On Friday, March 3, 2023, hundreds of alums, supporters, parents, friends and staff attended our annual USC Women’s Conference on University Park Campus. It was one of our most exciting conferences yet, and we are deeply grateful to our extraordinary speakers for sharing their insights, experience and expertise with us this year.

If you were unable to join us, please check out our social media posts, as well as our virtual program book, for more information about this year’s conference and our speakers:

@USCWomensConference #USCWC

Thank you for attending the 2023 USC Women’s Conference!

In case you missed it, you can view our virtual program book using the link below. We can’t wait to see you next year!

Virtual Program

Thursday, March 2, 2023
6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Enjoy a VIP networking reception at the Coliseum’s 1923 Club. Network with fellow attendees, enjoy an exclusive tasting of Celaya Tequila, and attend a panel discussion on women in sports:

Game Changers: Recognizing the Impact of Women in Sports

Hear from agents of change in the sports industry, who have leveraged their unique stories to open doors for women in sports.

	Amelia Brodka ’12 Olympic Skateboarder and Co-Founder/President, Exposure Skate Amelia Brodka is a Polish American professional skateboarder, coach and the co- founder/president of Exposure Skate (EXPOSURE®), a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women, trans and non-binary individuals through skateboarding. Since its founding in 2012, EXPOSURE® has expanded to include Skate Rising, a youth empowerment program that hosts monthly service projects for girls 4 – 18. In 2021, EXPOSURE® introduced a college scholarship program for female-identifying skateboarders. That same year, Brodka, a two-time European Park Skateboarding Champion, represented Poland in the inaugural women’s park skateboarding competition at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. She earned dual degrees from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
	Tasha Danvers ’02 British Olympic Bronze Medalist and Public Speaker Tasha Danvers is a two-time Olympic track & field athlete who won the bronze medal, representing Great Britain, in the women’s 400-meter hurdles final at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Danvers is also an international speaker, author and mentor, as well as a success coach for private and corporate clients, and a keynote presenter for such brands as Coca-Cola and Linkedin. A USC Thornton School of Music alum, she is currently pursuing a doctorate in holistic life counseling.
	Charlotte Gibson Associate Editor of Voices and Features, ESPN’s Digital Storytelling Group and espnW Charlotte Gibson is the associate editor of voices and features for ESPN’s Digital Storytelling Group and espnW—a global multiplatform brand dedicated to engaging and inspiring women through sports. In this position, she writes and edits as-told-to essays, columns, features and multimedia packages. By focusing on rising stars in women’s sports, Gibson wants to shine a light on today’s gamechangers and trailblazers. She previously worked as a reporter/researcher for ESPN The Magazine until its final print production in 2019. A former college athlete, Gibson played NCAA golf for her alma mater, University of California, Santa Cruz.
	Erin Coscarelli ’06 (moderator) Veteran Sportscaster and On-Host Erin Coscarelli is a veteran sportscaster who most recently served as the on-air host for the Las Vegas Raiders. She previously worked for the NFL Network as a host of two programs, NFL HQ and Fantasy and Friends. In addition, Coscarelli served as a commentator on ABC’s The Ultimate Surfer, a surfing competition series created by surfing legend Kelly Slater. Coscarelli began her career as sideline reporter for many sports networks, including Fox Sports West, the Pac-12 Network and the NBC Sports Network. She also reported for ESPN where she covered the World Series of Poker and the Summer X Games. A Los Angeles native, Coscarelli is a USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism alum.

Friday, March 3, 2023

USC Women’s Conference: University Park Campus

8:30–9:30 a.m.

Registration and Continental Breakfast (Alumni Park)

9:40 a.m.

Morning Mainstage Program (Bovard Auditorium)
Welcome

Nadine Watt MA ’94
President, USC Alumni Association Board of Governors

9:45–10:25 a.m.

Knocking Down Barriers and Empowering Our Future (Bovard Auditorium)
Join USC President Carol L. Folt and USC Trustee Carmen Nava for a discussion, moderated by USC School of Dramatic Arts Dean Emily Roxworthy, as they reflect on how they have knocked down barriers, the importance of inclusive leadership, and how we can empower our future.

