“I believe women can be agents of change, drivers of progress and makers of peace,” former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told attendees at the 2013 Pennsylvania Conference for Women last week.
Addressing a sold-out audience of more than 7,000 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Clinton said that she planned to launch an initiative called “No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project” through the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation to empower women and girls worldwide. “It’s time for us to not only look at how far we’ve come, but how much more still needs to be done to elevate women and girls,” Clinton said in a speech that also addressed income inequality in America and injustices against women and girls throughout the world, echoing many of the themes she stressed during her tenure as Secretary of State and as First Lady.
Earlier in the day, Conference for Women attendees also heard from Madeleine Albright, America’s first woman Secretary of State and bestselling author, and Judge Glenda Hatchett, host and star of the Emmy-nominated television show Judge Hatchett. Albright and Hatchett, among the most popular speakers in Conference history, returned this year to help celebrate the Conference’s 10th anniversary. Sallie Krawcheck, one of the most respected voices on Wall Street and business leader, 85 Broads, joined Clinton, Albright and Hatchett as a keynote speaker. The Conference also honored Linda Cliatt-Wayman, principal of Philadelphia’s Strawberry Mansion High School, whose success at reforming one of the most dangerous schools in the country was featured by ABC News.
The nonpartisan, nonprofit conference is Pennsylvania’s largest personal and professional development event for women, attracting more than 7,000 attendees this year. Themed “The Power of Possibilities: Define Your Own Success,” the 10th Anniversary Conference featured more than one hundred speakers for a day of inspiration, reinvention and networking. Topics included leadership, career advancement, money management, health and wellness, small business and entrepreneurship, social media, branding and more.
“Today’s Conference demonstrated for thousands of women the ‘Power of Possibilities,’ said Leslie Stiles, Board President of the Pennsylvania Conference for Women. “I am confident that after being inspired by today’s speakers, more women than ever will have the confidence and the tools they need to create success on their own terms, whether in their personal or professional lives.”
Exclusive to the Pennsylvania Conference for Women, Local Leader Meet Ups offered attendees the chance to have one-on-one conversations with local businesswomen and community leaders, and intimate Expert Exchange sessions offered a focused discussion with industry veterans. Conference attendees also had the opportunity to participate in the popular Career Pavilion, featuring resume reviews by human resource experts, Coaches Corner (one-on-one “speed coaching” sessions with career and life coaches from the Philadelphia Chapter of the International Coach Federation), workshops on communication skills and social media, and much more.
The Conference Health & Wellness Pavilion showcased speakers and companies dedicated to improving women’s health, while onsite exhibits feature hundreds of organizations and companies with products or services that appeal to women.
“This year’s Conference is especially exciting because it celebrates a decade of educating and motivating women to achieve their professional and personal goals,” said Joanne Ryder, Executive Vice President and Director of Brand & Strategy at Beneficial Bank, presenting sponsor of the Conference. “We’re a knowledge bank, and as the oldest and largest bank headquartered in Philadelphia we’ve been committed to helping educate members of the community about their finances for the past 160 years. We’re proud to be the presenting sponsor and congratulate the Conference on a productive, inspiring day.”
The Pennsylvania Conference for Women is presented by Beneficial Bank and the Beneficial Bank Foundation. It is also generously underwritten by dozens of corporations including, Cisco Systems, Clear Channel Media+Entertainment, Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, QVC, Tierney, AmeriHealth Caritas, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Comcast, Ernst & Young, Hail Merry Snack Foods, Independence Blue Cross, MasterCard, and PECO. Also, State Street Corporation, Wells Fargo, ACE Group, ACME Markets, AmerisourceBergen, Amtrak, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, Citizens Bank, DLA Piper, Jefferson University Hospitals, Fine Wine & Good Spirits, Liberty Property Trust, M&T Bank, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Penn Medicine, PNC Bank, Premier Luxury Rentals, Radian Guaranty, Shire Pharmaceuticals, StradleyRonon, The Dow Chemical Company, US Airways, NBC10 and Philadelphia Magazine.
“It is an honor for us to support and encourage the many women who are charting new courses for themselves, both personally and professionally,” said Lynn D. Tinney, Director of Strategy and Planning, Americas Services at Cisco, co-chair sponsor of the Conference. “Helping women succeed and assume leadership positions is a core value of our company. We congratulate the Conference on its 10th anniversary.”
To learn more about the 10th annual Pennsylvania Conference for Women, visit their website at www.paconferenceforwomen.org.
