SOLD OUT-YPIN International Women’s Day Speed Mentorship
March 6th, 2016
Join the World Affairs Council's Young Professionals International Network (YPIN) and co-sponsor Adamant Strategies for the 4th Annual International Women’s Day Speed Mentoring event! Mentees will rotate through mini 7-minute tailored mentorship sessions with the Northwest’s top female leaders, with 3-minute breaks between each discussion to grab snacks and beverages.
This event is perfect for early career women seeking to enhance their leadership potential, or mid-career professionals looking to make a career change or accelerate their current trajectory. You will be exposed to new businesses, vocations, and opportunities, and have the chance to network with all mentors and mentees in addition to one-on-one conversations with a handful of mentors selected just for you.
Attire is business casual, and mentees are encouraged to bring business cards to share with those they would like to connect with further.
Important note to mentees: After you register, please send a short bio and headshot to Jensine at jenisip@gmail.com.
Drinks and light snacks will be provided. This is a 21+ event.
A message from Adamant Strategies:
At Adamant Strategies, we are dedicated to making the Pacific Northwest more competitive globally by connecting regional businesses, investors, and organizations to greater opportunities both at home and abroad.
It is a fact that bringing more women into the economy and compensating their contributions with equitable promotions and pay structures directly translates into success and increased economic prosperity for the community at large.
Adamant Strategies is honored to sponsor YPIN’s International Women’s Day Speed Mentoring Event. We hope our investment will help highlight the robust and pragmatic value of gender diversity while contributing to positive change in our region as whole.
MEET THE MENTORS:
Tamara Power-Drutis is the Executive Director at Crosscut News, and a 2015-2016 Henry M. Jackson Foundation Fellow. She currently serves as a Trustee of the World Affairs Council, where she served on the board of the Young Professionals International Network for five years. With a background in strategic partnerships and communication, Tamara is the former Communications Coordinator at the University of Washington's Center on Reinventing Public Education, a research and policy center developing systemwide solutions for K-12 public education. She began her career as a Research Associate at Ross Strategic, supporting diverse teams and executives working on policy and program development for national environmental information management systems. Tamara holds a B.A. in Political Science from Pacific Lutheran University, where she served as the Vice President of the Associated Student Body and was a Sustainability Fellow. Born in Tacoma, raised in Cheney, and now a resident of Rainier Beach in Seattle, Tamara is a product of Washington State.
Diane Njam is a serial entrepreneur and CEO & Founder of PhotoPad for Business. She is a passionate leader in the start-up community. Diane serves as a mentor, coach, former director of the Seattle Founder Institute, and as an organizer for Start Up Weekend. As an expert panelist and speaker on entrepreneurship, she seeks ways to help entrepreneurs connect with one another and provides resources to assure success. She serves on the advisory board to start-up womens’ organizations including Women in Wireless and the NAPW. Passionate to give back to the community in the philanthropy sector, she serves on the Board of Trustees for Olive Crest, advocating in the community against child abuse and neglect.
Jill Tollefson is a Sr. Consultant at the technology and management-focused firm Matisia Consultants. She is a successful Program Manager/Project Manager with eight years’ experience spanning six continents across a variety of industries including IT (eCommerce & Web Applications), hospitality & travel, sales, entertainment, academia, media, and procurement. Jill is a relationship-oriented leader having worked with people from 60+ nationalities. Her passion is process analysis to drive organizational change, turning individual resources into highly functioning teams. She is a licensed PMP and proficient in agile software lifecycle development and traditional project management.
Barbara Standal, a Seattle lawyer, worked in private practice and for the federal government for over 20 years. She believes, however, her international experience is what changed her life. Barbara worked and lived in two former Muslim Soviet Republics: Kyrgyzstan (2004-2006) and Azerbaijan (2008-2010) for the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI). She studied the languages and worked with local lawyers and women law students on poverty and women’s issues. Barbara was USAID’s advisor to the 250-member Women’s Bar Association of Azerbaijan. She traveled widely throughout both Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan and adjoining countries and returned to Kyrgyzstan in 2012 to work for several months on an ABA ROLI project. She now hopes to encourage Americans to become citizens of the world. Barbara has been a member of the World Affairs Council for over ten years and was a member of the board from 2013 to 2015.
