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October 24 Innovative Women Conference is bringing together women professionals, graduate students

The Innovative Women Conference (IWC) to be held at NC State University’s Talley Student Center on Friday, October 24, aims to bring together women in graduate studies at NC State and area universities and women professionals for discussions on innovation, entrepreneurship, technology and the sciences. A pre-conference networking social will be held Thursday evening, October 23, at HQ Raleigh.

The event is being coordinated by women members of the Jenkins MBA Student Association (MBA SA) in the NC State Poole College of Management, with support from NC State’s Student Government and the participation of area professional women.

“Although conversations at this event are geared toward women in entrepreneurship, technology, innovation, and science – disciplines that are among NC State's strengths – sessions are diverse enough that anyone interested in a fun day hearing from creative, innovative leaders in the Triangle should plan to attend,” said Claire Jefferies, assistant director of alumni and student affairs for the Jenkins MBA program at Poole College.

Rachel Huffman, Jenkins MBA Student Association events chair, and Janelle Tracy, MBA SA representative to NC State’s University Graduate Student Association, developed the idea for the IWC to provide opportunities for women in MBA and other graduate programs to network with professional women in the Triangle area for both knowledge-sharing and career development opportunities.

The keynote presenter is DeLisa Alexander, executive vice president and chief people officer at Red Hat and member of the Poole College of Management’s Dean’s Advisory Board. Workshop and panel discussion topics include “Creativity in Leadership,” “Freedom to Fail,” “Lessons Learned from Brick & Mortar,” a coding workshop and panel discussions on “Leadership in Sustainability,” “Girls Who Brew,” and “Funding for Entrepreneurs.”

Three “Women in Conversation” sessions focus on women in science, women in technology and entrepreneurship, and “You can go your own way.”

Presenters and discussion moderators include Maria Kingery, co-founder and CEO of Southern Energy Management; Magdalyn Duffie, community organizer for Tech Talent South; Sheryl Waddell, program director at Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network; Susan Thomason, vice president of global partnering at Quintiles, and other leaders at area companies.

Registration for both the pre-conference networking event and the conference costs $35 for professionals and $15 for students. Tickets for the pre-conference networking social cost $10.

View registration and other details are located at the IWC website. Proceeds of the networking social tickets and a portion of the conference ticket sales will benefit Women for Success