About the 2023 Conference

The second annual Women in Leadership Conference, held on March 9-10, 2023, at Saint Louis University was expanded to a two-day conference. It featured keynote speakers, interactive workshops, a research symposium, and opportunities supporting women in leadership. With the theme "Be Heard," the SLU event focused on personal effectiveness, communication barriers and solutions, emerging research findings related to women in business, and amplifying female voices in organizations.

2023 Be Heard: Women in Leadership Conference Highlights from SLU Chaifetz School of Business on Vimeo.

Emcee for the Day

Mich Hancock, founder and CEO of 100th Monkey, co-founder of TEDxStLouis

Keynote Address

Lindsay Wrege, co-founder of 321Coffee, delivered the conference's keynote address.

Featured Speakers

• Maxine Clark
  Founder of Build-a-Bear Workshop, inspirator, the Delmar DivINe
• Qiaoni "Linda" Jing
  President, CEO & board director, Genective
• Myrina Renaissance Otey-Myton
  Photographer, TEDx speaker, NFT specialist
• Leslie Gill
  President, Rung for Women
• Barnali Gupta, Ph.D.
  Edward Jones Dean, Chaifetz School of Business, Saint Louis University

Breakout Sessions

Breakout sessions provided attendees with multiple concurrent sessions during the conference, offering opportunities to connect with attendees and presenters in smaller group settings. Speakers included:

• Tricia Bagsby
  Associate dean for graduate education, Chaifetz School of Business
• Rhoda Banks
  SVP – talent management, American AgCredit
• Chalana Scales-Ferguson
  Director of DEIB, Chaifetz School of Business
• Ronika Moody
  Founder and CEO, Distinct Consulting
• Niki & Ritika Shamdasani
  Co-founders, Sani
• Aspire Club members
  SLU student organization for women and minorities in business
• SLU Women’s Commission members

Research Symposium

Keynote Speaker: Seemantini Pathak, Ph.D., associate professor of management, Global Leadership and Management Department, University of Missouri–St. Louis

As part of the 2023 Be Heard: Women in Leadership Conference, the expanded research symposium offered attendees the chance to explore the latest research from leading faculty and talented students at Saint Louis University and other universities. The research symposium focused on research by women, for women, and in support of women in leadership and the workplace. Topics included strategic leadership of and by women, the strength of a diverse workforce, allyship and mentorship, and the importance of innovation and creative leadership.