Women's Leadership Summit (WLS)
Event Information
2026 Women's Leadership Summit (WLS)
Amp Up Your Advocacy: Her Story, Our Story
Date: Saturday, February 28, 2026
Time: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Location: Saunders College of Business, Rochester Institute of Technology
Ticket Cost: $20
Registration is now closed.
An interpreter has been requested. Attendees requiring ASL interpreting or real-time captioning services, please visit RIT Access Services and submit a request so we can ensure appropriate accommodations.
The RIT Women’s Leadership Summit (WLS) is hosted by the Leadership Academy at Saunders. Our mission is to inspire, connect, and educate women and allies to become the leaders of tomorrow. We focus on driving leadership excellence in all industries, including arts, sciences, and technology.
Saunders College of Business is excited to celebrate Women's Leadership Weekend! Join us on Friday, February 27, 2026, for the 16th annual Power Your Potential half-day leadership conference geared toward working professionals.
Women's Leadership Summit is open to all eligible members of the Rochester Community, regardless of protected category. View RIT nondiscrimination statement.
WLS Agenda
| Time | Event | Potential Speaker | Room Number | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00-10:00 AM | Check-in, Breakfast | 1st Fl Atrium | 1225/1235 Overflow | |
| 10:00-10:20 AM | Opening Remarks | Chair Alexandria Borkowski & Guest of Honor Dr. Caroline Solomon | LOW-1050 (The G) |
|
| 10:20-11:05 AM | Keynote Presentation | Becky Yaeger- Connections that Scale: Networking Strategies that Work Across Cities and Screens | LOW-1050 (The G) |
|
| 11:15-11:45 AM | Presentations | Keri Jobson- Four Building Blocks of Leadership: The power of listening, empathy, open-mindedness and motivation | 1225/1235 | |
| Carline Vargas-Gonzalez- From Inner Critic to Inner Advocate: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome Through Wellness & Advocacy | 3105 | |||
| Aurelkys Estevez- Empowering Women through Service & Innovation | 1135 | |||
| Paula Yandow-Reilly- The Road Not to Follow | 3015 | |||
| 11:50-12:35 PM | Seminar | Sue and Helen- Women Leading the Way in Safety | 1225/1235 | |
| Sherry Dadgar- Amplifying Women's Voices in Science, Leadership, and Advocacy: Turning Personal Stories into Collective Impact | 3105 | |||
| Stephanie & Tomicka- Embracing Authenticity as a Woman of Color or Go |
1135 | |||
| Kristi Mitchell- The Crossroads: Knowing When to Grow or Go |
3015 | |||
| 12:40-1:40 PM | Lunch | 4th Floor | 1225/1235 Overflow | |
| 1:40-2:40 PM | Leadership Panel | Dinah Weisburg, Alethia Jimenez, Roynda "Roy" Hartsfield-Nack | 4th Floor | |
| 2:45-3:15 PM | Presentations | Kathleen Neville- Women: Power of Advocacy, Storytelling for Change | 1225/1235 | |
| Shaneek Williams- Owning Your Voice: Confidence and Visibility for Emerging Leaders | 3105 | |||
| Pamela Conley- Advocating Epistemic Justice for Women Leaders | 1135 | |||
| Linda Kerrigan- Women - How We Can Be Allies Instead of Rivals | 3015 | |||
| 3:20-4:05 PM | Activity | 1225/1235,1135, 3105, 3015 | ||
| 4:10-4:20 PM | Closing Remarks | Alexandria Borkowski | 1050 | |
| 4:20-5:00 PM | Networking & Promotion | 1st Fl Atrium |
Speakers & Presenters
Keynote Speaker: Becky Yaeger
Becky Yaeger is a Rochester native and RIT New Media Design ’18 alumna whose career has evolved quickly into design leadership spanning agency, enterprise, and media teams. Her foundation in user-centered design was shaped at RIT through hands-on coursework and co-op experiences that set the stage for her professional growth.
After graduation, Becky designed for well-known brands including Total Wine & More, Paychex, and Bed Bath & Beyond. Today, she is a Lead Product Designer at The Walt Disney Company, where she leads ESPN’s Watch Pillar - a focused team guiding video and streaming experiences across ESPN’s digital platforms and shaping how millions of fans watch sports.
In addition to her role at Disney, Becky runs BDrex Design, LLC, providing independent design and strategy services, and continues to mentor and support the next generation of designers through her connection to the RIT community. In her free time Becky enjoys photography, traveling, hiking and cheering on the Buffalo Bills.
