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Albright, Couric, Liebovitz to Headline The Women's Conference 2009
Albright, Couric, Liebovitz to Headline The Women's Conference 2009
Hosted by First Lady Maria Shriver and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Shriver Debuts New Event, A Day of Transformation, Expanding the Conference to a Full Two Days; Tickets Now Available for All Conference Events
LOS ANGELES - California First Lady Maria Shriver today announced an extraordinary lineup of newsmakers and world opinion leaders confirmed for The Women's Conference 2009 to be held on October 26 and 27 at the Long Beach Convention Center. Tickets to the conference's three events - The Women's Conference, A Day of Transformation and Night at The Village go on sale today at 9:00 a.m. PDT at www.WomensConference.org.
The Women's Conference 2009 will feature more than 80 speakers and participants led by former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, FDIC Chairwoman Sheila Bair, Sir Richard Branson, Majora Carter, Jean Chatzky, Katie Couric, Elizabeth Edwards, Linda Ellerbee, Eve Ensler, Dr. Jane Goodall, David Gregory, Gayle Haggard, Arianna Huffington, Kathy Ireland, Susan Saint James, Valerie B. Jarrett, Caroline Kennedy, Alicia Keys, Nicholas Kristof, Ashton Kutcher, Annie Leibovitz, Lisa Ling, Somaly Mam, Cindy McCain, Meghan McCain, Jillian Michaels, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Danica Patrick, Kelly Preston, Robin Roberts, Cheryl Saban, Maria Elena Salinas, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Shakira, Claire Shipman, Ruth J. Simmons, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, Sully Sullenberger, Dara Torres and Paula Zahn.
As an extension of her award-winning career as a journalist, Shriver approaches the conference as a place for once-in-a-lifetime conversations and news-making moments that combine the world's most authentic and influential voices in discussions about the issues that matter most to women and shape their lives. This year, Shriver will depart from her usual keynote speaking role to lead a moving conversation on "Grief and Resilience" between Kelly Preston, Elizabeth Edwards and Susan St. James; Katie Couric will engage Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sir Richard Branson and FDIC Chairwoman Sheila Bair in a conversation on "Tough Decisions in Tough Times;" Linda Ellerbee will talk with Sully Sullenberger and Dara Torres about "Beating the Odds: Profiles of Inspiration;" and the legendary Annie Leibovitz will talk about her life and work, to name just a few.
"I am honored to again be hosting what has become the nation's premier forum for women," said Shriver. "With this year's theme of Be Who You Are...An Architect of Change. Pass it On, The Women's Conference seeks to inspire women to see themselves as advocates for their own lives, activists in their communities and the architects of change for our world."
Each year, The Women's Conference seeks to expand its reach to larger numbers of women and this year is no exception. Tickets to the main conference event sold out last year in less than three hours and conference organizers are expecting an even greater demand for tickets this year.
In response to this surging demand, The Women's Conference presented a new event in 2008, Night at The Village, and is expanding it this year with 10,000 women expected to attend. On Monday, October 26 from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Night at The Village - The Place to Be, will once again transform the Long Beach Convention Center's exhibit hall into a 160,000 square foot women's village of inspiring interactive experiences, offering attendees the chance to "Meet, Mix and Mingle with Architects of Change." Night at The Village will include a main stage program featuring Maria Shriver, Martha Beck, chef Paula Deen, and fitness expert and best-selling author Jillian Michaels; three "stagette" programs featuring Seane Corn, Kathy Ireland, Victoria Jackson, Mario Lopez and many others on topics relating to mind, body and spirit empowerment; book signings by best-selling authors including Candace Bushnell, Kate Gosselin, Caroline Kennedy, Sue Monk Kidd, Mario Lopez, Greg Mortenson, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Maria Shriver and others; live music; and hundreds of vendors with products and services geared to women. Remaining open the next day for attendees of the conference itself, The Village will provide opportunities for thousands of women to network and connect, commit to service, meet companies making a difference in California, and learn to live healthier, fuller lives.
