Texas Conference for Women

 

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2007 Keynote Speakers

Elizabeth Vargas, an award-winning anchor and correspondent, has traveled the world covering breaking news stories, reporting in-depth investigations and conducting newsmaker interviews. She won an Emmy in 2000 for Outstanding Instant Coverage of a News Story for anchoring live coverage of the Elian Gonzalez case. Currently the co-anchor of ABC News' 20/20 and a mother of two young children, Ms. Vargas is no stranger to the tough decisions facing working mothers, especially those juggling unpredictable work schedules. Ms. Vargas began her broadcasting career as a reporter/anchor for KOMU-TV in Columbia, Missouri.
Carly Fiorina, the former chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard, led the successful acquisition and integration of Compaq, completing the largest high-tech merger in history. Prior to joining HP, Ms. Fiorina spent nearly 20 years at AT&T and Lucent Technologies. Ms. Fiorina earned a bachelor's degree from Stanford University, a master's degree in business administration from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland at College Park, and a master's degree from MIT's Sloan School. In her October 2006 best-selling memoir, Tough Choices, she talks about her career and her views on such issues as what constitutes a leader, how women can thrive in business and the role technology will continue to play in reshaping our world.
Nancy Giles is a regular commentator for CBS Sunday Morning and has worked in all forms of media and entertainment. On radio, she's well known as Jay Thomas' sidekick on New York's Jammin' 105 and for co-hosting Giles and Moriarty on WPHT Philadelphia. She starred in TV's China Beach and Delta and was the announcer and sometimes co-host of Fox After Breakfast. She appeared in the films True Crime, Angie, Working Girl, and Big. Ms. Giles has toured with Chicago's Second City and has written and performed two solo pieces: Black Comedy: The Wacky Side of Racism and Notes of a Negro Neurotic. She is currently working on her first book and lives in New York City.
Mary Wilson...of the Supremes has 12 #1 hits, nearly 40 albums and two best-selling books to her name. Her autobiography, Dreamgirl...My Life As A Supreme sold more than 250,000 copies in hardback, received rave reviews, and went on to become the most successful rock and roll autobiography of all time. Its sequel, Supreme Faith...Someday We'll Be Together, offers intimate details surrounding the celebrated group and her personal trials and tribulations in keeping their legend alive. A tireless humanitarian, Ms. Wilson has also been touring and lecturing across the U.S., speaking to various groups nationwide. She focuses on reaching goals and triumphing over adversity and lives by the philosophy that dreams don't die; people just stop dreaming.

2007 Additional Confirmed Speakers

Alexis Abramson, Ph.D. is an inspiring speaker, corporate consultant, successful author, and award-winning entrepreneur. Her message of respect for elders has been featured in many national publications including TIME, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and People. In addition to many other media outlets, she is a regular, on-air expert gerontologist for NBC's Today show and Weekend Today, roles she has filled since 1997. Dr. Abramson is the author of the Caregivers Survival Handbook as well as Home Safety for Seniors.
Josie Barrett is the assistant to the president for strategic planning at St. Edward's University. Previously she served at the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation, where she focused on the use of financial assistance in college recruitment and retention. Prior to that she spent 17 years serving schools, colleges, universities, and state agencies through The College Board's Southwestern Regional Office in Austin. She started her career in higher education teaching English as a second language at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. Ms. Barrett has a baccalaureate degree in English and Spanish from Our Lady of the Lake University and a master's degree in human resources management from St. Edward's University.
  Laura Bellomy specializes in change management, executive coaching, communications, and presentation coaching and development. She has 25 years of experience in marketing, communications, organizational development, advocacy, and business development. Ms. Bellomy's advocacy efforts include the Arthritis Foundation, the Empowered Caregiver Network, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Houston. In her career, she has done everything from sports marketing to professional services marketing to delivering babies and brain surgery. She offers an extremely creative and easy-to-use approach to help you stand out from the crowd and move to the next level!
Andrea Day Boykin and Nessa Higgins share a passion for great food – and delicious crepes. A year ago these two friends decided to make and sell their crepes out of a vintage Avalon trailer in a parking lot in Austin. Their quirky restaurant, Flip Happy Crepes, is now a true culinary destination. Critics say their crepes are the best in America, and Food Network star Bobby Flay would likely agree since Ms. Boykin and Ms. Higgins beat him on his own program, Throwdown. Their restaurant has received accolades from the media, including being named to the "Best of Austin" list in the Austin Chronicle in 2006.
Enzie Briskey, M.D., is the co-founder of Austin Women MDs. Dr. Briskey was born in Ohio, received her Bachelor of Science in biochemistry at The Ohio State University, and attended medical school at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center. Dr. Briskey is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and is currently a junior fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has been practicing obstetrics and gynecology in Austin since 2004. She and partner Dr. Sheila Parekh opened Austin Women MDs and enjoy a practice where they are able to focus on patient education and empowering women to take ownership of their health.