	Carol L. Folt President, University of Southern California Dr. Carol L. Folt is a highly experienced leader, internationally recognized life scientist and award-winning teacher. In leading USC, Dr. Folt brings broad executive and leadership experience across the academy, including arts and sciences, professional schools and academic medicine. Throughout her career, she has earned a reputation for always placing students at the center, advancing academic excellence and innovation, setting ambitious goals, prioritizing shared governance and focusing on the future.
	Carmen Nava ’84 Member, USC Board of Trustees Carmen Nava was appointed to the USC Board of Trustees in December 2016. She currently chairs the board’s Nominating & Governance Committee and serves on both the Executive and Finance committees. A retired AT&T executive, Nava held a variety of leadership roles in customer service, operations, human resources and marketing during her 33-year tenure at the multinational telecommunications company. Nava is also a member of the USC Marshall School of Business Board of Councilors and the USC Latino Alumni Association Corporate Advisory Board, and previously served on the USC Alumni Association (USCAA) Board of Governors. A Los Angeles native and USC Marshall alum, Nava received the USCAA’s Alumni Merit Award in 2018.
	Emily Roxworthy (Moderator) Dean, USC School of Dramatic Arts Emily Roxworthy was named dean of the USC School of Dramatic Arts in 2021. She joined USC from the University of California, San Diego, where she served as associate dean of the university’s Graduate Division, associate vice chancellor of faculty diversity & equity, and provost of Earl Warren College. A scholar-artist with degrees in theatre arts, literature and performance studies, Dean Roxworthy is the founder and artistic director of Workplace Interactive Theatre, which offers diversity training for all chairs and deans on the ten University of California campuses, using documentary theatre-based improvisational workshops.

10:25–10:35 a.m.

Wellness Break (Bovard Auditorium)
Get moving with Danielle as she leads us through a wellness exercise!

Danielle Gray ’14
Founder and Owner, Train Like a Gymnast
Danielle Gray is the founder and owner of Train Like a Gymnast, which helps formerly competitive athletes boost their confidence and reduce stress and anxiety through physical and mental conditioning. In addition, the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism alum is a Wilhelmina fitness model, speaker and certified personal trainer who specializes in bodyweight training, nutrition, kettlebells and pre- and post-natal exercise.

10:35–11:15 a.m.

Women’s Health and Our Futures (Bovard Auditorium)
Join First Partner of California Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California Surgeon General Diana Ramos and Keck School of Medicine of USC Dean Carolyn Meltzer to discuss some of the pressing health issues impacting women today—including mental health, reproductive rights, equity and more. The panelists will not shy away from discussing obstacles and challenges we must work together to overcome, but they will also uplift solutions and seek to provide hope and healing for all.

	Carolyn C. Meltzer MD Dean, Keck School of Medicine of USC May S. and John H. Hooval Dean’s Chair in Medicine Professor of Radiology Carolyn Meltzer began her appointment as dean of the Keck School of Medicine of USC on March 1, 2022. She is also the holder of the John and May Hooval Dean’s Chair in Medicine and a professor of radiology. As dean, Meltzer oversees the operations and academic affairs of the Keck School of Medicine, which is home to 26 basic and clinical academic programs and 16 major research institutes. She is an expert in neuroradiology and nuclear medicine and has conducted research to understand the brain’s structure and function during normal aging, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and psychiatric disorders in later life. In addition, Meltzer specializes in cancer imaging and has subspecialty certification in neuroradiology with advanced training in PET imaging.
	Jennifer Siebel Newsom First Partner of California, Award-Winning Documentary Filmmaker and Gender Equality Advocate Jennifer Siebel Newsom is the First Partner of California, an award-winning filmmaker, and an influential advocate and thought leader on gender equality. As First Partner, Jennifer is a voice and partner to working moms and families throughout the state and committed to creating a California for ALL Women and California for ALL Kids. Through her California for ALL Kids campaign, she champions initiatives to support children’s mental and physical health, as well as provide families with the tools to build a solid learning foundation. And through her California for ALL Women campaign she’s making strides to build economic equity, equal representation, and advance a family-first agenda. Jennifer serves as honorary chair of the California Volunteers Commission and co-chair of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-Being. She graduated with honors from Stanford University and Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. Jennifer is married to Governor Gavin Newsom and the mother of their four young children.
	Diana Ramos ’88, MD ’94 California Surgeon General Diana Ramos was appointed California’s surgeon general in August 2022. In this position, she serves as the key spokesperson on public health issues throughout the state and advises the governor on efforts to address health risks and challenges as effectively and early as possible. Dedicated to improving health care quality and equity, she previously served as the California Department of Public Health’s assistant deputy director of chronic disease prevention. In addition, Ramos is the secretary of the National Hispanic Medical Association Executive Board and co-chair of the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative Implementation Committee. A double USC alum, she received her undergraduate and medical degrees from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and the Keck School of Medicine of USC, respectively.
	Raquel Arias MD ’82 (moderator) Associate Dean for Educational Affairs (Special Projects), Keck School of Medicine of USC Raquel Arias is the associate dean for educational affairs (special projects) and the admissions committee chair for the Keck School of Medicine of USC. In addition, she holds two faculty appointments: professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at the Keck School of Medicine, and clinical associate professor of gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. Arias is a consultant on policy matters at the national, state and local levels in matters that relate to women’s reproductive health, as well as healthy aging. Her work has earned her recognition by U.S. House of Representatives, the California Legislature and the County of Los Angeles. Arias is a Keck School alum.

11:30–12:15 p.m.

