Welcome

Kaufmann Concert Hall (KCH)
12:30-12:45 PM

Special performance by two-time Tony nominee Kate Baldwin and award-winning composer Georgia Stitt 

and 

Women inPower Welcome by Shelley Hoy, Interim Executive Director, Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact

Step Out of Line: Understanding the Neurobiology of Defiance & Moral Courage

Kaufmann Concert Hall
1-1:45 PM

Why is it so hard to speak up, step out of line, or challenge the status quo, even when we know it's the right thing to do? In this powerful, thought-provoking workshop, Dimple Dhabalia blends neuroscience, storytelling, and somatic reflection to explore the deep-rooted reasons we stay silent—and how we can break free.

Using her 5-step story-healing framework from Tell Me My Story, Dimple helps participants examine their internal narratives around obedience, risk, and courage. You'll leave with practical tools to strengthen your moral backbone and lead from a place of purpose and authenticity.

What to Expect:

• Learn the psychological and biological roots of compliance—and how to rewrite those instincts

• Engage in reflective partner exercises and breakout discussions

• Identify your own “survival stories” around defiance and leadership

• Commit to one small act of moral courage you can take this week

Featuring: 

• Dimple Dhabalia, author of Tell Me My Story and Founder of Roots in the Clouds

The Art of Badassery: A Belt-by-Belt Guide to Empowered Leadership

Warburg Lounge
1-1:45 PM

In this high-energy, interactive workshop, Jenn Cassetta takes participants on a journey from white belt to black belt—using martial arts as a metaphor for powerful personal leadership. Drawing from her bestselling book The Art of Badassery, Jenn shares tools for building resilience, setting boundaries, and using your voice with confidence and clarity.

What to Expect:

• A “white belt” to “black belt” leadership framework, from mindset mastery to voice amplification

• Interactive exercises to reclaim your power for your mind and body

• A safe space to reconnect with your inner strength and collective sisterhood

• Leave with a renewed sense of agency and a personal “battlecry” for what’s next

• Please note: If you have auditory sensitivity, at some point in the session there will be some loud yelling so if you're sensitive to noise, either bring some earplugs or pick up a pair from the Untapped/Understood table.

Featuring:

• Jenn Cassetta, speaker, coach, author

Photovoice: Community-Based Storytelling for Collective Change

Weill Art Gallery
1-1:45 PM

Leadership is not about working for communities—it’s about working with them. In this hands-on workshop, Sara Surani introduces Photovoice, a participatory method that uses photography and art to surface community needs, strengths, and collective dreams. Through storytelling and visual expression, participants will explore how to shift narratives from “me” to “we” to drive meaningful change.

What to Expect:

• Learn how Photovoice is used in public health and gender equity around the world

• Capture and share images that reflect your own leadership challenges, strengths, and hopes

• Contribute to a live gallery and engage in a facilitated group dialogue

• Reflect on how to bring community-centered storytelling back to your workplace or mission

• Explore case studies from global movements led by women and girls

Featuring:

• Sara Surani, Founder, She is the Universe & Nayaraq Stories

The 3 C’s: Communicating with Clarity, Confidence, & Connection

Kaufmann Concert Hall
2-2:45 PM

Great communication starts from within. In this interactive, high-energy workshop, participants will explore how their identities, experiences, and values shape the way they connect with others. Through engaging exercises and practical tools, you'll learn how to show up with clarity, lead with confidence, and create authentic connection—whether you're in a one-on-one conversation or standing at the front of a room.

Using Riley’s Way’s empathy-based approach to communication, we’ll explore what it really means to be heard, seen, and understood, and how body language, mindset, and storytelling can make all the difference.

What to Expect:

• Explore the “Know Your Goal, Audience, and Self” framework for purposeful communication

• Practice mindset-shifting, confidence-building, and connection-deepening exercises

• Participate in fun, interactive activities like “Yes, And,” “Half-Life Elevator Pitch,” and “See and Be Seen”

• Leave with tools to help you listen better, speak more clearly, and communicate with impact

Featuring: 

• Christine O’Connell, Ph.D., Executive Director, Riley’s Way Foundation

Fearless & Forward: Leadership Lessons in a Complex World

Kaufmann Concert Hall
3-3:45 PM

In today’s fast-evolving social and economic landscape, women leaders are redefining what meaningful change looks like across corporate social responsibility, philanthropy, and nonprofit innovation. As traditional models give way to complexity and collaboration, our panelists will share real-world strategies for building coalitions, listening deeply to communities, and leading with authenticity. 

Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a “Sounding Board” — a signature element of Women inPower, which provides a supportive space for fellows to present (formally or informally) a topic and/or issue they are currently facing in their professional lives. The Women inPower alumnae and mentors will brainstorm solutions to some of your current challenges, offer advice, or share relevant experiences in search for clarity in your career.

This dynamic conversation brings together powerful voices to discuss the leadership skills—and mindset—required to drive equitable, systems-level change.

What to Expect:

• Insights on how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and philanthropy are evolving in response to today’s biggest challenges
• Practical approaches to cross-sector collaboration and systems thinking
• Tools for cultivating deep listening and self-awareness as leadership assets
• Lessons from the field: case studies from social impact professionals
• Space for reflection and audience Q&A
• Opportunities to share your experiences as you seek resolution to career roadblocks and setbacks

Featuring: 

• Chirlie Felix, Managing Director, FSG

• Laura Kavanagh, Former Fire Commissioner, New York City Fire Department

• Aamina Awan Khan, National Security Expert

• Maia Molina-Schaefer, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, Amplify Her Foundation

Real Talk: Conversations on Power, Bias, & Belonging

Warburg Lounge
3-3:45 PM

What does it take to truly belong in workplaces that weren’t designed with women in mind? In this series of dynamic small group conversations, we’ll explore how our experiences navigating bias, power balances, and workplace culture shape how we approach conflict, seek connection, and show up as leaders.

We’ll use a proven model developed by Share Our America, 92NY’s national initiative that brings people together across lines of difference to foster empathy and connection. At a time when polarization and burnout are on the rise, this workshop creates space for honest discussion—not about how to fix ourselves to fit the system, but how to support each other in challenging it and thriving within it.

This is not a panel—it’s an invitation. Come ready to speak your truth, listen with curiosity, and build solidarity with others who are walking similar paths. Whether you’re just getting started or leading from the top, this session offers a rare space to pause, reflect, and connect in a way that fuels both purpose and community.

What to Expect:

• Participate in guided small-group conversations using Share Our America’s dialogue model

• Reflect on how identity, power, and bias show up in your workplace

• Share personal experiences and listen with empathy across differences

• Build meaningful connections and leave with renewed clarity, confidence, and community

Featuring: 

• Janille Hill, Connection Coach, Share Our America

The Resilient Leader: Navigating Change & Leading Through Uncertainty

Weill Art Gallery
3-3:45 PM

Change is constant—but resilience is a skill we can build. In this dynamic, real-world workshop, Dr. Syra Madad shares what it means to lead through crisis, manage uncertainty, and influence change in high-stakes environments. Drawing from her frontline experience managing public health threats like COVID-19, Ebola, and Mpox, Dr. Madad offers a candid, actionable roadmap for staying grounded and adaptable when the pressure is on.

From institutional transformation to parenting through pandemics, she brings a deeply personal, deeply human lens to what resilience really looks like in leadership.

What to Expect:

• Participate in a real-time “Crisis Leadership Simulation” to test your decision-making under pressure

• Learn practical tools for leading with agility and driving systems change

• Reflect on your own leadership style and develop a personalized action plan for navigating change

• Explore the intersection of personal well-being and professional adaptability

Featuring: 

• Dr. Syra Madad, Chief Biopreparedness Officer, NYC Health + Hospitals

Keynote

Power of the Pivot: Reinvention, Resilience & Rising Strong

Kaufmann Concert Hall
4-5 PM

This keynote session brings together two trailblazing leaders whose stories redefine resilience and reinvention. Robin Arzón and Robin Roberts, recognized together as “R Squared” on Good Morning America, are coming together for a candid conversation that redefines resilience and reinvention.

Robin Arzón, Vice President of Fitness Programming and Head Instructor at Peloton, bestselling author, and founder of Swagger Society, has built her career on powering through challenges and transforming adversity into strength. From her transition from corporate lawyer to global wellness superstar, to navigating trauma recovery and health challenges, Arzón embodies what it means to turn obstacles into superpowers. She recently broke new ground by collaborating with Mattel on a Barbie doll with Type 1 Diabetes — another step in making visibility, courage, and agency part of the cultural conversation.

She’ll be joined by Robin Roberts, Co-Anchor of ABC’s Good Morning America and President of Rock’n Robin Productions, whose own journey through reinvention and resilience has inspired millions. Together, “R Squared” will share hard-won lessons on taking risks, embracing change, and owning your voice — even when it shakes.

For women who want to climb higher, break through barriers, and claim their seat at the table, this session is your invitation to ride into your future with power, courage — and swagger.

VIP Cocktail Reception 

Warburg Lounge
5-6 PM

Connect with workshop leaders, VIPs, and the Women inPower community (fellows, mentors, and alumni). Requires the purchase of a VIP Ticket.