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Celebrating 50 Years

The Only Global Organization

with 50 Consecutive Years of Growth

From its earliest days, the International Women’s Forum has been committed to a singular idea–that professional women breaking into leadership ranks need what men had always had: an “old boys’ network” to help them climb the ladder.

In 1974, our visionary founder, Elinor Guggenheimer, set out to create a “new women’s network” for women at the top of their game, committed to supporting other women as they climb the ladder of their career and the ladder of life.

Fifty years later, IWF is a global community of more than 8,000 accomplished women across 76 Forums in 33 countries. Our members, always trailblazers, continue to lead at the cutting-edge of change, breaking glass ceilings in professions around the world. Their successes prove that women not only lead, but lead differently, and that equality at every level of leadership makes for better business, stronger societies, and a better world.

Photo Caption: IWF’s first National Conference in 1987

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

“Our 50th anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on IWF, its impact and its role. We have a lot to celebrate as the only organization of women leaders with 50 years of consecutive growth, which means we’re doing something very right.” – IWF Global President Carolyn Carter
Carolyn Carter at podium

A Global Community

Of trailblazers, thought leaders, and pioneers
IWF 50th Anniversary

IWF Through the Years

1970 Women’s Forum of New York
1986 Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and IWF Hall of Fame honoree
1988 Adrianne Hall, founder and CEO of the first national advertising agency headed by a woman, IWF Southern California; and Audrey Hepburn, Humanitarian, Children’s Rights Advocate and international film star, IWF Hall of Fame honoree
1993 IWF founders Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and Elinor Guggenheimer, American civic leader, author, and philanthropist
1994 First IWF Leadership Fellows class
1998 (left to right) Cicely Tyson, award-winning actress; Ruby Dee, actress and poet; IWF Hall of Fame honoree Rosa Parks, civil rights movement activist; and Dorothy Height, civil rights and women's rights activist.
1999 Ophelia Cheung, Chairman & Managing Director, Cheung-Macpherson & Co. Ltd., IWF Hong Kong; Fran Streets, Director, New Resource Bank and Past IWF President; Ellen Li, first woman in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong
2005 IWF World Leadership Conference, Washington, DC
2007 IWF past Presidents Fran Streets, Rosemary Weiss, Ambassador Barbara Barrett, Gay Cook, Susan Davis, and Esther Silver-Parker
2009 Madam Chen Zhili, former President of the All-China Women's Federation and Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, IWF Hall of Fame honoree; and Esther Silver-Parker, IWF past President
2017 IWF Intensive, with Brigadier General Dana Born, Faculty Chair, Senior Executive Fellows Program & Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
2023 IWF World Leadership Conference in Detroit
1970 Women’s Forum of New York
1970 Women’s Forum of New York
1986 Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and IWF Hall of Fame honoree
1986 Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and IWF Hall of Fame honoree
1988 Adrianne Hall, founder and CEO of the first national advertising agency headed by a woman, IWF Southern California; and Audrey Hepburn, Humanitarian, Children’s Rights Advocate and international film star, IWF Hall of Fame honoree
1988 Adrianne Hall, founder and CEO of the first national advertising agency headed by a woman, IWF Southern California; and Audrey Hepburn, Humanitarian, Children’s Rights Advocate and international film star, IWF Hall of Fame honoree
1993 IWF founders Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and Elinor Guggenheimer, American civic leader, author, and philanthropist
1993 IWF founders Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and Elinor Guggenheimer, American civic leader, author, and philanthropist
1994 First IWF Leadership Fellows class
1994 First IWF Leadership Fellows class
1998 (left to right) Cicely Tyson, award-winning actress; Ruby Dee, actress and poet; IWF Hall of Fame honoree Rosa Parks, civil rights movement activist; and Dorothy Height, civil rights and women's rights activist.
1998 (left to right) Cicely Tyson, award-winning actress; Ruby Dee, actress and poet; IWF Hall of Fame honoree Rosa Parks, civil rights movement activist; and Dorothy Height, civil rights and women’s rights activist.
1999 Ophelia Cheung, Chairman & Managing Director, Cheung-Macpherson & Co. Ltd., IWF Hong Kong; Fran Streets, Director, New Resource Bank and Past IWF President; Ellen Li, first woman in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong
1999 Ophelia Cheung, Chairman & Managing Director, Cheung-Macpherson & Co. Ltd., IWF Hong Kong; Fran Streets, Director, New Resource Bank and Past IWF President; Ellen Li, first woman in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong
2005 IWF World Leadership Conference, Washington, DC
2005 IWF World Leadership Conference, Washington, DC
2007 IWF past Presidents Fran Streets, Rosemary Weiss, Ambassador Barbara Barrett, Gay Cook, Susan Davis, and Esther Silver-Parker
2007 IWF past Presidents Fran Streets, Rosemary Weiss, Ambassador Barbara Barrett, Gay Cook, Susan Davis, and Esther Silver-Parker
2009 Madam Chen Zhili, former President of the All-China Women's Federation and Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, IWF Hall of Fame honoree; and Esther Silver-Parker, IWF past President
2009 Madam Chen Zhili, former President of the All-China Women’s Federation and Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, IWF Hall of Fame honoree; and Esther Silver-Parker, IWF past President
2017 IWF Intensive, with Brigadier General Dana Born, Faculty Chair, Senior Executive Fellows Program & Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
2017 IWF Intensive, with Brigadier General Dana Born, Faculty Chair, Senior Executive Fellows Program & Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
2023 IWF World Leadership Conference in Detroit
2023 IWF World Leadership Conference in Detroit

50th Anniversary & 2024 World Leadership Conference

Our 50th Anniversary & World Leadership Conference convened more than 1,000 members from over 30 countries to celebrate an idea that was born in New York City in 1974, and powerful enough to travel the world…that a global community of women leaders can support and inspire each other to advance women’s leadership today and tomorrow.
The theme, “Women Changing the World,” was incorporated throughout the conference by featuring women at the top who are making the most powerful forces of change for good. We ended with a Hall of Fame gala that was worthy of our 50th anniversary that honored the 2024 IWF International Hall of Fame honorees, Sheila Johnson, Co-Founder of BET and Founder and CEO of the Salamander Collection and Dame Anna Wintour, Chief Content Officer at Conde Nast and Global Editorial Director of Vogue.
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Meet Some of Our Conference Speakers

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Jessica Berman Commissioner, National Women’s Soccer League
Women Changing Society
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Gretchen Carlson Journalist, Author, Female Empowerment Advocate
Women Changing Society
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The Honorable Kirsten Gillibrand United States Senator for New York
Women Changing the World of Politics
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Lan Guan Chief AI Officer, Accenture
Gen A.I. and Gender
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Carla Harris Senior Client Advisor, Morgan Stanley (Women’s Forum of New York)
Corporate Governance: Women Changing the World of Work
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Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews President, CBS News
Women Changing the World of Media
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Baroness Moyo, Dambisa Moyo Member, House of Lords; Co-Principal, Versaca Investments; Global Economist, Author and Board Member
Corporate Governance: Women Changing the World of Work
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Carolyn Ryan Managing Editor, The New York Times
Women Changing the World of Media
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Maggie Wilderotter CEO, Wilderotter Vineyard
Corporate Governance: Women Changing the World of Work

Save the Date

IWF 50th Anniversary Cornerstone Conference
Hong Kong, SAR
NOVEMBER 20-22, 2024
Photo of Hong Kong

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