International Women’s Day Conference 2026
Women In Leadership | March 8th, 2026 | Willard Straight Hall, Memorial Room
Registration Open till 03/06 11:59PM:
Registration is required. Entry will not be permitted without registration.
About the Conference
The International Women’s Day Conference (IWDC) is The Smart is Strong Foundation’s flagship annual event, held each year on March 8th at Cornell University.
Now in its nineth year, IWDC brings together students, alumni, faculty, and nationally recognized leaders across industries for a full day of dialogue, mentorship, and cross-sector networking.
The 2026 theme, Women in Leadership, explores how women are shaping power structures, driving innovation, and redefining leadership across law, policy, business, tech, healthcare, Indigenous governance, and STEM.
This year’s conference is shaping up to be one of the most dynamic and impactful yet.
2026 Featured Speakers
We are honored to bring together powerhouse leaders across industries, including:
Hannah Riley Bowles - Harvard Kennedy School
Leading global expert on gender and negotiation; Co-Director of the Women and Public Policy Program
Lorraine Hariton
Former IBM Executive; Appointee under President Barack Obama; Former CEO of Catalyst
Avalon Fenster ’27
Cornell Law; @theinternshipgirl; Forbes 30 Under 30
Julie Coffman
Chief Diversity Officer, Bain & Company
Nikita Gupta
VP Product at Yello; exited founder; Forbes 30 Under 30 (Enterprise Technology)
Priya Abiram
NASA and Blue Origin; Aerospace Engineer and STEM Leader
Dr. Kathleen Walsh
Weill Cornell Medicine; Global health equity and drug-resistant TB researcher
Dr. Lori V. Quigley
Seneca Nation; National leader in Indigenous education and policy
Pat Reilly
Former IBM leader; Long-standing advocate for community leadership and mentorship
Timeline
10:00 A.M. - Welcome Address by Smart is Strong Leadership
10:10 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. - Intro Fireside Chat Lorraine Hariton and Q&A
11:00 A.M. - 11:40 A.M. - Julie Coffman Fireside Chat and Q&A
11:40 A.M. - 12:10 P.M. - Talk by Priya Abiram and Q&A
12:10 P.M. -1:10 P.M. - Lunch Buffet & Round Table Networking
1:10 P.M.- 2:10 P.M. - Q&A Panel with Nikita Gupta, Priya Abiram, Pat Reilly & Kathleen Walsh
2:10 P.M. - 2:45 P.M. - Presentation by Dr. Lori Quigley
2:50 P.M.- 3:25 P.M. - Talk by Avalon Fenster
3:30 P.M.- 4:15 P.M. - Gender & Negotiation by Hannah Riley Bowles
4:15 P.M.- 4:50 P.M. - WIPP workshop policy simulation
4:50 P.M. - Closing Remarks