Alessandra Zielinski is a strategy and operations consultant with a focus on working with mission-based organizations. Her career spans the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Most recently, she managed Deloitte Consulting's portfolio of pro bono projects for nonprofit clients across the country. Early in her career, Alessandra worked at Ashoka connecting social entrepreneurs with funding and other needed resources. As a former teacher, Alessandra is passionate about issues related to youth development and education. Having studied and worked in both Europe and Latin America, she is always on the lookout for a new international adventure! Alessandra holds a Masters of Business Administration from Cornell University.
With 23 business ventures under her belt, you can call Melody Biringer a lifelong “start-up junkie.” Over the last 14 years, her work has focused on generating authentic connections and conversation among women in business. Her events are highly anticipated by 1000’s of women across North America. Melody is also the author of CRAVING Success: a startup junkie’s path from passion to profits, which includes 132 tips for ambitious entrepreneurs.
Jennifer Diamond is a relationship-oriented innovation leader with over 25 years of retail, consumer products and high technology industry experience. Her specialty is helping organizations take ideas to action, creating lasting change and exposing new opportunities. With proven background in operating functions from Marketing to Product Innovation/R&D to Manufacturing, and a reputation as a passionate leader, Jennifer has delivered solutions to complex business challenges for companies of all sizes and cultures by focusing on providing the environment, tools and support enabling high performing teams. Jennifer is also an accomplished project, program and portfolio manager. Currently, Jennifer is a Principal Consultant at Slalom, and has been an instructor and course designer in the University of Washington Project Management Certificate program and also teaches Environmental and Social Responsibility internationally with City University of Seattle.
Amy Efroymson is one of the owners of HRnovations and is primarily responsible for oversight of consulting team and client services. In addition, Amy supports HRnovations’ clients with organizational assessments, employee relations, executive coaching, training development, and employee communications programs. Her work experience includes over twenty years in human resources services as a practitioner and consultant, with specific experience in health care, biotech/life science, apparel, distribution, and manufacturing industries. Prior to joining HRnovations, Amy was the human resources manager for Seattle Children’s Hospital and the regional director of human resources for Cardinal Health. Amy has a BA from Whitman College and earned the Senior Professional in Human Resources certification (SPHR) and the SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) certification.
Jennifer L. Truong is a litigator in the firm’s Washington practice. Jennifer provides defense services under the Washington Workers’ Compensation and Washington Industrial Safety and Health acts. Before joining the firm, Jennifer represented employers before the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals and Superior Courts and also provided corporate counsel services to a broad range of industries including hospitality, construction, transportation, staffing and healthcare. Jennifer joined Reinisch Wilson Weier PC in 2015. Jennifer graduated from the University of Washington where she received a bachelor’s degree in Communications with a minor in Political Science. She then attended Seattle University School of Law where she received her Juris Doctorate with honors.
Theresa Cruthers has spent her career leading teams, relationship building, mentoring, CRM administration, marketing, reseller sales, and business planning in the technology space. With over 20 years of management experience evolving in the technology world her true passion is fostering the growth within organizations and individuals. During her career she has been fortunate to have had some mentors that assisted with her professional growth which she is driven to pay it forward with every chance she gets. Theresa was born and raised outside of Portland Or, and moved to the Bay Area where she attended Napa Valley College at night while she worked full time and climbed the ladder. Later she was relocated to Dallas for her job where she expanded her skills by managing a reseller sales team. That opportunity opened up many avenues which provided her great insight into her strengths and ability to build relationships. The next step in her career moved her to Denver where she didn't know anyone but quickly made great connections and lifelong friends! Theresa rarely meets a stranger and enjoys talking to people with different life experiences. She loves to travel by herself to experience the city and meet people from all over the world. The northwest has always been home and she finally moved back here 2 years ago to be closer to family. Currently Theresa works for F5 Networks leading a sales support team.
Amber L. Pearce, an appellate attorney and partner in a Seattle firm, is passionate about legal research, writing, advocacy, and the power of change. While in college, she drafted a bill enacted into law by the Tennessee Legislature that provided funding for domestic violence shelters by raising the marriage license fee. This nexus inspired her to attend law school in Boston, where she served as Editor in Chief of Law Review, met Justice Clarence Thomas, and published an academic article about the constitutionality of single-gender college admission policies. Enthusiastic about women’s rights in developing countries, Amber traveled to New Delhi, India to teach English to children and women. Her recent volunteer work includes serving as a crisis management counselor with the Seattle Police Department for domestic violence calls. The world of law provides a wide range of opportunities.
