Detroit Conference Highlights
2023 World Leadership Conference
What’s Going On?
Detroit, Michigan, USA
October 2023
Our Detroit conference—held in the birthplace of Motown and the only American city to be designated a UNESCO City of Design—was the perfect venue to explore solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing global leaders today. More than 700 leaders from 22 countries gathered to reflect on how creativity and culture shape our economy and our world. We tackled such topics as artificial intelligence and what it means for the future of humanity; the transformation of transportation and its implications for the climate; and how our environment shapes our brains and bodies even before birth.
We welcomed Hall of Fame Honorees Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, and Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a pediatrician and public health advocate whose research exposed the Flint water crisis.
Relive the Magic of Detroit
Opening Reception at the Detroit Institute of Arts
Carolyn Cassi, President, IWF Michigan. Opening Reception at the Detroit Institute of Arts
2023 IWF Board of Directors
Performance by the Detroit Youth Choir
IWF Global Board President Carolyn Carter
IWF Michigan members and Conference Co-Chairs Mary Kramer and Faye Nelson
A Conversation with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Stephanie Streett, Executive Director of the Clinton Foundation
Keynote: Innovation for All: Autonomous Vehicles and Accessibility with Carrie Morton, Chief Engineer, Accessibility General Motors
Dancing in the Street: Motown and More, with Thea Mitchem, Exeuctive Vice President of Programming, iHeartMedia; Robin Terry, Chairwoman and CEO Motown Museum (IWF Michigan); MC Lyte, Legendary Rapper; and Ann Delisi (moderator), Host of Essential Music, WDET-FM
“You’re all I Need to Get By”: The Artificial Intelligence Revolution with Nuala O’Connor, Senior Vice President and Chief Counsel, Digital Citizenship, Walmart; Keo Shaw, Of Counsel, DLA Piper; Anita Mahon, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Healthcare, EXL; and Missy Young (moderator), Chief Information Officer, Switch
“You’re all I Need to Get By”: The Artificial Intelligence Revolution with Nuala O’Connor, Senior Vice President and Chief Counsel, Digital Citizenship, Walmart; Keo Shaw, Of Counsel, DLA Piper; Anita Mahon, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Healthcare, EXL; and Missy Young (moderator), Chief Information Officer, Switch
Daisey Holmes, 2024 IWF World Leadership Conference Co-Chair and Pamela Craig, President, Women’s Forum of New York
Reem Abu Hassan, IWF Global Board Director, A Look Ahead to Amman Jordan in October 2024
Welcome from Dr. Sonia Hassan-Duggan, Associate Vice President, Founder and Director, Office of Women’s Health, Wayne State University, First Lady, City of Detroit
Ideas Remaking the World – Kimberly Cooper Jaqua, IWF Global Board Director (moderator)
Ideas Remaking the World – Mirei Endara de Heras (IWF Panama)
Ideas Remaking the World – Dr. Beth Hedva (IWF Canada)
Ideas Remaking the World – Maribel Concepcion Mendes De Lara (IWF Mexico)
Poetry reading by Jessica Care Moore
Reach Out I’ll Be There: The Power of Cross-Sector Collaboration with Faye Nelson, Michigan Director, W.K. Kellog Foundation (IWF Michigan); Ayesha Molino, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, MGM Resorts; Angie Cooper, Executive Vice President, Heartland Forward; and Judy Habib (moderator), Board Chair, St. Jude Children’s Hospital (IWF Massachusetts)
Reach Out I’ll Be There: The Power of Cross-Sector Collaboration with Faye Nelson, Michigan Director, W.K. Kellog Foundation (IWF Michigan); Ayesha Molino, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, MGM Resorts; Angie Cooper, Executive Vice President, Heartland Forward; and Judy Habib (moderator), Board Chair, St. Jude Children’s Hospital (IWF Massachusetts)
Robust Q&A participation during the plenary sessions
Remarks by Sandy Pierce, Senior Executive Vice President and Chair of Michigan, Huntington Bank
Baby Love: Environmental Impacts on Child Development with Prof. Melissa Wake, Scientific Director GenV, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute; Dr. Liliana Lengua, Professor of Psychology, Center for Child and Family Well-Being Director, University of Washington; Dr. Raquel Hatter, Director of Human Services, Kresge Foundation; and Jen Giovannitti (moderator), President, Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation (IWF Pittsburgh)
Breakout Session: Colorism with Dr. Nayeli Chavez, Professor The Chicago School of Professional Psychology; Dr. Vanessa Gonlin, Assistant Professor, University of Georgia; Trina Jones, Jerome M. Culp Distinguished Professor of Law, Duke Law School; and Marsha Sampson Johnson (moderator), Retired Senior Executive, Southern Company (IWF Georgia)
Breakout Session: Can Faith or Spirituality Strengthen Your Well-Being? with Rabbi Tamara Kolton, Author, Rabbi, psychologist (IWF Michigan); Liz Dawn, CEO, Mishka Productions; and Dolores Fernandez Alonso (moderator), President & CEO, South Florida PBS
Breakout Session: Operationalizing AI, Seismic Shifts in Enterprise Infrastructure with Missy Young, Chief Information Officer, Switch
IWF Michigan Host Committee and IWF Global Board President Carolyn Carter
Riding On the Freeway: Transforming Transportation with Patti Poppe, Chief Executive Officer, PG&E; Lisa Drake, Vice President, EV Industrialization; Ford and Janet Dietrich (moderator) Senior Managing Director, Macquarie Group
Riding On the Freeway: Transforming Transportation with Patti Poppe, Chief Executive Officer, PG&E; Lisa Drake, Vice President, EV Industrialization; Ford and Janet Dietrich (moderator) Senior Managing Director, Macquarie Group
IWF Gala with Hall of Fame Mistress of Ceremonies Rhonda Walker
IWF Global Board President Carolyn Carter and FIFA Secretary General and Hall of Fame honoree Fatma Samoura
Detroit Gala Co-chairs Pamela Smith and Mary Lynn Foster
IWF 2023 Women Who Make a Difference honorees
Performance by Detroit Opera with Christine Goerke, IWF Michigan member
The Honorable Debbie Dingell (l.) with 2023 Hall of Fame honoree, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (r.)
Dr. Wanda Lipscomb (l.) and 2023 Hall of Fame honoree, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha (r.)
IWF Gala with music by Kern Brantley and Hittsville All Stars Band
