Torie Clarke
Senior Advisor for Comcast Corporation, Present; Pentagon Spokeswoman, 2001-2003; Author, Lipstick on a Pig; ABC Commentator
A Senior Advisor for Comcast Corporation and on-air commentator for ABC, Torie Clarke has advised some of the nation’s best-known executives. Best known to the public as the chief spokesperson for the Pentagon on 9/11 and the beginning of the Iraq war, Torie Clarke has long been respected within the worlds of politics and public relations as one of the most insightful experts on communication in the age of transparency. The architect of the media "embedding" program in Iraq, Clarke has stood on the leading edge of this transformation of the information environment for more than two decades.
Ann Curry
Emmy Award-Winning Journalist; News Anchor, NBC’s Today Show; Anchor, Dateline NBC
News anchor and esteemed journalist Ann Curry, of NBC’s Today, is one of the most visible and personable female broadcasters in America. Her belief in the power of knowledge and the importance of service echo through her work, allowing her to impact millions of lives daily.
Marta Fox
Wife of Vicente Fox, President of Mexico, 2000-2006; President, Vamos México Foundation, 2003-Present
A powerful voice on women’s issues and social responsibility, Marta de Fox has played an active role in Mexico’s democratization, and offers audiences unique insight into the challenges facing Latin America. She has also dedicated her life to public service and to fostering social investment and responsibility.
Karen Hughes
Counselor to President George W. Bush, 2001-2002; Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, 2005-2007; Global Vice Chair of Burson-Marsteller
Karen Hughes is a senior strategist helping business leaders strengthen their corporate/CEO reputations, achieve business goals through effective communications and shape positive public and stakeholder perceptions. She has also been described as "the most powerful woman ever to serve in the White House" (Dallas Morning News) and "the most powerful public diplomacy czar in decades" (The Boston Globe). As Under Secretary of State, she traveled to more than 50 countries, meeting world leaders and reaching out to international audiences.
Judith Miller
Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist; Bestselling Author
A champion of first amendment rights and advocate for preserving journalistic integrity, Judith Miller spent 85 days in jail for refusing to testify before a federal grand jury and protecting her confidential sources. With 30 years of experience writing for The New York Times and a Pulitzer Prize for her work, Ms. Miller shares unique insights and perspectives to provide audiences with a greater understanding of first amendment rights and national security issues.
Dee Dee Myers
White House Press Secretary, 1993-1994; Political Analyst and Commentator; Contributing Editor, Vanity Fair; Author, Why Women Should Rule the World
Armed with sharp political insights and a refreshingly irreverent sense of humor, Dee Dee Myers charms and enlightens audiences of every political persuasion with her insightful behind-the-scenes look at Washington, national politics and the major players in both.
Mary Lou Quinlan
CEO/Founder Just Ask a Woman; Named the “Oprah of Madison Avenue” by The Wall Street Journal; Bestselling Author, Just Ask A Woman; Women's Correspondent, CBS Early Show
Since founding the strategic marketing consultancy Just Ask a Woman in 1999, Mary Lou Quinlan has advised dozens of blue chip corporations, including Wachovia, Best Buy, Clairol, GlaxoSmithKline, Ikea and Pepsi on what women want.
Cokie Roberts
Political Analyst for ABC News; NPR Senior News Analyst; Former Co-Anchor, This Week with Sam Donaldson & Cokie Roberts
Long-time ABC Congressional Correspondent and leading political pundit, Cokie Roberts is one of the most esteemed and brilliant broadcast journalists of our time.
