Midlands Business Journal March 31, 2023 - ICAN Special Section Only

MAY 17

CELEBRATING OUR 30TH ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE

ICAN Conference’s 30th Year

EVENT REGISTRATION AIMS TO REACH PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS

BY DWAIN HEBDA

Three decades ago, the ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference launched with the singular purpose of helping professional women develop the skills to compete and lead in the workplace, classroom and all other areas of daily life.

Today, the annual conference is the preeminent event for thousands of attendees both live and virtually. For Aileen Warren, a longtime participant in the event before joining ICAN as president and CEO last year, the leadership conference has evolved over the years, but one thing still remains: its mission.

“The reason the conference has continued to be a success over 30 years, even in the years when we weren’t able to meet in person, is it’s definitely meeting a need in the community when it comes to leadership development, especially for women,” she said.

“We have so much support from companies in Omaha and women in Omaha who see this as valuable. We have tons of people in the community that believe in ICAN, believe in what we do. And it’s a wonderful day; we’re open to anyone and it’s energetic, it’s educational and people come to network. It’s fun.”

The Comeback

Registration for the 2023 event on May 17 is expected to cross the 3,000 mark, putting the event back to pre-pandemic numbers. The majority of registrants will attend in person, but organizers are continuing with the hybrid model to help extend the event’s reach.

“The hybrid grew out of the pandemic; we had a fully virtual conference in 2020 and we shifted to hybrid for ’21, ’22 and again with ’23,” said Allison Zach, ICAN director of marketing, communications and events. “We’re looking to continue to grow the reach and access of the ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference to additional geographic regions and new organizations.

“A benefit of our hybrid conference is attendees have access to the conference session recordings, which has become standard, but was new for us in the past couple of years. That kind of experience for attendees extends for 30 days where they can go back and re-watch or catch the breakout sessions they didn’t attend.”

Recognition

In addition to the usual slate of nationally recognized speakers and informative breakout sessions are new elements directly related to the conference’s 30th anniversary. One such feature, “Honor a Leader,” allows individuals to recognize an important leader in their lives. A similar new feature is called the “Small Business Squad” which recognizes small

businesses and organizations for their support of ICAN and the leadership conference. Both programs are available for a small fee.

“Leadership development is what we do at ICAN; that’s our specialty and we want to be able to recognize leaders in the community who have made an impact or who are making an impact,” Warren said. “For $30 or more, people can go to our website and complete a form about a leader who has impacted them in their life and talk about why they want to honor that individual. We will then give them a shoutout at the conference for the impact that they have made.”

Eye on Diversity

ICAN continues to drive diversity and demonstrate community awareness at the conference by making it easier for anyone to attend. The conference scholarships (open for application through April 17) assist people in attending the event who might not otherwise be able to participate due to cost. The ICAN Scholarship Fund is supported through individual donations and the generosity of corporate partners, in particular The Lozier Foundation and Bank of the West/BMO.

“We have made a greater concerted effort around ICAN in extending our scholarship fund and the number of scholarships that we have to offer,” Zach said. “It’s very important as we commemorate the 30th anniversary conference that we’re really creating opportunities to have women across industry, across geography and across socioeconomics be a part of the conference.”

Asked what remains relevant about the event, and why it continues to grow even after all of these years, Warren said the answer was simple: Leadership matters more than ever.

“Leadership is just not for people who sit in a corporate office,” she said. “You can be a leader in your church, you can be a leader in your school. There are so many different ways that leadership shows up. We truly believe that the information that our speakers provide that day can be applicable across the board.

“The thing I am most excited about is just to feel the energy that comes with that day. I’m excited to hear all the speakers, of course, and to walk through the exhibitors. I’m excited to talk to the volunteers. But it’s just to be in that room that day and to feel the energy and to feel the excitement and to feel the camaraderie. That is the thing that I look most forward to because there’s nothing like it in Omaha, in my opinion, that brings that kind of excitement and energy in one place.”

Full conference details, agenda and registration can be found at ICANconference.com. Registration will be open until May 1.

There are so many different ways that leadership shows up. We truly believe that the information that our speakers provide that day can be applicable across the board.

- AILEEN WARREN, PRESIDENT AND CEO, ICAN

SPEAKER LINE-UP EMPOWERS, INSPIRES BOLD CONVERSATIONS

BY MICHELLE LEACH

It wouldn’t be the ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference without memorable, engaging, inspiring and high-quality keynote speakers.