Breakout Session I (Various Locations)

The Business of Beauty: Women Entrepreneurs Transforming the Industry

Although women are the largest consumers of beauty products, they only represent 29% of the executive leadership in the beauty industry. Hear from three beauty industry entrepreneurs who will share what beauty means to them, the challenges they’ve faced as entrepreneurs, and how the industry can continue to be more inclusive.

	Le’Marqunita Lowe MAT ’12 Founder and CEO, Black and Cremè Le’Marqunita Lowe is the founder and CEO of Black and Cremè, a sustainable fashion boutique; the editor of LDL Magazine, a print and digital publication that celebrates entrepreneurs, artists, small businesses and community organizations; and the founder of Mercury III, a plant-based cosmetics company. In addition to being an entrepreneur, Lowe is an author and educator currently pursuing a PhD in interdisciplinary studies at Union Institute & University. Over the years, she competed in various pageants, and was named Miss Elite Earth California 2016, Miss Black USC Ambassador 2014 and Miss Palo Alto 2014. Lowe is a USC Rossier School of Education alum.
	Dorian Morris Founder and CEO, Undefined Inc Dorian Morris is the founder and CEO of Undefined Inc, a clean, conscious, inclusive lifestyle brand focused on democratizing beauty & wellness and demystifying plant magic. Pairing clinically proven actives with plant-based ingredients, Undefined’s R&R Collection of skincare products helps “reset & replenish” the skin barrier. Morris launched the company in 2018, guided by the principles of Conscious Capitalism. To that end, she strategically partners with small businesses founded by women, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs across her supply chain. Prior to founding Undefined, Morris held leadership positions in a number of companies, including COVERGIRL® and Kendo Brands. She began her career in Macy’s buying office, where she gained invaluable experience in merchandising and portfolio management.
	Dana Ward ’05 Founder and President, Barefoot Scientist Dana Ward is the founder and president of Barefoot Scientist, a line of premium, scientifically advanced foot-care products. An entrepreneur at heart, Ward leads product development and oversees marketing and branding for the company’s products, which are sold at such retailers as Anthropologie, Costco, Thirteen Lune and Ulta Beauty. Prior to launching Barefoot Scientist, Ward invented PreHeels+ blister-prevention spray, which became a viral sensation. A USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism alum, Ward previously worked as an on-air host and executive producer for Clevver Media, the largest entertainment news outlet on YouTube, garnering 150-million video views per month.
	Alexis Jeffries MBA ’17 (Moderator) Head of Business Product Marketing, Glassdoor Alexis Jeffries is the head of business product marketing at Glassdoor, where she leads the company’s efforts on employer branding and employee experience. Before joining Glassdoor, she served as a business product marketing lead in Meta’s Ads Division; a strategy consultant at Accenture; an advertising executive at OMD and Wunderman Thompson; and as personal finance journalist at Money Magazine. Jeffries is also an angel investor, startup advisor and adjunct professor at the USC Marshall School of Business, where she earned her MBA. She also holds degrees from Northwestern University and the American University of Paris.

Staying Ahead of the Curve: Positioning Yourself for Career Advancement

Hear from two experts on how you can position yourself for success. Raquel will discuss the emerging technologies that will change our world and careers in the next 10 years and how we can use them to our advantage. Tensie will share strategies for overcoming barriers and breaking into the C-suite.

Raquel Buscaino ’18
Emerging Tech & Foresight Lead – Novel & Exponential Technologies, Deloitte Consulting
Raquel Buscaino is the emerging technology & foresight lead on Deloitte Consulting’s Novel & Exponential Technologies (NExT) team, where she and her team sense, and make sense of, emerging technologies that are 10+ years from widespread business impact. From brain-computer interfaces and synthetic biology to space exploration and the wild west of NFTs, Buscaino and her team aim to distill signal from noise, value from hype and profitable actions from ambiguous concepts. Buscaino is a USC Marshall School of Business alum.

Tensie Taylor ME ’14
Consultant, Lindauer
Tensie Taylor is a consultant for Lindauer, the premier global nonprofit executive search firm, serving the fields of education, health, advocacy and more. Prior to joining Lindauer, Taylor worked for seven years at the USC Black Alumni Association, where she planned and managed a wide range of programming and events to engage the university’s Black alumni and provide scholarship assistance for deserving students. She also established partnerships with alumni, celebrities and community leaders to serve as both mentors and volunteers. In recognition of her exemplary work, Taylor received the USC Alumni Association’s Volunteer Friend of the Year Award in 2020. She is a USC Rossier School of Education alum.

How Our Stories Can Help Create Spaces of Belonging

Vanessa will explore the perils of implicit biases and offer practical solutions for how to combat them. Drawing on her lived experience as a white-presenting Latinx womxn, she will share personal stories to showcase how damaging assumptions can be.