Maggie Humphreys is the Washington State Organizer at MomsRising.org, a million-member grassroots organization for moms and the people who love them. At MomsRising, Maggie manages MomsRising's Washington campaigns for paid family and sick leave, expanded pregnant workers protections, and equal and fair pay as well as on-the-ground and online engagement for MomsRising’s 40,000 Washington members. She also currently serves as President of the National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington, the state's oldest organization working to recruit, train, and elect women to public office. Prior to MomsRising, Maggie worked at PRR, a national communications firm focused on public involvement and facilitation. At PRR, Maggie served as the deputy director of public information for the I-405/SR 167 Program, a $1.5 billion mega-project delivered on time and $200 million under budget. At PRR, Maggie also designed public involvement and facilitation strategies for Seattle Department of Transportation, King County Metro, and King County Parks. Maggie previously worked at the Economic Opportunity Institute, a public policy action tank, where she served as the organization's communications manager. Maggie graduated from Franklin College Switzerland with a degree in International Relations and minor in Economics and is a proud alumna of the Institute for a Democratic Future.
Jenny Brackett graduated from the University of Washington in 2005 with bachelors degrees in communication and psychology. Following graduation, she worked with two boutique agencies as a public relations and marketing consultant for clients including Intel, Lexmark, Vulcan Real Estate, Homestreet Bank, and Swedish Medical Center. It was a project with Swedish and her sister's nursing career that ignited Jenny's interest in health care. Jenny returned to the University of Washington where she received dual masters degrees in business administration and health care administration. During the program, Jenny worked in strategic planning for UW Medical Center where she supported referral development, robotic surgery, and neuroscience programs. Currently, Jenny works as a medical and dental clinic manager for Neighborcare Health. She manages more than 90 team members across three clinics providing primary medical and dental care for the underserved population of Seattle. Her future goals include taking community health strategies and bringing them to the global health world.
Megan Erb is a self-proclaimed news nerd. Having worked in both print and television journalism on the west coast for more than 15 years, she knows her way around a variety of newsrooms. Megan is a Senior Producer for the Seattle Channel, the city’s municipal television station where she produces a number of shows including Civic Cocktail, CityStream, Seattle News NOW and more. Megan started her journalism career in Boise, Idaho as the Night Assignment Editor at the local FOX affiliate. She worked her way up in the ranks of the newsroom holding several different position like Weekend Producer, Reporter, Web Reporter, and Executive Producer of the main Fox 12 News at Nine show. After relocating to Seattle in 2004, Megan took a break from television, joining the Issaquah Press and Newcastle News as reporter and editor. Realizing television was her true calling, Megan returned to broadcast at the Seattle Channel where she’s also helped develop content and programming over her 10 year period at the station. Over her career, Megan has won three Regional EMMY awards and was part of a team that won an Edward R. Murrow Award for political coverage in Boise. She has a degree in Journalism/Mass Communication from the University of Idaho. Megan lives with her husband and two little girls in West Seattle.
Cathy Allen has helped recruit, train and elect women in 49 countries and all 50 states – with her work this year already taking her to Samoa, Iceland, Bulgaria and recently to Brussels to train the women of the European Union. Cathy is an active member of the National A-team of women leaders helping Hillary Clinton in her bid to become America’s first woman president. Her job is working to enlist women voters, volunteers and donors. President of Seattle-based Connections Group, she is a frequent political commentator for PBS, NBC, and ABC. She serves as National Vice-President of the National Women’s Political Caucus (USA), and started the international non-profit Center for Women & Democracy to help women learn from each other – locally and globally. Born in Massachusetts, (USA) Cathy has a master’s degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School. She is a reporter by training having worked for the New York Times for many years. She has four completed books on women and power, many used at American universities. Cathy is a senior consultant with the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the U.S. State Department, the International Association of Political Consultants, and several women’s world organizations. In her spare time, Cathy is a master jewelry artist, making her own jewelry from the materials in countries where she has trained.
Before joining NARAL, Rachel Berkson served as Associate Director of Washington Community Action Network. Rachel has also worked as the Executive Director of the SEIU Washington State Council, where her primary focus was coordinating the union’s joint political and legislative programs. From 2000 to 2006, Rachel was a lead organizer with the Working Families Party, a labor and community-based grassroots political party in New York State.