In this milestone year, keynote speakers and breakout session presenters are coalescing around the theme of “Leading Bold Conversations.”

When taking a look back at past conference themes, it’s easy to find a common theme: ICAN plays an important role in providing a platform to talk about the most pertinent issues facing women in their leadership journeys.

“We aimed our research at all the issues and conversations in the zeitgeist today for women – conversations that are being discussed in and around our workplaces, and also some conversations that are not widely discussed – and may, in fact, be a bit uncomfortable or “scratchy” – but that are topics ICAN would like to shine a spotlight on,” said Lisa Kaplan, conference development.

Those topics include: pay equity and audits, women as negotiators, male allyship, quotas for women and ethnic minorities on boards, child care and parental leave and workplace diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

“We also looked at other conversations that are newly popping up around the world for women – like gender parity in women’s health care and wellness, discrimination and stigmas women face around their menstrual cycles (and the impact on the workplace), and women leading sustainability efforts in all areas of commerce and industry,” Kaplan added.

Largely, she indicated offerings should transcend merely being interesting, relevant and timely – information gleaned should naturally be integrated into respective workplaces; for instance, the Methodist panel discussion on women’s health will equip women with tips on how to overcome discrimination and stigmas around women’s health, and to promote change on this front in the workplace.

“We are eager to present a breakout session on the dangers of fast fashion,” Kaplan said, as a nod to trendy, inexpensive mass-produced apparel. “Facilitated by activist and fashion entrepreneur, April Perrin, our audience will learn of the dangers it poses to the world, and how the power of women retailers – who control over 80% of US consumer spending – can impact the lives of women on the other end of this manufacturing supply chain.”

Information can also resonate with men, as gender strategist and author, Jeffery Tobias Halter, will provide tools for attendees who wish to become greater allies for women in the workplace.

“For inspiration, we have two personal stories highlighted on the main stage that are examples of women whose bold conversations led them to advocacy, which not only transformed their own lives, but the lives of others,” Kaplan noted, while referencing the likes of Nike athlete, Peloton superstar instructor and best-selling author, Tunde Oyeneyin, and Frances Haugen, data engineer, scientist and social media transparency advocate.

Bold Leaders

The conference day will open with Lara Abrash, incoming board chair of Deloitte US, who will share findings from Deloitte’s 2022 “Women at Work” report, discuss the bold conversations on women in the workplace today, and share her advice for women leaders in creating a bold vision for themselves and those they lead.

“Women in leadership have endless possibilities. Women are creative, innovative, and brilliant,” Abrash said.

She reinforces three principles for women: harnessing the power of relationships, differentiating oneself and always continue learning, and be bold.

Senior Manager of External Affairs and Sustainability at Unilever Stefani Grant will present one of the morning keynotes, titled: “Mothers of Nature.”

“For my keynote, I plan to share the work I do on regenerative agriculture and sustainability and how women can position themselves to drive sustainability in their careers,” she said.

As noted by ICAN, a reported 66% and 75% of general consumers and millennial consumers respectively consider sustainability when making purchases – driving industries to change, irrespective of market or sector.

“Prior to being asked to speak, I was not familiar with ICAN and their women’s leadership conference,” Grant said. “I am looking forward to not only speaking, but attending this year. What a great agenda.”

Fellow keynote speaker, Selena Rezvani, is poised to explore “Negotiate as a Boss” as part of the afternoon programming. Rezvani is the best-selling author of Pushback and is a popular “culture disruptor.”

“Negotiations are some of the most financially significant conversations we have at work and, therefore, they matter,” she stated. “I’m excited to share with attendees how they can prepare for any negotiation, whether for a flexible work arrangement, better pay or more headcount for their team.

“We’ll go over how to prepare and do your homework, including standing in the other person’s shoes and gathering credible evidence. We’ll also dive into considerations for navigating the actual conversation.”

As an example, Rezvani referenced dealing with other people’s resistance and how to overcome objections.

“Last, we’ll experiment with how to guide the conversation to a conclusion or the ‘yes answer’ you need,” she said. “These are practical tips that you can start using right away.”

A breakout session presenter, LinkedIn’s Deanna Hizon will be delving into “Taking Bold Conversations to the Next Level: The Use of Social Media to Amplify Conversations, Make Connections and Increase Outcomes Around a Cause.”

“Social media is an incredibly powerful tool, capable of changing the world,” Hizon said. “There

… we hope that our attendees will be inspired to use their own voices to initiate bold conversations to transform their own careers, and help to amplify conversations of other women.

