Meet Our New Members

IWF 50th Anniversary Celebration in New York City

Have you ever left a conference feeling truly inspired, educated, and on cloud nine? That was the experience at the IWF 50th Anniversary celebration in NYC this May. BETSY COHEN and YEMI AKANDE-BARTSHE were immersed in a remarkable 3-day conference, connecting with women from 33 different countries. They had the opportunity to hear from esteemed speakers on leadership, technology, and culture, including:

  • Ashleigh Shelby Rosette, James L. Vincent Distinguished Professor of Leadership, Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business

  • Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Arbuckle Professor, Harvard Business School

  • Carla Harris, Senior Client Advisor, Morgan Stanley

  • Baroness Moyo (Dr. Dambisa Moyo), Member of the House of Lords; Co-Principal, Versaca Investments; Global Economist, Author, and Board Member

  • Pat Russo, Chair, Hewlett Packard Enterprise

  • Maggie Wilderotter, CEO, Wilderotter Vineyard

  • Dr. Donna Shalala, President, The New School

  • Edie Weiner, President and CEO, The Future Hunters

The week concluded with a Hall of Fame Induction Gala, where the phenomenal SHEILA JOHNSON, CEO of Salamander Hospitality, was honored. Sheila, known for her acute sense of aesthetics, design, and humor, was celebrated alongside ANNA WINTOUR of Vogue, who inspires with her fearlessness and view of fashion as a vehicle for positive change.

 

Here are a few key takeaways from this incredible experience:

  • Edie Weiner: Embrace new ways of entrepreneurship and view data smithing as the new engineering. Emphasize happiness and gratitude and aim for exponential growth. Mentorship is a two-way street—affirm and support emerging women leaders.

  • Carla Harris: “You can’t fix it if you don’t know that it is broken.” Understanding and addressing issues is essential for progress.

  • Ashleigh Shelby Rosette: Key career success objectives include getting ahead, getting along, gaining autonomy, being hired, and achieving balance. Psychological success is about connecting, achieving, and influencing as a leader.

Our time there was transformative, expanding our horizons and equipping us to integrate these lessons into both work and play. Looking ahead, we’re excited to bring this renewed energy and perspective to upcoming conferences, particularly the one in May 2025 in Seattle, and hope others can join us in ENSURING A STRONGER REPRESENTATION FROM ST. LOUIS!