Women IN Business
Leadership Symposium (WBLS)
Conference details!
GWIB is thrilled to welcome prospective students, members, and allies back to the Forty Acres for the Women in Business Leadership Symposium (WBLS).
This year’s conference theme is “Ascend: Redefining What It Means to Lead”, highlighting how women are reshaping leadership by building diverse teams, fostering community, and helping others thrive. The event will be a momentous celebration for McCombs and Texas women in business — one that provides connection, motivation, networking, inspiration and skill-building.
Join us for a half-day of inspiring discussions, interactive sessions, and impactful learning on Friday, February 14.
About the Symposium
The mission of the annual Women in Business Leadership Symposium (WBLS), organized and hosted by GWIB, is to cultivate and enrich MBA women's academic experience, enhance career networks for women, and celebrate the remarkable strengths women bring to corporate America. We bring together motivated MBA students, alumni, successful business leaders, and thriving entrepreneurs from all over the country to connect, discuss, and learn more about issues facing women.
The conference occurs each November and offers GWIB members the opportunity to build leadership experience planning and managing the event. The success of the event depends on the efforts of current students and sponsoring companies. Please contact the Co-VPs of WBLS for more information.
WBLS AGENDA
Check-In Begins
08:30AM
09:00AM
Breakfast & Mingle
10:00AM
Erika Prosper Nirenberg,
First Lady of San Antonio & Sr. Director of Customer Insights, H-E-B
Lessons in Leadership
The Marathon Mindset: Navigating a Career With No Set Finish Line
10:55AM
Wendy Wheless,
Head of Partnership Development at BibRave
11:45AM
Moderated by
Tina Mabley,
Assistant Dean, Full-Time Texas MBA
Panelists
Leah Wise, Attorney & Entrepreneur
Priya Kumar, Supply Chain Management Consultant & Founder, Sustainable Inc.
Angela Hein, Principal Consultant, Connect CPG
Lorie Baez, Owner & Director, My Time Kids Academy
Women Founders Panel
01:00PM
Networking Lunch
Past Speakers
2019
Keynote
Barbara Byrne
Former Vice Chairman of Investment Banking at Barclays PLC and at Lehman Brothers
Panelists
Chelsea Francis, Photographer
Marilyn Rose, Owner, World Oyster Travel
Nick Eyer, Senior Consultant, Deloitte
Rosanna Martinez, Global Service Operations Manager, National Instruments Corporation
Sydney Greene, Freelance Journalist
2018
Keynote
Janet Dukerich
SVP of Faculty Affairs, Professor, UT
Panelists
Natalie Foley, CEO, Peer Insight
Cotter Cunningham, Founder & CEO, RetailMeNot Inc
Danielle Clayton, Director, Microsoft
Nafisa Muzaffar, Principal Product Manager, Amazon
2017
Keynote
Tressie Lieberman
Chief Marketing Officer, Snap Kitchen
Panelists
Heather McClure, VP, Walker & Dunlop
Emily Reagan, SVP Integrated Marketing, Bazaarvoice
Ashley Brueckner, Exec Director, Relationship Manager, JP Morgan
Suzanne Stone, Exec Director, Susan G. Komen Austin