- LISA KAPLAN, CONFERENCE DEVELOPMENT, ICAN

is this underlying (mis)perception that social media is nothing more than an unconscious and endless stream of overshares, brags and highlight reels. But what if we shifted that perspective and, instead, focused on it being an effective tool capable of connecting people, building communities, and driving meaningful change and lasting impact?”

Without giving away too much, Hizon noted that the session will explore cause-driven initiatives, highlighting effective strategies and techniques to create awareness around them.

“We’ll explore the incredible power of social media and examine some of the most notable campaigns of our time — campaigns that have had an outlasting impact on society and acted as a force for good in the world,” she said.

A Lasting Impact

True to their mission, ICAN’s Kaplan said the organization hopes bold conversations, aided by a roster of renowned speakers, will reach beyond the conference stage, into workplaces, pushing the needle on solutions to issues to improve conditions for the next generation of women leaders.

“Beyond that, we hope that our attendees will be inspired to use their own voices to initiate bold conversations to transform their own careers, and help to amplify conversations of other

women,” she summed up.

When asked about take-aways, “Negotiate Like a Boss” speaker Rezvani highlighted how women are wonderful negotiators and advocate “for things all day, every day.”

“For example, managing client and customer deadlines, advocating for the people on their teams, and negotiating through urgent problems and crises,” she said. “My hope is that women that [are in the audience] will give themselves some credit for the many ways they already use the skill, and they’ll start using it even more often and even more strategically.”

Breakout session leader Hizon said she hopes attendees will leave feeling empowered to use their voices and platforms, amplifying their messages, connecting with their communities, and creating “meaningful impact in the world.”

“‘Leading Bold Conversations’ lights a fire in me and speaks to a larger movement of women who are breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes and refusing to be silenced or sidelined,” she said. “It’s about women owning their voices, their stories, their experiences and using them as a foundation upon which to create positive change in the world.”

The full speaker roster and session descriptions for May 17 are available on ICANconference.com.

For my keynote, I plan to share the work I do on regenerative agriculture and sustainability and how women can position themselves to drive sustainability in their careers.

- STEFANIE GRANT, SENIOR MANAGER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS & SUSTAINABILITY, UNILEVER

MEMORIES & SPEAKER REFLECTIONS

To celebrate 30 years of conferences and inspiring keynote speakers, ICAN has collected reflections, stories and lessons learned from past attendees on favorite speakers or topics that made a particular impact. We invite you to enjoy some of the memories shared.

“As an African American female, hearing Dr. Julianne Malveaux’s speech in 2010 was a great reminder to me of the importance of knowing who you are and what you bring to the table. Her words around embracing yourself and liking yourself a lot have been helpful as I have navigated my personal life and professional career. This perspective has been invaluable as it reminded me of the importance of having a level of selfconfidence and a healthy outlet for my emotions. Meeting her was extra special as Julianne, my daughter, and I are all in the same sorority - Delta Sigma Theta.”

INTERNAL SPREAD - REFLECTIONS (THESE WILL BE PDFS, TWO FULL PAGES)

“One of the speakers at the 2019 conference, Tiffany Dufu, significantly impacted me. Since 2016, the year I became a Mom, I’ve struggled with balancing it all. I had this idea that I had to be 110% at everything that I did all of the time to be successful. Listening to her story and everything she had to share, I realized that I could change what success looked like for me. I started to see that 110% at any ONE thing is unrealistic. Once I started to redefine what success looked like for me, and allowed myself to ‘drop the ball’ on certain things that didn’t contribute to that success, I became better. I’m grateful for that moment!”

AILEEN WARREN ICAN President & CEO

“I loved Kindra Hall from 2018. She shared with us the gift of storytelling and I found it very helpful when I am presenting. If I can share a story around the point I am looking to get across I am able to captivate the audience a lot better! This not only brings an entertainment factor but sometime vulnerability and emotions to the audience. As Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget the way you made them feel.”

SHASTA WRAGGE

Chair - ICAN Board of Directors Bank of the West / BMO

“Every conference has amazed me, but the one presentation that had the greatest impact on me was explanation of Setting Intention. She said “as is your desire, so is your intention and as is your intention, so is your will.” It made me realize that I had to be more clear about what most mattered to me in my life. That one comment was powerful and changed my life.”

