Women and Leadership Initiative

Featured Events

The Women and Leadership Initiative proudly sponsors multiple events throughout the year that focus on relevant topics. Designed to appeal to all genders, events are free and open to the public! Join our listserv to receive email notifications regarding our events.

Get notified of upcoming events by signing up here.

i'm speaking: conversations on race,gender, and ethical leadership

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This series will move you through truth telling, inspire you with local success stories of change, and invites you to learn what can done as an ally within workplaces. Women of color are centered in the curation and representation of this series, I’m Speaking: Conversations about race, gender and ethical leadership. Inspired by the powerful Black Lives Matter demonstrations and the historic election of Kamala Harris, Vice President-elect of the United States of America, each conversation will help you move into closer allyship with the women and people of color in the community.   

If you were unable to join us for this impactful series, you can view the recordings of each event here. 

Meet our Co-Creators

The 2021 theme for the Women and Leadership Initiative is Race & Representation. This theme explores how anti-racism and gender equity intersect in the workplace. The below co-creators joined our team throughout the event planning process to help our team understand the important topics and acute challenges in the Tampa Bay area.

  • Sam Obied| Program Director, Community Tampa Bay
  • Michelle Madden | Chief Diversity Officer, USF St. Petersburg campus
  • Ruthmae Sears | Associate Professor, USF College of Education
  • Skye Idehen | Founder and CEO, AfroCurators
Co-creators

Past Events

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Each spring and fall, the Women and Leadership Initiative partners with the Graduate Business Association to host conversations with a local executive about gender equity.

Spring 2020

Learn how to promote equity where you work from seasoned professionals. In this dynamic conversation, we ask local leaders in business, nonprofit and government where changes in policy and culture originate to make workplaces more equal. They will share their perspectives on programs that promote equality and how you can be an advocate in your organization.

  • Selisse Berry | Founder, Out and Equal
  • Lynn Heckler | Executive Vice President and Chief Talent Officer, PSCU
  • Cal Jackson | Director, Diversity & Inclusion Global Programs, Tech Data
  • Scott Smith | President, St. Anthony’s Hospital
  • Kanika Tomalin | Deputy Mayor, City of St. Petersburg

This conversation will be moderated by Rita Lowman, president of Pilot Bank.

Fall 2019

Scott Osborne is a lawyer, writer, teacher and international development professional and is the Kate Tiedemann College of Business 2019 Fall Featured Leader. She has worked with non-profits for over three decades, lived in seven countries in Africa, Asia and Europe, and traveled to over 35 more. She is the president of the Gulf Coast Chapter of UN Women USA, selects grantees for Dining for Women and is on the board of the Museum of Political Corruption in NY.