2018 Power Women Summit Speakers

Mira Sorvino

Actress

Mira Sorvino is an Academy Award winning actress and activist. She is a prominent figure in the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements. She is a Harvard graduate and an official ambassador for the United Nations…

Emily Ratajkowski

Model, Actress, Activist and Entrepreneur

Model, actress, entrepreneur and activist EMILY RATAJKOWSKI has established herself as one of the premiere faces in fashion, film and pop culture. Ratajkowski is an advocate for women’s equality, known for her powerful op-eds in…

Jenniffer Gómez

Writer, “Vida”

Jenniffer Gómez is a rising Queer Latinx writer who has come up through scripted television and indie filmmaking. Born in San Juan, PR, she spent four years in Boston where she received a BA in…

David Oyelowo

Actor

David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo, OBE is a British actor and producer. His highest-profile role to date was as Martin Luther King Jr. in the 2014 biographical drama film Selma. He also took the lead role in…

Anita Hill

University Professor of Law, Public Policy and Women’s Studies, Brandeis University

The youngest of 13 children from a farm in Oklahoma, Hill received her J.D. from Yale Law School in 1980. She began her career in private practice in Washington, D.C. There she also worked at…

Zoe Saldana

Actress, Activist & Entrepreneur

Zoe Saldana is the epitome of a true star in Hollywood, and has built her reputation as a versatile and respected actress by choosing roles that she feels passionately about. Saldana will reprise her role…

HAIM

HAIM are sisters Este, Danielle, and Alana Haim, hailing from Los Angeles, CA. The band released their critically acclaimed and highly anticipated sophomore album, “Something To Tell You,” in July 2017 which debuted in the…

Felicity Jones

Actress

Felicity Jones is best known for her Academy Award, BAFTA, SAG and Golden Globe-nominated starring role in The Theory of Everything. Next up Jones will play Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Focus Features’ On the Basis of…

Barbara Boxer

Former Senator, CA

Until the day she left the United States Senate in January 2017, Barbara Boxer has been a forceful advocate for families, children, consumers the environment and her state of California. Boxer served 24 years…

Nicole Boxer

Director & Producer

Nicole Boxer is an Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker and political influencer. Boxer believes in the unique power of social impact media advocacy as a tool to create positive change in the world. That belief is…

Nancy Dubuc

CEO, Vice Media

Nancy Dubuc is the recently named CEO of Vice Media. She was formerly President and Chief Executive Officer of A+E Networks, encompassing A&E®, Lifetime®, HISTORY®, Lifetime Movies, FYI™ and VICELAND™. Other businesses in her portfolio…

Sherry Lansing

CEO, The Sherry Lansing Foundation

During almost 30 years in the motion picture business, Sherry Lansing was involved in the production, marketing, and distribution of more than 200 films, including Academy Award winners Forrest Gump (1994), Braveheart (1995), and Titanic…

Diane Warren

Songwriter

Diane Warren is one of the most continuously prolific and successful contemporary songwriters of our time. She is the sole owner of her publishing company Realsongs. Her songs have been featured in more than…

Alyssa Milano

Actress & Activist

Actress and Activist Alyssa Milano has been in the spotlight for most of her life. She chooses to shine that spotlight on causes that matter deeply to her. Her advancement of #MeToo sparked a viral…

Tarana Burke

Activist, Founder #MeToo Movement

Tarana Burke is an American civil rights activist. She is known for being the first to use the phrase “Me Too”, in 2006, to raise awareness of the pervasiveness of sexual abuse and assault in…

Jill Soloway

Creator and Showrunner, Transparent

Jill Soloway is the author of the memoir She Wants It: Desire, Power and Toppling the Patriarchy. Transparent, Jill’s autobiographical television series, was the winner of eight Emmy awards and two Golden Globes. Jill’s feature film, Afternoon Delight, won…