Panelists
Roynda Hartsfield-Nac
Roynda aka "Roy" is the CIO of Obie & Ax Inc., leading technology for the largest North American podcast production firm serving corporations and government. Previously, she led Talent and DEI at Devron, advancing federated machine learning and privacy-preserving innovation. A retired senior intelligence officer with 27+ years of federal service, she has driven engineering, data strategy, and STEM leadership across the Intelligence Community and is a fierce advocate for advancing women in engineering.
Alethia Jimenez- Senior Advisor for the United Nations
On January 1, 2024 Alethia joined the Pan American Health Organization, Regional Office of the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) as the Senior Advisor on the Prevention and Response to Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment.
Prior to her appointment, Alethia worked with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) between 2010 and 2023. She worked as the Team Leader in Papua New Guinea in the Safe Cities for Women and Girls Programme to end violence against women in public spaces between 201 and 2014. She then moved to UN Women’s Regional Office in the Arab States as the Strategic Planning and Coordination Specialist, and in April 2017, she joined the UN Women Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) team in Headquarters as a Programme and Policy Advisor on EVAW to manage the Spotlight Initiative to end violence against women as well as UN Women’s human trafficking portfolio. Alethia also worked as a consultant with several UN agencies in the areas of leadership development, aid effectiveness, monitoring and evaluation, performance assessment, and statistical analysis. She has also worked with the UN and NGOs in different areas of programming including armed violence prevention, mine action, conflict resolution and peace-building, child protection, human trafficking, gender equality, and gender-based violence.
Alethia’s passion for working in the fight against human trafficking motivated her to founded One Less – Una Menos in 2008 as a non-profit organization focusing on human trafficking prevention programmes in Mexico and the USA. She led the organization until 2016. Alethia has two bachelor’s degrees in economics and applied statistics from Rochester Institute of Technology, and a master’s degree in international policy studies from Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. She is a national of Mexico.
Dinah Weisberg
Dinah Weisberg is the CEO and President of REDCOM Laboratories, Inc. She is the daughter of founders Klaus and Brigitte Gueldenpfennig and began her career at REDCOM in 1986 as a summer intern, then quickly moving into the development group as a software engineer in 1988. She held several senior roles in the engineering department through 2004.
In 2004, Dinah was promoted to Vice President of Planning and Government Program Administration where for eight years she led the group responsible for government and military engagement. In 2012 Dinah was promoted to Executive Vice President, and in January 2017 she became the company’s President.
Since stepping into the role of President and then CEO less than a year later, Dinah has overseen instrumental changes at REDCOM, particularly when it comes to company culture and strategic vision. She is an experienced and natural leader who understands that the best thing she can do in her role is to hire exceptional employees and let them do their jobs.
Dinah holds a BS in Computer Science from the University at Buffalo, a MS in Software Development and Management from RIT, and an Executive MBA from RIT.
As if running a company doesn’t take up enough of her time, Dinah is also an accomplished racecar driver and High-Performance Driver Education (HPDE) instructor. She has raced in various series, including World Challenge, Grand-AM, IMSA, SCCA Supertour in events such as the 13-hour enduro at VIR (2 wins, 1 podium), the 24-hour at Nelson Ledges (1 win, 2 podiums), the 12-hour at Nelson Ledges (1 win), several 12-hour races at Summit Pt and NJMP (2 wins), and the 25-hour at ThunderHill.
She is married to John Weisberg, owner of BERG Racing.
Always working towards new goals, Dinah lives by the quote, “The only thing standing between you and your goal is the story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.”
Presentations
Pamela Conley – NTID
Pamela Conley is an Associate Professor at RIT/NTID, with over 30 years of teaching in higher education, including writing to deaf and hard-of-hearing students, and deaf literature to deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing students. She is completing her doctoral studies at Antioch University, where her research focuses on marginalized deaf perspectives in three 19th-century stories. Pamela brings a lifetime of advocacy based on lived experience.
Linda Kerrigan
Linda Kerrigan ’02, MBA ’03 is Associate Director, R&D Agile Sourcing at Bristol Myers Squibb and has over twenty years experience in pharmaceutical drug development covering both Clinical Trial Sourcing and Research. Before her progressive roles at BMS she worked for over a decade at Celgene in portfolio sourcing and relationship management. Linda also spent five years with Wyeth Vaccines Research as a research scientist. Linda majored in biotechnology and completed her MBA, Technology Management through RIT’s 4 + 1 program.
Carline Vargas-Gonzalez
Carline Vargas-Gonzalez is an RIT alumna, an active member of Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc., and a licensed esthetician and massage therapist. She is the founder of Euphoric Transcendence and brings over a decade of experience as a spa professional and educator.
