Harbus

Issue date: 2/4/08 Section: News

Through a variety of industry specific panel topics, conference attendees benefited by discussing potential career paths and job functions and expectations with successful women in asset management, healthcare, marketing, media and entertainment, private equity, technology, travel and hospitality real estate, retail, and venture capital.

Also compelling were panels that discussed broader issues affecting women in the professional world. The panel entitled, "Managing as a Woman: Navigating Life Cycles," featured women from companies as varied as Dow Jones and PepsiCo, discussing their leadership challenges and social pacts in the workplace, like recognizing that not every woman at work will befriend every other woman. "Women in Negotiations: Deal or No Deal" taught attendees tactics for making the most of negotiations, both personal and professional. And the "Power Couples" panel brought three couples together to discuss how to successfully navigate dual career paths.

With over 21 interesting and informative panel topics, the biggest problem of the day was deciding which panels to attend!

Friday night before the conference, speakers, panelists, sponsors and conference organizers joined together at a welcome dinner at the Fogg Museum of Art to kick-off conference activities. Highlighting the welcome dinner was a speech given by Donella Rapier, Chairman of the WSA Board of Directors and Chief Financial Officer of Partners in Health (a non-profit organization that provides medical care to the world's poorest communities through partnerships, training, advocacy and research). She challenged attendees to take the time at some point in their lives to visit a place where poverty is rampant and people are stricken by illness and disease. Her wish for the group was that "each person would feel like they had made a difference in his or her lifetime." In addition, a performance by Heard on the Street delighted dinner attendees, rounding out the already enjoyable evening.
The conference planning team, lead by Linda Soo (OB), felt the entire weekend was a great success. "I would like to thank everyone who came to experience the conference and everyone involved in making the conference an outstanding event. But most importantly I want to thank my Conference Planning Team for their outstanding efforts and energy during the long planning process." Her team of planners included Elizabeth Head (OD) - Vice President of Conference Marketing, Amy McGowan (OA) - Vice President of Conference Operations, Sonia Sahney (OA) - Vice President of Conference Speakers, and Marianne Yip (OB) - Vice President of Conference Sponsorships. The Conference Planning Team would like to thank all of those who were involved in making the conference successful. "We couldn't have done it without the panel chairs, the volunteers, the HBS faculty and the women and men who came and willingly shared their diverse experiences in life and business," said Elizabeth Head (OD).

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