ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
California Women Lead’s Annual Conference: LEVEL UP will be held on Tuesday November 15 and Wednesday November 16 at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center! LEVEL UP your professional and personal life and step into your power with hundreds of dynamic and resilient professional women from across California. California Women Lead’s Annual Conference: LEVEL UP features one of the state's most influential networks of women leaders in policy, politics and business.
- Insights on leadership strategies from top state, national and corporate women leaders
- Guidance and resources to level up your career to new heights in 2023
- Strengthened networks with peers statewide
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ABOUT THE UCLA LUSKIN CONFERENCE CENTER
Every element of the UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center and its adjoining hotel in Los Angeles was designed to honor the intrinsic link between innovation and rejuvenation. A LEED Platinum-certified property enhanced by leading edge resources, the UCLA Luskin Conference Center’s bright and relaxing environment encourages open engagement. Here, leading academic minds, medical innovators, researchers, political leaders and social visionaries meet to exchange ideas that will move our world forward.
The TICKET:
What's Included
- Sessions with Top state, national and corporate women leaders
- incredible entertainment and Memorable experiences
- Connect with mentors and peers From all over CALifornia
- Valuable guidance and story telling from executive level women
- entrance to our gifting suite & Swag
- 1-Year Membership to CA Women LEAD
Join Us!
SPEAKERS & PRESENTERS
CNBC SENIOR MEDIA Correspondent & Author Julia BOORSTIN
Gov OpS Secretary
Amy Tong
Gov OpS Secretary
Amy Tong
CA Appointments Secretary
Cathryn Rivera
Angel City FC President & Co-Founder
Julie Uhrman
Angel City FC Player
Madison Hammond
Fmr. CNN White House Correspondent
JessiCA Yellin
health net coo
KeRri Balbone
CCSWG Executive director
holly Martinez
San Francisco Appointments Director
Tyra FennelL
CCSWG 2nd Vice Chair &
U.S. Army Veteran
Erica Courtney
KTTV reporter - Fox 11 News
Sandra Endo
Chief Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction
Mary Nicely
CA WOmen Lead Board Member & CA Volunteers Commissioner Kathy McKim
CA Women Lead Board Member & CalStrat Partner Kristin Olsen
Los Angeles Stylist
Jenny Rodriguez
CA WOmen Lead Board Member & CCSWG Chair Lauren Babb
Shaw Law Group employment attorney
Erika Frank
CA Women Lead Board Member Elizabeth Ashford
CCSWG Comms Director
Darcy Totten
The Coca-Cola CompanyDirector of public affairs, communications and sustainability Cindy Chin
CCSWG Commissioner & philanthropist, advisor, entrepreneur, and author Lisa Greer
Health Net Senior Director of Public Affairs Alissa Ko
Amazon Head of Community Affairs for Southern California Marie Lloyd
Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell
Los Angeles Times Columnist
Erika D. Smith
DJ, Violinist, & Singer/Songwriter
Esther Anaya
San Diego City AppointmentS Director
Chida Warren-Darby
CA Women Lead VP & CA Cannabis Appeals panel chair dr. diandra bremond
wellness Entrepreneur and founder of mavenelle Ivirlei Brookes
Harpist
River Rey
CA Women Lead Board Member & FPPC Commissioner Catharine Baker
CA WOMEN LEAD PRESIDENT
MONA PASQUIL ROGERS
BCsH Agency
secretary lourdes Ramirez
Acclaimed entrepreneur & skincare expert
Nayamka Roberts-Smith
GrowthWise Search Partners Founder and CEO Katie McConnell OlsoN
Amazon Public Policy and External Affairs
Regional Head Sally Kay
CA Women lead Board Member & law professor sabrina ashjian
Clutch co-founder
Rachel Zillner
Southern Ca Edison Senior Government Affairs Director Tammy Tran
DAY ONE: November 15
4:00 PM
REGISTRATION OPENS
Lobby
Pick up your welcome packets, get oriented and start planning your conference experience!
4:30 PM
GIFTING SUITE OPENS
Stop by our gifting suite to pick up your CaWL Annual Conference: LEVEL UP swag bag and fill it with wellness products!
