We offer VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION FOR EVERYONE ($10) and IN-PERSON PARTICIPATION FOR HARVARD UNIVERSITY ID HOLDERS ($18) on campus at the Harvard Kennedy School. We are excited to announce that the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of our SPEAKERS will attend the conference IN-PERSON
WIPC 2022 Theme
Keynotes
Schedule Overview
Schedule Details
DAY 1, Saturday April 23
10.30 AM - CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS REGISTRATION (for in-person participants)
Main Courtyard
11 AM - KICKOFF BRUNCH & OPENING REMARKS
Main Courtyard
Come join us to kickoff the Women in Power Conference with a delicious brunch!
Opening remarks by KESSELY HONG - Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Faculty Chair of MPA Programs & WOMEN IN POWER CONFERENCE CO-CHAIRS
We will also be joined by an a cappella group - THE HARVARD CALLBACKS
12 PM - KEYNOTE PANEL
JFK Forum
Topic: Defying Odds
Speakers:
AUDREY P. MARKS - Jamaica’s thirteenth Ambassador to the United States of America and the Permanent Representative of Jamaica to the Organization of American States
MANASI JOSHI - Indian Para Badminton Player, Current World Champion and Changemaker
CONNIE SOPER - Vice President of Spaceships at Virgin Galactic
Moderator: MATTHEW MCNAUGTON - MC/MPA 2022
1 PM - STORYTELLING I
Wexner 434AB
Topic: We focus on all the incredible individuals of the Harvard Community and curate different deeply personal stories to shed light on potential sources of “Power Within.”
Speakers:
OUIDED BOUCHAMAOUI (MCMPA 2022) - How hard the climb to the top and reaching the pinnacle of glory were for a woman
REV. ERICA N. WILLIAMS (M.Div. 2022) - It's Time To Set It Off - Liberation for ALL Black Women
JESSELINA RANA (HLS LLM 2022) - Revolutionizing access to menstrual health products in Nepal
GILDA CORREIA (HKS Pantry Stewart) - Strong Woman.
JESSICA LEON (HKS MPA 2022 & MIT MBA 2021) - Building as we climb
Moderators: MONIQUE MOTTY & SARAHDJANE MORTIMER
1 PM - NEGOTIATION WORKSHOP
Wexner 436
Topic: Self-advocacy and Job Negotiation Strategies for Women, Allies and Leaders
Workshop leader: KESSELY HONG - Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Faculty Chair of MPA Programs
2 PM - KEYNOTE ADDRESS I
JFK Forum
DIANE VON FURSTENBERG - will share her path to becoming a world-renowned designer and where she finds her “Power Within”
3 PM - POWER WITHIN POLITICS
Wexner 436
Topic: Building and holding power within politics. Leaders share their experiences in campaigning, voting, governing, and protesting.
Speakers:
CHRISTINE CHEN - Co-Founder and Executive Director of Asian Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)
MAYA RUPERT - political strategist, writer, and Distinguished Fellow with Community Change; Campaign Manager of Maya Wiley’s NYC Mayoral and Julián Castro’s presidential campaign
TAMIKA D. MALLORY - Co-Founder of Until Freedom, Social Justice Leader and Movement Strategist
YULIN CRUZ - Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico (2013-2020), Weissman Fellow in Leadership, Weissman Center for Leadership, Mt. Holyoke College, WAPPP Leader in Practice and Hauser Leader, Center for Public Leadership
Moderator: TIAJI SIO - HKS MPA 2023
3 PM - POWER WITHIN DANCE I
Malkin Penthouse L-P-9
Topic: Sovereign Body: Dancing Our Power from the Inside Out
Workshop leader: ERICA JOOS - Ed. M. Candidate Harvard University
4 PM - W3D PANEL - co-hosted by W3D and the Belfer Center
JFK Forum
Topic: Defending Democracy: How We Build A More Resilient Nation
Speakers:
VALERIE COFIELD (she/her) - Chief Strategy Officer of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
ARYA HARIHARAN - Chief Oversight Counsel at House Judiciary Committee, U.S. House of Representatives
Moderator: KORDE INNISS - HKS MPA 2023
4 PM - STORYTELLING II
Wexner 434
Topic: We focus on all the incredible individuals of the Harvard Community and curate different deeply personal stories to shed light on potential sources of “Power Within.”