LAURA ROCCAFORTE ICAN Faculty Member

“The most memorable was the sit down interview I did with Tina Brown in 2018. She was preparing to leave for London for Meghan and Harry’s wedding (as she was known for being on wedding watch) and her tremendous “style” for all those she has interviewed---so interviewing the interviewer, journalist and author stood out for me!”

JANE MILLER

Past Conference Co-Chair & Longtime ICAN Advocate Gallup COO (Retired)

BETH NELSEN

ICAN Conference Advocacy Committee Member

Fusion Medical Staffing

“The 2022 conference was inspirational in that so many women were gathered in one place to hear all the wonderful speakers! I developed a very close connection to the women seated at my table. You could literally feel the energy in the room. Therefore, I had to make sure my staff knew about their leadership programs. As a result, one of them is starting ICAN’s Defining Leadership Program in 2023! It’s really all about strong women amplifying other strong women.”

DULCE SHERMAN

ICAN Friend & Conference Attendee

Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative

“In her 2005 keynote, The Future of the World Depends Upon Women, Meg Wheatley shared “all change begins with a conversation.” Concepts in her ICAN address took me to India and became part of a kit we used at Catherine Place in Tacoma to co-create We-Can and Si, Se Puede Circles for low-income, immigrant and refugee women. Thank you, ICAN & Meg!”

SHERRY HELMKE

Former ICAN Executive Director

“The ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference is an event that is empowering and has proven possibilities are endless. I can still remember a quote from 2022; “I can do hard things” by Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe. This quote has stuck with me all year. We all struggle through hard things. A person’s resiliency is what gets us through this thing we call “Life”. If the employees from Haleon Consumer Health can grab just one little nugget like this quote, we will all be able to do hard things together and come out stronger in the end.”

CAROL WISECARVER

ICAN Conference Advocacy Committee Member Haleon

“The ICAN Conference has contributed incredibly to my professional growth in terms of leadership and networking. I attended my first conference in the early 2000s and sat on my first panel at a conference in 2004. I remember the 2004 conference vividly because I was pregnant with our twins and freshly launched from the ICAN Influence experience. That conference propelled my desire to want to have an impact like the leaders who spoke at the conference and even more, it let me see clearly the joy and happiness that cascaded through the rooms as voices and laughter echoed through the walls. We had so much fun and learned so much from each other as we talked about our celebrations, disappointments, promotions, leadership desires, and for me, my anxiety about being a working mom. I made it!”

SHERRYE HUTCHERSON

Former ICAN Board Member Bellevue University

“While attending the 2008 conference, I was taking in recommendations from various speakers, including Suze Orman. One aspect of Suze’s message was the importance of women saving money for either retirement or other big life events. Being the mother of four daughters, all I could think about was the fact that somewhere in my future would be weddings for my four daughters and the expense that comes with such events. The week following the conference, I took the initiative to open a savings account that I called the “Wedding Fund” and started automatically transferring money to it every month. Over the years, I’ve continued to increase the amounts transferred and have made a few extra contributions as well. In 2022, we celebrated my oldest daughter’s wedding, and I was so relieved to have the “Wedding Fund” available to pay for the big event! I am very thankful that I was engaged in the conference in 2008—it made paying for a wedding much less stressful.”

BRANDEE SCHULTZ

ICAN Conference Advocacy Committee Member

Deloitte

“There has been so much created + offered to community through the ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference. World class keynotes, educational sessions worthy of credits in an MBA program, connections and creativity on a global scale - all have had impact beyond measure. For me, every minute of learning came from what happened behind the scenes - the 364 days leading up to the next Women’s Leadership Conference. The wisdom that the presenters served up was world class, but the impact on my own life + leadership came from the ICAN team and the community represented at the ICAN table. Their grit, experience, honesty and dedication in service of the mission of evolving leaders taught me to hold true to my own purpose: to elevate human consciousness for the sake of humanity and the planet Earth.”

MARY PREFONTAINE

Former ICAN President & CEO

“The Annual ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference has always been inspirational to me. I attended over 15 conferences, some as an attendee, some as a Board member of ICAN and some as the leader of ICAN.

Judy Woodruff, PBS NewsHour, a smart, focused, successful news journalist who “made it” in a man’s world, and she did so with professionalism and integrity.

Erica Volini, senior executive with Deloitte, speaks her truth in business to guide clients. Showed that women can speak up, have a voice and be successful in business. She loves breaking old rules and making new ones.

