NECTA Boston 2024 Women’s Leadership & Innovation Forum

05 Sep NECTA Boston 2024 Women’s Leadership & Innovation Forum

Posted at 19:46h in Media by

Connecting Leaders of a Connected World

with

Diversity Spotlight Awards

Celebrating Champions of Diversity and Women

The NECTA Boston 2024 Women’s Leadership & Innovation Forum and the Strong Women Alliance Diversity Spotlight Awards will celebrate women leaders and their companies who are improving our daily lives. Centered around the theme of Connecting Leaders of a Connected World, the event’s distinctive conversations will build upon the idea of being connected and the various ways connecting elevates women leaders. This invitation only event features emerging and established women leaders from New England’s broadband and technology sectors; sports, media, and entertainment industries; and the region’s public sector.

The programming will explore where we are and how we got here, lessons and advice for tomorrow’s leaders, and what’s necessary to continue to spark change. Speakers will share their personal stories of success and how their work shapes the future. The awards ceremony celebrates notable figures who have made a significant impact on diversity in media. Please join NECTA and the Strong Women Alliance for a unique convening of the trailblazing leaders of today and tomorrow.

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Sandy Lish is the principal and co-founder of The Castle Group, a nationally recognized women-owned PR and event management firm based in Boston with offices in Atlanta and Maui. Founded alongside her business partner Wendy in 1997, The Castle Group has received several local and national recognitions, including as a Forbes Best PR Agency, Inc. Power Partner, a Greater Boston Chamber of the Commerce Small Business of the Year Award and multiple Best Places to Work distinctions. At Castle, Sandy works with education, corporate, healthcare, startup and nonprofit clients on strategic communications initiatives around visibility, launches, branding and thought leadership. She’s also a nationally recognized expert on crisis communications, with frequent features in regional and national publications, including the Washington Post, Boston Globe, and Axios. Learn more.

Lesley Visser is the most highly acclaimed female sportscaster of all time. Across numerous accolades, she has been the “first” – the first woman enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame; the first woman to win the Lifetime Achievement Sports Emmy and the first woman to win the Broadcasters Foundation of America Lifetime Achievement Award; the first woman on the Network broadcasts of the Final Four, the NBA Finals, the Super Bowl and the World Series. She is the first and only woman to have presented the Championship Lombardi Trophy at the Super Bowl. She was the first woman to cover the NFL as a beat, the first woman on Monday Night Football and the first female NFL analyst in both Radio and TV. She was the first female sportscaster to carry the Olympic Torch and the only winner of the Billie Jean King “Outstanding Journalist Award.” Learn more.

Having become the first American female to run the World Marathon Challenge in 2016 – 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days – Becca Pizzi went back and made history by running it again and breaking the Guinness Book of World Record in a time of 6 days, 7 hours and 58 minutes. She has completed a marathon in all 50 states. She has finished the World Marathon Majors and has run 20 consecutive Boston Marathons! Becca is an author of children’s book Becca’s Feat on Feet. All book proceeds benefit the Becca Pizzi Foundation which has awarded over 100k in scholarships! Learn more.

 

MAIN PANELS

OUR HONOREES

FULL EVENT AGENDA

12:00-1:00 PM – Registration and Networking

1:00 PM – Welcome Remarks

  • Tim Wilkerson, President, NECTA
  • Ellen Schned, President, Strong Women Alliance

 

1:05-1:50 PM – Opening Keynote Fireside Chat

  • Keynote Speaker: Sandy Lish, Principal/Co-founder, Castle Group
  • Moderator: Paris Alston, co-host of Morning Edition and The Wake Up podcast, GBH News

 

2:00-2:45 PM – Panel I: Leading the Next Revolution in Women’s Leadership in Entertainment, Technology and Public Policy

  • Moderator: Stephanie Swanson, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs, Associated Industries of Massachusetts
  • Honorable Jessica Giannino, State Representative & Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  • Holly Pettus, Project Manager of Special Projects, Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute at the University of Rhode Island
  • Cosmina Schulman, Senior Vice President, Broadcast and Digital Partnerships, NESN & Executive Chair of Women of NESN (“WON”)

 

3:00-3:45 PM – Panel II: Leadership Powerhouses: Women Shaping Innovation & Advocacy

  • Moderator: Ashley Stolba, Undersecretary of Economic Foundations, Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development
  • Claire Durant, Senior Director, Business & Government Affairs, Boston Red Sox
  • Stephanie Federico, Vice President Public & Government Affairs, Cox Communications, NECTA Board Chair
  • Honorable Hanna Gallo, State Senator and Senate President Pro Tempore, Rhode Island
  • Annie Lewis, Head of Government and Social Impact, Meta

 

4:00-4:25 PM – A Conversation with Guest Speaker Becca Pizzi

 

4:25-4:50 PM – A Conversation with Lesley Visser

 

5:00-5:45 PM – Panel III: Media Landscape: What Lies Ahead + Leadership ROI on Diversity & Women’s Empowerment

  • Moderator: Amy Maclean, Reporter, Editorial Director, Cablefax
  • Toni Murphy, Chief Operating Officer& Executive Vice President, Astound
  • JD Myers, Senior Vice President & Regional Manager, Cox Communications
  • John Pascarelli, Chief Operating Officer& Executive Vice President, Mediacom

 

5:45-7:30 PM – Roof Deck Mixer & Presentation of the Diversity Spotlight Awards

  • Honorees:
  • JD Myers, Senior Vice President & Regional Manager, Cox East Region
  • Toni Murphy, Chief Operating Officer& Executive Vice President, Astound
  • Glenn Goldsmith, Group Vice President Of Programming at Mediacom Communications, MediaOne
  • Johnny Miles, TV One

 

7:30 PM – Event Concludes

***The roof deck reception will highlight signature cocktails courtesy of VELO VODKA, a special event sponsor. VELO VODKA is a mother and daughter owned vodka created in South Boston. VELO delivers Innovation as a modern Ultra-Premium vodka designed for Dynamic, High Achievers. Triple Distilled with a Superior Smooth taste.***

Please RSVP to [email protected]

 

Please note that while this is a free event, due to limited seating an RSVP and a valid ID are required for entry.

Have questions or curious about sponsorship opportunities? Please email Seth Caplan at [email protected]

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Tim Wilkerson (NECTA) and Ellen Schned (Strong Women Alliance)