2024 New York Women in Leadership Symposium
March 14, 2024
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (ET)
Theme
Leading with Heart: Empathy, Ethics & Excellence
Sponsored By
The Women in Leadership Symposium is a dedicated event that brings together accomplished women leaders, aspiring leaders, and advocates for gender diversity in various industries. The primary objectives of the symposium are to inspire, educate, and empower women to thrive in leadership roles and to promote gender equity and inclusivity in the workplace. This year's symposium theme is, Leading with Heart: Empathy, Ethics & Excellence," which celebrates and explores the importance of compassion, ethics, and excellence in leadership, particularly as they relate to women leaders. Attendees will gain valuable insights, advice, and connections, making the Women in Leadership Symposium an essential platform for advancing women's representation and influence in leadership positions.
Panelists
Billinghurst-Black
Tamra Billinghurst-Black brings a wealth of experience and a legacy of excellence to her distinguished career in the financial services industry, spanning over three decades. As a Human Resources leader, Tamra is celebrated for her exceptional engagement and collaborative spirit, driven by an unwavering passion for service. Tamra's dedication to empowering others is evident in her roles as a learning and development leader and professional coach. She has played a pivotal role in fostering a culture of continuous improvement, contributing significantly to her company's consistent recognition on Training Magazine's Top 125 Global Elite list. Throughout her dynamic career journey, Tamra has worn many hats, from entry-level positions to appointive officer roles, showcasing her versatility and leadership acumen. Actively engaged in various committees and projects, she brings a wealth of experience in designing and delivering training programs for diverse audiences, including new hires, seasoned professionals, high-potential individuals, managers, and senior leaders. Currently, Tamra serves as the program manager for NYL PRIDE, the LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group, demonstrating her commitment to fostering inclusivity in the workplace. Tamra's educational credentials underscore her commitment to professional growth, holding a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and an MBA in Quantitative Analysis from St. John's University. She is a certified Gestalt Professional Coach and a National Diversity Council Certified Diversity Professional (NDCCDP). Beyond her professional achievements, Tamra is an active and proud member of the Alpha Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. In her personal life, Tamra is a loving mother to two accomplished daughters. Amber Renee practices law in the vibrant landscape of New York, NY, while Savanajh Maichele is a senior underwriting associate for a Fortune 100 Company in Cleveland, OH. Tamra, who splits her time between Ohio and New York, has made Olmsted Township, Ohio, her Great Lakes home. Tamra Billinghurst-Black's journey is not just a narrative of professional triumphs but a testament to the values she upholds, the impact she makes, and the loving foundation she has built for her family. Her story is one of leadership, dedication, and a commitment to creating positive change both in the workplace and within her community.
Goodman
Meredith Goodman is the VP of Global Education, Travel Retail Worldwide at Estee Lauder companies. Meredith and her team create and deploy both branded and brand-agnostic retail excellence programs relevant for Travel Retail – digitally, virtually and in-person – as well as upskilling the division’s Sales and Education Executives on topics such as coaching and facilitation. Meredith has over 20 years of marketing and retail experience in the beauty industry at brands ranging from small startups to large multi-billion-dollar multi-brand conglomerates, leading 360-degree marketing/experience programs that are relevant for the brand and meet the customer where they are. In addition to her “day job” Meredith is an active participant in Inclusion, Diversity and Equity initiatives. She serves as a Co-Chair for the North America Chapter of ELC’s Women’s Employee Resource Group, Estee Lauder Companies’ largest ERG, and as the Executive Sponsor of the Travel Retail Division’s Inclusive Culture Program. Meredith holds an MBA in Marketing and Operations Management from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BA from Dartmouth College in Math and Music. She is married with two daughters. In her “free time” she likes to read at the beach or ride her Peloton bike in the early morning.
Kakalia
Narges is the Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer at Mintz, a law firm with 1500 employees across North America. Prior to this, Narges was a partner at Mintz, where she practiced Litigation, investigations and employment law. As Mintz’s Chief DEI Officer, Narges and her team develop strategy, and then help the firm implement it such that all of Mintz’s work is done through a DEI lens, and with a view to creating a more even playing field for all of Mintz’s employees. Narges works out of Mintz’s New York office, and she lives in New Jersey with her family.
Orochena
Mariela is Head of Talent Acquisition for IPG Health, a global health advertising network. She leads IPG Health’s Talent Acquisition Center of Excellence, which provides strategic direction and implementation of recruitment efforts and internal mobility globally. This includes hiring and retention of talent, recruiting excellence across a diverse family of agencies and the designing and implementation of related programs. During her 25+ year career, Mariela has remained consistently immersed in the pursuit of diversified talent pools and career development. Prior to IPG Health, she spent several years recruiting digital media and technology talent at Digitas. She began her career as an executive recruiter at Heyman Associates, an executive search firm in PR and Corporate Communications, where she worked with Fortune 500 clients building best in class communication leadership teams. Mariela holds a BA in Journalism from New York University. She currently lives in New Jersey with her husband, son, daughter and two miniature schnauzers.