Aurelkys Estevez
Aurelkys Estévez is an Academic Coordinator at the National School of the Public Ministry (IES-ENMP) in the Dominican Republic and a professor at Universidad Católica Santo Domingo (UCSD). With a background in Business Administration and a master’s degree in Service Leadership and Innovation, her work focuses on ethical leadership and advancing women’s leadership in higher education. She is committed to empowering women in academia through teaching, academic leadership, and collaboration with nonprofit organizations.
Paula Yandow-Reilly
Paula Yandow-Reilly is currently a Lead Developer at Frontier communications. She holds an Educational Doctorate from the University of Rochester and a Masters in Computer Science from the Rochester Institute of Technology. She has been a manager and a lead developer for multiple organizations, including banking, higher education, and telecommunications. She's known for pioneering new technologies, most recently working with Cursor AI to leverage agents like Claude Sonnet 4.5 to speed software development and documentation. She’s led major projects, solved complex application conversions, and loves a good puzzle.
Keri Jobson
Keri Jobson is the Director of Operations and Maintenance at Boldt Castle and Yacht House in Alexandria Bay, New York, on the St. Lawrence River, where she is employed by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Service Management from Rochester Institute of Technology. Since graduating in 2010, Keri has built a career centered on service-driven leadership, including serving as Executive Director of the Alexandria Bay Chamber of Commerce, where she supported the local business community and managed approximately 20 community events annually. Keri has been with the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority for seven years and has held her current leadership role for the past two years. Keri is passionate about inclusive leadership and creating environments where every individual feels valued, empowered, and able to make a meaningful impact.
Kathleen Neville
Author Kathleen Neville is a global authority on reputation management, gender equality and conduct in the workplace, schools and sports.
As an expert on today’s workplace behavior Kathleen has appeared as a guest expert and commentator on various television and radio programs including Good Morning America, The Today Show in NY, CBS Mornings, National Public Radio, PBS NewsHour, Oprah, CNN, NBC, Fox and ABC networks.
For the past 15 years Kathleen has served as senior advisor to the National Football League’s EVP of football operations to help address major social issues including sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic violence, gender equality and the advancement of women in sports including Flag Football for women.
She is responsible for creating the NFL’s first dedicated workplace policy guidelines on sexual harassment and workplace conduct standards for all active NFL players, coaches, clubs and employees.
She currently serves on the Vincent Commission, a national research project established to study the causes of gender-based violence, particularly in colleges and universities.
From Wall Street to college campuses to all branches of the military she has conducted hundreds of best practice sexual harassment and discrimination educational initiatives delivering to diverse workforces and audiences across the country.
She is author of two books on today’s workplace, discrimination and sexual harassment, Corporate Attractions: The New Sexual and Social Rules for Men and Women on the Job and Internal Affairs (McGraw Hill.)
French publication Le Figaro Magazine named her as a global Joan of Arc of sexual harassment; citing her as a lead authority on seeking solutions when it comes to resolving and managing allegations and claims on sexual harassment and sex discrimination in the U.S.
Formerly in both television and radio she holds a B.S. in Marketing from the Rochester Institute of Technology Saunders College of Business and received a Master of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Niagara University where she was named into Kappa Gamma Pi graduate honor society.
Shaneek Williams
Shaneek Williams, PMP, ACP, CSM, is a certified delivery leader, strategist, and founder of PMPro Connect, a consulting firm specializing in operations and strategy execution for mission-driven organizations. With over 8 years in Tech, leading global programs across cloud, software development, and energy industries, she leads complex, multi-workstream initiatives that demand clarity, governance, and stakeholder alignment.
Shaneek is passionate about women owning their voice and building their personal brand and visibility. Through her speaking and consulting, she champions sustainable success and believes deeply in paying it forward, giving emerging women leaders the blueprint to thrive and build sustainable careers
Seminar
Kristi Mitchell
Kristi Mitchell is the Founder and Strategist at Marketing Uncomplicated, where she partners with business owners to build actionable, data-driven marketing roadmaps that prioritize growth without compromising authenticity. After a successful corporate career, Kristi faced her own "crossroads" and leapt into entrepreneurship 7 years ago.
Today, she has helped over 100 business owners simplify their strategies and find their own path to growth. As the host of the UNF*DGE Your Marketing podcast, Kristi is a champion for clarity and self-advocacy in business. At this year's conference, she is excited to share her personal career journey in order to help women trust their intuition to navigate their own career trajectories. When she isn't uncomplicating marketing, Kristi is a busy mom to a very active 11 year old boy and two lovable Labradors.