Vanessa Vancour ’06
Founder, Vancourage
Vanessa Vancour is the founder of Vancourage, a bilingual strategic storytelling firm for brands, organizations and professionals who are deeply committed to amplifying diverse voices and doing things differently. Vancour and her team draw upon their backgrounds in journalism, strategic communications and digital marketing to create content that reflects their clients’ values and inspires equitable change. She is a USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism alum.

The Climate Crisis Is a Health Crisis: A Call to Action

The climate crisis is a health crisis, both of which are deeply affected by inequity. The intersections among climate, health, and equity will be highlighted, and the audience will be empowered to spearhead personal and systems-level changes to reach the necessary solutions to protect us all.

Shuinn Chang ’07
Nurse Practitioner and Owner of Kobu Inc.
Shuinn Chang is a family nurse practitioner and the owner of Kobu Inc., an executive management consulting firm specializing in operationalizing managed care, population health and digital healthcare solutions. She serves on the leadership team of Climate Health Now, a California-based climate health and equity advocacy organization. In 2022, the Cambridge Health Alliance named Chang a CHEEA Climate Health Organizing Fellow. She is a Keck School of Medicine of USC alum.

Brenda Nuyen ’09
Ophthalmologist and Climate Health Now Board Member
Brenda Nuyen is a comprehensive ophthalmologist and member of the transitional leadership team of Climate Health Now, a nonprofit organization that galvanizes the California health community to advocate for systems-level climate action to protect health. She also serves on the editorial board of EyeSustain, a global coalition of eye societies and ophthalmologists collaborating to make ophthalmic care and surgery more sustainable. Nuyen is a USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences alum.

Cracking the Code on Professional Growth

Learn how our panelists have harnessed technology to create platforms that support mentorship and friendship in the workplace, while also providing unbiased feedback to employees.

	Ingrid Eskeland-Adetuyi MS ’22 Founder and CEO, Tens Social Ingrid Eskeland-Adetuyi is the founder and CEO of Tens Social, a mobile app designed to help ambitious women meet and form life-changing friendships. A screenwriter turned tech founder, she drew upon her unhappy experience working in the male-dominated entertainment industry to create Tens Social while attending the USC Iovine and Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation. In the fall of 2022, Tens Social was accepted in the USC Marshall Greif Incubator, which accelerates the development of USC’s entrepreneurs through experiential education, mentorship and community.
	Shirin Nikaein ’08, MS ’10 Co-Founder and CEO, Upful.ai Shirin Nikaein is the co-founder & CEO of Upful.ai, software that uses behavioral science to coach people to provide employee performance feedback/reviews that are meaningful and inclusive. Nikaein previously led engineering, analytics and product management for many tech companies; her fraud-fighting artificial intelligence products have been used by such companies as Google, Facebook, Microsoft, UPS and Tinder. Nikaein is the first person in her family to be born in the United States and attend college. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, as well as an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
	Ashima Sharma ’14 Founder and CEO, Dreami Ashima Sharma is the founder and CEO of Dreami, a mentorship platform dedicated to making mentorship and sponsorship scalable and accessible. Sharma began her career as a chemical engineer, managing multi-million-dollar capital projects at Chevron. She then switched gears to work in the tech industry, first at Cisco, where she managed corporate strategy, and later at Zendesk, where she led a product strategy team. For her work with Dreami, Sharma has been recognized by Techstars, Pivotal Ventures, Nasdaq Milestone Makers, Microsoft’s M12 SaaS Launch Lab, Girls in Tech and other companies. She is a USC Viterbi School of Engineering alum.
	Lori Shreve Blake ’88 (moderator) Senior Director of Career Engagement, USC Career Center Lori Shreve Blake is the senior director of career engagement at the USC Career Center, where she oversees comprehensive career services for hundreds of thousands of USC students and alumni. Over the course of her career, she has established career programs for university and government organizations, and also led academic affairs and university administration programs for active-duty military and veteran students in Europe. A recognized career expert, Blake often speaks at regional and national professional association conferences and corporate career events. She regularly contributes to print, radio and television media outlets, most notably the CBS Radio Wall Street Journal series Money 101 with Bob McCormick. Blake is a USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences alum.

Disrupt Your DEI: Developing DEI from a Purpose

In this session, participants will discover why successful diversity, equity and inclusion efforts must have a clear vision for the future and be connected to their roots in civil rights movements of the past. Recognize why successful DEI leaders need tools and support to advance and sustain DEI.

Chrysta Wilson ’02, MPA ’04
CEO and Senior Consultant, Wilson and Associates Coaching and Consulting
Chrysta Wilson is the CEO and senior consultant of Wilson and Associates Coaching and Consulting, a Black-owned, woman-led firm that partners with purpose-driven people who want to create racial equity and social change. A double USC Sol Price School of Public Policy alum, Wilson helps clients build skills and systems that advance diversity, equity and inclusion and create conditions where everyone thrives. In addition to working as a coach and consultant, Wilson is a pastry chef known for her Bundt cakes and classic Southern desserts.

