The USC Women’s Conference provides excellent visibility with one of the university’s most successful, affluent and devoted constituencies. We invite you to partner with us on the 2020 conference by choosing from among several sponsorship packages, which can be found here, with a wide range of marketing options:

• Brand exposure to more than 183,000 women – alumnae, parents, students and friends of USC – through e-mail broadcasts and social media.

• Advertising in the commemorative program book, mobile app and including of your company’s materials in the conference bag giveaway.

• Event signage acknowledging your support.

• Podium recognition during the conference program.

By partnering with the USC Alumni Association on the 2020 conference, you can take advantage of this valuable opportunity to market your company name and brand, and place your products and materials directly in the hands of attendees.

• Presenting Sponsorship (limited to 2) – $20,000
• Hecuba Sponsorship – $10,000
• Gold Sponsorship – $5,000
• Trojan Sponsorship – $3,500
• Thrive Lounge Exhibitor Booth – $500
• Additional Sponsor Tickets – $375

Thank you in advance for your consideration. If you would like to purchase a sponsorship, please click here .

Questions? Please email womensconference@usc.edu or call the USC Alumni Association at 213-740-2300.
*Refunds are not available after February 20, 2020. 

Thank you to our 2019 sponsors!

Carol L. Folt
President, University of Southern California

Carol L. Folt was appointed the twelfth president of the University of Southern California in July, 2019.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in aquatic biology and a master’s degree in biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.  She earned her doctorate degree at the University of California, Davis.  Following a postdoctoral fellowship at the Kellogg Biological Station in Michigan, she joined the faculty at Dartmouth College, where she taught and conducted research on salmon restoration, global climate change and the impact of metal toxicity on mothers and infants and the environment. Her work has had significant influence on the development of national and global policy in these areas, and later earned her recognition as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences.  President Folt has published widely in leading science journals, contributing to understanding of some of the most serious environmental issues of our day, beginning with her studies into the limnology of aquatic ecosystems.

President Folt began her career as a university leader at Dartmouth, serving as a dean, provost and acting president while mentoring more than 100 students, publishing extensively, and leading several major centers focused on the environment and human health. She then became chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2013. During her tenure, UNC Chapel Hill became one of the top ten research institutions in the United States, passing the $1 billion mark in research expenditure.

President Folt is known for her focus on students and for her leadership in many of the key issues facing higher education around the world. She is a national spokesperson for access and affordability, and for the advancement of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields. President Folt has been a leader in entrepreneurship, and her initiatives in this area have become widely successful models. Her strategic planning efforts in sustainability, the arts, and community service also speak to her ability to inspire others toward bold, collective goals and actions. Throughout her career, she has promoted inclusion and diversity across the academy–championing efforts to remove barriers, enhance collaboration, and drive positive change.

Jaime Davern ’04
President, Compete to Create

Jaime Davern helped launch the mindset training business Compete to Create in 2013 with co-founders Pete Carroll and Dr. Michael Gervais. Having lived the company philosophy, framework and approach as the daughter of Carroll, the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, she is motivated to help people and companies find their best and live in the present moment more often. She previously worked at A Better LA, the nonprofit organization founded by Carroll that supports community-based solutions to prevent gangs, restore peace, save lives and give inner city Angelenos the resources they need  to thrive.

While studying at USC, Davern played volleyball with Compete to Create mindset coach Nicole Davis. Davern earned a a BS in communication and media studies from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Christina Bellantoni
Professor of Practice and Director of the Annenberg Media Center
USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

Christina Bellantoni is a professor of professional practice and the director of the Annenberg Media Center. She joined the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism in August 2018 after serving as a member of the masthead at the Los Angeles Times.

Over her 20 years in journalism, Bellantoni worked as a reporter and editor, behind the camera as a producer and in front of it as an analyst on national television. She has covered local, state and federal government, along with four presidential campaigns and the White House.

At the Los Angeles Times, Bellantoni was an assistant managing editor. She joined the newspaper after spending 12 years as a journalist in Washington, D.C., where she served as editor-in-chief of the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call. Before taking over Roll Call, Bellantoni was the political editor at the PBS NewsHour. She began her stint in Washington as a Metro reporter at the Washington Times.

Bellantoni frequently appears on television and radio, including NPR, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher.

