Members of the Daemen community will play a significant role in the inaugural leadership summit held by the WNY Women’s Foundation, one of the most high profile organizations supporting women and girls in the region.
The Oct. 26 virtual event will feature remarks from Kathy Hochul, governor of New York, as well as a host of Daemen leaders. 
Emily Burns Perryman, vice president for institutional advancement at the college and a member of the foundation’s board of directors, serves as co-chair of the event.
“I believe gender equity in the workplace and society is important,” said Burns Perryman. “Everyone’s commitment is necessary to advance women and often progress can be made when women and allies have a seat at the leadership table.”
“I’m excited that leaders here at Daemen are involved in this event and eager to hear what they contribute to this important conversation,” she added.
- Tiffany Hamilton, chief diversity officer at Daemen, will serve as a speaker, leading the “Unconscious Bias: Breaking Barriers” session that aims to address “the mental shortcuts that can lead to snap judgments of others, often based on race and gender,” and will help attendees “avoid these pitfalls and break down [their] own mental preconceptions.”
- Kerry Spicer, assistant vice president of student affairs and dean of students, is slated to serve as moderator of the session “Creative Leadership: Finding Innovative Solutions to Challenges,” and is also a member of the event committee.
- Burns Perryman will moderate the event’s “Building Your Personal Brand” session and provide its closing remarks.
Irene Holohan-Moyer, assistant vice president of institutional effectiveness and systems integration and Mimi Steadman, assistant vice president of academic affairs and strategic management, also serve on the event committee and have helped in various ways over the last few months to ensure the event is successful.
“This summit is the first of its kind in Western New York, and its virtual nature makes it accessible to anyone who might like to explore the concept of leadership,” Burns Perryman said.
“At Daemen we have many academic programs, students clubs, organizations and other aspects of our college that help our community learn about what leadership really means. I love that some of us have come together to support this event and identify ways we can help each other, our allies and ourselves create a more level playing field for everyone,” she added. “We’re proud of our involvement in this historic event and encourage anyone interested to check it out.”
Tickets for the WNY Women’s Foundation Leadership Summit are still available.