What Makes a Successful Content Creator

What does the modern creator economy look like? How can we support creators as they go from college grad to internet star to business owner? How might we ensure a future where creators are seen as collaborators who hold equity in the success their content generates?

Gigi Robinson ’20 MS ’22
Founder and Chief Content Officer/CEO, It’s Gigi LLC
Gigi Robinson is the founder, chief content officer and CEO of It’s Gigi LLC. The New York native is a health advocate, photographer, model and influencer who’s amassed thousands of Instagram followers by speaking candidly about body confidence, mental health and chronic illness. Social advocacy is at the nucleus of her platform and giving back is an intrinsic fiber woven into her thriving business model, which also includes the podcast Everything You Need Is Within. A double USC alumna, Robinson earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the USC Roski School of Art and Design and the USC Iovine and Young Academy, respectively.

Seizing Success, Shattering Barriers and Amplifying Voices

Learn valuable insights for shattering professional and personal barriers and helping others find their voices so they too can empower fellow change agents.

	Archana (Archie) Chattha ’97 Partner and Vice President, VSC Archana (Archie) Chattha is a partner and vice president at VSC, a public relations, content marketing and multimedia firm that accelerates brands into vertical market leaders. In this position, Chattha focuses on enhancing VSC’s ecosystem of partners, venture capitalists, influencers and clients through signature events. Her career began at Sony Music, where she quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the youngest vice presidents in the company’s history. As Sony Music’s vice president of brand marketing & development, Chattha created iconic experiences that ran the gamut from live music events to film premieres. She is a USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism alum.
	Caroline Leach MA ’95 Executive Coach and Founder, The Carrelle Company Caroline Leach is an executive coach and the founder of The Carrelle Company, which provides digital branding for professional seekers working to advance their careers and business owners eager to grow their organizations. Prior to founding her own company in 2018, Leach was vice president of marketing at AT&T, where she implemented a gender-equality measure and an inclusion playbook for content creators. A USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism alum, she currently teaches media studies at the school.
	Adelaida Velasco Severson ’87 President, CEO and Co-Founder, Bushtex, Inc. Adelaida Velasco Severson is the president, CEO and co-founder of Bushtex, Inc., a satellite communications firm specializing in remote broadcast transmissions worldwide. Since its founding in 1994, the company’s sales and visibility have grown dramatically, due in large part to Severson, who became more involved with its marketing and operations in 2003. Today, Bushtex customers range from television networks that need to broadcast sporting and news events from around the world, to corporations wanting to set up teleconferences, to government agencies that need to communicate via satellite. In recognition of her accomplishments, Ernst & Young named Severson an Entrepreneur of the Year® 2022 Pacific Southwest Award winner. She earned dual degrees from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

12:30–1:45 p.m.

Networking Lunch (Alumni Park)

2:00–2:45 p.m.

Breakout Session II (Various Locations)

Life Is What You Bake It

Vallery Lomas will chronicle her eight-year journey from attorney to full-time social media influencer, TV personality and cookbook author—while focusing on the hardships that she faced and how she overcame them.

Vallery Lomas ’07, JD ’10
Author, Life Is What You Bake It / Winner, The Great American Baking Show (Season 3)
Vallery Lomas is the author of the cookbook, Life Is What You Bake It, which the Boston Globe, the Washington Post and the Food Network named one of the best of 2021. She wrote the book after winning the third season of the popular television series, The Great American Baking Show, in 2018. A former lawyer, Lomas shares her recipes with followers on Instagram (@FoodieinNewYork) and YouTube. She also writes a column for the Wall Street Journal, “The Bakeaway,” and is a <em contributor. She earned her undergraduate degree from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and her law degree from the USC Gould School of Law.

Resilience in the Boardroom: Building Your Executive Presence

To this day, women are still largely underrepresented in the boardroom. Progress remains gradual and women often face barriers to taking leadership roles. In this session, four Trojans will share how they have built resilience to navigate obstacles, and how we can inspire others to do the same.