Shoba Sriaiyer’s international investment perspective was honed in the largest capital markets of the world – Tokyo and then New York, when Goldman Sachs moved her from Japan to the USA. Besides the General Management role in Goldman Sachs in a high-growth asset management division, she has experience in financial advisory with UBS and Merrill Lynch. She has managed complex financial issues of families and corporations including tax-effective, intergenerational wealth transfers and business succession planning. She has ensured best practice and review for retirement plans of several small and mid-size companies. Shoba earned her Master’s degrees in Economics and International Management and is fluent in English, Japanese, Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam. She enjoys performing arts, adventure activities, travel, dogs, and cooking.
Anna Lehn gets to connect people with opportunities to change the world for a living. She's a proud fundraiser with a particular passion for donor-centric storytelling. As the Marketing and Communications Manager for Agros International, she writes emotionally persuasive communications that drive contributions and deepen relationships. Anna used to fundraise for Seattle Opera and continues to fundraise for her beloved alma mater, St. Olaf College; Social Justice Fund, where she helped grant over $100,000 to POC-led, social organizing groups; and Groupmuse, the movement to bring classical music house parties to every living room in America. Anna likes to move - up bouldering walls, over other dancers' bodies, around her yoga matt, and up-and-down and up-and-up-and-up-and-down her bike commute route. Current feminist obsessions include the Call Your Girlfriend podcast, NARAL's MAC feminist book club, the "Girls Aren't Chicks" coloring book, and Brain Pickings.
A native of Seattle, Washington, Vicki Weeks has a B.A. from Bowdoin College and an M.Ed in International Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Building on over 30 years of experience in teaching, leadership, advising, service learning and program design, as well as community connections in more than 30 countries, Vicki Weeks helps schools and organizations expand their thinking, programs, and practice through her company Global Weeks. Her experience at Lakeside School, where she created and developed one of the most comprehensive global service learning programs in the country, reinforced her commitment to teamwork, collaboration, and big picture thinking as well as the practical applications of that process: leading to actual programs for real people in specific places. Her programs and practices are designed to develop global leaders and to align with new and existing curriculum. Vicki maintains both broad and deep connections in the educational world through board and advisory roles in the Independent Schools Experiential Education Network, Global Education Benchmark Group, Kuska School, and Awamaki.
Nicky Smith has over 20 years of progressively responsible professional experience with Non-Governmental Organizations in crisis affected countries; of which 12 years have been spent in a conflict and post conflict setting. Prior to her role at The IRC in Seattle, Nicky was responsible for establishing and managing new country programs for The IRC. Her areas of expertise include emergency preparedness and response, country-program management, refugee policy and advocacy, and strategy and change planning. Nicky joined The IRC in 2003. From 2007 to 2010, she was a member of The IRC’s Washington, D.C. office, working to educate policy makers and the public about the importance of providing resources for humanitarian and development assistance in Africa and Asia, and promoting programs that prevent violence against women and girls. From 2003 to 2007, she worked in some of the organization’s most sensitive situations, including managing The IRC’s single largest country program, Sudan, and serving as The IRC Country Director in Liberia during a key moment in the peace process. Before joining The IRC, Nicky worked for almost 10 years with Doctors Without Borders and Children’s Aid Direct in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, Pakistan and Nepal, amongst other countries. As the newest member of The IRC in Seattle, Nicky is looking forward to meeting key stakeholders and valued members of the community in the coming months.
Jacqueline Sherris has worked in the global health field for over 30 years, leading programs and partnerships that built evidence and practice to reduce global disease burden inequities. In 2014, Dr. Sherris established a global health consulting practice (www.sherrisconsulting.com) that works on various projects related to global health strategy, partnerships, leadership, and assessment. Prior to her consulting practice, Dr. Sherris served as a vice president at PATH from 2007 through 2014, guiding progress in product development and public health impact. She also led efforts to bring expertise from across the value chain to bear on priority health challenges, including malaria, maternal/neonatal health, family planning, pneumonia, diarrhea, and NCDs. Dr. Sherris has also worked as a faculty member at various educational institutions, including the Johns Hopkins University Population Information Program, the University of Washington and secondary schools in the United States and Australia.