Roxana Saberi
Iranian-American Journalist Falsely Accused and Imprisoned in Iran; Author, Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in Iran; Co-wrote the film No One Knows About Persian Cats
A political prisoner caught in the middle of a dramatic political struggle between Iran and the U.S., Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi captured the attention of the world when reports surfaced of her imprisonment in Iran. Abducted by four men early one morning in January 2009 and placed in solitary confinement, Ms. Saberi, who was working as a freelance journalist in Tehran, contributing to NPR and the BBC among others, was falsely accused of spying for the United States. Ms. Saberi, a former Miss North Dakota, who led an all-American life before moving to Iran was sentenced to eight years in prison. Her battle for freedom would last 100 days before an appeals court released her following an international uproar. In the midst of reaching out to Iran to start a dialogue after decades of political deadlock, the Obama administration harshly criticized Iran over her imprisonment and there was speculation that Iranian President Ahmadinejad intervened on her behalf as a diplomatic overture.
VIDEO SPOTLIGHT! Click HERE and watch her interview on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and watch Roxana's captivating 2-part interview with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America. (Part 1 and Part II).
Barbara Walters
ABC News correspondent; Host of The Barbara Walters Specials ; Creator, Co-host and Executive Producer of ABC Daytime’s The View
Barbara Walters’ ground-breaking exclusive interviews with world leaders and her enterprising reporting have made her one of the most highly acclaimed journalists on television. In her lively and colorful appearances, Walters shares the insights she acquired from her experiences interviewing with the most important newsmakers in the world today.
Najla Al-Awadhi
Member of the UAE Federal National Council
; CEO, Dubai Media Incorporated’s Television Channels
; General Manager, Dubai One; Regional Board of Directors, Young Arab Leaders
Ms Najla Al-Awadhi is a member of the United Arab Emirates Federal National Council (UAE Parliament). Appointed in 2007, she is one of the first women in history to become a member and also holds a distinction as its youngest parliamentarian. At the podium, Ms. Al-Awadhi speaks about the media, government, and the role and rights of women in the Arab and Muslim world.
Kathy Bates
Academy Award® winning Actress; Director; Ovarian Cancer Survivor
When Kathy Bates speaks, she is applauded not only as an Oscar winner and as one of Hollywood's most sought-after performers but for what might be the most challenging and inspirational role of her career: -- cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in August of 2003, and is now in remission.
Joy Behar
Co-Host of
The View
Joy Behar, currently a co-host of ABC’s The View, is among today’s leading comic talents. Whether performing stand-up comedy or interviewing politicians and artists, she is a comedic original and a leading woman both on stage and screen.
Marie Brenner
Bestselling Author; Writer-at-Large, Vanity Fair
The winner of six Front Page awards for her journalism, Ms. Brenner’s investigation into the Enron scandals made national news when Senator Peter Fitzgerald used it to question witnesses testifying before a senate committee. The 1999 Michael Mann film The Insider, starring Al Pacino and Russell Crowe was based on her work. The movie was nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture. Ms. Brenner was one of the first writers to report on the phenomenon of stalking and her story "Erotomania" was the basis of the Lifetime movie Obsessed. The director Alex Gibney is currently developing her article “In the Kingdom of Big Sugar” for Tribeca Films.
Lauren Bush
Co-Founder of The FEED Foundation; CEO, Creative Director, and Co-Founder FEED Projects
Lauren Bush is the CEO and Co-Founder of FEED Projects, a charitable company with the mission of creating good products that help feed the world. At the podium, Lauren speaks about philanthropy, hunger, and global issues.
Lisa Caputo
Chief Marketing Officer, Citi; Chief Marketing and Community Relations Officer, Global Consumer Group; Chairman and CEO, Women & Company; Citigroup Inc.
One hundred years ago, women didn’t possess the right to vote. Thirty years ago, no woman was the head of any publicly traded company that she did not inherit. Today, women own 49% of American businesses operating in the U.S., generating +$1.15 trillion in sales annually. (source: US Census Bureau). According to Lisa Caputo, after only three decades of being mainstream members of the workforce, one in three wives now makes more than her husband. Of the 66 million working women in the United States (source: 2000 US Census Bureau), over half are professionals with disposable income. The glass ceiling has shattered along with the glass slipper - at least in the Western world - and Lisa Caputo has held a front row seat for much of it. In her speeches, she talks about the major impact powerful women - in both the political and private sectors - are having on today’s world.