	Jessica Lall ’06 Managing Director, CBRE Jessica Lall is the managing director of the Los Angeles office of CBRE (Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis), the global commercial real estate services and investment firm. Prior to joining CBRE, she served as the CEO of the Central City Association. In this position, she oversaw downtown L.A.’s premier advocacy organization, which works to bridge the gap between the public and private sectors to improve the quality of life for residents and attract businesses and institutions. A longtime community leader, Lall is dedicated to increasing civic engagement, improving access to mental healthcare and solving the Los Angeles region’s housing and homelessness crises. She currently serves on the L.A. Homeless Services Authority Commission and the L.A. Tourism & Convention Board. Lall is a USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences alum.
	Jamie Lee ’10 Vice President of eCommerce, Vital Proteins Jamie Lee is vice president of eCommerce for Vital Proteins, a producer of collagen-based health supplements. In this position, the self-described “intrapreneur” leads the company’s global ecommerce initiatives and oversees its digital business, project management, analytics, product/engineering/user experience, digital marketing and omni-channel teams. Lee is also a member of Chief, a private network built to drive more women into positions of power and keep them there. She is a USC Marshall School of Business alum.
	Christina Pascucci ’07 Anchor and Reporter, Fox 11 Christina Pascucci is an Emmy Award-winning anchor and reporter for Fox 11 in Los Angeles. From interviewing the world’s spiritual and political leaders, to reporting from war zones, to exposing and prompting change of corrupt policies, she has traveled to more than 100 countries and all seven continents in pursuit of stories. Her greatest passion, however, is telling the stories of her hometown: Los Angeles. For more than a decade, Pascucci has covered breaking news and done investigative reporting that led the Los Angeles Press Club to name her “Journalist of the Year” in 2020. She earned undergraduate degrees from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, the USC Marshall School of Business and the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
	Elizabeth Penniman ’85 Vice President of Communications, American Red Cross Elizabeth Penniman has served as the vice president of communications for the American Red Cross for nearly 8 years. In this position, she currently leads all external and internal communications at the nonprofit, managing a team of 35, and has consistently exceeded year-over-year metrics for social and traditional media volume, engagement and sentiment. She oversees crisis and reputation communications and shares the Red Cross story across multiple platforms to reach internal, local, national and global audiences. Under her leadership, the American Red Cross has led in reputation and trust rankings among other peer nonprofit organizations. Over the course of her career, Penniman has received several competitive creative and civil service awards, including the PRNews Awards for “Crisis Management” and “Non-Profit Team of the Year.” She is a USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences alum.

Leading Through Allyship

Join a discussion on best practices for being a good ally in diverse spaces and how to recruit others to support our cause.

Mimi Shih ’12
Financial Advisor, UBS Private Wealth Management
Mimi Shih is a financial advisor at UBS Private Wealth Management. In this position, she focuses on international wealth management, specializing in sustainable and impact investing analytics in portfolio construction and management. A passionate supporter of diversity and inclusion initiatives, Shih serves on the advisory council of Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA), an organization that supports LGBTQ+ business students and alumni; in 2018, she was named a ROMBA Fellow. Fluent in Mandarin, Shih is a USC Marshall School of Business alum.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun: Preparing for Retirement

Are you about to retire, and want to make sure you can still have fun? Learn financial best practices at this interactive session.

Kathleen Campos ’83
Senior Vice President, Morgan Stanley
Kathleen Campos is a senior vice president in wealth management at Morgan Stanley in Pasadena. A certified financial planner and chartered retirement planning counselor with decades of experience, she is a USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences alum with a master’s degree in international finance from Boston University. The philanthropic research group Forbes/Shook named Campos one of its “Best in State Wealth Advisors” (2021) and one of the nation’s “Top Women Wealth Advisors” (2020), and Working Mother magazine named her one of its 2020 “Top Wealth Advisor Moms.”

Living Better and Longer Through Intergenerational Friendships

Ageism, especially when internalized, impacts our health, shortening our lives by up to 8 years. The WHO reports that intergenerational friendships are a way to reduce ageism. This presentation will discuss how our health, careers and relationships all depend on us embracing age diversity and inclusion in our lives.

Amy Yotopoulos MSMHA ’99
President and CEO, Avenidas
Amy Yotopoulos is the president and CEO of Avenidas, a Silicon Valley-based health and social services agency for older adults. An experienced advisor and innovator in aging, longevity and caregiving, she previously served as the senior manager of Stanford Health Care’s Caregiver Center, where she designed and implemented support and programming and led a multidisciplinary team to define and develop the center’s services. Yotopoulos is a USC Davis School of Gerontology alum.

Holistic Mentorship: How to Fuel the Next Generation

Learn from a mentor and mentees as they share the benefits of holistic mentorship in cultivating the next generation.

	Elizabeth Atlee JD ’93 Senior Vice President, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer, CBRE Elizabeth Atlee is the senior vice president and chief ethics and compliance officer for CBRE (Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis), a global leader in commercial real estate services and investment. She oversees the company’s efforts to encourage employees, vendors and stakeholders to comply with CBRE’s Standards of Business Conduct and RISE (Respect, Integrity, Service and Excellence) values. The most senior Latina at CBRE, Atlee is an executive sponsor of the company’s Hispanic Employee Resources Group. She is a USC Gould School of Law alum.
	Natalie Briones Student, USC Gould School of Law Natalie Briones is a first-year law student at the USC Gould School of Law and a USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences alum. While pursuing her undergraduate degree in political science, she served on the executive boards of the Latinx Business Student Association and the Society of Women in Law, and interned with an international law firm in China as a USC Global Fellow. Briones also worked as a student assistant at the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy, where she researched political reforms and voting rights.
	Patricia Guerrero Student, USC Gould School of Law Patricia Guerrero is a second-year law student at the USC Gould School of Law who grew up in South Central Los Angeles. After graduating from Yale University with a degree in the history of science, medicine and public health, she served as a paralegal in New York City, where she gained valuable experience working on civil and criminal cases. Although Guerrero has not decided on a legal specialty, she plans to continue working pro bono on immigration matters for her Latinx community.

