2025 Speakers
For the latest speaker updates, stay tuned to this page and your email!
For a recap of who joined us at our 2025 Conference, please see below.
Keynote Program
Simone Biles
Keynote Speaker
Athlete and Advocate
SIMONE BILES is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time. She is the most decorated gymnast in history, having earned 41 medals in the world's top-tier global competitions. The three-time ...
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Laura Britt
Keynote Speaker
Emmy Award-winning Show Host and Reporter, NBC Sports Bay Area
LAURA BRITT is a two-time Emmy Award-winning show host and reporter for NBC Sports Bay Area. Her coverage includes the San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants, Golden State Warriors, San Jose Sharks and ...
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Jane Fonda
Keynote Speaker
Two-time Academy Award-winning Actor, Producer, Author, Activist, and Fitness Guru
JANE FONDA is a two-time Academy Award-winning actor (Best Actress in 1971 for Klute and in 1978 for Coming Home), producer, author, activist, and fitness guru. Her career has spanned over 50 years, accumulating ...
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Lulu Garcia-Navarro
Keynote Speaker
Award-winning journalist, Host of "The Interview" at NYT Magazine
LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO is a two-time Peabody Award-winning journalist with years of experience interviewing world leaders, authors, artists and people living on the front lines of a changing world. A longtime ...
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Brittney Griner
Keynote Speaker
Olympic Gold Medalist, WNBA Champion, All-Star, Activist & NYT best-selling Author
BRITTNEY GRINER is one of the most decorated and influential athletes of her generation—an NCAA champion, a WNBA champion, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, and a winner of the Best Female Athlete ESPY ...
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Padma Lakshmi
Keynote Speaker
NYT best-selling Author, Emmy Award-nominated Host & Executive Producer of Hulu's Taste the Nation
PADMA LAKSHMI is an Emmy-nominated producer, television host, food expert, and New York Times best-selling author. She is the creator, host, and executive producer of the critically-acclaimed Hulu series Taste ...
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Michal Lev-Ram
Keynote Speaker
Journalist & Special Correspondent, Fortune
MICHAL LEV-RAM is a seasoned business journalist based in Silicon Valley, known for her extensive coverage of the technology industry and the broader business world. She has been with Fortune for 15 years, where ...
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Janelle Wang
Emcee and Keynote Speaker
News Anchor, NBC Bay Area
Award winning journalist JANELLE WANG anchors weeknights at NBC Bay Area News. She has won 3 Emmys for her coverage of the Valley Fire in Middletown, the Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland, and the North Bay ...
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Special Guests
Mary Bui-Pham
Introduction
Vice President, Strategy & Operations, Indeed; Board Secretary, California Conference for Women
MARY BUI-PHAM is vice president, business technology at Indeed. She leads the ...
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Jen Kirkpatrick
Introduction
VP, Americas Networking Sales, Cisco
Thought Leader | Unlocking the Power of AI: Practical Insights for Everyday Use ...
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Ellen Lee
Introduction
Director, Technical Program Management, Google
ELLEN LEE is a Director of Technical Program Management at Google. She has most ...
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Andrea Robertson
Remarks
Managing Director, United
ANDREA ROBERTSON is currently United Airlines’ managing director – worldwide ...
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Molly Snyder
Remarks
VP, Stakeholder Engagement, Target
Host | TRUST: The New Language of Leadership ...
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Hillary Weingast
Welcome
VP, Deputy General Counsel & Head, Corporate Social Responsibility, Juniper Networks; Board President, California Conference for Women
...
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Frances Wong
Remarks
Director, Marketing & Communications, Visit San Jose
Host | The Aligned Mindset: How High-Achieving Women Navigate Workplace ...
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Session 1 Program Offerings | 8:45-9:45am
Jannie Affeld
Executive Mentor
That's A Good Question: Bright Futures in Tech Workplaces
JANNIE AFFELD oversees a global Eng team that builds, implements, and integrates ...
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Jeff Benton
Speaker
Founder & CEO, Paragon Performance Evolution
JEFF BENTON focuses on peak performance training through various aspects of ...
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Jen Coleman
Executive Mentor
That’s a Good Question
JEN COLEMAN is a partner of Spencer Fane LLP, and a member of Spencer Fane’s ...
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Neda Cvijetic
Executive Mentor
That's A Good Question: Bright Futures in Tech Workplaces
NEDA CVIJETIC is currently J&J’s global head of R&D for robotics and a ...
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Anna Dapelo-Garcia
Executive Mentor
That’s a Good Question
ANNA DAPELO-GARCIA is a recognized leader with a master of public administration ...
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Erika Evearitt
Executive Mentor
That's A Good Question: Reinventing Your Career Portfolio
ERIKA EVEARITT is a seasoned non-profit executive with over 15 years of expertise ...
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Raquel González
Host
Take Control of Your Stress Response
RAQUEL GONZÁLEZ is president for Bank of America’s Silicon Valley market, ...
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Hilda Gutierrez
Moderator
That's a Good Question: Navigating New Work Environments
HILDA GUTIERREZ is an investigative journalist with over 14 years of broadcast ...
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LaVanya Hardin-Wright
Host
That’s a Good Question
LaVANYA HARDIN-WRIGHT’s leadership philosophy is rooted in a steadfast ...
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Eileen He
Executive Mentor
That’s a Good Question
EILEEN HE is the vice president of software development and operations at ...
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Jade Hernandez
Moderator
That’s a Good Question: Bright Futures in Tech Workplaces
JADE HERNANDEZ will tell you "It's California's diversity in both landscape and ...
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Quita Highsmith
Executive Mentor
That’s a Good Question
QUITA HIGHSMITH is vice president and chief diversity officer at Genentech, the ...