5:30 PM
WELCOME RECEPTION
TERRACE
Mix and mingle with your fellow conference attendees at a welcome reception with music from Esther Anaya and remarks from Julia Boorstin Samuelson, CNBC correspondent and author of "When Women Lead".
Welcome Reception is co-hosted by CA Legislative Women's Caucus and League of CA Cities Women's Caucus celebrating women running and winning this election cycle.
7:30 PM
RECEPTION ENDS
DAY TWO: NOVEMBER 16
8:00 AM
REGISTRATION OPENS
Centennial Ballroom Entrance
Pick up your welcome packets, get oriented and start planning your conference experience! Grab your swag bag too!
9:00 AM
OPENING SESSION
Centennial Ballroom
Kick-off the conference with entertainment and remarks from women leading at all levels!
Remarks from:
- CA Women Lead President Mona Pasquil Rogers
- CA Women Lead Secretary Catharine Baker, and
- Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor Holly Mitchell
Performance by Singer Giesha X.
9:15 AM
Women's Economic Recovery: A Blueprint for a more prosperous future for women
Centennial Ballroom
In this discussion, the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls will share their newly released California Blueprint for Women’s Pandemic Economic Recovery, the first of its kind, which leverages extensive research done in partnership the UC Berkeley’s California Policy Lab and the California Research Bureau and explores the unique economic impact the pandemic had on California women using specific state-level metrics with comparisons to national data. Commissioners will share their insights on policy pathways to a more equitable economic recovery for women.
Panel includes:
- CCSWG Executive Director Holly Martinez
- CCSWG Chair Lauren Babb,
- CCSWG 2nd Vice Chair Erica Courtney,
- CCSWG Commissioner Lisa Greer, and
- CCSWG Comms Director Darcy Trotten (moderator)
10:00 AM
MINDFUL MOVEMENT
hosted by The Class
Centennial Ballroom
Mindful movement can help lower stress, decrease anxiety and depression, improve physical health and strengthen relationships. Set the right intentions for the rest of the conference with a movement session to center your mind and body!
Led by:
- The Class Founding Teacher VP Training & Development Jaycee Gossett
10:15 AM
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Breakout Rooms
PICK ONE SESSION
BREAKOUT SESSION #1: LEVEL UP TO APPOINTED OFFICE
Break out Room #1 - Legacy Room
A government appointment is a great way to stay civically engaged, make an impact on your community and expand your sphere of influence. In California, there are thousands of opportunities to be appointed to boards, commissions and authorities at the local, regional and statewide levels. In this breakout session, you'll gain insight and learn best practices to become an appointee at any level of government.
Led by:
- CA Appointment Secretary Cathryn Rivera,
- San Diego Appointments Director Chida Warren-Darby,
- San Francisco Commissions and Community Relations Director Tyra Fennell, and
- CA Women Lead Board Member & CA Volunteers Commissioner Kathy McKim (Moderator)
BREAKOUT SESSION #2: LEVEL UP TO THE C-SUITE
Breakout Room #2: Optimist Room
It’s been said that in order to succeed, you need to be your own best advocate. But many women shy away from being vocal about what they want from their employers and their careers. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to ask for—and get—what you deserve, whether that’s taking on a new project, asking for a promotion or negotiating fair compensation.
Led by:
- HealthNet COO Kerri Balbone
- Chief Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction at CDE Mary Nicely, and
- CA Women Lead Board Member & CalStrat Partner Kristin Olsen (Moderator)
BREAKOUT SESSION #3: LEVEL UP YOUR BRAND
Breakout Room #3 - Exploration Room
A personal brand isn't about how you look—it's about how you feel. Aligning your look with your personal brand can help boost your confidence and set you apart from others as you take your career to the next level. Our style and beauty experts will give you useful tips on how to craft an intentional image and show up looking and feeling like the leader you are.