A New Leadership Ladder: Women and Organizations Rising Together

When it comes to the gender gap, it’s no longer enough to ask women to “lean in” and level up their skills. Based on 200 hours of interviews with women leaders across the globe, this presentation will illuminate what is needed to help women rise, even in male-dominated professions.

Carol Geffner MPA ’78
Founder and President, CB Vision, LLC
Carol Geffner is the founder and president of CB Vision, LLC, a firm that helps domestic and global CEOs, executive teams and senior leaders identify, examine and solve complex strategy, culture and leadership issues that are impacting performance. An experienced global consultant and coach, she served as a professor of governance, management and policy at her alma mater, the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, for nearly seven years. During this time, Geffner also served as the director of USC Price’s Executive Master of Leadership program. Her latest book, Building a New Leadership Ladder: Transforming Male-Dominated Organizations to Support Women on the Rise, was just published.

The Historic $84 Trillion Generational Transfer of Wealth is Upon Us: Navigating the Opportunities and Challenges

We are in the midst of a historic generational transfer of wealth. According to a Bank of America study published last fall, $84 trillion is expected to pass from baby boomers to Gen Xers and millennials through 2045. Of that $84 trillion, $73 trillion will go to heirs and $12 trillion to charitable organizations. In this session, our speakers will cover the challenges and opportunities Americans face in building their wealth and passing it to the next generation, while also highlighting key data from Bank of America’s 2022 study of wealthy Americans.

Barbara Bagley CFA
Managing Director and Market Investment Executive for Greater Los Angeles,
Bank of America Private Bank
Barbara Bagley is a managing director and market investment executive for Greater Los Angeles at Bank of America Private Bank. In this role, she is responsible for a team of portfolio managers, overseeing their creation and management of personalized investment portfolios incorporating a broad range of advice and guidance, as well as financial planning and wealth strategy. This includes helping clients establish goals and objectives, developing an appropriate overall strategy, creating and managing strategies and helping clients monitor progress toward their goals. In addition, she helps clients navigate changing market environments by providing guidance on asset allocation, tax-minimization strategies, retirement and multi-generational planning strategies. Bagley is also responsible for helping the market meet its investment-related goals and oversight of the overall client investment experience.

Rosemary Ringwald
Managing Director and Wealth Strategies Advisor, Bank of America Private Bank
Rosemary Ringwald is a managing director and wealth strategies advisor for Bank of America Private Bank in Los Angeles. A seasoned professional with more than two decades of experience, she has a unique perspective on clients’ art and collectible needs, due to her background in law and public accounting. Committed to providing art collectors, artists, dealers and investors with timely analysis, strategic advice, and guidance, Ringwald can address the various financial and estate planning issues that arise when collections are sold, gifted or donated to charity. She works closely with high-net-worth individuals and families across the country to develop integrated financial strategies that unlock the capital in their collections, incorporate art and collectibles into their estate plans, and navigate the complexities of the art world.

Afternoon Mainstage Program (Bovard Auditorium)

3:00–3:10 p.m.

Wellness Break (Bovard Auditorium)

Get moving with Danielle as she leads us through a wellness exercise!

3:10–3:55 p.m.

Closing Presentations (Bovard Auditorium)
Hear from three powerful changemakers who will inspire you to make a positive difference.

The Feminist Movement’s Next Wave
In the United States, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 2 Black women have an incarcerated loved one. What if this startling human rights crisis also held the solution to gender injustice? Learn how we can build our communities to be safer and drive social change by following the leadership of women with incarcerated loved ones.

Gina Clayton-Johnson ’05
Founder and Executive Director, Essie Justice Group
Gina Clayton-Johnson is the founder and executive director of Essie Justice Group, the nation’s leading advocacy organization for women with incarcerated loved ones. She is also a central architect of the BREATHE Act, the largest piece of federal legislation delivered by a social movement to the U.S. Congress. For more than 15 years, Clayton-Johnson has been an advocate for Black communities, serving as an organizer, attorney and activist. During her tenure as a public defense attorney, she specialized in representing low-income women facing eviction because of a family member’s criminal record. Clayton-Johnson is a USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences alum.

You Won’t Break My Soul: A Love Story
This story is about life, leadership and love—a journey of transformation through the lens of a gay, black woman leading in the hypermasculine military and tech bro cultures. Be inspired to step toward agency, lead with humanity, create inclusive organizations and make a positive impact in the world.

