Powerhouse Female Executives Address Women’s Leadership

Women continue to fall far behind men when it comes to representation in the board room. In fact, among the 50 largest public companies in Wisconsin, only 17.6% of the directors are women. Because of this, Alverno College hopes to connect college-aged women with female executives so they can learn about their career paths, obstacles they’ve had to overcome and successes they’ve had. The goal is to inspire young women set their sights higher when it comes to their careers.

As part of our efforts, Alverno is partnering with Milwaukee Women Inc. to host a Women in the C-Suite panel discussion. The panel features several women who have leadership roles in their fields, and will be moderated by Sandy Wysocki, Chief Development Officer of the United Performing Arts Fund and chair of Milwaukee Women Inc. Panelists include:

• Marie O’Brien, Founder, President and CEO, Enterforce Inc.
• Lori Craig, Senior Vice President and Market Executive, PNC Wealth Management
• Mary Ellen Stanek, CFA, President, Baird Funds, and Chief Investment Officer, Baird Advisors
• Susan Martin, Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel, WEC Energy Group Inc.

“Because women still fall far behind men when it comes to representation in the board room, it’s vitally important that we expose college-aged women to the possibilities that exist and connect them to women who have leadership positions,” said Patricia Luebke, dean of the Alverno College School of Professional Studies. “Alverno’s Women in the C-Suite program is designed to do just that.”

The event will take place on October 26 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. at The Women’s Club of Wisconsin. For more information or to register, please visit alumnae.alverno.edu.

About Alverno College

Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology and business are open to women and men.

A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The College has consulted with three U.S. presidential administrations on accountability and outcomes in higher education and for the past eight years has been ranked one of the top five schools in the Midwest doing “the best job of educating undergrads” by U.S. News & World Report.

Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.