March 14-15, 2019
Washington, D.C.
Registration is now open for the 11th Annual USC Women’s Conference: Leading through Impact. Please find the schedule, speakers and registration information below.
Join the conversation by following @USCWomensConference and #USCWCxDC on 
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Registration
Registration is now open! You may choose between a VIP Package or individually purchase the Thursday Reception and/or Friday Conference Program. Click here to register.
Each purchased admission includes a $5 donation, which supports USC Alumni Association programs and services.
Individual Admissions:
Thursday Reception (prices increase March 1)
Includes cocktail reception, program and private viewing of the permanent collection at the National Museum for Women in the Arts
$35 Young Alumnae (up to age 35) / USC Students
$50 Alumnae / Current USC Parents
$65 General Admission
Friday Conference Program (prices increase March 1)
Includes opening/closing programs, breakouts, continental breakfast, lunch and networking reception at the Marriott Marquis Washington, DC
$195 Young Alumnae (up to age 35) / USC Students
$275 Alumnae / Current USC Parents
$325 General Admission
VIP Packages (limited number available):
Join us for a two-day exclusive experience featuring:
- Two-night stay at Marriott Marquis Washington, DC
- Admission to Thursday VIP reception and Friday conference program
- Private tour of the U.S. Capitol after hours and special conference gift
$2,400 Double occupancy
$1,500 Single occupancy
2019 Conference Schedule*
THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Networking Reception: National Museum of Women in the Arts
Keynote by Sandra Evers-Manly ’81, Vice President of Global Corporate Responsibility, Northrup Grumman.
FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019
USC Women’s Conference: Marriott Marquis Washington, D.C.
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Morning Program
Keynote by USC Interim President Wanda M. Austin PhD ’88
USC panel with Deans Karen Symms Gallagher (Education), Laura Mosqueda MD ’87 (Medicine) and Erica Muhl DMA’91 (Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation) moderated by
Rachel Scott ’15 (ABC News/GMA Digital)
10:50 – 11:45 a.m.
Breakout Session I (Select 1 session)
- “Transforming Breast Cancer Care” at the USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience featuring Andrea Armani (Viterbi), Jeremy Mason MS ’10, PhD ’13 (Keck) and Cristina Zavaleta (Viterbi)
- “Women Making Waves in Media” featuring Christina Bellantoni, Monica Alba ’09, Michelle Russo MA ’94, Udeitha Srimushnam MCG ’13 and Shawna Thomas MA ’06
- “Sexual Harassment Law and its Impact in the 21st Century” featuring Alison Dundes Renteln JD ’91 (Dornsife and Gould)
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Networking Lunch
1:00 – 1:30 p.m.
USC Student Showcase
1:45 – 2:30 p.m.
Breakout Session II (Select 1 session)
- “Rising Up: Elevating Women in Leadership” featuring Marsha Ershaghi-Hames ’95, Caroline Leach MA ’95, Alyson Kil ’10, MD ’14, Karen Dahut MS ’88
- “Own Your Worth” featuring Kathleen A. Burns ’83, Leslie H. Chang MBA ’05 and Carey Shuffman
- “The Radical Act of Self-Care” featuring T Morgan Dixon ’99, Vanessa Garrison and Hafeezah Ausar ’99
2:40 – 3:30 p.m.
Closing Program
Featuring Symone Sanders (Dornsife) and Jaime Lee ’06, JD ’09
3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Networking Reception
*Information regarding workshop speakers and session topics updated as of 2/1/2019.
