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| Massachusetts Conference for Women | |
|---|---|
| Name | Massachusetts Conference for Women |
| Type | Nonprofit conference |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Location | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Country | United States |
Massachusetts Conference for Women The Massachusetts Conference for Women is an annual women's leadership event held in Boston, Massachusetts that convenes speakers, entrepreneurs, activists, politicians, and executives from across the United States. Modeled on large-scale gatherings such as the United Nations World Conference on Women, the Conference has hosted panels, keynote addresses, and workshops featuring figures connected to institutions like Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Boston University. Attendees have included leaders from organizations such as Microsoft, Google, General Electric, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America, reflecting ties to both corporate and nonprofit sectors.
The Conference was established in 1999 amid a period of expanded civic forums similar to the Women's March on Washington era of activism and following earlier events like the Seneca Falls Convention in historical memory. Early iterations drew speakers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Tufts University, and advocacy groups like Planned Parenthood and the YWCA. Over time the event featured public figures from politics such as Elizabeth Warren, Deval Patrick, Mitt Romney, and Maura Healey, and cultural leaders with connections to The Boston Globe, The New York Times, CNN, and NPR. The Conference's evolution paralleled trends exemplified by gatherings such as the TED Conference and the Aspen Ideas Festival.
The event is organized by a board and staff with links to organizations including the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, Massachusetts Conference for Women, Inc. (organizing entity), and philanthropic partners such as the Kresge Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Its stated mission echoes priorities advanced by groups like Lean In, EMILY's List, Malala Fund, and AAUW by promoting leadership, mentorship, and economic opportunity for women. Governance practices have involved collaboration with municipal actors such as the City of Boston and state offices including the Massachusetts Office of Victim Assistance and align with workforce initiatives championed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The format follows a multi-track schedule with keynote addresses, breakout sessions, and networking similar to formats used at the Clinton Global Initiative and the World Economic Forum. Sessions have been hosted at venues like the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center and the Hynes Convention Center, featuring moderators from outlets such as Bloomberg News, MSNBC, ABC News, CBS News, and Fox News. Programming draws experts associated with firms including McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, PwC, and Accenture, and nonprofit panelists from United Way, Feeding America, Habitat for Humanity International, and Goodwill Industries International.
Speakers and attendees have included elected officials and policymakers like Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Nancy Pelosi; business leaders from Apple Inc., Amazon (company), Facebook, IBM, and Intel; and cultural figures tied to Oprah Winfrey Network, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Ellen DeGeneres, Shonda Rhimes, Ava DuVernay, Maya Angelou (posthumous tributes), and Ruth Bader Ginsburg (posthumous tributes). Other notable participants have included academics from MIT, Harvard Kennedy School, Yale University, Columbia University, and Stanford University; sports figures affiliated with WNBA, U.S. Soccer Federation, and athletes from Boston Celtics and New England Patriots communities.
The Conference runs initiatives such as mentorship circles, career clinics, and entrepreneurship tracks similar to programs from SCORE, Small Business Administration, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network, and incubators like MassChallenge and General Assembly. It has partnered with advocacy campaigns aligned with Time's Up, Me Too Movement, She Should Run, and Girls Who Code to offer training on leadership, negotiation, and digital skills. Professional development offerings have been informed by curricula from Harvard Business School, Wharton School, Kellogg School of Management, and continuing-education providers including LinkedIn Learning.
Media coverage has appeared in outlets such as The Boston Globe, The New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, Associated Press, and trade press like Forbes, Fortune (magazine), Harvard Business Review, and Fast Company. Analysts from think tanks such as the Brookings Institution, American Enterprise Institute, Center for American Progress, and Urban Institute have cited the Conference in discussions on workforce participation and leadership pipelines. Community partners including United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts League of Women Voters, and labor organizations like SEIU have evaluated its outreach and local impact.
Funding sources have included corporate sponsorships from CVS Health, State Street Corporation, Liberty Mutual, John Hancock Financial, Wayfair, Delta Air Lines, and Verizon Communications; philanthropic support from foundations like the Ford Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Rockefeller Foundation, and Annie E. Casey Foundation; and public-sector partnerships with offices such as the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance. Partnerships for program delivery have involved collaborations with Boston Public Schools, Massachusetts General Hospital Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital Network, and workforce intermediaries like OneTen.
Category:Conferences in Massachusetts