Beyer Announces First Women's Economic Conference: 'Women Driving the Economy'

PHOTO: Congressman Don Beyer

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Congressman Don Beyer (D-8th), today announced he is hosting an economic conference for women titled “Women Driving the Economy,” to be held Saturday, Oct. 10, starting at 8 a.m. in collaboration with George Mason University at their Arlington campus.

WHAT: Women’s Economic Conference: Women Driving the Economy

WHEN: Oct. 10 at 8 a.m.

WHERE: George Mason University, Founders Hall, 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22201

“Forty years in business has made it clear to me that when women succeed, America succeeds,” said Rep. Beyer, in a news release Tuesday. “Income inequality in this country is directly tied to the pay gap between men and women. Forty percent of American households depend on a woman breadwinner - we need to make sure women have an equal shot in the workforce.”

The event’s keynote speaker is Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, who oversees the organization responsible for creating nearly two out of three new private sector jobs in our economy and half of our nation’s private sector workforce. She has been a pioneer in establishing women in leadership roles in the economy as a public and private sector manager and philanthropic champion.

“Women in our nation make 80 percent of the purchasing decisions, yet only hold about 10 percent of the senior roles in private equity firms, limiting the growth potential of women innovators in the U.S.” said Administrator Contreras-Sweet. “We need to do all we can to empower more women innovators and entrepreneurs, ensuring the growth and success of our economy.”

Administrator Contreras-Sweet’s keynote delivery will be followed by a plenary panel moderated by Megan Beyer with Judith Warner from the Center for American Progress and author of the 2005 New York Times best-seller Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety, local small business owner El Brown, and Rebecca Shambaugh, a leadership trainer for women in the workforce.

Following this panel discussion, participants will break out into leadership training sessions on a number of topics affecting working women, including resume writing, using social and career networks, financial planning, perfecting interview skills, and salary negotiation tactics.

“These are all important topics that too many of the workers in our modern economy miss out on, men and women alike,” Rep. Beyer added. “Finding a job and building your career in the 21st century requires a host of diverse skills that I hope to leave participants with in October.”

This event is free to the public. Attendees must register online at https://beyer-womendrivingtheeconomy.eventbrite.com or by contacting Rep. Beyer’s District Office at (703) 658-5403.