A Global Conversation on Women’s Participation in Public Service

On December 15, 2011, the Women in Public Service Project hosted the first global conversation on increasing women’s participation in public service and creating a global network of women equipped to tackle today’s challenges.

The colloquium featured Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton and a global representation of government leaders, policy makers, public officials, scholars, students, researchers, and leaders in public service.

Students from the Sister Colleges with Secretary Clinton at the opening colloquium

Bryn Mawr College senior Ntshadi Mofokeng introduced former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright

Secretary Clinton, IMF Director Christine Lagarde, Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Smith College President Carol Christ

The colloquium featured a conversation among generations of women in public service

Women Leaders Forging Solutions: Wilson Center Director Jane Harman, French Sec. of Health Nora Berra, Liberian Minister of Agriculture Florence Chenoweth, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, Vice Admiral Carol Pottenger, and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius

Colloquium Goals: 

• Draw public attention to the importance of increasing participation and leadership roles for women in public service
• Explore creative solutions to increasing the number of young women who aspire to and are empowered to pursue a career in public service
• Build a network of advocates and expertise that will help advance this effort
• Highlight the 2012 pilot summer institute at Wellesley to help train promising women leaders from around the world

Program: Thursday, December 15th 2011

10:00 am Open and Welcome

10:10 am Opening Address

Farah Pandith, Special Representative to Muslim Communities

Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues

Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund

10:20 am Keynote

Secretary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State

10:40 am “Women Leaders—Forging Global Solutions”

Panelists:
Nora Berra, Minister of Health, France
Irina Bokova, Director General, UNESCO
Helen Clark, Administrator, UNDP
Florence Chenoweth, Minister of Agriculture, Liberia
Vice Admiral Carol Pottenger, Deputy Chief of Staff, Capability Development at NATO Headquarters
Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Hilda Solis, U.S. Secretary of Labor
Moderator: Jane Harman, Woodrow Wilson Center

11:25 am One-on-One Conversation

Norah O’Donnell with President Atifete Jahjaga, Kosovo

11:45 am Valerie Jarrett, Senior Adviser, White House

12:00 pm “A Dialogue Among Generations”

Panelists: Rear Admiral Sandra L. Stosz, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and Gloria Steinem with emerging public service leaders

12:40 pm Closing Address

Madeleine Albright, Chair, Albright Stonebridge Group

Speakers

(in alpha order; see Colloquium Program page for program details)

Madeleine Albright, Chair, Albright Stonebridge Group
Madeleine K. Albright is chair of Albright Stonebridge Group, a global strategy firm, and of Albright Capital Management LLC, an investment advisory firm focused on emerging markets. Albright was the 64th U.S. Secretary of State….(more)

Nora Berra, Minister of Health, France
Nora Berra is the French Minister of Health and a Member of the European Parliament, representing South East France for the Union for a Popular Movement….(more)

Irina Bokova, Director General, UNESCO
Irina Bokova was Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to France and Monaco, Personal Representative of the Bulgarian President to the “Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie,” and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO from 2005 to 2009….(more)

Florence Chenoweth, Minister of Agriculture, Liberia
A native of Liberia, Dr. Florence Chenoweth holds a Master’s degree in agricultural economics and her PhD in land resources from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. In the 1970s, she became Liberia’s Minister of Agriculture….(more)

Helen Clark, Administrator, UNDP
Helen Clark became the Administrator of the United Nations Development Program on 17 April 2009, and is the first woman to lead the organization….(more)

Hillary R. Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State
The 67th Secretary of State of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton joined the State Department after nearly four decades in public service as an advocate, attorney, First Lady, and Senator….(more)

Jane Harman, Head of Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars
During her 17-year tenure in Congress, Jane Lakes Harman was a leading voice on national security, serving on the House Intelligence and Homeland Security committees and helping to craft important legislation in the fight against terrorism….(more)

President Atifete Jahjaga, Kosovo
Atifete Jahjaga was Deputy General Director of the Police of Kosovo from February 2009 until her election as President of the Republic of Kosovo, on April 7, 2011….(more)

Valerie Jarrett, Senior Adviser, White House
Valerie B. Jarrett is a Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama and Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls…..(more)

Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
Named Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund in 2011, Christine Lagarde is a French lawyer who has held several senior leadership positions in that country….(more)

Norah O’Donnell, CBS News’ correspondent
Emmy award-winning reporter Norah O’Donnell was named CBS News’ Chief White House Correspondent in June 2011….(more)

Vice Admiral Carol Pottenger, Deputy Chief of Staff, Capability Development at NATO Headquarters
Vice Admiral Pottenger is the deputy chief of staff Capability Development at NATO Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation in Norfolk, VA….(more)

Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Since taking office in 2009, Secretary Sebelius has led ambitious efforts to improve America’s health and enhance the delivery of human services to some of the nation’s most vulnerable populations, including young children, those with disabilities, and the elderly….(more)

Hilda Solis, U.S. Secretary of Labor
Hilda L. Solis was confirmed as Secretary of Labor in 2009 and represented the 32nd Congressional District in California from 2001 – 2009….(more)

Gloria Steinem
A writer, lecturer, editor, and feminist activist, Gloria Steinem travels around the world as an organizer and lecturer and is a frequent media spokeswoman on issues of equality…(more)

Rear Admiral Sandra L. Stosz, U.S. Coast Guard Academy
Rear Admiral Sandra L. Stosz assumed the duties of the 40th Superintendent of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 2011….(more)