Mary Louise Butters is the woman behind Butters Brownies, a line of unique gourmet brownies from Austin that has won loyal fans all over the country and feature spots on the Food Network and The Rachael Ray Show. Ms. Butters is a native Texan and grew up on a farm in South Texas in a family that was fluent in food. After 20 years in the performing arts (ballet dancer) and a career in the visual arts (fiber artist), the self-taught baker and entrepreneur launched decadently delicious Butters Brownies out of her own kitchen in 2002. Ms. Butters believes the key to her success has been the joy she's found in the bonds between good friends and good food and her opinion that she can change the world, one brownie at a time.
Lovetta Conto is fourteen years old and has lived most of her life in war-ravaged Liberia with her father. Lovetta captured Strongheart co-founder Cori Stern's attention with her intelligence, drive, and ambition. Lovetta was subsequently selected to be the inaugural fellow of Strongheart Fellowship, a one year U.S.-residency program for exceptional young people from extreme circumstances. Lovetta most recently worked with a group of volunteers as part of the Ten Days Mission to build a school for 600 unaccompanied minors in Buduburam Refugee Camp. Lovetta is anxious to help rebuild the country and is currently working on plans to help build the first in-country Strongheart House in Liberia as her Strongheart project. She is living in Austin attending school as part of the Fellowship and designing jewelry whose proceeds benefits the refugees in Liberia.
Pam Cope is the co-founder of Touch a Life Ministries, an organization she and her husband started in memory of their son in order to help desperate children in faraway places. The organization began when the Copes decided to use the Memorial Fund established for their son, who died of a heart defect, to finance shelters for children who were abused, handicapped, living on the street, or orphaned by AIDS in Cambodia and Vietnam. More recently, Ms. Cope's mission of rescuing children, who had been working as indentured servants on fishing boats in Ghana, was featured on Oprah and in The New York Times.
Dana Cowin, vice president and editor in chief of Food & Wine magazine, has been covering the world of food, style and design for over 25 years. Under her leadership, Food & Wine has become a must-read for anyone with a passionate interest in and an adventurous approach to cooking, wine, travel, restaurants and entertaining. Ms. Cowin is on the board of directors of City Harvest, a New York City hunger-relief organization,and a member of Brown University's President's Leadership Council. She serves on the advisory board of Farm to Table, an Earth Pledge initiative, and launched the "Grow for Good" campaign in 2006 in an effort to promote sustainable farming. She appears frequently on national television, including CBS' The Early Show and the Food Network.
Kitty Crider has served as food editor of the Austin American-Statesman for the past 28 years. Her stories have won numerous national food and nutrition writing awards, including a James Beard award and the MFK Fisher Award for a feature on cooking for her ailing mother, an article which was also a finalist for the IACP Bert Greene Award. She is a charter member of the Newspaper Food Editors and Writers Association, now known as the Association of Food Journalists, having served on its executive board and other committees. Married and the mother of two sons, she knows what it is like to feed a family.
Ann Daly, Ph.D., is a life coach, speaker, and author of Clarity: How to Accomplish What Matters Most. Dr. Daly helps women in transition get clear about what they want and how to get it. A former professor at the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Daly is the award-winning author of three books on women and the arts. She has written for The New York Times and Village Voice, and her commentary has been aired on NPR's Marketplace. Her work on clarity and creativity has been featured on The Coaching Show and in the Australian Financial Review. She contributes the "Transitions" coaching column to Your Address magazine and hosts "BookWisdom," a book salon that inspires and improves women's lives.
Mary Dean is a passionate marketer with over 20 years experience helping Fortune 100 brands connect with women. Formerly VP/creative director at Publicis USA, she is the author of the Curves campaign and has led their advertising for the past five years. Her knack for bringing smart strategies to life has earned her an array of national and international awards. Ms. Dean has always had a special touch with campaigns targeting women, a talent which has benefited Levis Jeans for Women, Celestial Seasonings Teas, Clorox, and Procter & Gamble, among others. Her impressive career includes positions at Chiat/Day, Foote Cone & Belding, and Leo Burnett. Ms. Dean recently founded KickSkirt, Inc., a marketing-to-women consultancy that's as dedicated to superb campaign execution as it is to insightful market research.
Donna DeBerry is founder and chief executive officer of DRP International, a diversity and event management consultancy. She has been described as a trailblazer, pioneer, and the "Diversity Go-To-Person" since her rise through the ranks of Wyndham International, where she formerly served as executive vice president of global diversity and corporate affairs. She also served as first vice president of global diversity for Nike and as a consultant to the NFL and the U.S. Olympic Committee. Ms. DeBerry's success has been featured in some of America's top rated print, electronic, and broadcast media, including such magazines as Fortune, Time, Essence (Top 50 Women Shaping the World issue), Black Enterprise, Today's Dallas Women, and Black Meetings & Tourism. She has been a featured speaker and addressed thousands at major conferences and events and has worked with the Oprah Winfrey Show and on many other high profile projects.
Lisa Dollinger is chief communications office for Clear Channel Communications, Inc., providing executive leadership for the company's communications initiatives, acting as chief communications strategist and spokesperson for the company. Since January 2003, Ms. Dollinger has ranked among the top two in Radio Ink magazine's annual ranking of Most Influential Women in Radio. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science in organizational communication. She and her daughter reside in San Antonio.
