or place in their career journey,” said Gracie Liedberg 21EvMBA, director of customer experience for Campus Services at Emory University and this year’s conference programming chair. “The virtual speaker series has created a unique space for me personally to expand my leadership mindset and tap into the powerful network and community that comes from Goizueta.”

Are you interested in becoming a member of Executive Women of Goizueta? Membership is for women who are Goizueta alumnae, current Executive or Evening MBA students, and BBA grads with professional experience. The organization has no dues. To join/be added to our member distribution list you can reach out to us over social media or email. Follow the group on Facebook, or reach out to emoryexecwomen@gmail.com . Write to Executive Women of Goizueta, Goizueta Business School, 1300 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30322.

Executive Women of Goizueta Conference

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Many statistics show that progress for women in the C-suite and boardrooms in American companies is far from equitable.

But peel back a layer of those numbers, and what’s revealed are areas where women can position themselves for better opportunities and take control of their destiny.

“Women Wired for Change” was the theme of the 2017 Executive Women of Goizueta conference held at Atlanta’s St. Regis hotel this past fall. Many of the conference speakers examined the ways women empower or hinder themselves depending on their level of confidence, tenacity and willingness to risk and embrace change.

Opening keynote speaker Christine Hurtsellers, CEO of Voya Investment Management, challenged the overflow audience to check their confidence levels.

“Men boast 30 percent more and women boast 30 percent less, while 22 percent of women didn’t apply for a higher position because they were not qualified, versus only 13 percent of men,”Hurtsellers shared. “And when it comes to salaries, men negotiate salaries four times more than women.”

In spite of being only one of eight female CEO asset managers in the US, Hurtsellers is no stranger to the mental second-guessing she calls the “confidence gap.” During her speech, she shared two instances in which the enormity of an opportunity shook her confidence.

The first occurred during the uncertain times following the economic downturn of 2008 and 2009. Hurtsellers was running a mortgage hedge fund for ING that was doing well in spite of the economic crises. The nonagency mortgage side of the business, however, had terrible performance, and parent company ING needed a government bailout to keep operating. To get the bailout, ING—which later rebranded as Voya Financial—had to sell off the hedge fund business.

“So, I am in a company that is up for trade sale and there is a lot of uncertainty, a lot of volatility, really dark days and the fixed income business is really bad,” she said. “Then the company decided to let go the head of fixed income, then his successor comes in and resigns after only three days. Imagine the morale, right?”

Hurtsellers was tapped to take over the troubled unit. Immediately, she was besieged with self-doubt.

“I didn’t feel like I had the skill set, and I knew this was going to be an incredibly difficult job.” After some rest and reflection, however, she accepted the job the next day.

She faced a similar decision with her current job.

“Another confidence gap in my life came as I was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer,” she said. “My boss called and said, ‘Christine, the CEO has quit and the board of directors and I would like you to take this job.'”

Shaken, she was in bed recovering from another round of chemo. Again, she hesitated.

“But I took the job. One of the tools I use to manage the confidence gap is a lesson from renowned author Dale Carnegie, and that is to relax and think about the worst possible outcome,” she said. “Then accept, ‘Yes, this can happen.’ Next, start devoting time to improving your odds by creating an action plan to get through obstacles.”

Today, Hurtsellers is healthy and energized about the future. She challenged the audience to reach higher.

“A successful career path will have ebbs and flows and learning,” Hurtsellers said. “Most important though, is to have a continual belief in yourself, perseverance and a willingness to take some risk.”

The “Wired for Change” conference continued this theme with featured speakers including Spanx founder Sara Blakely (belief in self and perseverance); Zainab Ghadiyali, product manager at Airbnb and co-founder of wogrammer (tenacity); Dagmar Boggs 15EMBA (navigating change within an organization); and Martha Brooks, chairman of the board at CARE (global impact and change). Other speakers shared on innovation and entrepreneurship, such as Janelle Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of the Stair Barrier; Lisa van Kesteren, CEO of SeeLevel HX; Mary-Cathryn Kolb, founder and CEO of Brrr; and moderator Tricia Dempsey, president of Agile Resources.