Jill E. Darling
Survey Director, Understanding America Study
USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research

Jill E. Darling is survey director of the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research’s Understanding America Study internet panel. She also serves as the survey director for the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times National Poll. Before joining USC in 2015, Darling served as survey director and survey methods lead at the Veterans Health Administration Health Services Research and Development Center for Healthcare Innovation, Implementation and Policy.

Earlier in her career, Darling served as the associate director of the Los Angeles Times Poll, where she was responsible for the design and conduct of research projects, surveys and exit polls. Her work has appeared in newspapers, online magazines and journals, including The Conversation, Health Services Research, Public Opinion Quarterly, Women’s Health Issues, Medical Care and Nature Human Behavior, among others.

MODERATOR

Amber Miller
Dean, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Amber Miller began her tenure as dean of the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences— the university’s largest, oldest and most academically diverse school—in August of 2016. She also holds the Anna H. Bing Dean’s Chair, in addition to a faculty appointment in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at USC Dornsife.

Dean Miller’s research focuses on experimental cosmology, leading teams to build and deploy telescopes that probe the conditions in the universe when it was less than one second old. She and her colleagues examine relic light from the early universe with the goal of understanding the origin, evolution and fundamental nature of the universe.

Dean Miller is also deeply interested in the intersection of science and policy. She served as the chief science adviser to the New York Police Department Counterterrorism Bureau for two years and she is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. A champion of the liberal arts ethos, she piloted a seminar at Columbia titled “Science, Politics and Critical Thinking” and has taught courses ranging from “Weapons of Mass Destruction” to “Physics for Poets.”

Dean Miller received her MA and PhD in physics from Princeton University and her BA in physics and astronomy from the University of California at Berkeley. Before joining USC Dornsife as its 22nd dean, she served as dean of science for Columbia University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, where she was also a professor of physics.

She has published more than 100 scientific papers, and her honors and awards include a National Science Foundation Career Award, an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and a Lenfest Distinguished Faculty Award. In addition, Dean Miller was a Hubble Fellow at the University of Chicago and a NASA Graduate Research Program Fellow. She is a fellow of the American Physical Society.

Ghena Alhanaee

PhD Candidate and Research Assistant,

Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,

USC Viterbi School of Engineering

Ghena Alhanaee is a PhD candidate and research assistant at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, where she is pursuing unique and unprecedented research in nuclear energy catastrophe modeling; the impact of nuclear safety provisions on the Arabian Gulf; and the implementation of policies for risk mitigation. To ensure the security of reliable water and energy supplies in the Gulf, she is assessing the complex interdependencies of nuclear power to the existing oil/gas and desalination industries. Her work has been recognized at several international conferences, including the Water Energy Nexus Conference in Salerno, Italy, and the Day Zero Conference in California.

In 2019, the MIT Technology Review named Alhanaee one of the top innovators under 35 for the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region.

Karla Bajana ’10
Environmental and Sustainability Policy Specialist

Karla Bajana is an environmental and sustainability policy specialist in Seattle. Prior to moving to the Pacific Northwest, she worked at the United Nations (UN) for eight years as a strategic advisor for the affairs of the UN General Assembly’s Economic and Financial Committee. During her time at the UN, Bajana also advised and engaged in the affairs and multilateral negotiations of the Open Working Group regarding the 2030 Agenda’s 17 Strategic Development Goals.

Born and raised in Nicaragua, Bajana came to the United States to earn her BA from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Marisa Tychon ’05
Conservation Projects Implementation Lead,
The Boeing Company

Marisa Tychon is the conservation projects implementation lead for The Boeing Company’s Environmental, Health and Safety Group. In this position, she is responsible for advancing program management excellence and accelerating the implementation of conservation projects to support the company’s 2025 reduction targets for energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water use, waste sent to landfill, and hazardous waste produced. She previously served as the chief of staff for Boeing’s director of environment. During her tenure at Boeing, Tychon has enjoyed working with diverse groups of stakeholders to find practical and timely solutions that improve the environment and reduce risks. She began her career executing complex technical investigations, remedy designs and reporting/communications for a variety environmental restoration projects in Southern California.