Elizabeth Scallon is the Associate Director of New Venture, for the University of Washington’s Center for Commercialization, which is focused on nurturing UW startup companies from idea to impact. Elizabeth has spent her adult life working in the Biotechnology industry at Amgen, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and VLST. Elizabeth is an avid volunteer, with HiveBio Community Lab, Seattle’s first DIY Bio Laboratory, Pygmy Survival Alliance, an international organization focused on providing resources for the indigenous population in Rwanda, and World Affairs Council of Seattle, dedicated to creating world citizens through global dialogue. Ms. Scallon received her Global Executive MBA from Georgetown University and ESADE, Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities from Seattle University. In addition to her work and volunteer efforts, Elizabeth is an artist and glassblower.
Holly M. Davis is the Executive Director for the Center for Women and Democracy and President of Gauge Consulting, LLP. Holly worked for several years on political campaigns before specializing in candidate recruitment and training. Prior to moving to the Seattle area, she was a recognized community leader in Indianapolis, Indiana, serving as an appointed member of the Alcoholic Beverage Commission, chair of the Junior League’s State Public Affairs Committee, and is a past candidate for political office. Holly and her family moved to Bellevue two years ago from Washington, DC. She holds a BA in Political Science and History from Indiana University and is a graduate of the Women’s Campaign School at Yale University. An active community member, Holly volunteers with Junior Achievement and Girl Scouts of Western Washington. Holly is married and has three daughters.
Katherine Clouse is a communications leader with 13 years of experience developing global media strategy for technology companies undergoing significant changes and entering new markets in the U.S., Europe, Middle East and Africa. She is currently the Executive Communications Director at F5 Networks in Seattle, WA, where she is responsible for translating long-term corporate strategy to employees, customers and shareholders. Prior to joining F5, Katherine was a Senior Manager of Corporate Communications at Intellectual Ventures in Bellevue, WA and spent nearly a decade at Waggener Edstrom in London, UK and Johannesburg, South Africa, leading technology campaigns for such clients as Microsoft, Samsung and Honeywell Aerospace. She has a M.A. in International Relations from the London School of Economics and a B.A. in History from Mount Holyoke College.
Laura Stewart emigrated from the Kingdom of Swaziland in 2013. Since completing a Master’s Degree at Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, OR she has worked as an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) research fellow at the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In the Environmental Justice core unit, Laura’s research and publications focus on the development of EPA’s GIS mapping tools which government, nonprofits and communities can use to assess issues such as environmental risk, hazard mitigation, transit, culturally responsive food systems, education and advocacy. Guided by her passion for civic engagement and equity; Laura participates in various roles with organizations such as the African American Leadership Forum, the African Diaspora Council (NW) and the Henry M Jackson Foundation’s Leadership Fellows.
Amelia Shelley is the Executive Director of the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District in Vancouver, WA. Prior to joining Fort Vancouver, she was the Executive Director of Garfield County Libraries in central Colorado for eight years. Amelia has been a public librarian for nearly twenty years and has been recognized in two states as the Librarian of the Year (Colorado and Wyoming), was named a Library Journal Mover and Shaker, and built six new libraries in a five year stretch between 2009-2014. When not hanging out in libraries, she fills her time with family, hiking, cooking, gardening, and of course, reading!
Jaime Hawk is the Legal Strategy Director for the Washington Campaign for Smart Justice at the ACLU of Washington, where she is working to reform the state's criminal justice system. Before this position, she was Of Counsel with Terrell Marshall Daudt & Willie in Seattle, working on civil rights litigation. She was previously a federal and state public defender, and a law clerk to a federal judge. She began her legal career as an attorney fellow on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee staff of Edward M. Kennedy in Washington, D.C. Ms. Hawk has taught as an adjunct law professor at Gonzaga University, where she attended law school as a Thomas More Scholar. She is a member of the ABA House of Delegates and serves in other access-to-justice leadership efforts, including as a member of the Washington Task Force on Unaccompanied Children. Hawk is also committed to issues of international human rights, having served on the board of directors for the Center for Women and Democracy and joining in several of its international delegations.
Chelsea Shipp has over 10 years of marketing, sales and management consulting experience at non-profits, high-tech, healthcare and telecommunications companies. Currently a Senior Consultant at Matisia Consultants, she enjoys helping clients nimbly navigate and thrive in their quickly changing environments, with expertise in business readiness and change management in global organizations. Her consulting work has taken her around the world, but she still loves coming home to her husband and two children in Renton.