Shriver will be debuting a new event at this year's conference, A Day of Transformation, which expands The Women's Conference 2009 to a full two-day event. Running from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, October 26, A Day of Transformation will include special educational sessions packed with practical "Tips and Tools for How To Become an Architect of Change." An extraordinary lineup of thought-leaders will teach attendees how to become Architects of Change through interactive sessions such as How to Start Your Own Business, How to Make Your Job Matter or Get a New One, How to Start a Non-Profit Business or Keep Yours Afloat in Difficult Times, How to Sell Yourself, How to Listen to Your Gut and Trust It, How to Break the Cycle of Stress, and How to Write Your Own Book & Get it Published. Maria Shriver will host the event, along with Stephen M.R. Covey, Martha Beck, Ariane de Bonvoisin, Kiva.org President Premal Shah and a full program of experts on personal, spiritual and professional empowerment topics. "We envision A Day of Transformation as a place for people who are interested in learning how to become Architects of Change to acquire the practical tools to do so," said Shriver. "We really want to extend a special invitation to men and encourage them to join us for this transformative day. Many men have asked to be included in these conversations because they are facing difficult challenges in today's economy and we hope the tips and tools of this day will also help them re-imagine their lives as Architects of Change. The more men understand the issues women are facing, and the more women understand the struggles men are experiencing in this changing world, the better we are able to communicate with and empower one another."
Proceeds from The Women's Conference, Night at The Village and A Day of Transformation benefit the conference's WE Programs, which seek to empower women all year round. The non-profit, non-partisan Women's Conference organization, also known as the California Governor and First Lady's Conference on Women, has formed partnerships with organizations in the U.S. and abroad to develop ongoing and farreaching women's empowerment programs: WE Educate expands the educational pursuits of young women in need by providing ten $2,500 scholarships; WE Invest links women entrepreneurs to business training, mentoring, a support network and microloans through Kiva.org to help them start or expand their own business; WE Connect connects poor working families to money-saving programs and government services they may be eligible for through WEConnect.net; WE Act helps women who are victims of all forms of violence and supports domestic violence shelters and programs that help women in life-threatening situations; WE Inspire supports the work of The California Museum in Sacramento, funding exhibits and programs that encourage women to make their mark on history and educates them about the extraordinary contributions and on-going achievements of remarkable women to our state's rich history; and WE Honor recognizes and rewards remarkable women who have stepped forward and changed the world with their courage, wisdom, and strength with the prestigious Minerva Awards. The awards were created by Shriver in 2004 and named after the Roman goddess, Minerva, who graces the California state seal. The Minerva Award winners also receive grants from the conference to further their work. The Women's Conference will continue its tradition of honoring the most remarkable women of the year during the 6th annual presentation of The Minerva Awards in a special afternoon main stage session hosted by Maria Shriver. Past Minerva Award winners have included Dr. Helene Brown, Betty Chinn, former First Lady Betty Ford, Billie Jean King, The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Dr. Sally Ride, Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Gloria Steinem. The 2009 Minerva Award winners will be officially announced in September.
The Women's Conference is unveiling a new website today at www.WomensConference.org, which conference organizers hope will soon become a daily visited "Home for Architects of Change" 365 days a year. The conference will be streaming The Women's Conference 2009 live on the web in an effort to empower a worldwide viewing audience of one million women to be Architects of Change. The Women's Conference is supported by generous sponsors that share its mission of empowering, inspiring and educating women. Safeway, a Presenting Sponsor, will feature the best of California's healthy cuisine at The Village, and Target will return as The Minerva Awards Presenting Sponsor. Lean Cuisine is the sponsor of Night at The Village and the Conference National Media Partner is Disney ABC Television Group. Wells Fargo and the Women's Self Worth Foundation are the Conference Community Investment Champions. Conference Official Sponsors include Anthem Blue Cross, Apple, BP, Cisco, FedEx, HealthNet, Intuit, Mattel, PG&E, Verizon, and Visa. Virgin America is The Official Airline of The Women's Conference.
Tickets will be available for purchase online today at 9:00 a.m. PDT at www.WomensConference.org. Full day tickets for conference's main event on October 27 can be purchased for $200 (Loge View), $150 (Balcony View) and $125 (Partial View Balcony). In addition, a limited number of tables situated on the arena floor will sell for $3,600 for a table of 12. Tickets to the second-annual Night at The Village event on October 26 will sell for $25. An individual ticket to the first-annual A Day of Transformation on October 26 can be purchased for $75, which will include admission into Night at The Village. Tickets for the special presentation of The Minerva Awards during the Afternoon Session of The Women's Conference on October 27 will sell for $40 after the full conference day tickets have sold out.
Editor's Note: Press Registration is now open at www.WomensConference.org. Press must register for a credential to cover any conference event. Space is limited.
For more information about The Women's Conference, or for online press registration, visit www.WomensConference.org.
