Interactive Women's Leadership Un-Conference

Purpose and Approach:

Funded by a grant from the Trustee’s Council of Penn Women (FEW), the Fels Institute planned a series of innovative events and discussions focused on issues surrounding women’s influence in the workplace and in government. 

With the ever increasing number of women securing leadership positions in the workplace, dialogue on how women exercise their power and influence while balancing the demands of everyday life is a subject that has come to the forefront of discussions related to women.     Additionally, with more women entering the political arena as candidates and securing key leadership roles in government, attention to issues surrounding the changing roles of women in politics and policy making is essential.  Women now outnumber men in many institutions of higher education, including public policy schools, and thus, women’s influence on the future of America will be augmented.

Results and Publications:

Spring 2008 Event

"Many Shoes to Fill: The Role of Women in the Federal Workforce Transition"

Monday, March 31, 2008

Featuring Patricia McGinnis, President & CEO, The Council for Excellence in Government, and John Palguta, Vice President for Policy, The Partnership for Public Service

*This program is made possible by a grant from the Fund to Encourage Women (FEW) of the Trustees' Council of Penn Women

Fall 2007 Event

On November 9, 2007, Fels hosted an “un-conference” entitled “Balance of Power:  Perspectives on Female Influence in the Workplace.” The unconventional format of this event encouraged dynamic discussion between panelists and audience members on the issue of female power in the workplace. Participants in the un-conference included Wendy Warren, Managing Editor of the Philadelphia Daily News, as moderator, and three panelists: (1) Donna Cooper, Secretary of Planning and Policy for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, (2) Melissa Weiler Gerber, Executive Director of Women’s Way, and (3) Penny Stoker, Vice President of Human Resources at AstraZeneca. The discussion explored questions related to making time for family/children while successfully advancing your career, balancing femininity and power, human resources issues, and differing leadership styles. Perspectives on these issues provided guidance for emerging female leaders as they begin to take an active role in re-shaping the workforce. A product of the un-conference is a blog, is found here.

For more information, contact Alyson Gross, Project Manager, at alysong@sas.upenn.edu.