Kristen Kavanaugh MSW ’12
Vice Chair, Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, U.S. Department of Defense
Kristen Kavanaugh is the vice chair of the U.S. Department of Defense’s inaugural Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion. This committee provides advice and recommendations on matters and policies relating to the improvement of racial/ethnic diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity within the department, with a primary focus on military personnel. A U.S. Naval Academy graduate and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Kavanaugh is a co-founder of the Military Acceptance Project (MAP), which helped lead to the military’s repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy regarding LGBTQ+ service members. She is a USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work alum.

Make Taste, Not Waste! Shaking Up the Food Industry with Upcycled Snacks
The United States wastes up to 40% of its annual food supply, with a devastating impact on climate change. The foods we waste most are exactly the foods we should be eating more of: fruits and vegetables. Discover how an alum is transforming upcycled ingredients into nutritious snacks to fight food waste.

Kaitlin Mogentale ’15
Founder, Pulp Pantry
Kaitlin Mogentale is a self-proclaimed food waste warrior and the founder of Pulp Pantry, which transforms upcycled ingredients—the overlooked, nutritional byproducts of fruit and vegetable processing—into wholesome snack staples. Her forward-thinking, upcycled products are currently sold in Whole Foods, Sprouts Farmers Market, Thrive Market and top natural retailers across the country. Mogentale is a USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences alum.

4:00–5:00 p.m.

Networking Reception

End the day with appetizers, Celaya Tequila handcrafted cocktails and a curated tasting in Alumni Park. Connect and network with alums you met during the day, and explore the Women’s Conference Marketplace!

We offer a variety of sponsorship opportunities. Learn more and sign up today!

The USC Alumni Association sincerely thanks the sponsors of the 2023 USC Women’s Conference:

Presenting Sponsor

Premier Partners

Trojan Sponsors

American Pacific Mortgage

USC Latino Alumni Association

USC Marshall School of Business

Cardinal Sponsors

Prominent Financial Group

USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association

USC Black Alumni Association

USC Career Center

USC Lambda LGBTQ+ Alumni Association

USC Viterbi School of Engineering

Carmen Herrera ’89

Entrepreneur and Former Corporate Executive

Carmen Herrera is an entrepreneur and CPA currently working on launching Vida for Vitality, a juice enterprise aimed at brain health, with a particular focus on underserved communities. Her corporate experience includes finance and operational roles with Fortune 500, international, start-up and Big Four public accounting companies. She began her career as an auditor at Ernst & Young LLP, and spent 19 years (beginning in 2001) at Sempra Energy. In 2007, she became the first Latina director at that firm. Herrera, who holds a BS in business administration from the USC Marshall School of Business, serves on the USC Alumni Association (USCAA) Board of Governors, and is past chair of the USC Latino Alumni Association Corporate Advisory Council. She volunteers at other nonprofits and charities, and enjoys various sports in her spare time.

Marissa Stahl ’12

Founder and CEO
Cherry Creative

Marissa Stahl is the founder and CEO of Cherry Creative, a Los Angeles-based digital marketing firm. She is also simultaneously pursuing a career in entertainment as an actor, director, producer and writer. Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, Stahl graduated from the USC School of Dramatic Arts with a BA in dramatic arts and a minor in communications and the entertainment industry. While at USC, she was a member of Alpha Lambda Delta honor society and served as vice president of education for the Kappa Alpha Theta fraternity. Stahl has served as chair of the USCAA’s Young Alumni Council, and is currently a member of the USCAA Board of Governors.

Amy Carter ’03

Paola Fernandez ’14, MPP ’19

Priya Kapoor ’93, MFT ’06

Cynthia Low ’98

Gitanjali Mohindra ’94

Stephanie Paggi ’74, MS ’77, EdD ’90

Deidre Strohm MPW ’96

Bryanna Wallace ’19

2022 USC Women’s Conference Clips

Welcome & University Greeting
Co-Chairs Karen Carr-Crawford MPA ’83 and Eva Iino welcome conference participants to kick off the 2022 USC Women's Conference.
What Leaders are Made Of
USC President Carol L. Folt and Willow Bay, Dean of USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, share their thoughts of modern leadership.
Sheroic Tales of Activism
USC’s Associate Senior Vice President for Alumni Relations Patrick E. Auerbach EdD ’08 introduces this panel discussion that includes Christopher Manning, Vice President, Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer; Sheryl Evans Davis EdD ’20, Executive Director, San Francisco Human Rights Commission; and Joanna Joyce Weiss JD ’97, Founder/President of WAVE (Women for American Values and Ethics).
Making Entertainment Diverse, Inclusive & All-Embracing
A panel discussion with Poppy Hanks ’95, Executive Vice President of Production and Development, MACRO; Leslie Lehr ’82, A Boob’s Life, Pegagus Books, HBO Max, Truby Writers Studio; Liza Pano ’90, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Distribution Services, Paramount Pictures; and Tiffany Everett ’02, Senior Marketing and PR Professional.

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