Early Bird tickets are on sale now for October 1st event
June 15, 2020
Media Contact: Alexa Bluth | abluth@conferenceforwomen.org | (916) 607-7942
AUSTIN – Global philanthropist Melinda Gates will join a world-class lineup of visionaries for an all-virtual Texas Conference for Women on October 1st. The event – designed to promote equity and empower women in a changing world – will be held online to balance health concerns with the importance of coming together during a time of tragedy and unrest.
“Our mission to promote inclusion and provide personal growth and professional development through ‘women helping women’ remains steadfast,” said Carla Piñeyro Sublett, Texas Conference for Women Board President. “This year’s Conference will inspire women leaders at a time when we so badly need them, and will provide attendees with timely tools to navigate today’s changing environment.”
Tickets for the 21st annual gathering of the largest conference for women in Texas are on sale now at www.txconferenceforwomen.org. In addition to Gates, distinguished speakers who will give insights and strategies to tackle current challenges and advance equity in work and life include:
- Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, popular TED speaker and author of Brave Not Perfect
- Priya Parker, host of the new podcast from The New York Times, Together Apart
- James Clear, change expert and New York Times bestselling author
- Wade Davis, former NFL player and inclusion consultant
- Valerie Burton, bestselling author and life strategist
The highly interactive Conference also will give attendees opportunities to engage with speakers and each other; support women-owned businesses and women in business through an online marketplace; and participate in a career pavilion and job fair.
Gates, who grew up in Texas, is co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and an advocate for women and girls who last year announced a $1 billion commitment to expand women’s power and influence in the United States. She has recently been outspoken about COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on women—and the importance of addressing systemic racism.
“Melinda Gates is one of the world’s leading voices on behalf of women, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is making important investments in promoting equality, making her message especially important right now,” said Conference Founder and Director Laurie Dalton White. “The events facing our nation and world have magnified many challenges facing women personally and professionally, and that is all the more reason to come together and support one another.”
Melinda Gates is a philanthropist, businesswoman, and global advocate for women and girls. She shapes and approves the foundation’s strategies, reviews results, and sets the organization’s overall direction. Together, Melinda and Bill meet with grantees and partners to further the foundation’s goal of improving equity in the United States and around the world. The Foundation’s data-driven expertise and funding for partners developing diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines, have been prominent in the battle against COVID-19.
The Texas Conference for Women is presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance; and generously sponsored by Target; Cisco; Dell Technologies; Deloitte; Merck & Co; Phillips 66; United Healthcare; Arm; Cirrus Logic; Dover Fueling Solutions; H-E-B; Huston-Tillotson University; National Instruments; Planview; Q2E Banking; Silicon Labs; USAA and media sponsors Austin American-Statesman; and The Texas Tribune.
“Liberty Mutual Insurance is proud to stand with the Texas Conference for Women and this incredible community of professionals. Being there for people when they need us most is what Liberty Mutual has been doing for more than a century, so supporting the move to a virtual experience was a natural decision,” said Dawn Frazier-Bohnert, Senior Vice President and Global Diversity & Inclusion Officer. “As presenting sponsor, we are thrilled to support the connections, actionable ideas and inspiration the Conference provides each year to drive a more inclusive workplace.”
The Conference also will showcase the work of Texas women who are helping other women now as part of its Storytellers Contest, presented by Target and the Conferences for Women.
ABOUT THE TEXAS CONFERENCE FOR WOMEN
The Texas Conference for Women is part of the Conferences for Women, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that is the largest nationwide network of women’s conferences whose mission includes helping to drive discussion on issues of importance to women in business and small business owners. Conferences for Women in California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Texas attract an estimated 50,000 attendees and a distinguished slate of top-tier speakers each year.
#TXCONFWomen