Carla Harris, Vice Chairman of Wealth Management at Morgan Stanley, showed that women of color have to sometimes just make their own opportunities, have to make sure their work gets noticed in the organization and have to be confident.

Erik Wahl, an artist, a motivational speaker, a difference maker. He showed how art and vision and perception converge, and how to understand and use this convergence.

From each of these keynote speakers, I learned how to adapt my style, my communications, my creativity and my leadership skills.”

SUSAN HENRICKS Former ICAN President & CEO

“I have had the distinct pleasure of attending many ICAN Women’s Leadership Conferences over the years. Every time I have attended this conference it has been absolutely EXCEPTIONAL, the quality of speakers, program topics and organization by the ICAN team has created an experience that is second to none. The conference may be titled the Women’s Leadership Conference but is very much inclusive to men and creates an experience that is rewarding for ALL in attendance. One moment, of many, that standout is hearing Kindra Hall, in 2018, speak to the power of storytelling. The investment made to attend this conference is worth EVERY penny.”

CECIL HICKS

Former ICAN Board Member Immanuel Communities

“One of my fondest memories attending the conference was the year we had Lisa Ling as a keynote speaker in 2005. It was the first time an Asian woman was selected as a keynote and Lisa’s message was real, direct, and challenging to hear. It was the perfect balance of a real life diversity, equity and inclusion message and storytelling. Seeing Ms. Ling’s role in journalism and geopolitics a couple years later also gave me a higher perspective of what it takes to bring unbiased news to our screens.”

CRISTINA CASTRO-MATUKEWICZ ICAN Conference Advocacy Committee Member Wells Fargo

ADVOCACY COMMITTEE

Jen Kramer American National Bank

Meredith Williams Baird Holm LLP

Mayura Latenser Bank of the West

Whitney Willard Bank of the West

Sue Violi Baxter Auto Group

Kelsey Kelly Bellevue University

Leah Bond Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska

Lisa Hukill Boys Town

AnnMarie Marlier Business Ethics Alliance

Brenda Kann CapStone Technologies

Nikki Irish Carson Group

Madison Vornhagen

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center

2023 Conference

ADVOCACY COMMITTEE AND

PARTNERS

Felicia Dailey Conagra Brands

Keri Menage Cox

Natalie Olsen Creighton University

Elizabeth Churchich Creighton University Graduate School

Brandee Schultz Deloitte

Ashley Rae Turner Emspace + Lovgren

Jen Joneson Farm Credit Services of America

Jodi Teal First Responders Foundation

Cris Riddle Fiserv

Amelis Long FNBO

Jill Adkins Fusion Medical Staffing

Gayle Hoybook Gallup

Lindsay Christiansen Green Plains Inc.

2023 CONFERENCE PARTNERS

Pearl Methodist Health System

Diamond Bank of the West/BMO

Deloitte Fiserv

Kiewit Haleon

HDR

Platinum Fusion Medical Staffing

Signature Performance

Gold FNBO

Omaha Steaks Medical Solutions

Markey’s Union Pacific Railroad

Silver

American National Bank

Baird Holm Baxter

Blue Cross and Blue

Shield of Nebraska Carson Group

Carol Wisecarver Haleon

Karolyn Wicht Haleon

Paula Renner HDR

Erin Crouch HRAM

Sarah Schulz HRAM

Becky Aboe Immanuel

Reanna Heim

Iowa Western Community College

Haley Armstrong Kiewit

Jessica Jensen Kiewit

Tanya Riggan Koley Jessen

Tia Bailey Lincoln Financial Group

Stephanie Gutierrez Lincoln Financial Group

Missy Berg Markey’s

Kari Foote Medical Solutions

Jenni Stoll Methodist Health System

Lydia Svensen

Metropolitan Community College

Jessica Richardson Midland University

Amy Tritsch Midland University

Michael McIllece Metropolitan Utilities District

Tracy Roe

Nebraska Public Media

Rana Schreiber NRC Health

Dan Williams Olsson

Angela Galloway Omaha Public Power District

Kari Halstenson Omaha Steaks

Michelle Johnson Oriental Trading Company

Sydney Ohem planit, inc.

Kim Lesinski Physicians Mutual

McKenna Parks planit, inc.