Sharon Epperson, a correspondent at CNBC since 1996, covers personal finance, the energy markets, and other business and financial news. She is also a personal finance columnist for USA Weekend magazine, a contributor to Essence and Time magazines, and author of The Big Payoff: 8 Steps For Couples To Make The Most Of Their Money — And Live Richly Ever After. Ms. Epperson also teaches a course on professional development for graduate students interested in careers in international media and communications at Columbia University's School of International Public Affairs.
Lisa Fielder, executive director of College Forward, was a stay-at-home mom when she discovered a knack for motivating teens through the college application process. Hoping to use her talents to "level the playing field," she started College Forward at her kitchen table in 2003. Now one of Texas' newest AmeriCorps programs, College Forward serves over 520 low-income high school and college students. One hundred percent of College Forward participants have graduated from high school and earned admission to universities around the state and the nation. College Forward is a nominee for the Greater Austin Chamber's 2007 Star of Texas Education award.
LaTanya Flix, the director of external relations for City Year San Antonio, has dedicated her career to helping organizations achieve impact. Prior to joining City Year, Ms. Flix worked as a consultant and in various senior management positions in affordable and transitional housing and for an international faith-based nonprofit. She also has a diverse background in youth development. Ms. Flix is a Woodrow Wilson fellow in Public Policy and International Affairs and holds an MPA from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Trinity University.

Nene Foxhall is a member of the Texas Conference for Women board of directors and is vice president of state and civic affairs for Continental Airlines, Inc.  In this latter role, she is responsible for state and local government relations for the airline. Prior to joining Continental, Ms. Foxhall was an attorney associated with Mayor, Day, Caldwell & Keeton, L.L.P., where she counseled government entity clients on policy issues and matters of statutory compliance. She previously was a writer at the Dallas Morning News and, later, at the Houston Chronicle, where she was political editor. Ms. Foxhall serves on the board of directors for the North Houston Association, the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Harris County Pct. 1 Street Olympics, City of Houston Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ9), and City of Houston S. Post Oak Redevelopment Authority. 

Lolis Garcia-Baab, host of the women's talk show The Ladies Room with Lolis, is a bilingual communications professional with television and radio experience as a producer, writer, journalist, correspondent and voice-over talent. Having lived in both Mexico and the United States, Ms. Garcia-Baab has a strong understanding of the Latino culture and its impact on mainstream society, which makes her particularly adept at communicating in today's multicultural environment. A mother of two daughters and the wife of 12-year NFL veteran Mike Baab, she is a business and community leader and a proud graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.
Joi Gordon is CEO of Dress for Success Worldwide, a grassroots organization that has provided interview suits, confidence boosts, and career development services to more than 400,000 disadvantaged women seeking employment since 1997. She oversees a network of affiliates that spans 86 cities in five countries. A number of prominent institutions have recognized Ms. Gordon for her achievements. In 2007 she was honored with an Ellis Island Medal of Honor and received the 2006 Visionary Award from Office Depot. She currently serves on the board of directors of Urban Brands, on the Office Depot Women's Advisory Board, and on the advisory board for a non-profit organization, My Daughter's Keeper.
Jon Gordon is a leading authority on developing positive, engaged people and leaders. He is the author of several books, including The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel your Life, Work and Team with Positive Energy. His proven solutions are being put to use by executives, athletes, parents, artists, teachers and numerous organizations throughout the world. Mr. Gordon has been featured in numerous television shows, magazines, and newspapers including CNN's American Morning, NBC's Today show, Men's Health, Forbes, and Positive Thinking. He is also the co-founder of PEP-The Positive Energy Program, a nonprofit organization that creates and funds programs that develop healthy, positive children around the world. Mr. Gordon is a graduate of Cornell University and holds a master's degree in teaching from Emory University.
Janet Gurwitch is the CEO and founder of Gurwitch Products, the company that produces, manages, and markets Laura Mercier Cosmetics and Skincare. Ms. Gurwitch joined forces with famed makeup artist Laura Mercier in 1996 after realizing the imminent shift in the beauty industry, propelling niche lines to the forefront of the cosmetics business. Prior to founding Gurwitch Products, she was the executive vice president of merchandising at Neiman Marcus. Ms. Gurwitch is on the boards of the University of Texas Health Science Center and the Girl Scouts of America.
Sharon Hadary, DBA, the executive director of the Center for Women's Business Research, which leads major initiatives to improve the quality and comprehensiveness of knowledge on the role of women business owners and their enterprises in economies around the world. She also leads the Center's efforts to share this knowledge with policy makers, corporations, financial institutions, media, educators, and business owners to help expand entrepreneurial opportunities for women.
Dr. Kathleen Hall, internationally renowned stress and work-life balance expert, is CEO of The Stress Institute, author, columnist, and radio show host. During times of stress and crisis, the media seeks the authoritative knowledge and direction of Dr. Hall. She is highly sought after by international media on how to live a healthy lifestyle by reducing stress and creating balance. Her appearances include NBC's Today show, CNN, FOX, ABC, CBS, Martha Stewart Radio, Fortune, Forbes, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Parents, Cosmopolitan, and Glamour. She authored A Life in Balance and Alter Your Life.