2019 Featured Speakers*
Thursday Reception
Special Guest:
Sandra Evers-Manly ’81
Vice President of Global Corporate Responsibility
Northrop Grumman
Co-author of “Raised Up By Mrs. Manly & Her L’s” *USC Alumni use discount code SCALUM2019
Friday Program
Keynote Speaker:
Wanda M. Austin PhD ’88 
Interim President
University of Southern California
Dr. Wanda M. Austin is an American businesswoman who is internationally recognized for her work in aeronautics and systems engineering. She is co-founder of MakingSpace, Inc.; a systems engineering and leadership development consultant; and motivational speaker. She is the former president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation, an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to the application of science and technology toward critical issues affecting the nation’s space program. From January 2008 to October 2016, Austin led the organization’s 3,600 employees and managed annual revenues of $950 million at 17 offices nationwide. As its sixth president, she was the first female and the first African- American to hold this position in the organization’s 57-year history. Read more
Morning Program Speakers:
Karen Symms Gallagher
Emery Stoops and Joyce King Stoops 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, USC Rossier has risen to #10 among all graduate schools of education in the country, according to the latest national rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. USC Rossier’s highly innovative master’s and doctoral programs prepare leaders to achieve educational equity through practice, research and policy. Read more
Laura Mosqueda MD ’87
May S. and John H. Hooval Dean’s Chair in Medicine
Keck School of Medicine of USC
Laura Mosqueda, MD was appointed dean of the Keck School of Medicine of USC on May 1, 2018. Prior to her appointment as dean, Dr. Mosqueda, a professor of family medicine and geriatrics and a professor at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, served as associate dean of primary care and the chair of the Department of Family Medicine. Read more
Erica Muhl DMA ’91
Dean
USC Iovine and Young Academy for the Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation
In May of 2013, Erica Muhl was appointed founding director of the USC Iovine and Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation, which welcomed its first freshman class in 2014. Simultaneously, she served as dean of the USC Roski School of Art and Design, a position she held from September 2012 through June 2018. Prior to 2012, Muhl served as associate dean of the USC Thornton School of Music, where she has been professor of composition since 1991. Read more
Rachel Scott ’15 
Reporter/Producer
ABC News/GMA Digital
Rachel Scott is an Emmy-award winning journalist at ABC News, where she produces and reports across all platforms including digital, radio and the broadcast. Rachel traveled the country covering the 2018 midterm election and produced a series for Good Morning America’s digital platform highlighting first-time female candidates. She received her first Daytime Emmy award this year as a digital producer for Good Morning America and is also the recipient of Edward R. Murrow award for Overall Excellence in Television and Overall Excellence in Radio. Prior to joining ABC News, Rachel worked at KCBS/KCAL9 News in Los Angeles.
Friday Breakout Session Speakers:
Morning Breakout Sessions
“Transforming Breast Cancer Care at the USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience”
Andrea Armani
Ray Irani Chair in Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
USC Viterbi School of Engineering
Jeremy Mason MS ’10, PhD ‘13
Assistant Professor of Research Urology
Keck School of Medicine
Cristina Zavaleta“Women Making Waves in Media”
Monica Alba ’09
White House Producer
NBC News
Christina Bellantoni
Professor of Professional Practice, Director of the Annenberg Media Center
USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
Michelle Russo MA ’94
Chief Communications Officer
Udeitha Srimushnam MCG ’13
Founder and Chief Practitioner
CommonGround Communications
“Sexual Harassment Law and its Impact in the 21st Century”
Alison Dundes Renteln JD ’91
Professor of Political Science Anthropology, Public Policy, and Law
USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
“Own your Worth”
Kathleen A. Burns ’83, CFP®, CRPC®
Wealth Advisor
Senior Vice President – Financial Advisor
UBS Financial Services Inc.
Leslie H. Chang, CFP MBA ’05
Director, Assistant Market Head
UBS Financial Services Inc, Los Angeles Market
Carey Shuffman
Manager, Women’s Segment
UBS Strategic Client Segments, Client Strategy Office (CSO)
“Rising Up: Elevating Women in Leadership”
Karen Dahut MS ’88
Executive Vice President
Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
Alyson Kil ’10, MD ’14
Physician
United States Army
Department of Defense
“The Radical Act of Self-Care”
T Morgan Dixon ’99
Founder and CEO
GirlTrek
Vanessa Garrison
Co-Founder and COO
GirlTrek
Hafeezah Ausar ’99
Natural Health and Wellness Advocate
Closing Program Speakers:
Jaime Lee ’06, JD ’09
Symone D. Sanders
CNN Commentator
Former National Press Secretary, Bernie Sanders Presidential Campaign Strategist
USC Center for the Political Future Fellow
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About USC Women’s Conference
The USC Women’s Conference is held in March during International Women’s Month and brings together women of all ages and backgrounds—alumnae, parents, students and friends—for a day of programs and activities designed to inspire and empower them to create positive change in their personal lives, their communities and the world.
Be sure to follow us on and join the #USCWC #USCWCxDC conversation.
