Registration and Breakfast

Welcome and Opening Remarks

• Isamar Lopez-Veracruz — 2026 Women in Leadership Conference President
• Constance Elise Porter, Ph.D. — Senior Associate Dean for Belonging and Engagement & Associate Clinical Professor of Marketing, Rice Business 
   

Opening Keynote Speaker

• Kathleen Barrón — Executive Vice President and Senior Advisor to the CEO, Constellation Energy

Break

Morning Panels I

Lift While You Climb: Why Mentorship Matters
Hear inspiring women leaders reflect on the mentorship moments that influenced their growth and leadership paths. This session explores how women can intentionally pay it forward through advocacy, sponsorship, and creating opportunities for others to thrive.

• Nikki Suarez — Community Engagement Manager, Americas, S&P Global
• Pamela Rafferty — Carbon Materials Venture Executive, Exxon Mobil
• Kim Head — SVP, Global Commercial Operations, Phillips 66
• Guinevere Basnight — Communications Senior Director, North America, Tenaris
• Krista Long — Division President, David Weekley Homes

Power in the Crossover
Join cross-industry women leaders as they reflect on navigating identity, opportunity, and innovation in their work. This session highlights how diverse perspectives and crossover leadership shape Houston’s dynamic economic ecosystem.

• N. Brenda Adimora — Associate Attorney, Littler Mendelson P.C.
• Arianne Dowdell — Vice President, Chief Culture & Engagement Officer, Houston Methodist
• Brooke Grammier — Chief Information Officer, CannonDesign
• Sadie Rucker — President and Founding Principal, Horizon International Group, LLC
• Cecilia Prieto — President Well Construction, SLB

Break

Morning Panels II

The Unfiltered Resume 
This live storytelling session pulls back the curtain on the career moments leaders don’t usually share. By unpacking failures, detours, and pivots, the conversation reframes imperfection as a catalyst for growth and leadership.

• Mitra Murthy — Banker, J.P. Morgan Private Bank
• Nishita Singh — Vice President and General Manager, Corpus Christi Liquefaction, Cheniere
• Jessica Bolaños — Co-Founder & CEO, Director of Digital and Impact, Goodspero
• Shawnie McBride — Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, NRG Energy
• Gabriela Gerhart — Founder & CEO, Motherhood Center

It Wasn’t a Straight Line: Nonlinear Career Stories
Women leaders reflect on the twists and turns that shaped their careers, from pauses to pivots to full reinventions. This session destigmatizes imperfect journeys and highlights how nonlinear paths build resilience, clarity, and confidence. Women leaders reflect on the twists and turns that shaped their careers, from pauses to pivots to full reinventions. This session destigmatizes imperfect journeys and highlights how nonlinear

• Ty’Meka Reeves-Sobers — Partner, Clifford Chance
• Melissa Mohr — Senior Vice President, Vivint
• Dr. Ketrese White — President West Campus & South Region; The Woodlands & North Region, Texas Children’s Hospital
• Roxxanna Jansen — Director of Finance, Aramco Americas, Aramco
• Rose Hochner Nelson — Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications and Chief of Staff to the President, UTHealth

Be the Why: The Reason Leaders Believe They Can
A legacy-focused conversation on purpose, impact, and the personal motivations behind women’s leadership journeys. This panel highlights how leading with intention creates belief, momentum, and lasting influence.

• Dana Vazquez — Strategy and Planning Manager, Digital Impact Office, Cisco
• Jennifer Gregg — Vice President of Farm Operations, Vital Farms
• Megan Gresham — Chief Financial Officer, IKAV Energy
• Janet DeLeon Young — Executive Director, The H.E.A.R.T Program
• Kelly Woodward — Chief Operating Officer, Houston Airport System

Networking Lunch

Afternoon Workshops

The Visual Resume: Branding and Personal Style for Impact 
Make your first impression count whether on LinkedIn, Zoom, or in the room. This workshop will help you refine how others see you, with practical tools to align your online brand, physical presence, and personal style with your career goals.

• Janet Moore — Senior Lecturer and Director, Management-Communication, Rice Business

AI, But Make It Work for You, Sponsored by HP Inc. 
A practical conversation on navigating, leveraging, and leading in the age of AI. Experts highlight real-world tools, ethical implications, and strategies for staying future-ready as technology continues to evolve.

• Paola Mariano — Senior Manager, AI Experiences, HP Inc.
• Janet Graff — Senior Manager of Commercial Quality and Customer Experience, HP Inc.
• Ann Lai — ARM Business Leader, Personal System, HP Inc.
• Leng Lim — VP of HP Design Engineering, HP Inc.
• Jeri Callaway — Head of HP Strategic Alliances, HP Inc.
• Jinyu Mao — Senior Director of Product Planning & AI Experiences, HP Inc.

Own Your Impact: Using Strategic Storytelling to Build a High-Authority Professional Pitch, Sponsored by SheSpace 
Often misperceived as a “soft skill,” storytelling is a critical leadership capability. This experience-based storytelling workshop shows participants how to translate their real-world work into a clear, confident professional pitch that builds authority, recognition, and respect.

• Stephanie Tsuru — Co-Founder & CEO, SheSpace

Interactive Leadership Coaching 
Designed as both a workshop and a live coaching experience, this session begins with leadership insights and tools from an experienced coach. Attendees then bring forward real challenges and receive personalized, real-time guidance in a supportive, high-impact setting.

• Ruth Reitmeier — Director of Coaching, Rice Business

Negotiate to Yes 
Centered on real experiences, this conversation unpacks the moments when women had to advocate for themselves and others. Leaders share stories of negotiating pivotal career decisions and high-stakes conversations that shaped their confidence and sense of agency.

• Daniela George — Global Strategy & Business Development Director, Partnerships & Alliances, Baker Hughes
• Carmalita Deeton — Senior Innovation Leader, Amazon Web Services
• Alex Farias-Sorrels — Partner, Sorrels Law
• Robin Russell — Deputy Managing Partner, Hunton
• Dr. Judith Hayes — Chief Science Officer, NASA

Break

Afternoon Keynote Speaker

• Madelyn Haydon — Founder, Nutpods 
   

Closing Remarks & Owl Award

• Peter Rodriguez — Dean of Jones Graduate School of Business, Rice University

Reception and Networking