Katie Hill

Congressional Candidate

Katie Hill is an experienced change-maker running for Congress in her hometown to give a voice to the people of our district. Raised by a registered nurse and a police officer in the Santa Clarita…

Alysia Reiner

Actress, activist and producer

ALYSIA REINER is best known as Natalie “Fig” Figueroa on NETFLIX’s hit ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, Alysia won an ensemble SAG award and you can see her in all 6 binge-worthy seasons. Reiner recently joined…

Jennie Snyder Urman

TV Producer, "Jane the Virgin"

Jennie Snyder Urman developed and Executive Produces the CW’s Golden-Globe nominated “Jane the Virgin.” The show has been honored with a Peabody Award, 3 TCA nominations, 6 Critics Choice nominations, 3 NAACP Image Award nominations,…

Chai Vasarhelyi

Filmmaker

Award-winning filmmaker Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi is the director and producer of FREE SOLO, from National Geographic Documentary Films. Co-directed with Jimmy Chin, the film offers an intimate, unflinching portrait of rock climber Alex Honnold, as…

Kimberly Steward

Producer, K Period Media

Kimberly Steward, head of K Period Media, was recently nominated for an Oscar for MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, making her the only black woman other than Oprah Winfrey to have her film nominated for an…

Jo Ling Kent

Correspondent, NBC News

Jo Ling Kent is a correspondent at NBC News covering business, technology and the economy. In just the past months, Kent spoke with a former YouTube employee to reveal the secrets of the platform’s algorithm…

Louise Godbold

Executive Director, Echo

Louise Godbold is the Executive Director of Echo. Before joining Echo in 2010, she worked for over 15 years in the nonprofit field as a consultant for UC Berkeley, The California Endowment and Los Angeles…

Julie Foudy

Commentator/Writer, ESPN

Julie Foudy, former captain of the U.S. Women’s National Team and one of the most accomplished female soccer players in the world, joined ESPN in 2005 as women’s soccer and FIFA World Cup analyst. Following…

Marcy Ross

President, Skydance Television

As President of Skydance Television, Marcy Ross leads all of the company’s original programming efforts, which has produced two Emmy nominated series – Manhattan on WGN America and Grace and Frankie on Netflix. Currently, she…

Christine Simmons

President & Chief Operations Officer, LA Sparks

Christine Simmons is President & Chief Operations Officer of the three-time WNBA Champion Los Angeles Sparks. Simmons is in heading into her sixth season with the team and the fifth in her official capacity. She…

Stephanie Shepherd

Model, Influencer and Entrepreneur

Model, influencer and entrepreneur STEPHANIE SHEPHERD is quickly establishing herself as one of the most talked-about new faces in fashion and entertainment. Getting her start working alongside Kim Kardashian West, Shepherd has taken her 5 years…

Tanya Lopez

Executive Vice President, Movies, Limited Series & Original Movie Acquisitions, Lifetime and LMN

Tanya Lopez currently serves as Executive Vice President, Movies, Limited Series & Original Movie Acquisitions for Lifetime and LMN. Based in Los Angeles, Lopez, who joined the network in 2007, is responsible for developing and…

Niija Kuykendall

Senior Vice President, Production, Warner Bros. Pictures

Niija Kuykendall is the Senior Vice President, Production at Warner Bros. Pictures where she is currently in production on the film JUST MERCY starring Michael B. Jordan and in post-production on the films GODZILLA 2…

Ivy Kagan Bierman

Partner, Loeb & Loeb

Ivy Kagan Bierman’s practice includes the representation of entertainment and related companies in labor, production, distribution, technology and other business matters. She handles both transactional and litigation matters for clients. Ivy is one of a…

Melanie Liburd

Actress

Actress Melanie Liburd is soon to be seen as a series regular in the third season of the critically acclaimed NBC drama series, THIS IS US. She plays the role of ‘Zoe,’ who was introduced…

