December 2021 Newsletter

December 1, 2021
2021 Breakfast of Corporate Champions

The Women's Forum of New York 2021 Breakfast of Corporate Champions

Thank you to Forum members Pam Craig, Former CFO, Accenture and Priscilla Brown, CEO, Amalgamated Bank, who both introduced panels during our 2021 Breakfast of Corporate Champions.
Thank you to Forum member Carla Harris, Vice Chairman, Morgan Stanley who moderated the panel "Reaching Higher - DEI Focused Boards" during our 2021 Breakfast of Corporate Champions event.
Our 2021 Breakfast of Corporate Champions event wouldn’t have been as powerful and game-changing without the dedication and support of our Women’s Forum members. We would like to extend a special thank you to all our Forum members who made the Breakfast of Corporate Champions a successful event: Janice Ellig, Founder & Co-Chair Carolyn Carter, Co-Chair Committee: Pam Craig, Marlene Debel, Joan Haffenreffer, Leila Heckman, Kate Swann, Barbara Van Allen The Forum works to achieve gender parity on boards through direct engagement with our members via our CEO Sponsored Board-Ready database. Forum members are invited to request that their names be submitted by a current or former CEO. Link to the online nomination form can be found HERE. These names are added to the Equilar Diversity Network to offer further visibility to individuals in our database. Watch Executive Chairman of Merck, Ken Frazier’s closing remarks on what is needed to achieve #genderparity and diversity and inclusion in the boardroom in the video below.

Letting Each Other Know...

Forum members Ellen R. Alemany, Chairwoman & CEO of CIT Group and bank subsidiary CIT Bank N.A., Sallie Krawcheck, Co-Founder, Ellevest, Lorie Slutsky, President, New York Community Trust and Sheena Wright, President & CEO, United Way New York City, were listed in Crain’s 50 Most Powerful Women in New York List. The list honored women across industries, from politics to fashion, health care to real estate, who in the past two years have helped to set the agenda for how New York rebuilds post-pandemic.

To read more on our members and other notable people featured in Crain’s 50 Most Powerful Women in New York list, please visit HERE.

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Two of our Forum members were recently honored by BET during their annual Soul Train Awards luncheon during a segment called “Leading with Soul,” along with other Black executives, to shine a light on powerhouse leaders advancing their businesses and communities by following their purpose and soul.

Jonelle Procope, President & CEO, Apollo Theater, was honored for her continued efforts to amplify the work of Black artists and changemakers.

Cheryl McKissack Daniel, President & CEO, McKissack & McKissack along with her sister Deryl McKissack received the Black Business Icon Award for building and growing a business that uplifts Black and Brown people of the community. The two founded the country’s oldest women & minority-owned professional design and construction firm, McKissack & McKissack.

To read more about the Soul Train Awards and our members honors, please visit HERE.

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Forum members Sharon Greenberger, President & CEO, YMCA of Greater New York and Sheena Wright, President & CEO, United Way New York City, were chosen by Mayor-Elect Eric Adams to join the transition team as Co-Chairs.

“I want to have people that are leading these agencies that understand that we must be compassionate, caring, empathetic to the people who are walking through our doors and those who are employed in our agencies,” said by Eric Adams when speaking on his selection of his transition team.

To read the more information on the transition team, please visit HERE.

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Dina Bakst, Co-Founder & Co-President, A Better Balance, was honored with the prestigious Heinz Award for ABB’s outstanding policy, advocacy impact and dedication to work-family justice. This accolade comes on the heels of ABB’s 15th year of fighting to advance justice for workers caring for themselves and their loved ones, and amidst a pandemic that has compounded the urgency of their mission.

To read the full press release, please visit HERE.

Maura Carley, President & CEO, Healthcare Navigation, LLC, spoke at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp Young Adult Conference on November 7, 2021 where she gave a presentation on navigating health insurance which can be found HERE. Maura and her staff encourage all young people and not only those with a significant medical history to learn more about health insurance as they approach losing eligibility as a dependent.

To read Maura’s advice and tips on the healthcare industry, please visit HERE.

Rohini Dey, Owner & Founder, Vermilion Restaurants & Let’s Talk Womxn, received the 2021 ATHENA International Leadership Award for Chicagoland, for her work founding and leading the James Beard Foundation Women’s Leadership Program (2011-2021) and for founding and leading Let’s Talk Womxn, a growing group of 400+ women restaurateurs and entrepreneurs across 12 cities (2020-present).

Rohini was also invited to speak at the International Food Manufacturers Association President’s Conference during a panel moderated by their CEO, with Let’s Talk Womxn city leaders across Boston, Miami and Philadelphia.

To view an image of Rohini accepting the Athena International Leadership Award, please visit HERE.