Tychon earned her BS from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Owning Your Success

LaQuista Erinna MSW ’13

Owner, THRIVE Behavioral Health & Consulting, LLC

LaQuista Erinna is the owner of THRIVE Behavioral Health & Consulting, LLC, where she specializes in treating depression and anxiety. Passionate about eliminating mental health stigma and giving back to her community, she primarily focuses on helping professional women create balance in their lives by overcoming trauma. Erinna has been featured in O, The Oprah Magazine and on such websites as Bustle, HuffPost, Thriveworks and Zoosk.

Erinna earned her MS from the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work.

Jody Rosentswieg ’85

Senior Program Officer, Bezos Family Foundation

Jody Rosentswieg serves as the senior program officer of the Bezos Family Foundation, where she oversees a team advancing efforts to ensure that all youth have meaningful opportunities to develop their passion and purpose. Since graduating from USC, Rosentswieg has reinvented herself many times—as a lawyer, traveler, child/youth advocate, mother, nonprofit executive and consultant. She has been facilitating rituals with community groups for 15 years, and is in the process of thoughtfully launching her daughter off to college.

Rosentswieg earned her BA from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Amy Sanchez MBA ’10

Executive Career and Leadership Coach, Swim Against the Current

Amy Sanchez is an executive career and leadership coach at Swim Against the Current. She spent the first 13 years of her marketing career at both start-up and large healthcare companies. While working in corporate America, Sanchez realized that individual and corporate priorities were often at odds, resulting in immense employee stress. This tension often yields compromised work and personal relationships, as well as a lack of meaning in work activities, and inevitably leads to feelings of regret and guilt. After her first child was born, Sanchez decided to get certified as a coach to help address this dilemma.

Today, Sanchez happily partners with executives, both privately and within companies, to help them focus on their desired career paths and refine their leadership styles, so they can deliver excellent results while also enjoying their lives. Sanchez has worked with clients from such top companies as Google, Johnson & Johnson, AT&T, Dell and Novartis, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard. She will appear in season three of the lifestyle television series This Is SF, which profiles rising entrepreneurs in the San Francisco Bay Area.

At the center of Sanchez’s universe are her husband and two daughters (both under age 4) who light up her life every day.

Sanchez earned her MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business.

MODERATOR

Karen Symms Gallagher
Dean, USC Rossier School of Education

Karen Symms Gallagher has been the Emery Stoops and Joyce King Stoops Dean of the USC Rossier School of Education since 2000. Under her leadership, and for the third year in a row, U.S. News & World Report has ranked USC Rossier as one of the 15 best graduate schools of education in the country.  USC Rossier ranked #12 in the magazine’s latest rankings, and #1 in funded research per faculty member for a second year in a row.

Since launching the online version of the school’s master of arts in teaching degree, USC Rossier has prepared more than 4,000 teachers, 78 percent of whom work in high-needs schools. And more than 75 alumni from the school’s educational leadership doctoral program are currently sitting superintendents in districts throughout California.

Dean Gallagher is also a leader of the USC Rossier team that developed and opened USC Hybrid High School and four other high schools in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Last June, Hybrid High graduated its fourth senior class, maintaining its 100 percent graduation rate; each student has received at least one acceptance to a four-year college or university.

Among her many honors, Dean Gallagher was one of six women recognized as a Remarkable Woman for Remarkable Times by the LA City Club in 2018. In 2014, she received the Leadership Award from the USC Chapter of the international education association Phi Delta Kappa, given to a member demonstrating an “extremely high level of leadership and inspiration.” She received USC’s inaugural Provost’s Prize for Innovation in Educational Practice Award in 2013.  And in 2010, she received the Social Responsibility Award from the Los Angeles Urban League.

Mary Pasch ’09, MS ’10
Principal Program Manager, Microsoft

Mary Pasch is a principal program manager at Microsoft, where she leads a team building search and search-powered experiences across Microsoft apps. A tech industry veteran with more than a decade’s worth of experience, Pasch is passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace; to that end, she has led diversity and inclusion initiatives at Microsoft. Pasch is also a dedicated supporter of STEM education, participating in mentorship programs and organizing tech outreach volunteer events. In addition, she has served as a STEM education instructor for the University of Washington’s Pipeline Project—a K-12 outreach program that provides tutoring and mentoring to students in local and regional schools, as well as community organizations.

