The Texas Conference for Women announced that Abby Wambach, two-time Olympic gold medalist, FIFA Women’s World Cup champion and pay equity advocate will deliver a keynote address at the 17th annual conference on Tuesday, November 15th.
Wambach will be joined by Amal Clooney, international human rights lawyer, and Diane von Furstenberg, iconic fashion designer, philanthropist and author, “The Woman I Wanted to Be.” Nina Tassler, highest ranking Latina in network television and recently retired chairman of CBS Entertainment, and Linda Cliatt-Wayman, principal of Strawberry Mansion High School in Philadelphia, will also deliver keynote addresses.
One of the world’s greatest professional soccer players, Abby Wambach holds the world record for the most goals in professional soccer, male or female, with 184 career goals. Wambach led the U.S.A. in scoring in the 2008 and 2011 Women’s World Cup tournaments, and the 2004 and 2012 Olympics. Since her retirement from U.S. Soccer, Wambach has championed a new cause: pay equity for women. Her first book, “Forward: A Memoir,” will be released in September.
Clooney is a British human rights lawyer, specializing in international law and human rights. She has appeared before the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the European Court of Human Rights and various courts in the United Kingdom and the United States. Clooney has held a number of posts within the United Nations, including as senior adviser to Kofi Annan and counsel to the UN inquiry on the use of armed drones. Clooney is a visiting professor at Columbia Law School, where she teaches human rights, and author of the forthcoming book, “The Right to a Fair Trial in International Law.”
Diane Von Furstenberg gained recognition when she designed the wrap dress in 1974, which became a symbol of power and independence for an entire generation of women. She was featured on the cover of Newsweek in 1976 and by that year, she had sold over one million wrap dresses. DVF has since grown into a global luxury lifestyle brand, offering a full collection of ready-to-wear clothing, shoes and accessories, sold in more than 55 countries. Von Furstenberg’s commitment to empowering women is expressed not only through fashion, but also philanthropy and mentorship. Through the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, she established the DVF Awards to provide grants to women who have displayed leadership, strength and courage in their commitment to their causes.
Nina Tassler served as president and chair of CBS Entertainment from 2004 to 2015, and was the highest profile Latina in network television and one of the few executives who had the power to green light a series. Nina recently released “What I Told My Daughter,” a collection of wisdom for the next generation of empowered women, including stories from Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Madeleine Albright. Linda Cliatt-Wayman spent 20 years as a special education teacher before becoming a principal, where she led a turnaround of a school known for low levels of academic achievement and high levels of violence to a safe space focused on learning. At Strawberry Mansion, Cliatt-Wayman and her team are once again proving what is possible for low-income children. Her May 2015 TED Talk has been viewed over a million times.
“We could not be more excited about our line-up of game-changing speakers,” said Johnita Jones, president of the Conference Board. “Our attendees will hear so many words of wisdom and determination and will be inspired to set out and make change, in their own lives and communities.”
The 17th Annual Texas Conference for Women will host thousands of attendees for a full day of networking, inspiration, professional development and personal growth. In addition to a standout lineup of keynote speakers, the nonpartisan, nonprofit Conference will feature breakout sessions led by experts in the fields of business, philanthropy, health, finance, media and professional development.
Among the 100+ speakers at the Conference will be: Kemal Harris, stylist and costume designer, “House of Cards”; Christine Carter, sociologist and senior fellow, UC Berkley Greater Good Science Center and author, “The Sweet Spot: How to Find your Groove at Home and Work”; Robin Hauser Reynolds, documentary filmmaker, “CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap”; Stephanie Kaplan Lewis, co-founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief, Her Campus; and Nely Ganan, first Latina president of a U.S. television network, Telemundo, Emmy Award-winning producer and author, “Self Made.”
The Texas Conference for Women is generously sponsored by Dell; rackspace; State Farm; United; United Health Care; HEB; Texas Beverage Association; Liberty Mutual; Phillips 66; HomeAway; IBM; NFP; and Poo-Pouri. Media partners include Austin Monthly; Clear Channel Outdoor; KVUE; AAT; and The Texas Tribune.
Registration is now open for the Conference. To register or learn more about the event, visit www.txconferenceforwomen.org.
