The 2021 Women’s Leadership Forum

Nevertheless, she persisted: Incredibly, the slow uphill climb toward equality for women has become steeper this past year. As the endcap to four difficult years for women in the U.S., the pandemic has dealt a severe blow to the hard-won gains of the decade. Inequality in the work world is mirrored in the home, driving over 3 million women out of the workforce last year. The wealth-gap is getting wider, especially for women of color.

Yet, we persist. It is what women do.

The headwinds are beginning to shift in 2021. There is hope and possibility in the air. New leadership is shoring up the institutions we rely upon, and with it, a renewed commitment to our goal of equality for all.

This year we honor the women who persist. The women who continue to speak up and say what needs to be said. Their stories are the energy that will drive us all forward. That will inspire us, and enlighten us, and give us the will to continue the climb, to make up for lost ground and take us all forward faster.

Check out some of the exciting in-depth interviews from The Women’s Leadership Forum speakers

Guided Mindfulness with Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA

Karen Susi | BSN, RN, Nurse Wellness Coach
Introduction by Sandhya Rao, M.D. | Chief Medical Officer, SVP, BCBSMA

A guided mindfulness session with breathing exercise and progressive muscle relaxation.

Women in Male Dominated Industries:
A conversation between female founders

Ashley DePaolo | President, CommCreative
Esther Tetreault | Founder, Trillium Brewing Company

The boys club is somehow still a thing in certain industries and female founders face some hurdles. These founders will share their insights around not only how they survive, but how they thrive while staying true to their mission.

Nevertheless, She Prepared:
Financial Wellbeing for Women

Jennifer Halloran | Head of Marketing and Brand, MassMutual
Yasmeen Ramadan | Market Segment Strategist, MassMutual

This session, Why Women Should be (financially) Selfish, will explore some of the unique challenges that women face on the road to financial security, and offer some actionable advice on ways women can better prioritize their own financial well-being.

Ladies Get Paid: 10 Tips for Negotiating your Salary

Claire Wasserman | Founder, Ladies Get Paid

It’s just not fair. There is a gender pay gap. And there is only one way to fix it. We all need to know our worth and ask for what we deserve. Claire shares 10 tips to do just that.

Leading the Next Normal: The Post-Pandemic Future of Female Leadership

Heather Bender | VP, Talent
Kiran Smith | EVP & CMO, iRobot

While we have all been encouraged by the availability of vaccines and the country reopening as we emerge from this historic pandemic, for many of us the stress of workplaces re-opening and our families getting back to their pre-pandemic routines have us wondering what the future of work will look like and how will it work for us?