Keynote Speakers

Bertice Berry, Ph.D. is a leading inspirational sociologist, author, lecturer, and educator. Dr. Berry graduated magna cum laude from Jacksonville University where she was awarded the Presidents Cup for leadership and then earned a Ph.D. from Kent State University. Dr. Berry is an award-winning entertainer, lecturer, comedienne, and talk show host. She is a best-selling author who donates the royalties from her books to help families in need and works with at-risk youth in her community of Savannah, Georgia.
Brandi Chastain is an Olympic Gold Medalist, former U.S. Soccer National Team member, ESPN Commentator, and Author. When she famously stripped off her jersey to celebrate her World Cup-winning penalty kick, the gesture represented not only the essence of athletic triumph but the joy of a competitor who knows how to play hard and still have fun. One of the most recognizable figures in women's sports, Ms. Chastain was a member of the U.S. national soccer team 1988-2005. Her team won the first women's world soccer championship in 1991 as well as Olympic gold medals in 1996 in Atlanta and 2004 in Athens. In her new book, It's Not About the Bra: How To Play Hard, Play Fair and Put the Fun Back into Youth Sports, she uses the experiences from her storied career to discuss leaderships skills, role models, and giving back to one's team and community.
Kellyanne Conway is President and CEO of THE POLLING COMPANY, INC./Women Trend. She has provided primary research and advice for clients in 46 of the 50 states and has directed hundreds of demographic and attitudinal survey projects for political races, trade associations, and Fortune 100 companies. Kellyanne is an attorney, a nationally regarded expert on women consumers, and a regular commentator on network and cable TV.
Linda Ellerbee is an outspoken journalist, award-winning television producer, best-selling author, a breast cancer survivor, and a mom. Since 1987, her production company, Lucky Duck Productions, has earned three Peabody Awards for its quality television programs. Ms. Ellerbee first began her career at CBS and then moved to NBC News to write and anchor "NBC News Overnight." She then wrote and anchored "Our World" at ABC News and received an Emmy for best writing. She has authored several bestsellers, including And So It Goes and Move On. Her latest book, Take Big Bites: Adventures Around the World and Across the Table, was released in May, 2005.
Katherine Ellison is a Pulitzer-prize winning investigative reporter and former foreign correspondent for Knight Ridder Newspapers, having worked 12 years as bureau chief in Mexico and Brazil. She is also the author of three books, the latest being The Mommy Brain: How Motherhood Makes Us Smarter, which tells how women's brains change due to a combination of hormones, stimulation and experience, and how women can make the most of those changes, rather than seeing a "mommy brain" as an impediment in their professions.
Warren Farrell, Ph.D., was elected three times to the Board of the National Organization of Women (NOW) in New York City. The Financial Times chose him as one of the world's top 100 thought leaders. His books are published in 50 countries and 13 languages. They range from Why Men Are The Way They Are to Why Men Earn More and Women Can't Hear What Men Don't Say. He lives with his wife and daughters in Carlsbad, California.
Sam Horn has been the President of Action Seminars for 25 years and the author of Tongue Fu!, ConZentrate, What's Holding You Back? and Take The Bully By The Horns. Former Executive Director of the Maui Writer's Conference, her books have been endorsed by everyone from Stephen Covey to John Gray. Her company motto is "The object of education isn't knowledge, it's action!" She is a frequent media guest and top-rated Speaker and has "added to the legacy of ideas on how to deal with people left by Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, and Dale Carnegie."
Celinda Lake is president of Lake Snell Perry Mermin/Decision Research, a research-based strategy firm in Washington, DC, working with a wide range of clients that require high-quality research. She is one of the Democratic Party's leading political strategists, and has worked with a number of progressive organizations, including EMILY's List, The White House Project, Planned Parenthood, The Unmarried Women's Project, Sierra Club, the AFL-CIO, Human Rights Campaign, and SEIU. Lake is one of the nation's foremost experts on electing women candidates and on framing issues to women voters. Lake has also been partner and vice president at Greenberg-Lake and has served as political director of the Women's Campaign Fund.
Jacqueline Marcell is a former television executive who gave up her career to care for her elderly parents, both with Alzheimer's. The experience compelled her to write and self-publish her best-selling book, Elder Rage, or Take My Father Please! How to Survive Caring for Aging Parents. AARP's Bulletin featured her on their cover, and NAWBO of Orange County honored her with Advocate of the Year. She also hosts Coping with Caregiving, a radio program heard free worldwide on www.wsRadio.com/CopingWithCaregiving.