A native of New Mexico, Dorian Varga moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington, where she completed both a Bachelor of Arts in Drama and a Bachelor of Arts with distinction in English. She continued her studies at the UW College of Education, earning a Master in Teaching degree in Secondary Education. After working with high school students as a teacher of English and Drama and then working in the private sector, Ms. Varga returned to the UW where she spent the better part of six years advising graduate students in the Department of Bioengineering. Ms. Varga recently joined the School of Law after working for the Department of Health Services, where she served as the Marketing and Student Recruitment Specialist for both the Master of Public Health (MPH) and the Ph.D. program in Health Services. She has over ten years of public speaking experience and eight years of student recruitment, admissions and advising experience, including planning and implementing recruitment and retention efforts for underrepresented minorities. Today Ms. Varga develops and manages a range of activities to support UW School of Law students, alumni, and community outreach efforts.
Mamtha Banerjee is currently Director of Technology at Expedia and a Startup Mentor at 9Mile Labs. Mamtha is an accomplished technology entrepreneur with a track record of providing technology and product management leadership at both startups and companies like Travelocity. She has developed and launched innovative game changing products on mobile and web for millions of users. Mamtha most recently founded Magicflix, a TechStars company and closed a seed round with local angels. She has a Masters degree in Computer Science from the University of Illinois. She’s a startup enthusiast, who loves the outdoors, ran the Paris Marathon and hiked to the Everest Base Camp.
Candace Faber is currently serving as the City of Seattle's first-ever Civic Technology Advocate. She is a former U.S. diplomat who resigned in 2013 to start a business in Seattle, Whoa Strategies, that evolved into a thriving project management consultancy, launching community engagements like Hack the Commute, Hive Mind, and FullConTech. She is actively engaged in civic technology, the global open data movement, and entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on using technology to empower underserved communities. Candaceis a member of the Women's Funding Alliance Young Professionals and a board member of the theater group Copious Love.
Diem Ly serves as the Community Relations lead for Comcast NBCUniversal, focusing on corporate philanthropy, diversity and inclusion, and Public Relations. She is a founding committee member of the award-nominated Comcast Washington Women’s Employee Resource Group and lead for the region’s Diversity and Inclusion team. Diem has nearly 10 years of experience working in community relations, journalism and media, and social justice issues. Prior to this role, she served as the Editor in Chief and Executive Director of a community-based nonprofit newspaper in Seattle’s International District, the International Examiner, covering politics, social justice, education, health, and ethnic and gender diversity issues. She’s also worked as a Morning News Writer for Northwest Cable News and at King 5 TV. Before entering journalism, she was a researcher at the Veteran’s Administration’s PTSD clinic supporting women veterans who experienced sexual assault. She received a Bachelor’s of Science degree from the University of Washington, studying neuroscience and psychology. Diem ensures she maintains a strong presence in our communities including serving on committees or on the board of directors for organizations serving Asian Pacific Americans, African Americans, Urban Natives, Boys & Girls Clubs, women and girls, media organizations, leadership development, and the technology industry. She is a current board member for the Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) and the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle (ULMS).
Kajoli Tankha is a consumer insights professional who is passionate about all data- big and small. She has spent 18 years in applying consumer understanding to helping businesses make better decisions. Currently she runs consumer advertising research for Microsoft, working on brands like Surface, Xbox and Windows. She has an undergrad in economics and a Masters in Marketing Research. Kajoli’s special interests include Autism and helping young women starting their career journey.
Diane Bushley is the Global Programs Manager at Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands (PPGNHI), and has more than 15 years of experience in the field of sexual and reproductive health, both in the U.S. and on projects in 12 countries in the Global South. Diane manages all aspects of PPGNHI’s Global Programs, including creating overall program strategy, developing strategic partnerships, collaborating with partner organizations in the Global South to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights, and directing program marketing and communications. PPGNHI’s current global projects include sexuality education for adolescents in the Dominican Republic and Vietnam. Prior to joining PPGNHI, Diane worked with a wide variety of sexual and reproductive-health focused international NGOs as a program manager and writer/editor, and she is particularly passionate about creative approaches to building local, in-country capacity to advance sexual and reproductive rights.