Led by:
- Fashion Stylist Jenny Rodriguez
- LABeautyologist Nayamka Roberts-Smith
- CA Women Lead Board Member Dr. Diandra Bremond (Moderator)
11:00 AM
NETWORKING BREAK
Hydration Station and Lounge
Take a break, grab some beverages and snacks to fuel up and network with conference participants or relax with self-guided wellness activities!
PICK ONE SESSION
BREAKOUT SESSION #1: LEVEL UP YOUR WORK PLACE
Breakout Room #1 - Legacy Room
Changing demographics and a global pandemic mean that today’s workplace looks very different from that of ten—and even two—years ago. The face of the workforce has changed significantly, and today’s employees have different needs than those of previous generations. In this breakout session, we will discuss how we can create a work environment and culture where everyone feels connected and a sense of belonging even when we are spending more time apart.
Led by:
- Amazon Public Policy and External Affairs Regional Head Sally Kay,
- GrowthWise Search Partners Founder and CEO Katie McConnell Olson,
- Clutch Co-Founder Rachel Zillner, and
- Workplace & Employment Advisor, Of Counsel at Shaw Law Group Erika Frank (Moderator)
11:30 AM
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Breakout Rooms
BREAKOUT SESSION #2: LEVEL UP YOUR Financial Future
Hosted by Wells Fargo
Breakout Room #3: Optimist Room
Studies have shown that women value financial stability more than men, but consider themselves less knowledgeable than men when it comes to investing. As a next generation of women begin to chart their financial futures and lead as business entrepreneurs into an unstable economy - perhaps the first time for many - our panel will discuss how to make wise financial decisions and access resources that will help conference attendees reach their goals.
Led by:
- Wells Fargo Investments Associate VP Connie Garcia,
- Wells Fargo Investments Managing Dir. Jennifer Garcia,
- Wells Fargo Senior Vice President Jaclyn Smith, and
- CA Women Lead CA Secretary Catharine Baker (Moderator)
12:30 PM
LUNCH & DISCUSSION: Level Up with the
Fourth Estate
Centennial Ballroom
Sit down for a plated lunch and discussion.
From social media and the 24-hour news cycle to the rise of “fake news,” the media world has undergone dramatic changes, presenting new challenges—and opportunities—to journalists and PR professionals alike. In this lunch discussion, seasoned media professionals will share their insights on the state of play for women in the media and the impact of news coverage on key women's issues.
Led by:
- Former CNN White House correspondent Jessica Yellin,
- LA Times Columnist Erika D. Smith ,
- California Chamber of Commerce Board member Fiona Hutton, and
- CA Women Lead Board member Elizabeth Ashford (Moderator)
1:30 PM
FIRESIDE CHAT:
Agency Secretaries
Centennial Ballroom
Can women truly "have it all"? And what does "having it all" really mean? In this Fireside Chat, CA Women Lead President Mona Pasquil will talk to two women leaders in California government about how they stay at the top of their game while juggling their many hats – mom, caregiver, friend, and more.
Led by:
- Gov Ops Secretary Amy Tong,
- Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Secretary Lourdes Ramirez, and
- CA Women Lead President Mona Pasquil Rogers (Moderator)
2:15 PM
NETWORKING BREAK
Hydration Station and Lounge
Take a break, grab some beverages and snacks to fuel up and network with conference participants or relax with self-guided wellness activities!
3:00 PM
PANEL: Women's Professional Sports: Equal Play
Centennial Ballroom
The popularity of women's professional sports is surging. With growing interest means better ratings, more lucrative sponsorships, better media coverage, and bigger earnings. At the top of the leader board as the fastest growing sport is women's soccer.
Angel City FC Co-Founder and President Julie Uhrman and Player Madison Hammond will join us to share how they are re-writing the playbooks from their business approach on and off the field.
Led by:
- Angel City FC President and Co-Founder Julie Uhrman,
- Angel City FC Player Madison Hammond, and
- KTTV Reporter - Fox 11 News Sandra Endo (Moderator)
3:45 PM
CLOSING SESSION
Centennial Ballroom
OUR SPONSORS
CONTACT US
Questions? Need Assistance?
Please contact us at: admin@cawomenlead.org or 916.551-1920.
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