MARY Talks

Women have been told for years that they can’t. They shouldn’t. They wouldn’t. But we have time and time again. And yet, there still seems to be a battle for women when it comes to the sports industry and other aspects of our lives. In this talk, I tell my own story growing up playing ice hockey and the challenges that have come with it over the years, both on and off the ice. This reflection, now done while in the position of assistant coach for William & Mary's ice hockey team, will serve as a reminder that although much progress has been made, there is more to be had not just on the ice, the field or the court, but also in our lives generally speaking.

Noor Scavotto ’24

Having graduated in 2020, I was launched into teaching in the midst of the pandemic. Beginning my career in Newport News Public Schools, I was juggling the demands of standardized testing with the students' social and emotional needs over a computer. My eighth graders came to me below grade-level on their reading, with one student being as low as a kindergarten level of comprehension. Even though I did not have a student physically in my classroom until March, we were still asked to administer the reading and writing SOL. Oftentimes, I didn't see my students' faces or hear their voices, but I still worked on creating a community of care and responsibility. My students faced many personal struggles, but I worked on fostering joy and resilience in my classroom. My students grew so much over the course of the year, and I would like to share some of the lessons that I learned about working with youth and how important it is to support our students emotionally and mentally.

Katharine Brownfiel ’20

"Sit down, shut up and look pretty." As women, we've all heard some version of that phrase throughout our lives. Whether in class, at work or even at home, the assumption that we are meant to be seen and not heard still persists today. But what happens when we defy that assumption? What happens when we grow comfortable with being loud and taking up space? This talk would explore the benefits of owning your voice, pulling from experiences in my life thus far as well as from the success stories of other women who have conquered their own silence.

Sally Calengor ’23

At some point in their lives, 95% of women will be the primary financial decision maker.* Yet while over two thirds of women surveyed feel confident managing their household budget, only 14% of women say they know a lot about investing and saving, and only about one third feel confident in their ability to make financial decisions and plan for retirement. In fact, 61% of women would rather talk about their own death than money! Women, on average, live five years longer than men, meaning they have more years of retirement to save for and will spend, on average, nearly $200,000 more on health care. 41% of women report not investing more is their biggest financial regret and 59% say they are not doing a good job using investing to pursue their financial goals, with 60% saying not having the knowledge to invest is their number one barrier. For women who do invest, 77% report feeling they will be able to save enough money to last them the rest of their lives. Studies have shown that confidence leads to action. Your only sure investment is an investment in yourself. Leave empowered to learn and grow your financial knowledge and your assets. The buck stops with you.

Margaret Corcillo ’85

Life is a series of decisions — we all know that. But when it comes to careers, women (in particular) have to think of the long game when making decisions. A successful career (and to some degree, life) is about taking an active approach that includes taking risks. But we are often not coached on how to do this effectively. We are often minimized from a young age on how to think “big.” This is a talk for anyone who wants to know how to dream, how to take action and how to ascend your rock wall.

Nicole Drapeau ’87

The presence of gender bias, discrimination, sexism and racism are real in the workplace. For the needle to move, organization leaders should reconsider what leadership looks like, focus on potential and have tough and uncomfortable conversations about women and women of color in their organizations.

But what if they do not or are taking too long?

This talk will remind learners that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion challenges still exist for women and women of color in the workplace. Learners will find out how to develop their own "Power Strategies" to address the issues. Learners will be encouraged to share their "Power Strategies" with other women.

Mitzi Keyes Glass ’81

India is a land of extremes – from literacy rates to socioeconomic status to impacts from climate change.

With 1.3 billion people, 41% of whom are under the age of 18, the youth of India are one of its greatest resources. The question is, how can we mold these students and set them on a path of contributing toward the betterment of society. As a program manager and senior mentor at the 1M1B Foundation (1 Million for 1 Billion), I and my colleagues are working toward this goal.

Our flagship programs, Future Leaders and The Purpose Academy, teach middle and high school students skills such as problem solving, creative thinking, business modeling and communication skills. We introduce the students to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We ask them to explore the SDGs to find a cause that resonates with them and where they feel they can make a difference.

With this background, students discover their passion. Through one-on-one mentoring and their own hard work, they create and run projects contributing to attainment of the SDG goals. We focus on local actions and advocacy as the means by which the students can create impact. The programs are designed to push the students out of their comfort zone to learn, grow and contribute.

We then amplify their voices by creating opportunities for students to present their projects and accomplishments to global business and social impact leaders. The year-long program culminates in a visit to the United Nations or to University of California, Berkeley, where the students present their work and experience firsthand what it means to be a global leader with a cause.