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The one-day, sold-out event included prominent speakers, workshops, awards and networking with some of Atlanta’s most dynamic professional women. Most notably, Wendy Clark, President, Sparkling Brands & Strategic Marketing, Coca-Cola North America and Hala Moddelmog, President and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, delivered the keynote addresses. The theme of this year’s conference, “Wear Risk Well,” explored the topic of risk-taking and how women who embrace it can achieve greater career and personal success.

“Our conference provides the perfect atmosphere for business women to gain inspiration and cultivate new relationships,” commented Patricia Arundel, President of EWG and Head of Media at Google. “This year we moved the event to the Woodruff Arts Center to accommodate our growing attendance and the outcome was spectacular.”

Attendees included professional business women, alumnae of the Goizueta Business School and a small number of business men and prospective Goizueta MBA students. Amongst the attendees was Kanyatta Walker, a current Executive MBA student at the Goizueta Business School. “I found Henna Inam’s workshop on the neuroscience of risk to be very informative. I discovered a lot about myself and gained insight into how I can overcome my fear of risk-taking to get further in my career.”

About the Executive Women of Goizueta

The Mission of the Executive Women of Goizueta (EWG) is to provide a forum for women to be successful leaders. EWG provides women with the environment in which to share experiences, learn about recent business trends and motivate each other to be successful leaders at work, at home and in the community.

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EWG provides a forum for female students and alumni to be leaders in their careers, communities and lives. The aim is for members to motive each other towards success and to be accomplished women, professionally and at home.

[toggle title=”Executive Women of Goizueta to host annual conference”]The marquis event of the EWG calendar is the “Advancing Women in Leadership” conference. This year the conference will be held on Nov. 14  at the Woodruff Arts Center in midtown Atlanta from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. This one-day event includes prominent keynote speakers, workshops and networking with some of Atlanta’s most dynamic professional women. The theme of the event, “Wear Risk Well,” explores the topic of risk-taking and how women who embrace it can achieve career and personal success. Register for the conference here.[/toggle]

EWG invites a Goizueta Business School faculty member to lecture on various topics of interest. This year, Bianchi presented her own research and findings from other scholars on the nature of happiness.

“Americans,” Bianchi began, “are obsessed with being happy.”

Walking into a local bookstore, one will often see a whole section devoted to personal well-being and happiness. While these types of books are not often based on empirical research, Bianchi and her colleagues found Americans do have good reason to be obsessed with happiness: the happier a person is, the longer they live and the better they function.

“Societies in which people report greater well-being have lower rates of suicide and lower rates of depression,” Bianchi said.

She noted, however, happiness levels are generally stable over time.

This stability can be explained, in part, by a person’s genetic disposition. A 1996 study of identical and fraternal twins found a strong genetic basis for well-being. A person’s genetics can code for happiness set points.

Bianchi likens it to cholesterol level.

“We all have a genetic propensity to either have high cholesterol or not to have high cholesterol,” Bianchi said. “But there are certainly things we can do to keep our cholesterol low.”

Bianchi also presented research showing happiness is only slightly affected by circumstance.

Researchers in the late 1970s conducted studies of Illinois lottery winners and found that, while there was likely to be a spike in the immediate happiness and excitement of the winner, within a year the winners returned to a baseline level.

“Our baseline expectations change over time. What used to make us happy, we adapt to, we get the next thing, we adapt to that, and pretty soon our standards become pretty high,” Bianchi explained.

Even with this hardwired adaptability, there are ways a person can increase his or her happiness. Exercising, volunteering and writing gratitude journals are small ways that have been proven to boost happiness. But Bianchi argues a change in mentality is required for long-term results.

Naturally, people are inclined to make upward social comparisons. This generally results in a feeling of low self-regard.

“The happiest people just don’t compare themselves. It can be done, but it has to be done consciously,” Bianchi said.

Another key to improving happiness is improving social connections.

Psychologists say, overall, people are happier when they have meaningful social relationships and are engaged in friendships. In 2004, however, sociologists found Americans averaged zero close friends. Findings such as these, Bianchi said, can help answer the question, “Why aren’t Americans happier?”

“There’s pretty clear evidence that we’re much less socially connected than we used to be,” she said. “We certainly spend much less time in our communities, socializing with our neighbors than we used to and we are significantly more likely to live alone than we were a generation or two ago.”

This is not something to ignore.

