ONLINE: Women in Sustainability Leadership Program
media release: The 2021 "Women in Sustainability Leadership Series" collaborators and co-hosts, USGBC Wisconsin, WSBC's Women in Sustainability and Evolution Marketing, invite YOU to join us on March 8th, 9th, and 16th to celebrate International Women's Day (IWD)!
Between 2017 - 2020, our planning team hosted four #IWD events focused on empowering and educating women working in Wisconsin in the sustainability and green building professions. Our 2021 event will be a bit different. We have opted for a shorter program spread out over three days. Our goal for the 2021 event is to empower, educate, and prepare all attendees to address various challenges and barriers you may face in your workplace tied to the implementation of social sustainability strategies and actions.
In 2021 we focus on being effective female leaders and #changemakers in the green building and sustainability professions. This year's programming reflects the complex times we live in (i.e. ecological disasters/climate change, global pandemic, #blacklivesmatters, #metoo, and economic recession). The speakers will showcase tools and tips to help us all move forward.
Together we can help to co-create a more #just and #equitable workplace culture. By focusing on female leadership, we hope all attendees will be empowered to be the change they want to see in the world!
March 8, 2021 (11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, CT) Day 1 Programming: "Social Sustainability: Unpacking the Intersectionality of Sexism - Tips, Tools & the Opportunity to Build a More Inclusive Workforce "
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM: Program Hosts set the stage for the event by highlighting the “Why” behind social sustainability, and the framework for the Leadership Series.
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM: FEATURED SPEAKERS
Michelle Turner, Founder & CEO of Build Business Consulting
Michelle will discuss the complexity of systemic sexism in the workplace, and beyond, with key points on what to do when confronted with sexism whether it is something experienced or observed. Learn more about Michelle, here.
Maria Nicholas-Groves, CEO of Talent Growth Partners
Maria will build on that discussion to highlight the way toward an equitable and safe workspace which leads to employee satisfaction and performance. Learn more about Maria, here.
Angela Russell, Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at CUNA Mutual Group
Angela will talk more in-depth about the intersectionality space between gender equity and racial equity (i.e. you can’t address one with other address both.) She will share examples from her work at CUNA Mutual of programs, projects and actions her team has taken to address equity holistically from an intersectionality perspective. Learn more about Angela here.
Attendees will be provided with tips and tools to use in everyday work situations
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM: Optional Reflections Circle with Speakers - This is an optional space if you want to be in dialogue or discuss any thoughts/feelings/ideas you have around the topic.
March 9, 2021 (11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, CT) Day 2 Programming: "Empowerment of Women in Sustainability: Tools to Build a Gender Equitable Workplace"
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM: Welcome from Program Hosts & Stage Setting
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM: FEATURED SPEAKERS
Maggie Beckley is the Director of Real Estate at Advocate Aurora Health
Maggie will discuss personal leadership, gender and racial equity in the green building/real estate space. She will also share her experiences and career journey, focusing on actions that women in sustainability can take to overcome obstacles and challenges, they may face.
Learn more about Maggie, here.
Flory Wilson, Found of Gender IDEAL
Join us to learn about Gende IDEAL, a new platform that helps workplaces evaluate their intersectional gender equity performance, using comparative data to recommend specific actions that enable organizations to make progress toward equity and equality. Gender IDEAL envisions a future of work that is Inclusive, Diverse, Equal in Access and Leadership (IDEAL) for all genders. This talk will dive into the methodology used to develop the Gender IDEAL Assessment and how data are used to equip organizations to make targeted improvements in their internal operations.
Learn more about Flory, here.
12:30PM to 1:00PM: Q & A with Speakers
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM: Optional Reflections Circle with Speakers - This is an optional space if you want to be in dialogue or discuss any thoughts/feelings/ideas you have around the topic.
March 16, 2021 (4:00 PM-5:30 PM, CT) Day 3 Programming: Mentorship Circles
Mentorship Circles will all occur at the same time in different rooms. The goal is to have a safe space to ask questions, listen in on a facilitated conversation around the topics below. Each corner is being led by a subject matter expert on the topic.
Mentor & Topics to be addressed:
Maria Groves-Nicholas & Angelina "Lina" Godinez: Human Resources & Organization Culture Change
Michelle Turner: Gender equity, the intersectionality of racism and sexism, and LGBTQ+ rights
Lisa Geason-Bauer & Korinne Haeffel: Social Sustainability, SDG’s, Equity Pillar (USGBC)