Through our 1M1B youth-centered programs, we strive to develop human-centered leaders who value people more than business and profits. We are developing a conscious workforce for the future whose core values are centered on care for people and the planet.

By presenting this topic at the W&M Women’s Weekend, I hope to share the success and challenges of creating the next generation of leaders in one of the world’s most populous and diverse countries.

Irene Manning ’89

From seminars to tributes to announcements to toasts, most of us find ourselves in front of an audience at some point in our lives. This interactive talk explores how we can speak our truth most effectively by focusing on what’s in our control: our breath, our bodies and our preparation. Through physical presentation techniques and practical strategies to relieve performance anxiety, we can offer our best, most authentic selves on all of life’s stages and train our butterflies to fly in formation.

Melanie Martin Long ’89

Join retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Maureen O’Toole, class of ’85, for a quick march through American history to meet some incredible women warriors who shaped history but rarely made history books. Long before we could own property, vote, or have a credit card, women served as spies, sentinels, dressed as men and fought, and so much more. Meet women from the Revolutionary War to the Global War on Terrorism who broke barriers and crashed through a ceiling that wasn’t glass but armor. Ready, set, march!

Maureen O’Toole ’85

As a neuroscientist who has studied the molecules that help the brain during development and then function throughout life, Maria Donoghue Velleca became W&M’s dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences in July 2020. She is deeply committed to the liberal arts philosophy of educating our students and confident that, done properly, broad intellectual engagement transforms the way students see themselves and forges engagement in new ideas throughout life. In this talk, Dean Donoghue Velleca will introduce us to brain function, discuss what is happening during early adulthood to circuitry, how learning and memory occurs, and how stress and mindfulness affect function. In the end, knowing about how the structure and neurochemistry of the brain affect behavior brings important insights into our students’ development (and ours!).

Maria Donoghue Velleca, W&M dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences

The great resignation is wreaking havoc on the economy. People continue to leave their jobs at alarming rates and experts forecast that it will only get worse. Many organization leaders are bracing themselves to weather the storm of burnout. Are we to lie down and accept the inevitable wave or stop to ask questions and seek to understand that the crisis is a reaction to a toxic environment we've helped to create? In this session, we will explore the great resignation through the lens of America's 3rd largest workforce, the nonprofit sector, and delve into how the crisis can be used as an invitation for leaders to transform their environment from toxic to thriving.

Sequoia Brown Owen ’12

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This talk will serve as a brief look at my dissertation study focused on examining undergraduate college women who actively participate in collegiate comedy troupes that center women. In the talk, I will highlight a few takeaways from the study and focus on the importance of humor, comedy and levity as it connects to relationship building.

Jaymi Thomas, doctoral candidate at the W&M School of Education

This talk is about living in our most authentic form, being true to ourselves, and manifesting the life we want by owning our own truths. I will be talking about how to find your authentic self, the struggles that will come during the process and the beauty of the journey.

Having grown up in trauma, learning to live in my most authentic form has allowed me to manifest the life I want. I learned to be unapologetically my most authentic self and the results have been more than I have ever imagined. It is my goal to teach other women how to be true to themselves to build the life they want.

Kelli Bergmann, doctoral candidate at the W&M School of Education

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When we hear about learning disabilities, we think of children struggling with reading, writing, word comprehension and other verbal skills. Such learning disabilities are diagnosed early, prior to or at the start of school. Yet approximately 3 million children in the U.S. have nonverbal learning disabilities (NVLD), a disorder which causes deficits in quantitative reasoning, visual-spatial processing, executive functioning, ability to manage change, fine motor skills and even social skills — deficits present in the autism spectrum. NVLD is poorly understood and frequently overlooked, especially because it’s often disguised by strong verbal skills. My experience with NVLD began as an emotionally traumatic crash course with my 13-year-old verbally precocious daughter who began to fall apart. I will share aspects of the long, bumpy, yet surprisingly rewarding journey that my daughter and I have been on. And, as a parent participant in the Columbia University project on nonverbal learning disabilities, which studies NVLD in individuals until age 30, I will raise critically needed awareness of NVLD and identify strategies and resources to support children, parents and teachers.

Clorisa Phillips ’77, Society of 1918 Steering Committee

In the Disney movie "Encanto," the matriarchal Madrigal family is known for their magical gifts. But the strength and perfection they display hides the anxiety they feel to live up to inner and outer expectations. When Mirabel, supposedly the only family member without a gift, exposes the cracks in the family's façade, it sets in motion the dismantling necessary for rebuilding a healthier foundation.