:
Margaret Carlson
Columnist, Bloomberg News ; Editor-At-Large, The Week magazine; Author
TIME magazine's first female columnist, Margaret Carlson is one of the most astute political observers of our age.
Cheryl Casone
Anchor, Fox Business Network; Business Correspondent, Fox News Channel
With more than ten years experience as a financial journalist Cheryl Casone informs and entertains with her perspective on the role of the business news media.
Eleanor Clift
Contributing
Editor, Newsweek Magazine; The McLaughlin
Group, Panelist
Eleanor Clift, celebrated author and reporter, provides audiences with an unrivaled look at the new political world in which issues of gender, race and even age influence the political discussion. She has long written about American politics and is an expert on the Washington power structure, the influence of women in politics and other political issues making the headlines daily.
Gail Collins
Women’s Historian; New York Times Op Ed Columnist
; First Female Head of New York Times Editorial Board
The first ever female head of The New York Times editorial board and op-ed columnist, Gail Collins is a noted women’s historian and author of When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present.
Catherine Crier
Host, Catherine Crier Live; Award-Winning Journalist and New York Times Bestselling Author
Catherine Crier is Texas-bred independent with a spirited passion for justice. She authored The New York Times bestseller The Case Against Lawyers, and her newest book is Final Analysis: The Untold Story of the Susan Polk Murder Case. Her speaking engagements offer a mix of insights, analysis and practical instruction, all from her own unique perspective.
Susan Dentzer
Editor-in-Chief, Health Affairs; Analyst on Health, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
A noted journalist, Susan Dentzer brings expert analysis to the state of healthcare today, as well as her extensive experience reporting on every public and private healthcare trend in recent memory to present to audiences a complete and concise picture of where we’ve been, where we are headed and the potential economic and policy implications of the current proposals being considered.
Laurie Dhue
Former Fox News Channel Anchor
The only anchor to have hosted shows on all three cable news networks - CNN, MSNBC and Fox News Channel - Laurie Dhue served as an anchor on Fox News Channel from September 2000 through March 2008. She hosted the highly-rated Fox Report weekend edition and appeared weekly on the number one cable show The O’Reilly Factor in a segment called Dhue Point, the highest-rated segment on Thursday nights. For two years, she reported and substitute anchored for Geraldo at Large with Geraldo Rivera, covering everything from plane crashes to missing persons investigations to interviewing Hollywood celebrities to performing a skydiving demonstration. She also contributed to several programs on FNC, including On the Record with Greta Van Susteren, Special Report with Brit Hume and The Fox Report with Shepard Smith.
Jen Drexler
Co-Director of Brand Insights, Just Ask A Woman
Jen Drexler is an authority on what women—Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, suburban moms or high-powered executives—are doing, thinking and buying. For one thing, she has been professionally studying women as consumers since 1997. For another, she understands what motivates women and makes them tick, because she lives and breathes their lives—24/7. Jen reads what women are reading (from fine literature to tabloids) and watches what women are watching (even if it is a questionable makeover show). Consequently, Jen is able to give straightforward and actionable recommendations for clients from consumer packaged goods to healthcare.
Linda Ellerbee
Journalist; Award-Winning Television Producer; Bestselling Author; Breast Cancer Survivor
Linda Ellerbee is a woman of spirit and determination who has enlightened and entertained us for almost 40 years. Revered as a pioneer, a survivor and role model for young and old, Ellerbee charms sell out audiences across the country. She speaks to them about surviving a changing world with her heart intact.
Whether as a keynote speaker, moderator, panelist or host, Linda Ellerbee puts audiences at ease while inspiring them with her gifts of honesty, courage, hope, and laughter. There is a reason Linda Ellerbee gets standing ovations. She is a real person speaking to real people, to the heart from the heart.