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Nicole Johnson
Executive Mentor
That’s a Good Question
NICOLE JOHNSON is a social impact leader who brings decades of experience ...
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Kavita Juneja, MD
The Stage ...
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Kristin Kanders
The Stage ...
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Karen McCay
The Stage ...
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Sweta Patel
Executive Mentor
That’s a Good Question
SWETA PATEL has an extensive background in leading technical product strategies, ...
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Megan Schoettmer
Executive Mentor
That’s a Good Question
MEGAN SCHOETTMER is the regional president for PNC Bank in Northern California, ...
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Dolores Smith
Executive Mentor
That’s a Good Question
DOLORES M. SMITH is a seasoned HR executive with over 20 years of experience in ...
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Christie Smith, Ph.D.
Executive Mentor
That's a Good Question: Navigating New Work Environments
DR. CHRISTIE SMITH, Ph.D. has over 35 years of experience advising the C-Suite of ...
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Dr. Sandra Solano
Speaker
Stress Management Expert, Paragon Performance Evolution
SANDRA SOLANO, M.D., M.S., born in Bogota, Colombia, is a healthcare professional ...
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Suzanne St. John-Crane
Moderator
That's a Good Question: Reinventing Your Career Portfolio
SUZANNE ST. JOHN-CRANE is a “leaders of leaders.” She serves as CEO of ...
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Raquel Toledo
The Stage ...
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Session 2 Program Offerings | 1:45-2:45pm
Denise Soler Cox
Speaker
How to be Engaged, Productive and Happier at Work
DENISE SOLER COX is a first-gen Latina who grew up in the suburbs of New York ...
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Dr. Liane Davey
Speaker
Leading High Performing Teams Through Productive Conflict
Known as the “teamwork doctor,” DR. LIANE DAVEY knows how to create high ...
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Michelle Francisco
The Stage ...
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Emily Guy
The Stage ...
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Kristen Hall Eskew
Panelist
How to Cultivate Engaged, Productive, and Happier Teams
KRISTEN HALL ESKEW is the VP of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging ...
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Minda Harts
Speaker
Author and Professor, NYU
MINDA HARTS is a celebrated author and influential speaker, best known for her ...
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Sohee Jun, Ph.D.
Speaker
The Aligned Mindset: Secrets of High-Achieving Women for Navigating Work
As a top executive coach for women, mindset expert, bestselling author, corporate ...
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Kirsten Kuykendoll
Panelist
How to Cultivate Engaged, Productive, and Happier Teams
KIRSTEN KUYKENDOLL is the head of talent which includes acquisition, talent ...
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Israa Nasir
Speaker
Eliminating Toxic Productivity
ISRAA NASIR, MHC-LP, is a New York City-based psychotherapist and author of Toxic ...
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Molly Snyder
Remarks
VP, Stakeholder Engagement, Target
Host | TRUST: The New Language of Leadership ...
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Kristen Starr
Panelist
How to Cultivate Engaged, Productive, and Happier Teams
KRISTEN STARR is an engineering director of social impact at Indeed. A passionate ...
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Mary-Jane Strom
Host
The Aligned Mindset: How High-Achieving Women Navigate Workplace Challenges
MARY-JANE STROM is a seasoned nonprofit executive and experienced outdoor program ...
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Tina Weinberger
The Stage ...
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Marci Wiser
Host
Eliminating Toxic Productivity
MARCI WISER is the 2021 Gracie Award winner for Major Market Music Personality ...
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Session 3 Program Offerings | 3:15-4:15pm
Bernadette Berger
Panelist
Unlocking the Power of AI: Practical Insights for Everyday Use
BERNADETTE BERGER is a futurist and an airplane nerd. As Alaska Airline’s ...
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Hannah Calhoon
Panelist
Unlocking the Power of AI: Practical Insights for Everyday Use
HANNAH CALHOON is a VP of product at Indeed, where she leads the AI for Indeed ...
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Emily Cervino
The Stage ...
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Erin Connor
Host
TRUST: The New Language of Leadership
ERIN CONNOR leads Cisco’s Crisis Response (CCR) and strategic partnerships ...
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Dr. Liane Davey
Speaker
Leading High Performing Teams Through Productive Conflict
Known as the “teamwork doctor,” DR. LIANE DAVEY knows how to create high ...
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Susan Gonzales
Panelist
Unlocking the Power of AI: Practical Insights for Everyday Use
SUSAN GONZALES is the founder and CEO of AIandYou, a nonprofit that was launched ...
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Minda Harts
Speaker
Author and Professor, NYU
MINDA HARTS is a celebrated author and influential speaker, best known for her ...
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Amanda Henry
The Stage ...
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Sohee Jun, Ph.D.
Speaker
The Aligned Mindset: Secrets of High-Achieving Women for Navigating Work
As a top executive coach for women, mindset expert, bestselling author, corporate ...
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Jen Kirkpatrick
Introduction
VP, Americas Networking Sales, Cisco
Thought Leader | Unlocking the Power of AI: Practical Insights for Everyday Use ...
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Katie Lawson
The Stage ...
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Israa Nasir
Speaker
Eliminating Toxic Productivity
ISRAA NASIR, MHC-LP, is a New York City-based psychotherapist and author of Toxic ...
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Cynthia Pham Stark
Host
Eliminating Toxic Productivity
CYNTHIA PHAM STARK is a technology leader with over 20 years of experience ...
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Frances Wong
Remarks
Director, Marketing & Communications, Visit San Jose
Host | The Aligned Mindset: How High-Achieving Women Navigate Workplace ...
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Guest Speakers
Monica Murarka
Small Group Networking Facilitator
President & CEO, Amplify Yourself
MONICA MURARKA is an executive coach and embodied leadership teacher with 25 ...
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