Evelyn Murphy, Ph.D., is the President of The WAGE Project, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating gender wage discrimination in the workplace. She recently researched and authored the book Getting Even: Why Women Don't Get Paid Like Men and What To Do About It. Dr. Murphy is a former Lt. Governor of Massachusetts, former Executive Vice President of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and founding director of The Commonwealth Institute, an organization to help women entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
Natalie Pace is the Founder and CEO of i-Sophia, a multi-media financial content provider. Ms. Pace is the #1 stock picker in the U.S. and a respected financial commentator for FoxNews, with top-rated content on Forbes.com. She has been featured on "Good Morning America," "Forbes on Fox," and "NPR," and in Time, More, and Kiplinger's Personal Finance. Previously, she ran the operations of Fibernet, a nationwide long distance company. An executive in the non-profit arena, she was active in raising close to a million dollars for Los Angeles public schools.
Michealene Cristini Risley is an entrepreneur who has created some of the largest deals in the consumer products and entertainment industries. As an executive with over 20-plus years' experience, Ms. Cristini Risley launched the first ever branded maternity license for Adidas. As Vice President of Licensing and Character Development for Sega of America, she championed the Sega's Girls Task Force. She also produced, directed, and funded a documentary called "Flashcards" that garnered status at last year's Cannes Film Festival.
Cindy Solomon is the President and CEO of the Solomon Group, Inc. and Deputy Director of the office of State Senator Jackie Speier. She is an entrepreneur, Speaker, writer and consultant in the fields of leadership, employee engagement and customer relationship management. Ms. Solomon is one of Inc Magazine's tenured Speakers and she created the Women's Success Forum in 1998, a nationally-recognized women's leadership conference. Ms. Solomon's first book, Creating A Culture of Courage, is due out this fall.
Jackie Speier is a State Senator who was elected to the 8th Senate District in 1998 with more than 79 percent of the vote. The chair of the Senate Insurance Committee, she also sits on the committees of Appropriations, Energy, Utilities and Communications, and Transportation; the Select Committee on Bay Area Transportation; and the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. Senator Speier earned a BA from the University of California, Davis and a law degree from the University of California Hastings College of Law.
Deborah Stephens is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of the Center For Innovative Leadership which works with leaders and organizations on improving customer service, creating inspired teams, and building the link between employee motivation and customer loyalty. Ms. Stephens is the author of six books with three reaching the bestsellers list: Maslow on Management, One Size Fits One, and Revisiting The Human Side of Enterprise. She is currently working on two books: The Art of Coaching and Survive and Thrive: Ten Chapters That Can Change A Woman's Life.
Melissa Tosetti is the editor and publisher of Budget Savvy, a lifestyle magazine for working women who need to be careful with their finances. Ms. Tosetti started Budget Savvy out of her own frustration with magazines that portray an unobtainable lifestyle. It is her mission to prove that you can enjoy life and still be financially responsible. Previously, Ms. Tosetti worked as the managing editor of AM Magazine.
Francine Ward is a lawyer, inspiring author, success strategist, and a powerful motivator with a proven track record of achievement, who shares tips for creating economic and personal power. She is living proof that actions speak louder than words. From high school drop-out, drug addicted, alcoholic prostitute to Georgetown educated lawyer, successful entrepreneur, twice published author, philanthropist, and loving wife, hers a story that movies are made of. Ms. Ward has created masterful changes in her own life, and has helped hundreds of thousands of people create significant changes in their lives too.
Patricia Williams is the Director of the Silicon Valley Complex at Merrill Lynch, which includes the San Jose, Cupertino and Carmel offices, as well as those in Asia Pacific. She has been with Merrill Lynch for 16 years, the first ten as a Financial Advisor and subsequently as Sales Manager and Resident Manager. Ms. Williams, who serves on the company's national diversity task force, received her BA from Vassar College. She is a member of the PBWC Board of Directors.
Jan Yanehiro is the host of "Appraise It!" which can be seen on Home and Garden TV, and hosts "Women of Vision" and "The New Americans" on KCSM TV. She also reports on KCBS AM 740 News Radio. Recently, Ms. Yanehiro and two businesswomen launched a new company, Fair Advantage, which helps high school young women make sound career choices. She has a degree in Journalism from California State University, Fresno and was host of "Evening Magazine" on KPIX TV in San Francisco for 15 years.