Dangie Jansen

Signature Performance

Amy Fox Union Pacific Railroad

Abra Thompson Union Pacific Railroad

Dr. Sheritta Strong University of Nebraska Medical Center

Dr. Brandy Clarke University of Nebraska Medical Center

Kari Peacock Valmont

Jennifer McKern WoodmenLife

ICAN Staff

Aileen Warren

Amy McLaughlin

Julie Burrell Lillig

Allison Zach

Tracy Stuart

Lisa Kaplan Erin Potter

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center

Emspace + Lovgren

Farm Credit Services of America

HRAM

Immanuel

Koley Jessen

Lincoln Financial Group

Metropolitan Utilities District

NRC Health

Omaha Public Power District

Physicians Mutual Valmont

US Bank

Wells Fargo

Education

Bellevue University

Creighton University

Iowa Western Community College

Metropolitan Community College

Midland University MBA

UNMC - Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

UNO

Special Thanks

Business Ethics Alliance Cox

Gallup Green Plains

Media

Midlands Business Journal/ metroMagazine

Nebraska Public Media

Leading Women

Fiserv is a proud sponsor of the 2023 ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference as part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the advancement of women in leadership.

At Fiserv, we value diverse thoughts and opinions, backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities because we know diversity helps us arrive at the best answers to questions, the best solutions for clients, the best workplace for our people and the best engagement with our communities. We believe in creating an inclusive environment where the more than 44,000 individuals who constitute our global team feel welcomed and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work each day.

information. Learn more about opportunities with Fiserv at

Haleon.com/Careers

Haleon is a proud sponsor of the ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference.

Health Equity

STARTING UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS CAN SAVE LIVES

BY SAVANNAH BEHRENDS

Despite representing nearly half of the workforce, topics related to women’s health in the workplace remain shrouded, even sometimes considered controversial. Keynote speaker Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa and panelists from Methodist Hospital and Methodist Women’s Hospital will discuss health equity at The ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference.

Speak Up

Health equity, in the simplest terms, is when everyone is encouraged and allowed to take care of their physical and mental health.

Because an individual’s physical and mental health is directly correlated to how successful they can be in the workplace, it’s essential that employers recognize varying needs.

Methodist and Methodist Women’s Hospital President and CEO Josie Abboud said it’s important to remember that men and women are inherently different and symptoms can manifest differently.

While that may sound obvious, the differences aren’t always talked about, which means that women might not know what to look out for. For example, Abboud said that when men experience heart attack symptoms it commonly feels like intense chest pain.

“For women, you could have just a really subtle jaw pain, or unusual neck pain,” Abboud said. “But if you’re someone that has no knowledge of that, you might discount the symptoms you’re feeling.”

Panelist Dr. HelenMari L. Merritt-Genore, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Methodist, will be giving participants signs to look for that indicate a cardiac problem.

Can I say that?

Equally important is advocating for other women and encouraging conversations about health, even when it might be uncomfortable. Women, Abboud said, tend to take care of others before they take care of themselves.

“When I ask a group of women, ‘Do you schedule your kids’ appointments’ the answer is always yes,” she said. “But then when I ask, have you scheduled your well visit, they say ‘well, I need to do that.’”

It’s important, then, to encourage women to take care of their health, whether it’s asking if they’ve gotten their mammogram or encouraging them to take a mental health day.

Paula Pittman, vice president of human resources at Methodist, will be speaking about how employers, leaders, and co-workers can have those conversations.

Together We Can

Methodist will be highlighting mammograms. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and regular mammograms are the best way to detect cancer early.

“There’s a lot of questions around should I get tested for the BRCA gene? What do you do if you have dense breasts,” Abboud said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 40% of women have dense breasts, which makes finding cancer during a mammogram harder, resulting in a need for further screening that isn’t covered by most insurance providers.

Panelist Dr. Lisa M. Poole, a breast surgical oncologist, will be discussing a new federal bill called the Find it Early Act, which would require insurance companies to cover additional breast screenings.

Abboud said the bill is an example of how we can advocate for women.

“We have to be willing to be advocates and have bold conversations so that we can have access to the things that are necessary to keep us healthy,” she said.

Shifting Norms

The increase in awareness around mental health may signal a shift in societal norms, indicating that topics that were once avoided may become more commonplace.

“I’ve been at Methodist for 27 years and we’ve never talked about mental health to the degree that we talk about it today,” Abboud said.

Part of that may be a result of the emphasis on mental health during COVID-19 when many were stretched thin. It is also in part due to advocates like Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa, who saw firsthand the disparities in her profession and in the Black community.

Among other important achievements, Oriwa is the only Black woman selected as valedictorian for the University of Toronto’s medical school as well as the only Black resident in her class of 259.