Kim Hammonds is director of reliability, factory controls/automation, and custom fulfillment applications at Dell. She joined Dell in 2007 after spending 16 years at Ford Motor Company in product engineering, manufacturing, quality, and marketing leadership roles. Her last position at Ford Motor Company was as director of manufacturing systems for North America, supporting 48 plants, manufacturing engineering, supply chain, and production systems. In 2004, Ms. Hammonds founded The Zoe Foundation for Infusion Art Therapy, a non-profit organization in Michigan that provides art programs for cancer patients while they are undergoing treatment.
Jan Hargrave, CEO of Jan Hargrave & Associates, is a leading expert in the field of non-verbal communication. She teaches you the ways in which your body communicates to the world around you. Her information could help you to "read" your customers, your family, your students, your associates, in fact, everyone around you. She is the author of Let Me See Your Body Talk, Freeway of Love, Judge The Jury, and Strictly Business Body Language. This popular speaker, distinguished educator, talk-show guest of The Lifetime Channel, The Maury Povich Show, The Montel Williams Show, E-Entertainment Television, and The Ricki Lake Show, describes for you all "hidden messages" you use in your everyday life and shows you how to stop the lies and uncover the truth—in any conversation or situation.
Cynthia Hill is an equity partner with Henslee Schwarz LLP, an AV rated law firm with branches in five Texas cities. As a partner with the firm, Ms. Hill advises and represents multinational corporations and small business clients in the full range of civil matters with primary emphasis in employment relations and personnel law, including: compliance with employment laws, discrimination statutes and affirmative action regulations; wrongful discharge and other common law employment litigation. Ms. Hill assists businesses in preparing personnel policies (benefit plans, arbitration agreements, employment contracts and separation agreements) and represents employers in contested matters.
Julia Hubbel is a professional speaker, seminar leader, and prize-winning journalist who specializes in teaching the art of charisma. She has spent nearly three decades in senior corporate and consulting positions in the areas of training and organizational development in America, Australia, and New Zealand. Her upcoming book is titled CLICK: Capture Your Charisma and Make Your Connections Count!, due out in 2007. Ms. Hubbel is a fully disabled, decorated Vietnam-era veteran who served as a journalist and television producer/director in the Army and as chief of military protocol under President Jimmy Carter in 1977.
Jeanne Johns is President of BP North America Natural Gas Liquids business, based out of Houston. This business has annual sales revenues of more than $8 billion covering the full value chain from gas gathering and processing to B2B sales. Ms. Johns has worked for BP for over twenty years in leadership roles in all parts of the company, including operations management, manufacturing supply, value chain optimization and organizational development for technical and manufacturing leadership. She has worked at the Prudhoe Bay oil field on the North Slope of Alaska, ran Toledo Refinery in Ohio, and been global vice president overseeing manufacturing, HSSE, projects and engineering in the Petrochemical segment. Ms. Johns is also currently a member of the Board of Advisors for the Asia Society Texas in Houston
Sheila Johnson, the co-founder of BET (Black Entertainment Television), is the CEO of Salamander Hospitality, which includes a destination resort and spa in Middleburg, Virginia, Market Salamander in Palm Beach, and several other five-star resort properties. She is also president and managing partner of the Washington Mystics, and, as a partner in Lincoln Holdings, LLC, is the only woman to have a stake in three professional sports teams. Ms. Johnson is also a passionate philanthropist serving as a global ambassador for CARE. She serves as chairman on the board of directors of Parsons The New School for Design and sits on several boards, including The Whitney Museum and VH1 Save the Music.
Johnita Jones is a member of the Texas Conference for Women board of directors, and serves as pipeline risk and integrity manager for Exxon Mobil Pipeline Co.  She began work as a facilities engineer with Exxon Company, U.S.A., in Harvey, Louisiana. Since that time, she has worked in oil and gas engineering assignments, including corrosion applications, project engineering, and reservoir analysis. She began her supervisory responsibilities in 1989, and has managed teams in production facility surveillance, project engineering, and operations management. In her current position, she is responsible for development and stewardship of programs to ensure pipeline fitness for service for over 8,000 miles of pipe in the United States. Prior community activities include participation on the Houston Childre'’s Museum advisory board and as a member of the board of directors of the Lighthouse of Houston.
Tonya Kerr anchors weekdays on KXAN Austin News Today. Ms. Kerr, a native Texan, joined KXAN Austin News in July of 2004. Previously, she worked at KPRC (NBC) in Houston as a news and traffic anchor on News2Houston Daybreak. She served as a production associate and field producer in London for ABC News' PrimeTime Live where she covered stories throughout Europe and the Middle East during the Gulf War. Ms. Kerr received her Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism from Texas Tech University in Lubbock.
Rabbi Jennifer Krause, a "rabbi without borders," brings an innovative mix of sacred text, contemporary experience, and popular culture to diverse audiences throughout the country. Whether speaking at Manhattan's 92nd Street Y, lecturing at the Aspen Institute, or offering wisdom to-go via video podcast, she delivers relevant spiritual insight to people of all backgrounds in unexpected ways. Her work and commentary have been featured in Newsweek, US News and World Report, and O, the Oprah magazine. Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Rabbi Krause makes her home in New York City. She is the author of The Answer: Making Sense of Life, One Question at a Time (Perigee).