Sue & Helen
Sue has a BS in Industrial Hygiene and Environmental Toxicology, from Clarkson University, 1996 and a MS in Environmental Health and Safety Management, from RIT, 2001. Sue’s career has spanned 30 years, in both the private and public sector. Sue has spent time in a variety of industrial settings from copier manufacturing to the packaging industry to consulting, where she provided industrial hygiene, consulting and training support for 100s of companies. In the public sector she has provided similar support to school districts and municipalities. For the past 4.5 years Sue has worked for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) at the Syracuse Area Office and has been an Assistant Area Director since 2022. linkedin.com/in/sue-zampella-59a4b033
Helen has a BS in Environmental Management and Technology, 1998 and an MBA with a focus in Management and Leadership, 2005, both from RIT. For 30 years she has supported environmental, health and safety in many industries, from manufacturing to distribution and even academia at her beloved alma mater. Helen has found her success by weaving protecting people and the environment with successful business strategies. Among her many credentials are Certified Hazardous Materials Manager, OSHA Authorized Trainer in Construction and General Industry, and Lead Auditor for ISO 14001 and 45001. Currently, she works in biotechnology, as the Director, Environment, Sustainability, Health and Safety at Emergent BioSolutions. linkedin.com/in/helenrevelas
Stephanie & Tomicka
Our mission at Beyond Boundaries is to share best practices and innovative approaches with thoughtfulness, empathy and care for organizational and transformational change. With over 25 years combined experience in training, leadership and grant writing, Beyond Boundaries guides you through change and transformation.
Dr. Wagstaff : At the College of the Holy Cross, justice, equity, and inclusion are foundational to the campus culture. Dr. Tomicka Wagstaff, Vice President for Justice, Equity, Belonging, and Identity, leads these efforts by advancing institutional strategies that foster belonging, equity, and academic success for all members of the community. With deep expertise in counseling, student leadership development, and conflict resolution, Dr. Wagstaff and her team cultivate environments where diverse identities are affirmed and every voice matters. Her work is grounded in embedding justice and inclusion into the fabric of the institution, ensuring these values remain central to Holy Cross’s mission and educational excellence.
Stephanie Paredes (she/her/ella) is a bilingual Afro-Dominican leader with over 20 years of experience amplifying voices, building inclusive communities, and driving systemic change. She holds a B.A. in Broadcast Communications and Theatre from SUNY Brockport and is completing an M.S. in Human Development at the University of Rochester. As DEIB Operations Manager at CCSI, she creates spaces where everyone feels seen, valued, and supported. Fluent in Spanish and conversational in American Sign Language, she leverages storytelling, relationship-building, and creative strategy to foster equity, belonging, and meaningful action. Guided by her philosophy—“Start from a place of humanity. Focus on the AND, not the BUT”—Stephanie leads with empathy, elevates marginalized voices, and empowers communities to thrive.
Sherry Dadgar
As a board-certified Clinical Molecular Geneticist and Founder and CEO of Personalized Medicine Care Diagnostics (PMC™), I have been recognized by the government for advancing precision medicine to improve patient outcomes and expand access to high-quality diagnostics. I lead a CAP-accredited and CLIA-certified genomics laboratory committed to patient-centered innovation and equitable healthcare delivery. I also serve as a Clinical Assistant Professor at George Washington University, where I mentor future healthcare leaders and emphasize the integration of precision medicine within inclusive health systems.
Through my participation in the Harvard Global Public Health Leadership program, I have integrated global public health principles with real-world advocacy to address disparities in care delivery. I also founded the Fair Healthcare Access Coalition, a national initiative dedicated to ensuring patients receive the right test from the right provider. These experiences have shaped my belief that impactful leadership is rooted in empathy, collaboration, and the courage to drive meaningful change, values I am proud to share with the next generation of scientific leaders.
Directions
Women's Leadership Summit will be held in Saunders College of Business, on the campus of Rochester Institute of Technology.
Parking
Please park in Parking Lot S
Download Campus Maps: Interactive Campus Map.
Map/Directions
RIT’s campus is conveniently located five miles from the Greater Rochester International Airport and the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90).
From the Airport
Turn right onto Brooks Avenue, then right onto Interstate 390 South. From 390, take the Scottsville Road exit and turn right. Drive for approximately three miles, then turn left onto Jefferson Road. Travel east for approximately one-half mile to the campus.
From Interstate 90
Take exit 46 and proceed north on Interstate 390 to exit 13 (Hylan Drive). Turn left on Hylan and continue north to Jefferson Road. Turn left on Jefferson and proceed west for approximately two miles to the campus.
Address for GPS
Parking Lot D, Reynolds Dr, Rochester, NY 14623