“When life gets busy, [social connections] are easy things to let fall by the wayside,” Bianchi said. “But I think people do it at their own peril and I think this can help explain why we’re not as happy as we’d like to be and why we’re so obsessed with happiness, as a culture.”

About Emily Bianchi 

Emily Bianchi joined the Goizueta Business School in 2011. She holds a PhD in Management from Columbia University and a BA in Psychology from Harvard University. Bianchi’s research investigates how entering adulthood in a recession influences later attitudes and behaviors as well as how current economic conditions affect interpersonal interactions, social support, and cooperation. Prior to graduate school, Bianchi was a Senior Consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton.

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Patricia Arundel 11WEMBA of Google was elected President and Lucy King 12WEMBA of Lexis Nexis was elected Vice President. Kim Reese 12WEMBA (Beck Atlanta) will also remain on the board as the Past President. Continuing on the board are Kathryn Mullen 10EvMBA (AmeriCold Logistics) as Secretary Treasurer and Adrienne Jaroch as the advisor representing Goizueta’s Development and Alumni Relations Office.

At-Large members of the EWG Board include Ana Amato 07EvMBA (Protiviti Inc.) Heidi Bacote 10WEMBA (Centers for Disease Control), Teresa Brichta 12WEMBA (Mead Johnson Nutrition), Baerbel Freudenthaler 07WEMBA (SunTrust), Betsy Hale 11WEMBA (Ernst & Young), Dawn Hill 97BBA (Media Brokers International), Bridget McCarthy Lasda 12MEMBA (Coca-Cola Company), Renee Reese 02WEMBA (Minerva Planning Group) and Yolanda Thomas 97MBA (PGi).

The marquis event of the EWG calendar is the “Advancing Women in Leadership” conference. [highlight]This year the conference will be held on Nov. 14  at the Woodruff Arts Center in midtown Atlanta from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.[/highlight] This one-day event includes prominent keynote speakers, workshops and networking with some of Atlanta’s most dynamic professional women. The theme of the event, “Wear Risk Well,” explores the topic of risk-taking and how women who embrace it can achieve career and personal success.

Register for the conference here.

About the Executive Women of Goizueta

The Mission of the Executive Women of Goizueta (EWG) is to provide a forum for Goizueta women to be successful leaders in their careers, communities and lives. EWG provides the environment in which to share experiences, learn about recent business trends and motivate one another to be successful leaders at work, at home and in our communities. Contact us at EmoryExecWomen@gmail.com

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• Executive Committee:  Barbara Marxer, President;  Fontaine Lee, Vice-President; Pam Tipton-Theirry, Secretary/Treasurer.

• At-Large members:  Nora Bryant; Amanda Burman; Lisa Fey; Baerbel Freudenthaler; Lisa Lubar; Kathryn Mullen;  Kim Reese; Sam Renfro, Alumni Office Advisor; Celena Evans, Past President.

“Now in its tenth year, EWG has established itself as a forum and powerhouse for alumnae to network, exchange ideas and equip themselves to grow professionally and personally,” according to Barbara Marxer, President.

In celebration of this year’s 10th anniversary, EWG is planning a series of special events, programs, and exhibits that explore the past, present, and future of women in leadership in business and civic life.  Next month EWG is the spotlight of the 2013 Goizueta Alumni Awards, which is an event recognizing exceptional alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the Business School and/or Emory University.

EWG, with volunteer-led committees, orchestrates educational programs, after-hours networking and philanthropic activities, which offer an exceptional platform for executive women to interact.  In November, its sold-out annual Leadership Conference reached national stature with speakers who rank among the most successful women in business, including, Cathie Black, former Chairman and President of Hearst Magazines, and Shelly Lazarus, chairman emeritus, Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide.

EWG is currently in the midst of an endowment campaign to raise $100,000 for an annual $5000 scholarship for a deserving Executive MBA student.  With support from alumnae and sponsors, they are 70% toward achieving their goal.

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BACKGROUND
The mission of the Executive Women of Goizueta (EWG) is to provide a forum for Goizueta women to be successful leaders in their lives, careers and communities. To support this mission, EWG hosts and sponsors a variety of events including discussion forums, an annual conference, and breakfast meetings with industry business leaders.  The Executive Women of Goizueta was founded in 2003 by students Sara O’Brien and Kara Kaminsky, and other supporters who identified a need for business and networking events geared specifically to executive women.

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