Kathleen Lucas is the deputy business unit leader of the BP Texas City Refinery and began her career with Amoco at their Texas City Refinery in 1982. While at Texas City, she held a variety of technical, strategic, and leadership roles. Ms. Lucas became optimization manager in 1996 at BP's Mandan Refinery located in Bismarck, North Dakota and was responsible for a team of technical and line professionals. In March 2000, she transferred to BP's Kwinana Refinery in Perth, Western Australia, as the business growth manager and two years later became the refinery manager in Kwinana.
Liz Lynch started her profitability consulting firm, Liz Lynch Ltd., in October 2000 after "doing corporate time" at some of the top firms in their industries to hone her strategic, analytical and financial expertise. Although not a born networker, she's grown the company successfully exclusively through networking; no cold calling required! Her 102 Secrets to Smarter Networking booklet and the Center for Networking Excellence that she founded help business professionals build profitable relationships, helping them network smarter, not harder.
Diane MacEachern, founder and president of Big Green Purse and The World Women Want, LLC., is passionate about empowering women to use their marketplace clout to protect the environment. Her best-selling book, Save Our Planet: 750 Everyday Ways You Can Help Clean Up the Earth, received national media attention and her website, www.biggreenpurse.com, encourages women to green the marketplace by choosing products whose use or manufacture offer the greatest environmental benefit. Ms. MacEachern serves as the vice-chair of the board of directors for the Alaska Wilderness League. She has been cited for her distinguished service as a board member of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Mary Mack is president of Wachovia Securities Investment Services Group, the brokerage firm's business unit providing brokerage services in partnership with Wachovia Bank. Prior to joining Wachovia Securities, Ms. Mack, an industry veteran of 23 years, has provided executive leadership to Wachovia Client Partnership, a collaborative, corporate-wide strategy to cultivate relationships across Wachovia's business units to drive revenue, enhance client service, and support the company's brand promise. Ms. Mack is also an avid community volunteer and has been recognized for her community leadership and board membership in a variety of non-profit groups including the arts, community development, and education.
Sally McCurdy is the director of services capabilities at Dell Corporation in Austin. She has held several senior leadership positions in service delivery, operations, and sales and marketing for multi-billion dollar companies. She has also held senior leadership roles in growing and developing service-based technology businesses in both the U.S. and India. Ms. McCurdy has fulfilled leadership roles in non-profit organizations focused on supporting the growth and development of women in technology through her work with Women In Technology International and the Alliance for Technology and Women. She has also served on various committees for the Dallas Women's Foundation. Ms. McCurdy resides in Coppell, Texas with her husband and has three children and three grandchildren.
Nell Merlino is co-founder and CEO of Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence. She is also the founder and president of Strategy Communication Action, Ltd. in New York City, a firm specializing in the creation of public education campaigns that motivate people to act. Ms. Merlino created and produced the immensely successful Take Our Daughters To Work Day for the Ms. Foundation for Women in 1993. Previously, she worked in two state governments and was an advance woman in presidential politics, a union organizer and a Fulbright Scholar.
Barbara B. Miller of Barbara B. Miller Communication has served over 300 organizations, 60 U.S. law firms, and thousands of people as a training, coaching, and speaking consultant in communication improvement. She has worked with professional services firms and corporations in the U.S., Europe, and Asia—and continues to be invited back year after year. She served as a communication consultant to the National Institute of Trial Advocacy at the SMU Law School and traveled nationally for the National Practice Institute teaching courtroom persuasion and communication skills in a course called "Getting the Jury to Agree." Since 1981, Ms. Miller has served on the seminar faculty of Leadership Texas, teaching leadership and communication to emerging leaders in the public and private sector.
Rachel Muir is founder and executive director of Girlstart, an organization dedicated to empowering girls in math, science, and technology. She founded Girlstart at age 26 with $500 and a credit card and has since made a life and career of empowering girls to believe anything is possible. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and has presented around the country at events, conferences, and workshops. Ms. Muir is a proud recipient of Oprah's Use Your Life Award and was recently named in Fast Company magazine as one of the "Fast 50" Leaders in Innovation.
Leslie Nelson is vice president of finance and chief financial officer for Randalls Food Markets and Tom Thumb Food and Pharmacy with 112 locations in Texas. Prior to switching over to the grocery retail industry 12 years ago, she served as vice president of strategic planning for Wells Fargo Bank, Texas. Ms. Nelson serves on the board and is president of the Friends of CanCare development board in Houston and is a charter member of the Executive Women's Council of the Greater Houston Partnership. She has been a volunteer speaker for the Texas Scholars program, which emphasizes to middle school students the importance of a college education. Ms. Nelson holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Business in finance from the University of Houston.
Rosalyn Taylor O'Neale, the CEO of Barnes, O'Neale, & Associates, is an internationally acclaimed speaker, author, and consultant. Ms. O'Neale recently completed a prestigious two-year tenure as the executive vice president of diversity initiatives for MTV Networks. When she is not speaking to audiences around the world, she is helping executives and leaders create inclusive cultures in Fortune 500 companies, professional associations, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. She is the chair of the worldwide board for Dress For Success and serves on the Rainbow Endowment Board. She recently released her first business book, 7Keys 2Success: Unlocking The Passion For Diversity.