Oriuwa sits on the medical advisory board of Made of Millions, a global health organization working to combat the stigma of mental health care.

Regarding mental health, Abboud said: “It’s a bold conversation that we have to be willing to have. We have to be willing to listen, understand, and then respond appropriately.”

We have to be willing to be advocates and have bold conversations so that we can have access to the things that are necessary to keep us healthy.

- JOSIE ABBOUD, PRESIDENT AND CEO, METHODIST HOSPITAL AND METHODIST WOMEN’S HOSPITAL

Ideas transform communities

Male Allyship ADVOCATING FOR WOMEN

BY DAVID KUBICEK

Jeffery Tobias Halter, president of the corporate gender consulting firm YWomen, will present a keynote on the main stage and conduct a breakout session entitled “Engaging Male Allies: Moving From Awareness to Advocacy.” Halter defines male allyship as seeing the need to engage women in the workplace as partners, which is done through visible and vocal support. Halter said although this session focuses on women, its principles can be applied to any underrepresented group.

An Employees’ Market

There are 11 million job openings nationally.

“Employers are scrambling to get really talented people, and the best companies certainly want to keep their best and brightest,” Halter said. “This is compounded by the fallout from COVID.” The workforce lost almost 1 million more women than men during the pandemic because they are not coming back to the workplace as quickly. The retirement of 3 million baby boomers each year has also deepened the employee shortage.

“The convergence of these trends is driving the demand for talent,” Halter said. “Many leaders have a conceptual idea of what the business case looks like, but they don’t necessarily have an operational sense as they would with any other type of business plan.”

According to McKinsey’s 2022 report, there are approximately 10 barriers to advancement facing women and underrepresented groups in the workplace today. Halter will highlight five of them.

“Sixty-four percent report a microaggression taking place on a daily basis,” Halter said. “If it happens once, it’s not that big of a deal, but for underrepresented groups it’s happening almost daily.”

Examples of microaggressions are interrupting a woman or talking over her, making eye contact with only men, taking more questions from men, challenging women’s ideas and

questioning their data more than men, and mistaking women for someone at a lower level.

Underrepresented groups face the challenge of often being the only ones in the room. This happens 20% of the time for women, 45% for women of color, 37% for men of color, 70% for gay men, and 76% for lesbian women.

“This notion of being the only one forces these individuals to cover, so they can’t bring their whole selves to work,” Halter said.

According to McKinsey, women of color have almost three times as many significant workplace issues as white women.

Who Should Attend

The message is targeted to directors and VPs, but individual contributors are also encouraged to select this breakout session. Attendees will learn how to be allies within their sphere of control. Halter hopes men and women will attend.

“Most men believe this is a really good idea,” he said. “They understand the business case to some degree, but they don’t know what it looks like when they’re advocating for women on a daily basis.”

Individuals will learn how to take action on simple things like assuring that a woman’s voice isn’t talked over in a meeting. Directors and VPs will be asked to do more from a strategic standpoint.

“We really want men there to learn how to become better allies, but women can also learn how to go back to their companies and recruit what I call ready-now men—men who are already predisposed to wanting to help but don’t know what to do,” Halter said. “The key takeaway from this workshop is understanding the sense of urgency from this work right now, and that’s really around talent and the marketplace. But then it will evolve into what barriers women are still facing in 2023. People will leave with the actions they can take immediately when they get back to their workplace the very next day.”

The key takeaway from this workshop is understanding the sense of urgency from this work right now.

- JEFFERY TOBIAS HALTER, PRESIDENT OF YWOMEN

JEFFERY TOBIAS HALTER, PRESIDENT OF YWOMEN, WILL BE ADDRESSING WHAT MALE ALLYSHIP LOOKS LIKE IN A BREAKOUT SESSION AT THE CONFERENCE.

As a company with over 80% women, we know there is power when you surround yourself with strong, empowering women. At Signature Performance, we want every woman to feel empowered to pursue their career goals, make an impact, and seek new heights in their personal and professional lives. signature performance is a proud supporter of ICAN | visit signatureperformance.com to learn more about our team of empowered women

Record-breaking Partnerships GROWING SUPPORT FOR WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

BY BROOKE STRICKLAND

The 30th anniversary of the ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference is marked by a record number of conference partners, boasting 43 at the time of this writing. These partners are expressing their support for the conference’s mission of taking on bold conversations that impact the future of women leaders locally and globally. Partnerships range from $10,000 to $30,000 and offer different co-branding and recognition opportunities. A full list of sponsors is available on page 8 of this section.

