I’ve been looking forward to the WIL Conference since I started helping with marketing outreach this fall. The conference is the longest running student-organized conference at Haas and attracts hundreds of attendees, including current students, alumni and professionals. The day is a celebration of women who have created their own paths, become pioneers in their fields, and achieved both professional and personal successes. On Saturday, March 5th, the 15th annual WIL Conference took place at Haas. This year’s theme was “Redefining Leadership – Making it your own.” The theme attempts to help attendees understand how to redefine their leadership styles and make it their own. While seeing WIL members and the greater Haas community come together to host a successful event was a rewarding experience in itself, attending portions of the conference was a great way to reflect on the evolving role of women in business. The day included inspiring keynote addresses by Nancy Mahon, Sr. VP of MAC Cosmetics and Executive Director of MAC Aids Fund; Heather Mason, President of Abbot Diabetes Care; and Eileen Crane, CEO and Founder of Domaine Carneros. Hearing these women share their stories and words of wisdom was a great supplement to our academic experiences this spring. The conference also offered several industry panels and workshops as well as great opportunity to network with attendees. Above all, it was wonderful to see so many accomplished women at Haas and share the day with current WIL members and leading women in business.
Kudos to Tina and Kim for spearheading such an amazing event. I’m already looking forward to next year!
WIL 2011 Conference Volunteers