Women in Leadership (C)

<p>Sarah Thomas changed the game in the world’s most quintessential male-dominated sport—football—when she became the first female NFL official. Now she’s inspiring others to dream big and believe anything is possible.</p><p>She officiated her first game September 13, 2015, between the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans. Today, Sarah Thomas’s hat, whistle, and flag are on display at the NFL Hall of Fame and serve as a testament to this historic achievement.

<p>Maria Contreras-Sweet is an expert in economic growth, job creation, corporate governance (ESG) and competitiveness.</p><p>Internationally acclaimed for her insights on growth, innovation, and corporate governance, or Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG), Contreras-Sweet serves on multiple boards of directors, including infrastructure firm Sempra Energy, TriNet, Regional Management Corp., and Zions Bancorporation.

<p>Becky Hammon reflects on her inspiring journey to deliver perspective on effective teambuilding, nurturing a ‘can-do’ attitude, and the power of strong support systems as the foundations of organizational and team success. </p><p>After an outstanding college and professional basketball career, including two Olympic appearances, Becky made history in 2014 when she became the first woman to coach full-time in the NBA when the San Antonio Spurs brought her into a leadership role as an assistant coach.

<p>Tina Tchen shares hope, ideas and strategies that inspire others to recognize the power of diverse teams and keep equality on the forefront of the global agenda.</p><p>Now the Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy and Policy Officer for the Obama Foundation, Tina Tchen served previously as Chief of Staff to the First Lady, Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and Executive Director of the Council on Women and Girls. She led the first-ever White House Summit on Working Families as well as the first-ever United State of Women Summit.

<p>History-making NASA astronaut and the extraordinary subject of a forthcoming feature documentary, <em>Spacewoman</em>, Eileen Collins reveals encouraging perspective and insight on the leadership skills needed to break barriers and become a successful pioneer in your field.</p><p>One of America’s most admired women, Col. Collins became the first female to pilot a U.S. spacecraft with the Discovery shuttle flight in 1995, and the first female commander on the 1999 Columbia shuttle flight. In 2005, NASA tapped Col.

<p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">From the pages of her #1 </span><em style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">New York Times</em><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"> best-selling book and the critically-acclaimed recently released film, Jeannette Walls moves you to realize the power of the human spirit as she inspires courage in the face of new and longstanding fears, and reveals how our weaknesses can be our greatest strengths.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">A celebrated

<p>Celebrated for her compelling storytelling and in-depth reporting, Soledad O’Brien shares with audiences thought-provoking insights drawn from a career covering major news events, conducting high-profile interviews, and producing acclaimed documentaries. </p><p>One of our nation’s most respected voices in journalism, Soledad O’Brien is an award-winning documentarian, author, and founder of Soledad O’Brien Productions, a media production company dedicated to telling empowering and authentic stories. </p><p>Soledad’s most recent projects include the award-winn

<p>Over almost two decades, award-winning journalist and web and TV host, Laura Ling has dedicated herself to exposing the world to critical global issues, including slave labor in the Amazon, the drug war in Mexico, Internet censorship in China, and women’s rights in Turkey.</p><p>As the Director of Development for Discovery Digital Networks, Ling oversees the creation and production of original web series.

<p>Oprah Winfrey calls Amy Purdy her inspiration. As a young girl, Purdy dreamed of sailing through fresh powder restrained only by a snowboard attached to two feet. Above all, she dreamed of freedom, of the chance to craft a personal narrative of her own choosing.

<p>An expert on chaos, Dr. Natalie Stavas faces every obstacle with the same attitude she had when she ran into a terrorist attack to help victims of the Boston Marathon bombing: “You run towards that which you fear, that which challenges you, that which is oppositional.”  </p><p>On April 15, 2013, Dr. Stavas approached the finish line of her fifth Boston marathon. Just blocks away she heard explosions, and she ran toward them.