The Support

“We call our sponsors partners because we work to build a mutually beneficial, lasting relationship,” said Julie Burrell Lillig, vice president of strategic partnerships for ICAN. “Our partners are essential in helping us make the ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference a success year after year.”

Burrell Lillig said that the increased partnerships reflect the growing support for women’s leadership development and the benefits that come with cultivating strong leaders that are dedicated to creating more diverse workplaces.

“There’s increasing recognition of the value of strong leaders and diverse leadership teams – and many organizations are taking steps to promote gender diversity and inclusion,” she said. “Sponsoring a women’s leadership conference can demonstrate a company’s commitment to promoting gender diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It shows that the company recognizes the importance of developing and promoting women leaders and is willing to invest resources to support this goal. And by the way, research shows that the companies that have more diverse leadership perform better!”

The Growth

Burrell Lillig noted that the continued conference growth year after year proves the value that the event has on the people that attend, as well as the organizations that they represent.

“It brings together individuals from different companies and backgrounds, providing an opportunity for employees to network with peers, potential allies, and new connections,” she said. “These connections can lead to new business opportunities, collaborations, and

career advancement. I think our attendance growth reflects the importance of developing strong leaders who can make big impacts in their organizations … By investing in the development of their employees, organizations can create a more skilled, motivated workforce that is better equipped to meet challenges – and this can translate into tangible financial benefits for the organization.”

HDR, one of ICAN’s partners, has a company mission that aligns with the conference’s mission to empower women in leadership.

“In the days after the conference, our HDR attendees come together to share their experiences,” said Paula Renner, associate vice president at HDR and ICAN Conference Advocacy Committee member. “The energized conversation is full of takeaways, ‘a-ha’ moments and motivations that spur action. For some, the conference builds confidence to share their ideas. For others, it reinforces the value they bring to the organization and enhances their network.”

Another business partner Haleon, sends employees to the event with the intention to bring back inspiration.

“The ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference is an event that is empowering and has proven possibilities are endless,” said Carol Wisecarver, human resources business partner at Haleon. “I can still remember a quote from last year; ‘I can do hard things’ by Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe.

“This quote has stuck with me all year. We all struggle through hard things. A person’s resiliency is what gets us through this thing we call ‘Life.’ If the employees from Haleon Consumer Health can grab just one little nugget like this quote, we will all be able to do hard things together and come out stronger in the end.”

This year’s theme of ‘Leading Bold Conversations’ has clearly created a buzz within organizations. It gives women the tools to speak up about important issues – giving them a voice to create more inclusive and equitable workplaces.

“The ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference offers analysis of the most transformative and important discussions shaping business,” Burrell Lillig said. “When you know there’s an expert resource that will synthesize information into the most important trends delivered by incredible speakers, it’s a smart and easy choice to attend.”

We call our sponsors partners because we work to build a mutually beneficial, lasting relationship.

- JULIE BURRELL LILLIG, VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, ICAN

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proud planning partner of the ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference

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At the 30th Anniversary ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference on MAY 17, 2023, we will take on the bold conversations that impact the future of women leaders in our community and the world-at-large. We will bring to light ideas to help women advance in their workplaces, personal lives, careers and communities and the bold conversations that connect us from power to progress, inspiration to impact, truth to trust and allyship to action. Expert speakers will introduce new perspectives to encourage you to fully participate in future conversations confidently and courageously — and have the fortitude to lead these bold conversations back in your workplaces and communities with greater collective impact.

Keynote Speakers

BOLD CONVERSATIONS — while at times uncomfortable — can be refreshing and lead to a better understanding of the needs of others, your own personal leadership growth, and transformational development for teams, leaders and the organizations they serve.

Join us in celebrating our milestone 30th ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference by exploring the deeper awareness, stronger connections and business success that bold conversations spark.

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ABOUT :The mission of the Institute for Career Advancement Needs is to develop inspired, authentic leaders to transform the organizations and communities they serve. For over 40 years, ICAN has developed leaders who create limitless possibilities for themselves and their organizations. We are your trusted and credible partner for all things leadership. ICAN inspires bold thinking, deepens self-awareness, expands capacity & builds leadership networks that define the future of business. Our leader development programs include Defining Leadership, individual and team development through on-site custom programs & services, coaching, assessment workshops and dynamic Leadership Exchange 7x7x7 events. Learn more at ICANleaders.org