Yie-Hsin Hung, CEO, New York Life Investment, discussed what came out of the COP26 climate summit with CNBC’S “Closing Bell”.

“…the investment community, the finance sector was a part of the summit because ultimately, in order to fund this energy transition, investments are going to be required.” – Yie-Hsin Hung

To view the discussion on “Closing Bell”, please visit HERE.

Robin Sparkman, Former CEO, StoryCorps, was named President and Co-CEO of ProPublica.

Paul Sagan, chairman of the Board of ProPublica, said, “After a thorough national search, our Board search committee and full Board unanimously concluded that Robin Sparkman was the right business leader to take ProPublica to even greater success. Robin combines business savvy, deep editorial understanding, a fundamental commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and a passion for journalism that spurs change.”

To read more information on ProPublica’s announcement, please visit HERE.

Marcy Syms, Former Chairman & CEO, SYMS Corporation, was featured in Hadassah Magazine and was the featured speaker at the National Conference in January.

“Nothing in life just happens. You have to make it happen…” says Syms. Her “unshakeable faith in that mantra both empowered and propelled her forward in the worlds of business, philanthropy and activism…”

To read more on Marcy Syms segment in Hadassah Magazine, please visit HERE or HERE.

Alicia Syrett, Founder & CEO, Pantegrion Capital, keynoted Capital One’s Women in Leadership event entitled “Corporate Boards: Taking Your Seat at the Table” and subsequently moderated a panel of four prominent women serving on boards. Alicia was also a speaker at an ISS event entitled “The 21st Century Board (of Directors): Changing Expectations around Diversity, Human Capital, and Risk Oversight.” Alicia also recently served as a Director Coach to aspiring female board members at the 50/50 Women on Boards Dallas Chapter event, was a judge for the TiE Women NY Pitch Competition, and was a featured guest on the Women Governance Trailblazers podcast; her episode will air this January.

Past Programs

We are always thankful to our outstanding members who participate in our virtual programs, keeping our community ever strong and connected especially during these times of great social challenges. In case you missed our most recent programs…

Women in the Workplace

Thank you to Forum member Elizabeth Nieto, Global Head of Equity and Impact, Spotify, for moderating a highly engaging panel program focused on the state of women in the workplace.

Thank you to our panelists and Forum members, Camille Burns, CEO, Women Presidents’ Organization and Dee Poku, Founder, The WIE Suite for providing insightful comments and practical guidance on how to address many of the issues raised in the report. And thank you to Forum member Jill Zucker, Senior Partner, NY, McKinsey & Company for once again presenting key findings from the annual Women in the Workplace report developed by McKinsey and LeanIn.org.

To view the full report, click HERE.

To view the entire program, please visit HERE.

Thou Shalt Not Stand Idly By

Thank you to Forum member Georgette Bennett, Founder, Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees, for presenting a program focused on her personal mission to assist Syrian refugees. Thank you also to Oscar winning actor F. Murray Abraham, who joined Georgette in conversation, and is the author of the forward to Georgette’s new book –
THOU SHALT NOT STAND IDLY BY: How One Woman Confronted the Greatest Humanitarian Crisis of Our Time.”

If you wish to contact organizations to assist Syrian refugees, please find the following link recommended by Georgette HERE.

To view the entire  program, please visit HERE.

You Should Smile More

Thank you to Forum member Lori Marcus, Founder, Courtyard Connections LLC, and her “Band of Sisters” colleagues for presenting an engaging discussion focused on workplace gender bias, the topic of of their upcoming book, “You Should Smile More: How to Dismantle Gender Bias in the Workplace.”

To view the entire program, please visit HERE.

Please click on the button below to view all of our past programs.

The Job Board

Regional Business Development Full time or Part time

Nina McLemore, President & CEO, Nina McLemore, Inc. is looking for a Regional Business Development Manager for the DTC designer apparel company based in New York. There are two positions open. One for a full time Regional Business Development Manager who would build and manage the independent salesforce of style consultants. This position would also be responsible for developing relationships with major companies and firms to create events for client development. The other position is for individual independent commission-based style consultants in the Northeast. This is a part time position and has the potential to have your own business and schedule, and to earn significant income in styling accomplished women. Previous apparel experience is not necessary. Requirements: a sense of style, good client relations, business development skills.

For further information, please contact Nina McLemore: ninamcle@aol.com T: 201-412-6123

Want to Share with Us?

Please submit newsletter content before December 20th to be included in the next edition. Submissions and corresponding media/links can be submitted below, in your “My Participation” section of your member portal HERE, or you can reach out to Communications and Social Media Manager Naja Pazant at najapazant@womensforumNY.org. Also, if you’d like to share newsworthy accomplishments and updates with the IWF community, please reach out to Communications Manager Lauren Williams at lwilliams@iwforum.org.

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