Jan Newton is a member of the Texas Conference for Women board of directors and recently retired after serving as president of AT&T Texas (formerly SBC), where she was responsible for the company's regulatory, legislative, governmental, and external affairs, as well as for all AT&T community and telecom industry relations throughout Texas. Prior to being appointed president of AT&T Texas, she served as president of AT&T Missouri.  Throughout her career, Ms. Newton was active in many civic and charitable organizations, including chambers of commerce, the United Way, Junior Achievement, Girl Scouts, and Boy Scouts.

Melissa Parker is the regional sales director for Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a Fortune 100 company where she has worked the past 19 years. She has firsthand experience at balancing the demands of work and life as a busy executive and the single parent of teenage twins, and she has a passion for coaching and mentoring others. She has received some of the highest honors within her company as a Distinguished Leader and as the 2006 Mentoring Award recipient. Over her two decades in health care, she has been involved with the planning and launch of numerous brands, many in the area of women's health.
Maribel Perez-Tur was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and after growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, she had no choice but to follow suit. She worked her way through college as a full-time student and ended up in Austin, where her husband worked in the high-tech industry. Always thinking about the possibility of having their own business, they began producing Latin desserts from their garage and started growing a business that was recently acquired by Hispania Foods, which has helped Ms. Perez-Tur take her products nationwide.
Amaris C. Phillips, SPHR, is a senior human resources business partner for Wachovia. In this role she provides strategic human resources management consulting to leadership; develops and implements HR strategies that result in improvement of business productivity, efficiency, employee retention and employee relations; and successfully applies theories and principles of change and diversity to influence Wachovia's organizational culture. Ms. Phillips received her Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Augusta State University and holds certifications as a senior professional in human resources and as a diversity practitioner. Prior to Wachovia, Ms. Phillips served as human resources manager for the Landmark Division of Halliburton Energy Services Group and as senior EEO consultant for Bashen Consulting.
Alicia Rascon is co-founder and vice president of Latinitas, a Texas-based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Latina youth through media. She serves as the editor of www.LatinitasMagazine.org, the premier bilingual online magazine for Hispanic girls, and mentors youth through numerous educational programs geared toward promoting self-expression. She has been recognized for her community service with a volunteer award from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and has been interviewed by media outlets such as The Dallas Morning News, AP Wire Services, Univisión, Hispanic Business, and American Latino TV.
Alina Rosario hosts Los Niños en Su Casa. She has built an acting career in both English and Spanish-language film, stage and television productions. Her credits include guest starring roles on the CBS series Murder She Wrote, Family Law and Diagnosis Murder; Telemundo's Digalo Con Señas and Uno Nunca Sabe as well as Univision's Lente Loco, among many others. While studying journalism in college and writing for a show business magazine, Ms. Rosario received a scholarship to study her first love, acting. Her work also includes on-screen and voice-over work for commercials and advertising jingles. She has had multi-year contracts with such major advertisers as McDonalds and Save-On drugstores. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and son.
Betsy Rosenberg is an award-winning broadcast journalist who has worked for three major networks over the course of her 25 years in radio and TV. In addition to earning dozens of awards during her years of general reporting, she has received more than a half dozen honors at the local, regional, and national levels for excellence in environmental leadership. In 2006, she created EcoTalk, the first green show to air in a primetime slot on the Air America network. Media appearances include television interviews on CNN Headline News, Fox's Hannity and Colmes, and local television programs. In 2002, Ms. Rosenberg founded the Don't Be Fueled! — Mothers for Clean and Safe Vehicles project. This "gasroots" campaign to increase supply and demand for greener vehicles was the first SUV awareness campaign in the U.S.
  Carol Ross, founder of Carol Ross and Associates, LLC, is an executive coach and team development consultant. She spent 15 years as an engineer, working for Telcordia, US WEST, Lucent, and Avaya, then found her calling when she transitioned into work that focused on the human side of business—career development, retention, team building.  Currently, she specializes in coaching Boundary Crossers, people who operate in multiple worlds but who fit wholly in none. Think software developer by day and theatre director by night. Clients find their sweet spot when they cross-pollinate and become innovators in one of their domains of expertise. Ms. Ross has been quoted by The New York Times, US News and World Report, Boston Globe, and Northwestern magazine.
Lori Ryerkek is manager of government relations and PA business support for Exxon Mobil Corporation. She joined Exxon Corporation in 1984 and has extensive experience in operations, technical, and manufacturing in both petroleum refining and chemical industries within the United States. In 2001, Ms. Ryerkek was appointed general manager of ExxonMobil Energy Limited, a joint venture partner in electricity generation in Hong Kong, and she became the chairman and managing director in January 2003. She was appointed ExxonMobil Beaumont refinery manager in March 2004. In April 2007, she was appointed manager, government relations and PA Business Support. Ms. Ryerkek received her chemical engineering degree from Iowa State University in 1983. She is married and has two children.
Patricia Shipton is a government affairs consultant. Ms. Shipton served as a member of Governor Rick Perry's senior staff from January 2001 to September 2004. She was the first Hispanic and the first woman to hold the post of director of legislative affairs in the Governor's Office. As legislative director, she was Governor Perry's chief liaison to the Texas Senate, the Texas House of Representatives, and the Speaker's Office. In addition, she worked closely with the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus, the Black Caucus, the House and Senate Republican Caucuses, the House and Senate Democratic Caucuses, and the House Rural Caucus. In September 2004 she returned to the private sector as a government affairs consultant.
