Simmons Leadership Conference

Fashion designer Josie Natori exemplifies the true American entrepreneurial spirit.  She was one of the first female vice presidents of investment banking at Merrill Lynch when she decided to make a change and start her eponymous fashion line.  Here she tells the fascinating story of how she started her business and the important life lessons she learned along the way.  In the afternoon session Josie Natori will talk with Simmons professor Teresa Nelson on how she has turned her business into a lifestyle brand.

Crisis management expert Judy Smith is the real-life inspiration for the Olivia Pope character on the television show Scandal.  A former deputy White House press secretary and assistant US Attorney, Judy Smith brings years of public relations and communications experience to her corporate and private crisis management clients.  Here she shares with us how she has managed her career.  We look forward to her morning signature session with moderator Cheryl Howard on Women in Corporations.

A Simmons MBA alumna, Georgina Michael, from our silver sponsor Philips, talks about what it takes to recognize a leader.  Leading Stakeholder Relations at Philips Healthcare, her role provides strategic stakeholder relations, PR counsel and expertise to global teams around the world.  We recently interviewed Georgina for our first Sponsor Blog Post and discussed her leadership qualities and how Philips uses the Leadership Conference as a benefit for their employees who attend.

A pioneer as a Wall Street executive, Sallie Krawcheck is our opening keynote speaker and we can't wait for her to offer her views on women in business today and where she sees us on the road ahead. 

Nationally acclaimed transportation innovator Robin Chase revolutionized how people think about car travel. She is best known as co-founder and former CEO of Zipcar, the world's largest car-sharing company, and GoLoco, the first company to combine ridesharing, social networks, and easy payment systems.

But did you know Chase described her best vacation as being "away from cars and the city?" You also might be surprised to hear Chase's view about the tough choices women have when it comes to their careers and family.

Tennis legend Billie Jean King changed the playing field for women. With a career that included a record 20 Wimbledon titles, King fought for equal prize money for women tennis players. She also paved the way for women to receive equitable compensation for product endorsements. Her crusade for gender equality was vividly played out during the epic "The Battle of the Sexes" match with Bobby Riggs, whom she defeated. The win forever altered the way parents viewed their daughters and how daughters viewed themselves.

Below, King, a keynote speaker at the April 5 Simmons Leadership Conference, offered her best career advice, and how women can help other women become better leaders. 

What's the best piece of career advice you've gotten along the way?

Relationships are everything. You never know how someone will touch or change your life or how or when you can change theirs.