Brenda Feigen
Founder, Women’s Action Alliance; President, National Breast Cancer Education and Legal Center; Co-Founder of Ms. magazine with Gloria Steinem
Brenda Feigen, a crusader for feminism and women’s rights, has long guided and shifted the discussion and progress made for women over the last few decades in the U.S. Having survived cancer, Ms. Feigen has much to say on law, health, and women in America.
Amy Goodman
Host and Executive Producer, Democracy Now!; Author
; Syndicated Columnist
Amy Goodman is the host and executive producer of Democracy Now!, a national, daily, independent, award-winning news program airing on over 750 TV and radio stations in North America.
Ellen Goodman
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist; Syndicated Columnist
A stylish writer with a humanizing
touch on any issue, public or personal, Ellen Goodman is an American
original, who is widely acclaimed as a voice of sanity, and readers
depend on her to help them make sense of our changing world.
Lori Gottlieb
Best selling Author, Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough; Journalist
; Columnist
Lori Gottlieb is the New York Times bestselling author of Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough (Dutton), a provocative look at modern dating, marriage, and what really matters for true romantic happiness. A New York Times Editors' Choice selection, the book has been translated into several languages and the film rights have been optioned by Tobey Maguire for Warner Bros.
Annabelle Gurwitch
Actress; Author; Activist
Annabelle Gurwitch takes social issues and gives them her own brand of humor and perspective. At the podium, she speaks on sustainability issues around the country.
Bernadine Healy, M.D.
Medical Columnist & Health Editor for US News and World Report; Former Director of the National Institutes of Health
Dr. Healy makes nationwide speaking and media appearances about our most crucial health issues.
Vicki Iovine
Bestselling Author
Raising four kids is full-time work, yet Vicki Iovine still found time to author the celebrated Girlfriends’ Guide books, a series that offers breezy anecdotes and advice for new mothers and women everywhere!
Kay Koplovitz
Principal, Koplovitz & Company; Founder, USA Networks; Author and Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur who founded the successful cable TV franchise USA Networks, she is the author of, Bold Women, Big Ideas which she wrote to inform and inspire women entrepreneurs to create wealth through equity. In her speeches, Koplovitz she gives her expert advice on formulating a successful business plan or winning pitch and on sizing up today's investors. She uses examples of pioneering women entrepreneurs and provides inspiration and advice to anyone who wants to launch and finance a new business venture. The glossary and practical list of resources at the end of the book will help beginners get started learning about and finding venture capital. The book is written in a crisp, businesslike tone but with numerous glimmers of humor; current and wannabe entrepreneurs will gain information, understanding and appreciation of how business works in today's economy.
Iris Krasnow
Bestselling Author; Journalist
Bestselling author and journalist, Iris Krasnow speaks on issues related to family, relationships and female empowerment to many national groups, including business organizations, religious institutions, women's groups and colleges and universities.
Mara Liasson
National political correspondent, National Public Radio; Political analyst, FOX News Channel; Regular panelist, Special Report with Brit Hume and Fox News Sunday
As the national political correspondent for NPR, Mara Liasson’s voice is unmistakable and her words memorable. Her reports can be heard regularly on NPR's award-winning newsmagazines All Things Considered and Morning Edition.
Joan Lunden
Co-host, Good Morning America, 1980-1997; Best Selling Author
As the longest-running co-host on early morning television, Joan Lunden is one of the most visible women in the country. In addition to being one of the most successful women in the media, she is also a nationally known speaker and author.
Andrea Mitchell
Anchor, MSNBC's The Andrea Mitchell Hour; NBC News' Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent
With a Washington insider’s
perspective, Andrea Mitchell deftly examines global conflicts, foreign
policy and international leaders, adding insight into political issues
that resonate globally.