Maria de Lourdes Sobrino, founder and CEO of Lulu's Dessert Corporation, revolutionized the food industry by creating the first-ever ready-to-eat gelatin, based on her own mother's recipe. Established in 1982 with an initial production of 300 cups of gelatin a day, Lulu's is now ranked among the largest and fastest growing Hispanic owned businesses in the United States. Currently, she is on the advisory board for NAWBOLA Enterprise Institute, Rancho Santiago Community College Foundation, The Institute of Women Entrepreneurs in Orange County, and Latina Style magazine. She will share her story in her first book, Thriving Latina Entrepreneurs in America, due out in September 2007.
Dr. Betty Spence, Ph.D. is president of the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), the largest women's professional and business-owners association in the country. In 2006, Dr. Spence founded Equal Voice, a nonprofit organization challenging the stereotypes about women leaders by educating voters about what women contribute and why this matters to the health, safety, and prosperity of our nation. Before NAFE, Dr. Spence served as vice president of communications at Catalyst and wrote the advice book on propelling your own advancement, Be Your Own Mentor.

Cori Stern is a writer and innovations strategist with a passion for creating social entrepreneurial programs all over the world.  Ms. Stern founded the Cradle of Life program, advocating the prevention of mother-to-infant HIV transmission;  The Next Right Thing, an evacuation program for critically-ill children in resource-poor areas; the Cham Family Project, helping former slave children in the Gambia; the Name Campaign, an urgent campaign for awareness of 30,000 children kidnapped in Uganda in the last five years;  and finally the Strongheart Fellowship which offers a year-long US fellowship for exceptional young people from extreme situations.  Her projects have been featured on BBC, NPR, the Today show, Oprah, and ABC World News, where she was named "Person of the Week".
Ellen Susman is the producer and host of Balancing Your Life, an award-winning national PBS program that celebrates the strength of women as they work to balance career and family. Her blog appears regularly on The Huffington Post.com. Her firm, Ellen Susman Enterprises, Inc. specializes in creating, moderating and facilitating programs and seminars for the corporate marketplace. Ms. Susman serves on several boards, including the Board of Directors of The Student Conservation Association, The Blanton Museum, and the National Council of the Whitney Museum of Art. She is also a member of the deToqueville Society of the United Way and The National Speakers Association.
Judith Talavera is manager of state governmental affairs for American Electric Power (AEP) Texas. As part of the company's governmental affairs team based in Austin, she represents the company's interests before the state legislature. This includes the AEP Texas operations in West and South Texas as well as sister company Southwestern Electric Power Company's operations in East Texas. Ms. Talavera is originally from Houston and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. She also has completed the Leadership Texas program for women and the AEP/OSU Strategic Leadership Program sponsored by AEP and Ohio State University. She has been with AEP Texas for the past seven years.
Wendy Taylor serves as vice-chair of the Texas Commission for Women and account director in Sanders/Wingo Advertising's Austin and El Paso offices. Her 15 years of communications planning and strategy work includes experience in business, government affairs, real estate, and healthcare. She served four years in the press office of Texas Governor Rick Perry and traveled as press secretary for First Lady Anita Perry. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin's School of Journalism, Ms. Taylor is a proud member of Texas Exes.
Telisa Toliver serves as vice president of commercial development for Chevron Global Power Generation. Ms. Toliver was named to her current position in 2006, where she is responsible for the development of gas-fired and renewable power generation projects to support Chevron asset growth goals in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Ms. Toliver began her career in the energy industry in 1985 with Texaco and has held various positions of increasing responsibilities in natural gas sales, fuels management, business development and strategic planning. She holds a bachelor's degree in business management with honors from Tuskegee University.
Renée Peterson Trudeau is a career and life balance coach and president of Career Strategists, a career coaching/consulting firm dedicated to helping professionals and entrepreneurs integrate who they arewith what they do. Her workshop clients include Fortune 500 companies and national women's organizations.A nominee for the 2007 National Association for Women in Communications Headliner Award, she has been featured in Working Mother, Family Circle, Parenting, AARP and American Way magazines. Ms. Trudeau is the author of the highly acclaimed The Mother's Guide to Self-Renewal: How to Reclaim, Rejuvenate and Re-Balance Your Life. Thousandsof women around the U.S. and are reading the Guide and starting and joining women's circles--called Personal Renewal Groups--through www.reneetrudeau.com.
Carmen Wong Ulrich is the author of Generation Debt: Take Control of Your Money — A How-To Guide. Ms. Wong has appeared as a personal finance expert on The Rachael Ray Show, CNN, Weekend Today, Good Day New York, CNNMoney.com, and over two dozen radio shows nationwide, including Oprah's XM radio network and Wall Street Journal Radio. She is the former special projects editor at MONEY magazine and has written for the magazines Real Simple, Essence, Shape, and Health; she is currently an advice columnist for Latina magazine, and is the new money columnist for
Men's Health magazine.