Chris Andrews

Motion Picture Talent Agent, Creative Artists Agency

Chris Andrews is a motion picture talent agent at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), a talent and literary agency based in Los Angeles with offices in Nashville, New York City, London, and Beijing. Andrews works in the Los…

Harley Copen

Partner & Co-Head of Motion Picture Literary, ICM Partners

Harley Copen is a Partner and Co-Head of Motion Picture Literary at ICM Partners, a talent and literary agency representing clients in the fields of motion pictures, television, publishing, music, theater, branded entertainment and digital media. ICM Partners…

Cassian Elwes

Producer

Elwes began his producing career with 1983’s Oxford Blues starring Rob Lowe and Ally Sheedy and quickly went on to make another 29 films, including Men At Work, with Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen, and…

Kevin Iwashina

Senior Associate, Endeavor Content

Kevin Iwashina is a Senior Associate at Endeavor Content, a division of global entertainment leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG). In his role, Iwashina identifies financing opportunities, handles sales and provides advisory services for media companies…

Cari Champion

Host, ESPN

Cari Champion is the co-anchor of SportsCenter Coast-to-Coast with David Lloyd. Champion hosts from ESPN’s Los Angeles Production Center and Lloyd from ESPN HQ in Connecticut. In addition to her role on SportsCenter, Champion hosts…

Nina Yang Bongiovi

Producer

With over 19 years of experience in the motion picture industry, Nina Yang Bongiovi has produced a number of critically acclaimed films, including “Fruitvale Station” (2013) by Ryan Coogler, “Dope” (2015) by Rick Famuyiwa, “Songs…

Trace Lysette

Actress & Advocate

Trace Lysette is an actress and advocate best known for her recurring role as ‘Shea’ on Amazon’s critically acclaimed series, TRANSPARENT. She will have a starring role in the independent feature VENUS AS A BOY…

Tanya Saracho

Creator & Showrunner, "Vida"

Tanya Saracho is a playwright and television writer who serves as creator, showrunner, and executive producer of the critically-acclaimed series “Vida,” which earned 100% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The show, which wrapped its first…

Jen Hollingsworth

Executive Vice President, Strategy, Operations & Business Development, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group

Jen Hollingsworth is a key member of a Motion Picture Group that has generated nearly $10 billion at the global box office over the past 5 years. As Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning and Operations, she…

Cathy Schulman

President and CEO, Welle Entertainment

Cathy Schulman, a Best Picture Academy Award® winning producer and veteran film executive, is the president and CEO of Welle Entertainment, a film and television production and finance company that opened its doors in 2017….

Masih Alinejad

Author & Activist, "The Wind in My Hair: My Fight for Freedom in Modern Iran

Masih Alinjead is an Iranian journalist, TV presenter, women’s rights activist and author of best-selling memoir, The Wind in My Hair. As the founder of My Stealthy Freedom campaign against compulsory hijab in 201, which…

Betsy West

Journalist & Filmmaker

As a seasoned journalist and filmmaker whose legendary list of accomplishments keeps rolling, Betsy West just recently wrapped up RBG (Mountainfilm 2018), a theatrical documentary she co-directed starring Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A graduate of…

Julie Cohen

Director & Producer

Julie Cohen is the director/producer of RBG (Magnolia, Participant, CNN Films, 2018) along with Betsy West. Previous films she’s directed include The Sturgeon Queens (7th Art Releasing/PBS, screened at Berlinale, 2015) and American Veteran (Freestyle,…

Nicole Brown

EVP, TriStar Pictures

Nicole Brown is an EVP at TriStar Pictures, Sony’s specialty division that she helped restart with Tom Rothman in 2013. At TriStar, she’s overseen movies such as TriStar’s breakout hit BABY DRIVER, directed by Edgar…

Scott Budnick

CEO, One Community

Scott Budnick is an American film producer, Founder of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), a non-profit organization that provides a support network for the formerly incarcerated and is currently serving as President and CEO of his newly-formed company One Community. This venture uniquely…