Deborah Norville
Emmy Award-Winning Anchor
After gaining years of experience with numerous broadcast positions for CBS, veteran journalist and two-time Emmy award-winner Deborah Norville is credited with bringing new strength and respect to the syndicated news magazine Inside Edition, which she has hosted since 1995.
Suze Orman
Foremost Financial Advisor; Host of The Suze Orman Show on CNBC; New York Times Bestselling Author
Suze Orman is a world-renowned motivational speaker who speaks annually to over 100,000 people in the United States, South Africa & Asia. In 2007, Business Week has named Suze the top female motivational Speaker in the U.S..
Marie Osmond
Country Music
Star; Actress
With more than 40 successful years in entertainment, Marie Osmond has continuously reinvented herself remaining relevant and always popular throughout countless pop fads and trends. A singer, actress, businesswoman, Ms. Osmond has truly commanding staying power.
Alexandra Pelosi
Emmy-Nominated Filmmaker; Author
Alexandra Pelosi is not afraid to tackle America’s dearest subjects, politics and religion, head on. An intuitive filmmaker, she has traveled across the country for Presidents and faith, developing a perspective of America few others do.
Ann Pleshette Murphy
Parenting Contributor for ABC's Good Morning America; Host of Parenting Perspectives on ABC News Now; Author, The 7 Stages of Motherhood: Loving Your Life Without Losing Your Mind; ParentSmart Columnist for USA Weekend Magazine; AOL Parent Coach; Healthination.com Parenting Expert
Ann Pleshette Murphy is the parenting contributor for ABC TV’s Good Morning America (GMA) and the host of ABC News Now’s Parenting Perspectives. Since joining GMA in November 1998 over 250 American Family segments have aired before 5 million viewers. A well-known magazine journalist and editor, Ms. Pleshette Murphy was Editor-in-Chief of Parents magazine from 1988 to 1998. Her ParentSmart column appears monthly in USA Weekend magazine. She is also featured on AOL as a parenting coach and on Healthination.com as the parenting expert.
Martha Raddatz
ABC News Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent ; Author
Martha Raddatz was named Senior Foreign Affairs correspondent for ABC News in November 2008, after serving as chief White House correspondent during the last term of President George W. Bush's administration. She has received Peabody and Emmy awards for her coverage of presidential campaigns and the Sept. 11 attacks. In 2006, Ms. Raddatz broke the story on the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq. She is the author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller, The Long Road Home: A Story of War and Family.
Naomi Ragen
International Bestselling Author; Influential Jewish Commentator
Over the past fifteen years, author and playwright Naomi Ragen has quietly become one of the Jewish world’s most controversial and most read novelists and political commentators.
Diane Rehm
Host of Acclaimed Radio Show
With her nationally acclaimed radio show, Diane Rehm has developed a following of millions who appreciate her down-to-earth but sophisticated analysis and interviews for the day’s top news stories.
Judith Reichman
Women’s Health Expert; Physician Correspondent for the Today Show; Bestselling Author
An outspoken expert on women’s health care issues and highly sought after guest speaker, Dr. Judith Reichman balances the demands of a thriving Los Angeles practice with requests for her straightforward analysis of complex medical matters.
Gloria Reuben
Actress; Social Activist ; Singer
In addition to being know as a multiple Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominated actress, Gloria Reuben is dedicated to advocating for several causes. Gloria is successful on the speaking circuit, where her focus is on the environment, HIV/AIDS, human rights, women’s issues and the arts. She has also become a fixture in Washington, D.C. where she has been lobbying for these causes.
Deborah Roberts
Correspondent for ABC News' 20/20
An award winning correspondent for ABC News’ 20/20, Deborah Roberts is a versatile and highly respected journalist with a broad range of expertise. Ms. Roberts speaks from experience, amassed over her fifteen-year career covering vital stories around the world.
Betty Rollin
Correspondent, NBC News; Bestselling Author
Betty Rollin is a shining inspiration, having survived two difficult fights with breast cancer with the bravery to publicize and write about her experiences for public awareness.