Pasch earned both her BS and MS from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

Sheryl Tullis MS ’93
Strategic Marketing and Communications, TA Group Holdings

Sheryl Tullis leads strategic communications and marketing for TA Group Holdings, a private equity firm with investments focused primarily in technology, consulting, and staffing. When Tullis joined the firm, she helped pioneer the country’s first tech certification program for transitioning military veterans.

One of the first women graduates of West Point, Tullis is known for challenging the status quo. Over the course of her career, she has worked in everything from military information systems to tech marketing.  During her tenure at Procter & Gamble, she created and led the company’s first e-commerce business.  Tullis later served as the chief of staff to Microsoft’s chief marketing officer; in this position, she helped facilitate the company’s shift to digital marketing.

A strong advocate for women in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM), Tullis founded the Seattle chapter of mBolden (formerly Women in Wireless) and served as the co-president of the global nonprofit for two years.

Tullis earned her MS from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

Jessica Wexler ME ’16
Founder and Executive Director, Girls Rock Math

Jessica Wexler (Christianson) is the founder and executive director of Girls Rock Math, an arts-based math camp focused on empowering girls, igniting deeper mathematical thinking, and creating an environment where “Girl Power” rules.  Since its launch in 2012, Girls Rock Math has hosted summer day camps, break camps, after-school programs and workshops for more than 4,500 elementary school girls in the Seattle area.

A former elementary school teacher, Wexler earned her ME from the USC Rossier School of Education.

Women and Leadership: How to Navigate Power Structures

MODERATOR

Kimberly Freeman MPP ’97
Associate Dean and Chief Diversity Officer,
USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences

Kimberly Freeman serves as the associate dean and chief diversity officer for the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, where she manages the office for diversity and strategic initiatives. Her vision is to achieve representational diversity and create an inclusive culture for faculty, students and staff by leveraging social connectedness and the wisdom of multiple perspectives. She is working with faculty, staff and students to complete the development and implementation of a college-wide diversity strategic plan.

An experienced corporate, community and educational leader, Freeman brings to the table a unique mix of formal and experiential educational experience, drawn from her interest in the impact of business, government and higher education policies on California’s most vulnerable communities. Prior to joining USC, she served as the assistant dean of diversity initiatives and community relations at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Freeman has four degrees, including an MPP from the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy.

Josie Noah MPMMPA ’09
Chief Global Officer, SightLife

Josie Noah serves as the chief global officer (CGO) of SightLife, a global nonprofit health organization dedicated to eliminating corneal blindness worldwide. As CGO, she leads the nonprofit’s efforts to prevent blindness and restore sight through training and capacity building, community outreach and advocacy.

Prior to joining SightLife, Noah worked at several organizations committed to advancing global development, including the Clinton Global Initiative; she has also served as consultant on development projects in Brazil, China, Kenya and Japan.

Noah earned her MPMMPA from the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy.

Maj. Kristine Poblete EdD ’17
Legislative Liaison, U.S. Air Force Global Strike Commander’s Action Group

Maj. Kristine Poblete is the legislative liaison for the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Commander’s Action Group (AFGSC). In 2018, she led the AFGSC’s Women Leadership Symposium, a professional development and mentorship event at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. More than 200 civilian and military Airmen attended the symposium, which inspired similar leadership conferences at three other air force bases. In recognition of her achievement, Poblete received an award from the Air Force Diversity and Inclusion Program. More recently, Poblete received the 2020 Brig. Gen. Wilma Vaught Visionary Leadership Award, for exhibiting innovation, commitment and the selfless spirit of service to others while inspiring and significantly improving the integration of and opportunities for women in the Air Force.

Poblete earned her EdD from the USC Rossier School of Education.

Caroline Prado ’14
Strategy Development Lead, The Boeing Company

Caroline Prado joined The Boeing Company’s Business Career Foundation Program, an internal development program for young leaders, in 2014. During her time in this program, Prado supported various defense and commercial divisions before transitioning into supply chain strategy within Boeing’s Aftermarket Operating Division in 2016. In this division, she supported make/buy process development, global repair operations and global supply chain management category strategy. In the spring of 2018, Prado joined Commercial Aircraft Product Development as a strategy development lead, responsible for developing and integrating cabin interiors supply chain strategies. In December 2019, she joined the Product Cybersecurity team for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Throughout her career with Boeing, Prado has prioritized women empowerment through education and training related to representation, leadership and professional development in the workplace.