Palacios
Jessica Palacios is the Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) for Talent Acquisition at BlackRock, the largest asset manager globally with over 9 trillion assets under management (AUM). In this capacity, Jessica leads a Center of Excellence established to promote fair representation and an inclusive candidate experience throughout each stage of recruiting. The vision is for a fair end-to-end recruitment process for all candidates, regardless of their background. Jessica’s team collaborates with senior leaders and recruiting professionals alike to execute against key priorities which include recruiting partnerships, attraction events, and hiring programs for Veterans, Returners, and other non-traditional talent groups. At BlackRock, Jessica is also a founding member of the Somos Latinx Network. As a member of the Executive Committee, Jessica partners with sponsors and advocates to advance Latinx causes for employees such as the Hispanic Promise, a national pledge to hire, promote, retain and celebrate Hispanics in the workplace. Jessica also sits on the New York Leadership Team, an entity dedicated to cultivating an inclusive culture and community in our New York City headquarters at Hudson Yards. Previously, Jessica led Americas Campus Recruiting with oversight over BlackRock’s Summer Analyst and Full-Time Analyst Programs. Prior to Recruiting, Jessica served as the HR Business Partner supporting the Aladdin Product Group, BlackRock’s software engineering arm. Jessica joined BlackRock in 2016 from JPMorgan Chase & Co, where she held various HR roles supporting Corporate Functions and Commercial Banking. In addition to her professional responsibilities, Jessica volunteers with the New York Chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) where she spends time with Latinx executives, professionals, and first-generation college students. Jessica also serves on the New York Advisory Council for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF), the nation’s largest not-for-profit organization supporting Hispanic American higher education. As an advocate for Latinx advancement, Jessica has served as a panelist and moderator for various organizations including Bloomberg, JPMorgan, Citi, and Proud to be Latina. In 2019, Jessica was recognized by Negocios Now magazine as one of NYC’s 40 under 40. In 2021, her story was featured in the anthology Hispanic Stars Rising: The New Face of Power. Jessica holds a B.A. degree from Duke University, an M.S. in Human Resources Management from New York University, and a DEI Certification from Cornell’s School of Industrial Relations. As a first-generation Colombian-American, Jessica is also a native Spanish speaker. On a personal note, Jessica enjoys cooking, travel, and sports. She lives in the state of New York with her spouse and sons.
Zephirin
Jennifer Zephirin most recently served as the first Global Head of Diversity Equity, Inclusion at Match Group, prior to that Zephirin was at Uber, where she served as the Global Diversity Business Partner for Technology. Prior to her work at Uber, Zephirin was a consultant to brands including Unilever and the Levo Institute, where she developed strategies to build diverse and effective teams. She also served as Visa's Director of Diversity and Inclusion, developing their first Leadership Development program for underrepresented communities and leading Visa's first appearance in San Francisco's Pride Parade. Zephirin began her career with roles at FactSet Research Systems and NERA Economic Consulting. Born and raised in Brooklyn, she is the proud daughter and sister of Haitian immigrants, and speaks Haitian Creole at home.
Moderator
Mehta
Keti Mehta currently serves as Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Growth Leader for Gallagher’s NY Metro office, where she manages the firm’s growth initiatives to expand and deepen client footprint across diverse industry segments. Mehta also serves as an Advisor to the inaugural Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee of the Risk & Insurance Management Society’s (RIMS) Advisory Board. For the past eight years, Keti has passionately served as a Board Member on the Tri-State Diversity Council (NY, NJ, and CT). Recognized for being an inspiring growth accelerator, strategic brand promoter, and influencer - Keti Mehta successfully develops high-performing teams and strategic partnerships to unleash organic growth potential. She stands out for being a transformational culture catalyst by building diverse communities of practice that promote inclusion and collaboration. Keti leads by example and is a highly skilled, certified sales activator, leadership development coach, talent enthusiast and evangelist of the Customer Experience. Mehta has also held senior executive leadership roles at Hub International, USI Insurance Services, Dell, and Morgan Stanley. Keti resides in White Plains, Westchester County with her husband of 24 years and their beloved daughter, Karina. Keti is a licensed NY Property & Casualty Insurance Broker. Mehta received a Master of Arts degree in Change Leadership/Business Transformation from Teacher’s College, Columbia University in New York City. Additionally, Keti holds an Executive Coaching Certification from the International Coach Federation.
Awardee
Gomez
Patricia Gomez is a dynamic trailblazer in the field of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), dedicated to fostering inclusive workplaces and driving positive change across industries. Currently serving as a Corporate Vice President at New York Life, Patricia leads with empathy and expertise, implementing strategic initiatives that promote DEI in the workplace. Her role involves working closely with the Chief Diversity Officer to develop and execute innovative DEI programs, design programming to raise awareness and cultivate a culture of inclusivity and collaborate with key stakeholders to continue to drive organizational engagement. Since joining New York Life in 2016, Patricia has navigated through various pivotal roles within the DEI and Talent Acquisition spheres. Prior to her tenure at New York Life, Patricia honed her expertise at NBCUniversal, where she played an instrumental role in fostering talent pipeline programs across seven cable networks, aimed at bolstering diverse talent both on-air and behind the camera. Her diverse background includes positions in human resources, talent acquisition, organizational development and marketing and business operations, all of which have equipped her with a multifaceted understanding of the DEI landscape. With a degree in Social Entrepreneurship from Macaulay Honors College at CUNY Baruch, she remains at the forefront of DEI trends and best practices, actively participating in industry events. Outside of her professional commitments, Patricia dedicates her time to volunteer for causes that champion initiatives focused on social justice, education, and economic empowerment. She believes in the power of collective action to create meaningful change and is dedicated to making a lasting impact in the DEI field.
Sponsorship Information
$3 Transaction Fee Will Be Added