Laura Schlessinger
Nationally Renowned Talk Show Host; Bestselling Author
Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host with an audience of 18 million. Contradicting conventional wisdom that syndicated talk radio was a man's game, Dr. Laura's one-of-a-kind wit and wisdom swept the country in record time. Within four short years she was sharing the top rung of the ladder with none other than Rush Limbaugh and became the first woman to ever win a Marconi Award.
Lynn Sherr
Award-Winning ABC News 20/20 Correspondent
A Peabody Award Winner, Lynn Sherr has tackled all sorts of controversial and groundbreaking topics in her investigative work for ABC News’ 20/20. Ms. Sherr has an astounding capacity to illuminate and make clear the murkiest global, domestic, and even personal issues with her deft journalistic skills.
Aviva Slesin
Oscar-Winning Documentary Producer
An Academy Award-Winning producer, Aviva Slesin creates artful documentaries that shed new light on countless emotional and complex stories.
Amy Sohn
Bestselling Author
Bestselling Author Amy Sohn has skillfully captured the zeitgeist of a whole generation of women in her novels.
Catherine Steiner-Adair
Clinical Psychologist; School Consultant; Author
Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair is an internationally recognized clinical psychologist specializing in education, speaking to all types of audiences about her latest research into child development and psychology. She also does public speaking at corporate retreats, for non-profit organizations, and fund raisers.
Jessica Stern
Foremost U.S. Expert on Terrorism; Author of Terror In The Name of God: Why Religious Militants Kill
In her speeches, Stern connects many of the factors that link religious
terrorists-from members of al Qaeda to Timothy McVeigh. She finds
that the majority who join these groups feel disenfranchised and left
behind by modernity. Their response to the “God-shaped
hole” in modern culture is to turn their anger on those whom
they hold responsible for their feelings of emptiness and failure.
Stern warns that in the battle against the New World Order, disparate
groups with seemingly conflicting agendas may join forces against what
they perceive as the common enemy: globalization and Western culture.
Yet she also points out that military solutions will not bring down
religious terrorism and, in many cases, it will only work as a
rallying cry to strengthen the terrorists’ cause.
Jeri Thompson
Co-host, “The Fred Thompson Show” ; Political Commentator; Columnist, The American Spectator
Jeri Thompson is the co-host of "The Fred Thompson Show," along side her husband, Fred Thompson. She is a political commentator and a columnist for The American Spectator.
Katrina vanden Heuvel
Editor and Publisher, The Nation
Katrina vanden Heuvel is Editor and Publisher of The Nation.
Rebecca Walker
Bestselling Author
TIME Magazine named Rebecca Walker one of the fifty most influential American leaders under forty because of her transformative views on race, gender, sexuality and power.
Marcia Wallace
Emmy-Winning Actress; Comedian
Marcia Wallace is a dedicated and acclaimed actress, having won an Emmy for her role on The Simpsons. A 15-year survivor of breast cancer, Ms. Wallace speaks movingly on her difficult but uplifting story.
Lauren Weisberger
New York Times Bestselling Author, The Devil Wears Prada, Everyone Worth Knowing and Chasing Harry Winston
Lauren Weisberger's experience at Vogue magazine as Assistant to Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour materialized into her New York Times Bestseller The Devil Wears Prada. Spending six months on the bestseller list and selling in thirty-one foreign countries, The Devil Wears Prada was also made into a major motion picture starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, which won a Golden Globe Award and grossed over $300 million worldwide. Her second novel, Everyone Worth Knowing, is also a New York Times Bestseller. Lauren’s third novel, Chasing Harry Winston has been optioned by Universal Pictures.
Paula Zahn
Former Host, Paula Zahn Now ; Emmy Award Winning Broadcast Journalist
Seven-time Emmy Award Winner and former CNN host, Paula Zahn is one of broadcast journalism’s most direct, insightful and intelligent figures.