Speakers:
ALEXANDRA RIGOBON (MPA 2023) - What does it mean to be brave? A personal study in how courage has evolved with time
MILAIN FAYULU (MIT) - Leverage the power of fashion to shine a spotlight on the issue of rape in war and to provide economic opportunities
SAPNA SALEEM (Ed.M 2022) - Finding power through times of grief
DARYS ESTRELLA (MC/MPA 2022) - How to break the Glass Ceiling
BRANDON MCGHEE (MPP 2023) - Empowering Black women, intersectionality, feminism, and centering Black women within our movement towards equity
Moderator: KAYLA WAYSOME & EMMA SPRAGUE
5 PM - WORKSHOP: CLAIMING YOUR FUTURE FROM MANIFESTATION TO REALITY
Bell Hall B-500
Speaker: RAIE GESSESSE - HKS MPP 2023
5 PM - SEX POSITIVITY & TOY WORKSHOP
NYE ABC
A workshop hosted my Good Vibrations exploring the themes of Sex Positivity and vocalizing desire. This workshop will include activities aimed at helping participants brainstorm what their specific desires are and finding empowering ways to share their wants with partners.
6 PM - CHAMPAGNE RECEPTION - supported by David Yurman
Cafeteria and Wexner Commons
Join us for a toast to anyone in the pursuit for gender equity!
Day 2, Sunday April 24
10.00 AM - WELCOME COFFEE & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
Cafeteria and Wexner Commons
Come join us to kickoff the second day of the Women in Power Conference with a delicious breakfast!
Welcome to day 2 remarks by the WOMEN IN POWER CONFERENCE CO-CHAIRS
10.30 AM - ASK ME ANYTHING - co-organized with the Belfer Center
Wexner 436
Panelists:
PARAM-PREET SINGH - Deputy Director, Strategy and Collaboration, Human Rights Watch
DEANNA BITETTI - Senior Communications Officer, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
LAUREN WEINER - Director of Strategic Communications, ACLU
Moderator: SANDRA KUEGELE - HKS MPP 2022
10.30 AM - POWER WITHIN DANCE II
Malkin Penthouse L-P-9
Topic: TAP In: How the art of tap dance saved my life & dance workshop
Speakers:
QUYNN JOHNSON - Co-Founder, Art Education SOLE Defined
MANUELA WELTON - Master’s Candidate at Harvard
11.30 AM - KEYNOTE ADDRESS II
JFK Forum
MAYOR SUMBUL SIDDIQUI - Mayor of Cambridge
Moderator: IDIA IRELE - HKS MPA 2023
12.30 PM - POWER WITHIN RELATIONSHIPS
Wexner 436
Topic: Explore power within negotiations in relationships and how to build relationships in an international context with us!
Speakers:
HANNAH RILEY BOWLES (she/her) - Roy E. Larsen Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Management at the Harvard Kennedy School
JODY OLSEN (she/her) - 20th Director of the Peace Corps
Moderator: HYE RYEONG (JULI) CHO (she/her) - Stanford Graduate School of Business MBA 2021 / Harvard Kennedy School MPA 2022
12.30 PM - STORYTELLING III
Wexner 434AB
Topic: We focus on all the incredible individuals of the Harvard Community and curate different deeply personal stories to shed light on potential sources of “Power Within.”
Speakers:
RICHARD PARKER (Lecturer in Public Policy, HKS) - Love, Power, Justice: When Religion Empowers—Rather Than Demeans—Women
DR ABOSEDE LEWU (MCMPA 2022) - Finding and emPOWERing your own unique voice
TESS KELLY (MPA 2023) - Journey after losing her father in a climbing accident, finding strength through physical and mental challenges and honouring her father’s legacy.
DIANELA BARROS (Front of the house lead, HKS) - Woman More Than a Winner
LEAH LAYKEAN PORTER (HGSE, Master in ELOE, 2022) - From a little girl who sell noodles on the street of Malaysia, to community college, and now a student at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Moderators: SURABHI HODIGERE & ROSE O’BRIEN
1.30 PM - LUNCH
Outdoor tents (Rain location: Cafeteria)
Come join us for lunch!
2.00 PM - KEYNOTE ADDRESS III
JFK Forum
LEYNA BLOOM - Actress, Model, Dancer, and Activist
Moderator: BROOKE WAGES - HKS MPA 2022 & MIT MBA 2022
3 PM - POWER WITHIN TECH - co-hosted by AI in Action
Wexner 436
Topic: Technology choices are an expression of opinion and values. This panel explores the power that lies in shaping future technology choices and how to navigate one’s journey in this field.
Speakers:
FRANCELLA OCHILLO (she/her) - Technology and Public Purpose Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School and Executive Director of Next Century Cities, a nonprofit that focuses on expanding high-speed broadband connectivity across the U.S
KASIA CHMIELINSKI (they/them) - Co-Founder of The Data Nutrition Project, Fellow at Shorenstein Center at Harvard Kennedy School, and Senior Advisor to the Center for Humanitarian Data (United Nations OCHA)
KATHY PHAM - (she/her) - Senior Advisor at the Mozilla Foundation, and Product Advisor at the United States Digital Service
Moderator: AMRITHA JAYANTI (she/her) - Associate Director, Technology and Public Purpose Project at the Belfer Center
3 PM - MALE ALLYSHIP WORKSHOP
Belfer 500
Topics: The Male Allyship Workshop will focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion as it relates to gender and systemic discrimination in male-dominated fields. This workshop will be interactive and conversation-based and seeks to discuss both gender and other intersectional areas such as race and sexual orientation. Participants can plan to learn real techniques to implement in every day life to become a better ally and hold themselves and others accountable.
Speaker: RAAFI ALIDINA - Consulting Manager & Data & Prodocut Lead with Diversity & Inclusion Consultancy “Included”
Moderator: KHETHA DLAMINI - Master’s Candidate HKS
4 PM - POWER WITHIN MEDIA
Wexner 330
Topic: Fighting back online disinformation and media mis-representation of Women
Speakers:
ANTONIA HYLTON- Correspondent, NBC & MSNBC
TANYA WRIGHT - Actress and Founder, Hairiette of Harlem (www.hairietteofharlem.com)
Moderator: JOAN DONOVAN - Research Director of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Panel Advisor: SANDRA SHELLY - HKS MCMPA 2022
5 PM - CREATING CHANGE: INSIDE, OUTSIDE, AND EVERYWHERE - co-hosted by the LGTBQ Caucus
Wexner 436
Topic: This panel will explore the connections and distinctions between "inside" and "outside" politics with two trailblazing icons who have helped to transform electoral, coalitional, and intersectional politics in the United States.
Speakers:
CLLR. DENISE SIMMONS - Former Mayer of Cambridge
SUE HYDE - Executive Director, Wild Geese Foundation
Moderator: TIMOTHY P. MCCARTHY - Lecturer on Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education
5 PM - STORYTELLING IV
Wexner 434AB
Topic: We focus on all the incredible individuals of the Harvard Community and curate different deeply personal stories to shed light on potential sources of “Power Within.”
Speakers:
HEIDI BLOODGOOD (HGSE 2022) - Porn is the new "sex talk", revealing how parents, educators, and legislators alike are unprepared to address the waves of children viewing online pornography.
ROHIN BHATT (M. Bioethics, HMS 2022) - Navigating Queerness Under a Fascist Regime: An Autoethnographic Account
GINA KAWAS (MPA) - The implementation of any public policy is hard because it is contextual. But sometimes context can play favorably. And in this moment in time, women are gaining momentum and are pushing back against discrimination and gender-based violence.
BRIANNA HOGAN (HGSE) - Your Field Needs You – Overcoming Imposter Syndrome For Building Our Better Futures
MUSKA FAZILAT (MPP 2023) - What does it mean to be an Afghan woman on Harvard campus through multiple waves of refugee crisis?
Moderators: PRIYANKA KRISHNAMOORTHY & HAMZA HAROON
6 PM - CHAMPAGNE TOAST
Main Courtyard
Join us for a toast to anyone in the pursuit for gender equity!
JANINA MATUSZESKI & WOMEN IN POWER CONFERENCE CO-CHAIRS will give closing remarks
We will also be joined by the a cappella group THE HARVARD-RADCLIFFE VERITONES
Our Storytellers
Supporters
We are also proud to be supported by the Harvard Kennedy School Student Government and the Harvard Kennedy School Degree Programs and Student Affairs