Tina Tchen

Co-Founder, Time's Up

Tina Tchen is a partner at Buckley Sandler LLP and the Chicago office leader. Prior to joining Buckley Sandler, Tchen served as Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady Michelle…

Marisa Corvo

Vocalist

Born and raised in New York City, Marisa Corvo has experienced everything that comes with the term “Rock Star.” Marisa gained national acclaim on season 11 of Fox’s “American Idol.” Touring with some of the…

Dolores Huerta

Founder & President, Dolores Huerta Foundation

Dolores Huerta is a civil rights activist and community organizer. She has worked for labor rights and social justice for over 50 years. In 1962, she and Cesar Chavez founded the United Farm Workers union….

Antonia Hylton

Correspondent and Producer. Politics + Civil Rights on ViceNews

Antonia Hylton is a reporter and associate producer for “VICE News Tonight,” the Emmy award-winning nightly newscast from VICE Media and HBO, covering civil rights and politics. Prior to joining VICE Media, Hylton developed and…

Robbie Kaplan

Founding Partner, Kaplan Hecker & Fink, LLP

Roberta (Robbie) Kaplan, the founding partner of Kaplan Hecker & Fink, LLP, one of a handful of women-led elite litigation boutiques in the country, has been described as a “pressure junkie” and “powerhouse corporate litigator”…

Joanne Lipman

Author, That's What She Said & former Editor in Chief, USA TODAY

Joanne Lipman, author of THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID, is one of the nation’s leading journalists. As Chief Content Officer of Gannett and Editor-in-Chief of USA Today and the USA Today Network, she oversaw 110 newspapers…

Ibtihaj Muhammad

Olympic Medalist, Entrepreneur and Activist

Ibtihaj Muhammad, an American sabre fencer, is a 2016 Olympic medalist, 5-time Senior World medalist and World Champion in the sport of fencing. In August 2016, she became the first American woman to compete in…

Crystal Patterson

Global Civic Partnerships Manager, Facebook

With more than 15 years of experience in politics, policy and elections, Crystal leads Facebook’s civic partnerships work, with a focus on elections integrity. A native of northeast Ohio and a graduate of Northwestern University,…

Ariel Wengroff

Executive Producer, VICELAND's WOMAN and Publisher, Broadly

Ariel Wengroff is currently an Executive Producer of the Emmy nominated VICELAND show WOMAN with Gloria Steinem and Publisher of Broadly, VICE’s women’s interest channel. Wengroff was formerly a series associate producer for the awardwinning…

Elle Reeve

Technology Correspondent, VICE News Tonight on HBO

Elle Reeve is a technology correspondent for “VICE News Tonight,” the Emmy award-winning nightly newscast from VICE Media and HBO. Prior to joining VICE Media, Elle was a senior editor at the New Republic, where…

Hilary Rosen

Communications, Media and Politics Strategist

Hilary Rosen is a well-known Washington DC strategist who navigates the intersection of communications, media and politics. She is currently an on-air CNN political analyst and a Partner at SKDKnickerbocker, the 2017 Holmes Report Public…

Stacy L. Smith

Founder and Director, USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative (AII)

Stacy L. Smith, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor at USC Annenberg and the Founder and Director of the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative (AII), the leading think tank globally studying issues of inequality in entertainment. AII…

Rebecca Sugar

Creator and Showrunner, Steven Universe

Ground-breaking, creative juggernaut, Rebecca Sugar is an animator, director, screenwriter, producer, and songwriter. She is best known for creating the Emmy-Nominated series, STEVEN UNIVERSE, on which she serves as executive producer, head writer, storyboard artist,…

Isobel Yeung

Correspondent and Producer, VICE on HBO and VICE News Tonight on HBO

Isobel Yeung is an award-winning correspondent and producer working across “VICE News Tonight,” the Emmy award-winning nightly newscast on HBO, and the multi award-winning “VICE” on HBO documentary series. She joined VICE Media in 2014…

