Lynda Carter; ERA Coalition; SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK; Kathleen Turner Among Honorees, Performers, Presenters and Keynote Panelists

TAKE THE LEAD®, the national non-profit dedicated to achieving gender parity in leadership by 2025, has announced keynote panels, conference honorees and concert performers for the 5th edition of their leadership parity summit. “PowerUp: Together We Lead” takes place both virtually and in person in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, August 25 and Monday, August 26, timed with Women’s Equality Day. It also celebrates the organization’s 10th anniversary.

“PowerUp: Together We Lead” invites influential leaders from all sectors to gather for a celebratory performance at The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts on Sunday, August 25 featuring Marina Arsenijevic; BETTY and SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK. Iconic actor and singer-songwriter Lynda Carter will be honored with the 2024 Leading Woman Award. Award-winning actress, activist and Take The Lead’s 2023 “Wear The Shirt” Award recipient Kathleen Turner will present this year’s award, which recognizes leaders who take a bold public stance on their convictions, to this year’s recipient.

The event will be followed by a day of keynote panels on Monday, August 26 at the National Housing Center. Jenny Nguyen, owner and founder of The Sports Bra, the world’s first women’s sports bar, will receive the Changemaker Award. Sophia Yen, MD, MPH, Co-Founder of Pandia Health, will receive the Leading Company Award. The Leading Advocate Award will go to the ERA Coalition. A ‘Leading Man’ Award will be presented. Nine Leadership Power Tool program alumni will also receive honors.

The conference comes when Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States is poised to become a U.S. Presidential candidate and potentially the first woman president. The surge in women’s sports has reached new heights. Comradery between female athletes is evident among women competing in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the first in which the number of male and female athletes is roughly equal. Yet progress in the advancement of women’s rights and leadership is at risk.

“This is the most consequential Women’s Equality Day of the 21st Century. It is an opportunity for everyone to be an ally for leadership parity. We must collectively recognize our privilege, hold ourselves accountable and harness our political and economic power to make the world better for everyone,” says Gloria Feldt, Co-Founder and President of TAKE THE LEAD®.

Feldt served as president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America from 1996-2005. She co-founded TAKE THE LEAD in 2014, a nonprofit with the goal of seeing women reach leadership parity across all sectors by 2025. She is a best-selling author of five books on gender and power, and was named to “Forbes 50 Over 50 for Impact.”

Committed to translating ideas into action, Feldt will provide her signature 9 Leadership Power Tools for career growth and opportunities to make commitments for action. Nine women who have participated in TAKE THE LEAD’s programs will be recognized for their achievements.

Panel topics include women’s health, building wealth, creating community, thought leadership and branding.

The 2024 “PowerUp: Together We Lead” conference gathers a diverse lineup of keynote panelists including:

  • Anu Bhardwaj, Founder, The State of Women and SHEQONOMI
  • Felicia Davis, Founder of the Black Women’s Collective, Leadership Coach
  • Emily M. Dickens, Head of Government Affairs, SHRM
  • Heather Florio, CEO, Desert Harvest
  • Carol Jenkins, Board chair, ERA Coalition, Author, TV Host
  • Haley Lickstein, TikTok Creator, Political and Social Media Strategist
  • Carolyn B. Maloney, Former Congresswoman
  • Vada Manager, President and CEO, Manager Global Consulting Group
  • Loretta McCarthy, Co-CEO and Managing Director, Golden Seeds
  • Dr. Nancy O’Reilly, Founder, Women Connect 4 Good Foundation
  • Sheila Robinson, Founder and President, Diversity Woman Media, Author
  • Angilee Shah, CEO and Editor in Chief, Charlottesville Tomorrow
  • Tiffany Shlain, Author and Filmmaker
  • Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, Cardiologist, Founder of Adesso
  • DeShawn Taylor MD, Founder and CEO, Health Justice and Desert Star Family Planning
  • Zakiya Thomas, President & CEO, ERA Coalition
  • Adam Torres, Co-Founder, Mission Matters Media
  • Jamia Wilson, Movement Builder, Storyteller, Feminist
  • Sophia Yen MD, MPH Co-Founder Pandia Health

Women Connect 4 Good Foundation and Dr. Nancy O’Reily are the presenting sponsors for the 2024 “PowerUp: Together We Lead” conference.

For more event information and to register for the in person and virtual experience, visit “PowerUp: Together We Lead”

PHOTO: Lynda Carter Photo | Photo Credit: Lindsay Adler

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Website: https://www.taketheleadwomen.com/

Concert and Conference Website: http://www.taketheleadwomen.com/thepowerupconference

About TAKE THE LEAD

Co-founded by Gloria Feldt, TAKE THE LEAD, is a 501 (c) (3) that prepares and propels women of all diversities to take their fair and equal share of leadership positions across all sectors. The group offers professional training, coaching, community building, and workshops for individual women and corporations.

*The “PowerUp: Together We Lead” concert is an external rental presented in coordination with the Kennedy Center Campus Rentals Office and is not produced by the Kennedy Center

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