Lori Valencic, MEd, RD, LD is a registered dietitian and nutritionist with Randalls/Tom Thumb. Her career in food, nutrition and wellness spans over 20 years. She has brought nutrition and wellness to the supermarket with her "Eating Remarkably Well" program and "Supermarket Smart" aisle-by-aisle shopping tours at Randalls/Tom Thumb. Ms. Valencic is the author of Randalls Cookbook and How To Help Your Parents Eat Healthy. Ms. Valencic received the Texas Dietetic Association Media Award in 2000. She presently serves on the advisory board of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Houston Affiliate and is a former board member.
Eduardo Verástegui left his father's sugar cane farm in northern Mexico at the age of 18 to pursue fame as a singer and actor. Over the next decade, Mr. Verastegui performed sold-out concerts in 13 countries, starred in five different TV shows broadcast throughout Latin America and was voted one of the Latin world's 50 Most Beautiful People. But in 2004, Eduardo walked away from his successful career to begin a new mission – making movies that shatter the negative stereotypes he once perpetuated and inspire audiences to love more and judge less. His award-winning movie Bella premieres nationwide on Oct. 26.
Jennifer Vogel is senior vice president, general counsel, chief compliance officer and secretary for Continental Airlines, Inc. She is responsible for managing Continental's legal affairs and compliance efforts worldwide. Ms. Vogel recently served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Texas General Counsel Forum, and previously served as president of the Houston Chapter of the Texas General Counsel Forum. Other civic activities have included serving as chairman of a United Way Needs Assessment and Allocations Panel and as a member of the Houston Regional Committee of the World Wildlife Fund as well as the Board of Directors of the Houston SPCA.
Jessica Weiner is the author of Life Doesn't Begin Five Pounds from Now and the official self-esteem expert for The Tyra Banks Show. Ms. Weiner is also a regular on-air contributor for women's lifestyle topics on NBC's Today show and CNN Showbiz Tonight and a regular contributor about body image and self-esteem for CosmoGirl! magazine. Recently named the global ambassador for the Dove Self-Esteem Fund (DSEF), Ms. Weiner will play a vital role in the upcoming 2007 DSEF global campaigns in the U.K, France, Germany, Italy, U.S., and Canada.
Julia Wellborn is president of the Dallas/Fort Worth Region for Wachovia. In this role she provides executive leadership to all commercial banking, business banking, retail banking, and wealth management operations in North Texas. Ms. Wellborn joined Wachovia in 1996 and held positions in the Carolinas and Georgia prior to her move to Texas. Prior to her work with Wachovia, she held positions with SunTrust Bank and Bank South. She serves on the executive board of Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business, the advisory board of the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, and is a member of the Executive Women's Roundtable.
Sharon P. Whiteley is the CEO of ThirdAge Inc., a leading life-stage media, marketing and customer insight company focused exclusively on Baby Boomers and aging mid-lifers with an overarching vision around positive aging. She was formerly president of Contempo Colours Inc., a $50M international party goods manufacturer, and earlier founder of Peacock Papers - an innovative creator of social expression products. Ms. Whiteley is the recipient of numerous awards including the Women's Entrepreneur of the Year Awardfrom the WBN and the SBA. She is a member and former board director of the Committee of 200 and The World President's Organization. Ms. Whiteley also is the co-author of The Old Girls' Network: Insider Advice for Women Building Businesses in a Man's World (Basic Books) and currently is writing a book on transitions.
Margaret Wittenberg is vice president of communications and quality standards for Whole Foods Market, Inc., the nation's largest chain of natural and organic food supermarkets based in Austin, Texas. A globally acclaimed authority on natural and organic foods and environmental sustainability, her service on public, industry, and government advisory boards, including the USDA National Organic Standards Board, the Marine Stewardship Council, and the Animal Compassion Foundation has helped support organic and integrated pest management agricultural methods, promote animal welfare and seafood sustainability, and bring awareness to viable and sustainable alternatives to the genetic engineering our of food. Her fourth book, New Good Food: Essential Ingredients for Cooking and Eating Well, is scheduled to be released in October 2007.
Cali Williams Yost, an internationally-recognized work and life expert, is the president and founder of Work+Life Fit, Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in developing innovative flexibility strategies for organizations and individuals. Ms. Yost is the author of the critically acclaimed, Work+Life: Finding the Fit That's Right for You. In addition to her weekly Work+Life Fit blog, she is a monthly guest blogger for Success Magazine and maintains an "Ask the Expert" column for an international business website. She has been featured in national publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, Money, Newsweek, USA Today, Fast Company, Men's Health's, and Working Mother. In February 2007, Ms. Yost received the "Rising Star Award" from the Alliance of Work-Life Progress.
Becky Zaheri established the Katrina Krewe in November 2005 to provide her hometown of New Orleans some relief from the trash and debris that resulted from Hurricane Katrina. The Katrina Krewe mobilized more that 10,000 local, national, and international volunteers to bag and remove over 250,000 tons of Katrina debris from the streets of New Orleans. Today, Katrina Krewe fosters anti-litter awareness among neighborhoods, schools, and businesses in the New Orleans area thru its "Keep it Klean!" campaign. Ms. Zaheri was acknowledged by President George W. Bush and has also been featured on such shows as The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Brian Williams NBC Nightly News, CBS's The Early Show, and Fox News.