Amy Ziering

Director/Producer, The Invisible War, The Hunting Ground, The Bleeding Edge

AMY ZIERING is a two-time Emmy Award–winning and Academy Award nominated documentary filmmaker. Her most recent film, THE BLEEDING EDGE — a Netflix original investigative feature on the medical industry —debuted on the streaming service…

Sue Obeidi

Director of the Hollywood Bureau, Muslim Public Affairs Council

Since the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)’s Hollywood Bureau was launched in 2011, Sue Obeidi has blended the love of her faith with her love of film, television, and digital series to change and expand…

Pamela B. Green

Filmmaker & Creative Director

Pamela B. Green is a co-founder, producer, and creative director at PIC Agency. Originally from New York, Pamela lived most of her life in Europe and Israel. In 2005, she co-founded PIC, an entertainment and…

Lisa Stone

Chief Strategy Officer, Ellevest

Lisa Stone is an entrepreneur and movement-builder with a 20-year track record of creating and launching products and strategies that drive reach and revenue for global brands, media companies, causes and individual voices. Today Lisa…

Debbie Wissel

VP of Advisory Services, Ellevest

Debbie Wissel has spent her career in start-ups and has a passion for launching products and services that address a tremendous social need; helping people manage money decisions better. At Ellevest, she leads Advisory Services,…

Carly Craig

Creator, Actor

Currently, Carly is co-creator and star of YouTube Premium’s “Sideswiped” and recurring on ABC’s “American Housewife” as Katy Otto’s nemesis, Tara Summers. Though she studied drama for years at The Stella Adler Academy, a conversation with…

Stephanie Allain

Founder, Homegrown Pictures

Stephanie Allain is one of the most prolific African-American film producers working today. Her award-winning films by writer/directors of color, make headlines, launch careers and shape the cultural landscape. Critical acclaim includes Oscars, Independent Spirit…

Nina Shaw

Partner, Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein & Lezcano

Nina Shaw is a founding partner of Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein & Lezcano. Her practice is in the television, motion picture, and live stage area. A native New Yorker, Nina was born and raised…

Cindi Leive

Journalist, Media Leader & Advocate

Cindi Leive is a journalist, media leader and advocate for women. A cultural critic who appears frequently on TV and live events, she is the former editor-in-chief of both Glamour and Self magazines; the force…

Melissa Silverstein

Founder, Women & Hollywood

Melissa Silverstein is a writer and speaker with an extensive expertise in the area of women and Hollywood. She is the founder and publisher of Women and Hollywood, one of the most respected sites for…

Beatriz Acevedo

Award Winning Media Executive, Entrepreneur & Social Impact Advocate

Beatriz Acevedo is a digital pioneer and veteran TV Producer with more than 20 years of entertainment experience, having created, developed and produced hundreds of original, primetime television shows and award-winning digital series in multiple…

Hollis Wong-Wear

Songwriter, Poet and Community Advocate

Hollis Wong-Wear is a songwriter, poet, speaker and community advocate who lives in Los Angeles. She is the lead vocalist of the electronic R&B trio The Flavr Blue, and was GRAMMY nominated for her work…

Debbie Emery

News Editor, The Wrap

Originally from Manchester, England, Debbie Emery has been a News Editor at TheWrap since 2014. Along with handling daily entertainment and industry breaking news, she focuses on sports media and major sporting events such as…

Jaclyn Corin

Co-Founder, March For Our Lives

Jaclyn Corin is a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, and the Co-Founder and chief of operations of March For Our Lives and a gun reform activist. Corin and her colleagues are…

Bria Smith

Student Activist, March For Our Lives

Bria Smith is a 17 year old rising senior from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She advocates for the youth who go unnoticed, silenced and forgotten. She is very active within her community, joining non profits that benefit…