Prior to joining Boeing, Prado focused on the intersection of business and government through work that took her from local government operations to the U.S. Justice Department and the U.S. Senate in Washington, D.C.

Prado earned her BS from the USC Marshall School of Business.

Felicia A. Washington
Senior Vice President for Human Resources

Felicia A. Washington was appointed senior vice president for human resources at the University of Southern California in June 2019. Washington arrived at USC with decades of experience as a dynamic university administrator and as a highly respected attorney specializing in employment law. She has built a strong reputation around implementing rigorous and ethical compliance standards while at the same time, caring deeply about students, faculty, and colleagues. She is known for her collaborative, practical, and people-focused decision-making. She is a highly valuable and visible member of our Trojan Family, and vital to bringing about meaningful culture change.

Reporting directly to the president, Washington provides the primary leadership on human resources for USC’s nearly 28,000 faculty members, staff, and student workers. In this capacity, Washington provides the long-range strategic vision for building an integrated human capital strategy for the university, balancing the overall needs of the university with the unique needs of different schools and units. She helps lead new initiatives to bring excellence and consistency in the human resources enterprise across all departments and academic units. In January 2020, with her demonstrated focus on people, culture, and building systems of accountability, the Office of Culture, Compliance and Ethics and Office of Professionalism and Ethics were aligned under her leadership, as well. With these transitions a newly forming Office of Equity, Equal Opportunity, and TIX will leverage alignment of function and subject matter.

Before USC, Washington served as vice chancellor for workplace strategy, equity, and engagement at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In that role, she helped lead the university through some of the most pressing challenges in its history. Additionally, she was instrumental in efforts to grow the capacity of the Office of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office teams, and was a key driver in bringing together central and campus human resources personnel to tackle the challenges of improving the search and hiring processes and restructuring of the university’s human resources operations to meet the needs of the modern workplace. Known for her collaborative style, Washington was a familiar presence at staff forums, faculty meetings, and alumni councils.

Previous to her role at UNC-Chapel Hill, Washington spent more than two decades in private practice at the Charlotte office of K&L Gates, a multinational law firm. As an employment law partner, she litigated cases in federal and state courts and advised clients on a variety of matters, including such issues as hiring and firing, internal investigations, and regulatory compliance. She has been involved in a wide range of legal and community organizations, including service on the North Carolina Medical Board and as a member of the Board of Trustees at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Washington holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from UNC-Chapel Hill and a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Courtney Fortune ’12
Singer/Songwriter

Courtney Fortune is an acclaimed singer/songwriter and performance coach. She has been recognized by the John Lennon Foundation; named one of Glamour Magazine’s “Top 10 College Women”; and written and performed songs for Atlantic Records, UMG, Sony, Disney, Cartoon Network, MTV and ABC. Fortune is also a recipient of the Brian Wilson Musical Achievement Award.

Fortune works with some of the best in the industry, including her producer, seven-time Grammy nominee Chris Walden. She performs with the Disneyland All-Star Band and at The Smith Center Las Vegas. In addition, Fortune is the founder of Songmaker Sessions, which helps young songwriters improve their skills and confidence.

Fortune earned her BS from the USC Thornton School of Music.

Danielle Harvey Stinson ’00, ML ’19

Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations, University of Southern California

Danielle Harvey Stinson is the assistant vice president for alumni relations at USC. As a senior manager of the USC Alumni Association, she leads a diverse, 15-member team of professionals responsible for engaging all alumni lifelong and worldwide through a vast array of programs, services and events. Her portfolio includes the award-winning USC Women’s Conference, Reunion Weekend and Alumni Leadership Conference, as well as oversight of the LGBT Alumni Association, regional clubs and chapters, industry and affinity networks, and generational groups.

With more than 15 years of experience in alumni relations and development, Stinson has a proven track record in program development, volunteer management, organizational leadership, strategic planning, relationship building and fundraising. Her passions include teaching, mentoring and empowering women and children, in addition to writing and other creative outlets.

Stinson earned her BS from the USC Rossier School of Education and her ML from the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy.