Welcome to WIPC2025!
Schedule Details
Saturday, April 12 | HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOl
8:00-8:45 AM | Registration + Breakfast
9:00-9:15AM | Opening Remarks
9:15-10:15AM | Fireside Chat with Caster Semenya, South African Olympic Champion; Moderated by Lauren Scruggs, United States Olympic Fencing Champion
Caster Semenya is a two-time women’s 800m Olympic champion, a three-time 800m world champion and a double Commonwealth Games middle distance gold medallist from South Africa. To wrap those figures in further context, when Semenya won the Doha Diamond League 800m in May 2019, it was her 30th consecutive victory over the distance. Caster’s breakthrough moment arrived in 2009, when she stormed to victory in the women’s 800m race at the World Championships in Berlin. Her world - leading time of 1:55.45 left the athletics world in awe, and she immediately catapulted onto the global stage. However, with greatness comes scrutiny, and Caster soon found herself at the eye of a storm. The IAAF’s questioning of her sex sparked a firestorm of controversy, with critics clamouring for her to be stripped of her title. Caster stood resolute, her conviction unwavering in the face of unrelenting criticism. Caster emerged stronger, her spirit unbroken as she continued to dominate on the track, accumulating an astonishing array of titles, including two Olympic medals and three World Championships.
10:30-11:35AM | Workshop: Step Forward & Prepare to Run for Elected Office
Join Emerge for a Step Forward training designed to help women answer the questions, “Should I run for office?” and “What does it take to run a successful campaign?”. This training helps participants lay the foundation and get a head start on their path to political leadership by encouraging them to navigate the political landscape, grow, and solidify their networks, and determine their goals. They walk away with a pathway to lay the groundwork for a future run for office and covers the following topics:
Connecting your passion to an elected position
Building a path to run
Building your base
Preparing yourself as a person and as a candidate
If you’ve ever thought of running for office, here’s a way to explore that path
Workshop Hosts:
Jamie Maniscalco – Deputy Training Director, Emerge
Ayesha Wilson – Executive Director and Councilwoman, Emerge
10:30-11:35AM | Entrepreneurship Panel
Speakers:
Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes – Founder and CEO, Aruwa Capital Management
Christina Qi – CEO, Databento
Kathrina Dalka – Founder and CEO, Stellar One
Natalie Madeira Cofield – President and CEO, Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO)
11:45-12:45PM | Community Lunch
11:45-12:45PM | Lunch & Learn Sessions
Gender Equity in the Global South with Smriti Irani – Former Cabinet Minister, GOI (2014-2024), Chairperson, Alliance for Global Good, Gender Equity and Equality, India
Demystifying Executive Orders on Gender with Sarah E. Wald – Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy and Counselor to the Dean, Harvard Kennedy School
1:00-2:05PM – Storytelling Session I
Harvard University students share their stories centered around gender equity
1:00-2:05PM | International Development Panel
Bridging Policy and Practice: How can women leaders ensure that policies focused on gender equity and social impact translate into meaningful, tangible changes at the grassroots level? Leadership and Influence in Global Spaces: What are the biggest challenges women face in leadership and policy-making at international organizations? How can they leverage their influence to drive systemic change? Measuring Impact and Accountability: What strategies can leaders use to measure the success of gender-focused policies and programs, and ensure accountability in achieving real progress?
Speakers:
Fatema Z. Sumar (Moderator) – Adjunct Lecturer, Harvard Kennedy School; Executive Director, Harvard Centre for International Development
Hon. Justice Martha K. Koome – Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court of Kenya
Alicia Ely Yamin – Global Health and Rights Project Director, Harvard Law School
Henrietta De Beer – Human Resources Chief, United Nations
Nicole Rolet – Principal and Acting CEO, Chêne Bleu
1:00-2:05PM | Wellness Reimagined: The Transformative Power of Art in Health Panel
Explores how creativity can be harnessed to improve well-being with three pioneering women leaders at the forefront of integrating art and creativity into healthcare and wellness. Their groundbreaking work reimagines the future of art in health, challenging conventional, institutional approaches and centering alternative pathways that honor culture, emotion, and expression. This conversation will highlight how power can be reframed beyond traditional institutions, shaping a more holistic vision of health.
Speakers:
Jeneé Osterheldt (Moderator) – Boston Globe Columnist
Dr. Lisa Wong – Co-Director of Arts and Humanities Initiative, Harvard Medical School
Dr. Nisha Sajnani – Director, Drama Therapy Program & Co-Director, Jameel Arts and Health Lab, New York University
Taneshia Nash Laird – Associate Professor, Africana Studies Department, Berklee College of Music
2:15-3:20PM | Storytelling Session II
Harvard University students share their stories centered around gender equity
2:15-3:20PM | Playing the Long Game: Investing in Women’s Soccer for the Future Panel
Women’s soccer is experiencing unprecedented growth, but ensuring its long-term success requires strategic investment, leadership, and continued advocacy. This panel unites some of the most influential voices in the sport - legendary USWNT players and World Cup champions Kristine Lilly and Sam Mewis, alongside Harvard College Soccer Team player Audrey Francois, sports investor and advocate Jennifer Epstein of Boston Legacy FC - for a dynamic discussion on the future of women’s soccer. Moderated by Trenni Casey of NBC Sports, the conversation will explore the expansion of the NWSL and global leagues, the importance of female leadership in decision-making, and the strategies needed to build sustainable club models. Panelists will also discuss how to engage new audiences, foster long-term investment, and inspire the next generation of players and fans worldwide.
Speakers:
Trenni Casey – Anchor, NBC Sports
Kristine Lilly – American Soccer Player, 3-time Olympic Medalist
Sam Mewis – Former US Soccer Player, Won 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup
Jennifer Epstein – Owner, National Women’s Soccer League Boston & Governor, NWSL Board of Governors
Audrey Francois – Harvard College Soccer Team, U15-20 Canadian National Team
2:15-3:20PM | Workshop: Increasing Your Negotiating Effectiveness
Workshop Host: Joan Moon – Moon Negotiation, Founder and CEO
Led by negotiation expert Joan Moon, this interactive workshop delves into the fundamentals of effective negotiation, with a special focus on overcoming gender bias. Participants will explore key negotiation principles, learn how gender dynamics impact negotiation outcomes, and walk away with proven strategies to implement immediately. This training is open to all participants, regardless of previous negotiation experience or formal coursework. It will cover the following topics:
The fundamentals of negotiation
Shifts in negotiation mindset
Gender and negotiation mythbusting
What the latest research says about negotiation and gender
Effective strategies that work for everyone
3:30-4:00PM | Coffee Break
4:10-5:15PM | Workshop: Networking: Confidence, Presence, and Art of Connection
Workshop Host: Patrice Gordon – Eminere, Founder and CEO
Moderators:
Cassandra Sethi – Next Level Wardrobe/Founder and Lead Stylist
Fatema Z. Sumar – Adjunct Lecturer, Harvard Kennedy School; Executive Director, Center for International Development
Lamiaa Daif – Apple, Worldwide Growth Strategy Leader
This workshop will equip attendees to:
Develop your elevator pitch
Identify your current network
Build confidence and presence when it comes to networking and maintaining connections
4:10-5:15PM | Breaking the Mold: Women Leading in Politics Panel
In a world where political power has long been shaped by tradition and exclusion, women who dare to lead often face a path strewn with resistance, scrutiny, and systemic barriers. Breaking the Mold brings together women leaders who have challenged these norms, navigating complex political landscapes with resilience, courage, and conviction. This panel explores the personal and political journeys of trailblazers who refused to conform—amplifying diverse voices, overcoming deeply rooted obstacles, and reshaping the structures of power from within. Join us for an inspiring conversation on what it truly takes to lead as a woman in politics—and how these leaders are forging space for others to rise.
Speakers:
Karen Attiah (Moderator) – Journalist and Columnist, The Washington Post
Smriti Irani – Former Cabinet Miniter, GOI (2014-2024); Chairperson, Alliance for Global Good, Gender Equity and Equality, India
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful – Former Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ghana
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib – Representative from Michigan, District 12
Jayne Mallerick – Former Chief of Staff for New Hampshire Governor Christopher T. Sununu; Former Chairman, NH Republican State Committee
5:30-6:30PM | Evening Keynote: Julie Chávez Rodríguez, Political Strategist & Former White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Director
Julie Chávez Rodriguez is an American political rights strategist and the former director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs during the Biden-Harris Administration. She grew up in California in a well-known family of American labor and civil rights activists, the granddaughter of American labor leader, César Chávez and American labor activist Helen Fabela Chávez. From 2009 to January 2017, Rodriguez served in the Obama administration, initially working for the United States Secretary of the Interior and later in the White House Office of Public Engagement. She was appointed state director for Senator Kamala Harris in 2017. She later served on the Kamala Harris 2020 presidential primary campaign from 2019. In 2020, Rodriguez was hired by the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign as deputy campaign manager and senior advisor for Latino outreach. Rodriguez was appointed to be the director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs by President Joe Biden, and took office on January 20, 2021.
6:30-6:45PM | Closing Ceremony
7:00-9:00PM | Reception & Networking