Maria Shriver Announces Women's Conference Lineup

Maria Shriver has announced the lineup for this year’s Women’s Conference, to be held from Sunday, October 24 through Tuesday, October 26 at the Long Beach Convention Center.

“Our theme this year is ’It’s Time’ – and we are hoping The Women’s Conference inspires women to see this challenging moment in history as an opportunity to come together and transform ourselves, our communities and our world as Architects of Change,” she wrote in the Huffington Post. "I could not be more proud to disclose this amazing lineup, which will be led by Laila Ali, Yahoo! CEO Carol Bartz, Martha Beck, Mary J. Blige, Erin Brockovich, Campbell Brown, Deepak Chopra, Rosario Dawson, Paula Deen, Giada De Laurentiis, Linda Ellerbee, Giselle Fernandez, Sally Field, Jane Fonda, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, David Gregory, Arianna Huffington, Women for Hire CEO Tory Johnson, Donna Karan, Billie Jean King, New York Times Columnist Nicholas Kristof, Matt Lauer, Omega Institute Co-Founder Elizabeth Lesser, Journalists Laura Ling and Lisa Ling, Jillian Michaels, former Xerox Chairwoman & CEO and Save the Children Board Chair Anne Mulcahy, The Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor, Poet Mary Oliver, Suze Orman, Dr. Oz, Tony Robbins, Al Roker, Diane Sawyer, The Episcopal Church’s Presiding Bishop and Primate The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Howard Schultz, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Katherine Schwarzenegger, Jessica Simpson, Anna Deavere Smith, Disney/ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney, “The Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro, Kerry Washington, Ali Wentworth and Oprah Winfrey.

“We’ll kick the Conference off on October 24 with Maria Shriver’s March on Alzheimer’s and candlelight vigil in Long Beach, which I will emcee with Leeza Gibbons, Peter Gallagher and Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines. Alzheimer’s is a mind-blowing disease that disproportionately impacts women – both as victims and caretakers of loved one’s suffering from it. With more than 5 million people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in this country and a new diagnosis every 70 seconds, I believe it’s time to pick up the pace and start marching to defeat this devastating disease.

“The conference’s second day will be capped off with the third-annual Night at The Village which will transform the Long Beach Convention Center’s exhibit hall into an over 160,000 square foot women’s village for more than 10,000 attendees. With our theme of “It’s Time…To Experience the Best,” the event will feature stage conversations with prominent speakers, notable personalities and women entrepreneurs whom I so admire such as Paula Deen, Jessica Simpson, Jane Fonda, Donna Karan and Giada De Laurentiis; stage interviews and book signings with more than 20 best-selling authors such as Caroline Kennedy, Jamie Lee Curtis, Meghan McCain, Kim Barnouin, Cat Cora, Fresh Mexico Author Marcela Valladolid, Holly Robinson-Peete & Rodney Peete and Katherine Schwarzenegger; live entertainment, a fashion show and cooking exhibitions; and interactive shopping experiences with women-focused products, services and information from more than 330 exhibitors.

“On Tuesday, October 26, more than 70 world opinion leaders and approximately 14,000 attendees will gather at the conference’s Main Event. Organized around the theme of “It’s Time…To Be An Architect of Change,” the Main Event will once again be a place for the conference’s signature once-in-a-lifetime conversations and news-making moments that combine the world’s most authentic and influential voices in discussions about the issues that matter most to women and shape their lives."

To read Maria’s post and find out more, click here.