SMITHFIELD – As the world reckons with a global health crisis and an economic recession, the barriers to success faced by women leaders have remained a constant.
It’s a reality Dr. Mae Jemison continues to face personally and professionally as a scientist, entrepreneur and educator, despite her array of accomplishments including being the first woman of color in space during her time as a NASA astronaut.
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“Being presumed incompetent …constantly happens even to me at this late stage when you think I would have done and proved enough,” Jemison said.
In her keynote address at the Bryant University Women’s Summit on Wednesday, Jemison shared advice for women leaders across the state about how to take charge through self-empowerment and achieve their goals despite the challenges posed by gender discrimination.
“You can’t necessarily make people change but you can say ‘here’s what I want to do,’ and look for all the different ways you can do it,” Jemison said.
The importance of a wide-lens view to achieve success was hammered home throughout the daylong summit appropriately themed “Expand Our Vision.” The theme was chosen last year as a play on 20/20 vision and the year of the event, but is more relevant than ever now, said Kati Machtley, summit director and founder.
Indeed, the 23rd annual event – the first to be held virtually via Zoom – necessitated many changes and expansions to organizers’ original vision.
Initially slated for mid-March, the sold-out summit was postponed in the hopes that limits on large group gatherings would be rescinded by that time, said Machtley.
Realizing that would not be the case, organizers moved quickly to turn the event into an entirely virtual offering, hiring an outside consultant to help with the technological aspects of the switch.
While Matchley described this year as the “most difficult and longest-lasting summit” in the event’s history, the new format came with some benefits. Rather than being forced to choose two of the 20-odd concurrent workshops, participants could tune in to all discussions thanks to recordings of the sessions that will be available through July 1.
Despite the postponement and remote format, attendance did not appear to suffer; the 1,000-plus participants signed up to attend was on par with prior years, Machtley said.
Still, it was a bittersweet end to her 23-year role at the helm of the summit. Machtley will be stepping down in conjunction with her husband, Bryant University President Ronald Machtley.
A replacement director has not been named, and Machtley was unsure when – or if – the role would be filled, adding that the event may simply continue through support from its co-chairs without a formal director.
Kim Keck, president and CEO of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island was honored as the event’s first Kati Machtley Businesswoman of the Year Award – renamed this year in Machtley’s honor – with Machtley lauding her role as a “devoted advocate for health care policy and women’s leadership.”
The summit also featured keynote addresses from Laura Ipsen, president and CEO of software company Ellucian; Susan David, a Harvard Medical School psychologist and bestselling author of “Emotional Agility;” and Laysha Ward, executive vice president and chief external engagement officer for Target Corp.
Nancy Lavin is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Lavin@PBN.com.