This talk will use the movie's storyline to explore the personal, familial and societal pressures women face and demonstrate how talking about and prioritizing our mental health is key to our individual and collective flourishing.

Jenny Call ’99, W&M wellness professional

W&M is a vibrant and inclusive community cultivating principled, compassionate leaders. I will discuss W&M's core value of service and how being of service is mutually beneficial, incorporating leadership, philanthropy, and giving back. As a supporter of a meaningful, impactful non-profit on a development committee, I will highlight SCAN of Northern Virginia (NoVA). SCAN's vision is that every child in NoVA will grow up with the resources needed to contribute to stronger communities today and as adults tomorrow. SCAN has positively impacted children across NoVA for over 30 years, supporting over 2,000 children and parents through educational programs, training over 5,100 professionals to protect children better, supporting over 1,500 children in foster care, and designating court-appointed special advocates. I also have an inspirational book written by local Williamsburg, VA authors to recommend: Reshuffled: Real Stories of Hope and Resilience from Foster Care.

Kathleen Carroll M.B.A. ’22

No one took my "tomboy" childhood seriously until I earned an athletic scholarship in college.
Follow the personal and social impacts of the passage of Title IX as we celebrate 50 years of this landmark legislation.

This talk will include a brief review of women's athletics as seen through the eyes of a W&M athlete/coach and current athletics administrator.

Peel Hawthorne ’80, senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator, W&M Athletics

Anna Hyatt Huntington was a prolific and long living American sculptor at a time when few women worked in the field. Mostly self taught, she had a successful career when she met philanthropist Archer Huntington. Together, they gave most of their fortune away to museums, parks and other organizations dedicated to the public good. As founders of Brookgreen Gardens, they created the nation’s first sculpture garden, now celebrating its 90th anniversary. The gardens also hold a special place in women's history for a national historic landmark designation for the number and significance of the work of women artists in the collection.

Page Hayhurst Kiniry ’88

One of the biggest issues that holds people back from stepping into their power and purpose in business is feeling like a fraud. This talk will empower participants to begin dismantling the voice in their head that says they can’t succeed.

I’ll share true stories and my five-part framework for accessing your creative power, releasing perfectionism and overthinking, and growing your business, career and life in alignment with who you really are.

Most of all, I’ll give participants full permission to own their joy and genius, so they can follow their callings to love and service while making the impact they were born to make.

Elizabeth Hope Derby ’07

Agency is often used synonymously for trendy terms such as healthy boundaries or being empowered — both supposedly things we're striving for, right? Boundaries and empowerment, as well as entitlement, can be alienating, isolating and limiting.

True agency builds community; true agency leads us to our personal essence, to who we are and who we want to be. Agency is not always easy to grasp, not always easy to practice ... but it's always worth it. It's a skill, a concept, a noun and a verb and I will share the five steps to learning the skill of agency in your everyday life.

Juliana Hauser Ph.D. ’05

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Pandemic exhaustion. Languishing. Political uncertainty. Systemic racism. A teetering democracy. Ambiguous loss. Personal grief. Did I leave anything out? The list of challenges seems to keep growing, and as we become more and more depleted, our anxiety and our tendency to judge others harshly seem to be getting the upper hand more often.

We're tired, and our brains (energy hogs that they are) are pushed to the limit, leaving us vulnerable, raw and quicker to anger. We run out of capacity for difficult thought processes, so we use shortcuts to deflect pain and make ourselves feel better in the moment, including offloading negative emotions on others, which leads us to an even more fractured society, where the cycle begins again.

In this talk, I'll describe a transformational practice that has helped me recover more quickly from the daily barrage of unpleasantness and ambiguity. I'll share the practical tool I use most often to keep my perspective focused on bringing my best self to every encounter, so I can do my best work in the world.

Amy Steindler ’80

Everyone has a superpower. It’s your unique genius that that will make a difference in the world, in your work and in your personal life. Major unexpected challenges can turn your superpower upside down if you aren’t prepared. Consider how COVID-19, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the tectonic shifts of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and 3-D printing have completely altered the world, work and the personal. What major challenges have impacted your life? Were you ready? In this Mary Talk, I’ll share research on the characteristics of innovation leadership and explore how you can cultivate this very special aspect of leadership. Innovation leadership prepares you for the unanticipated and can expand your superpower in completely new ways.

Karen Maples ’76, M.B.A. ’78

Too often, we listen to colleagues or conversation partners without really hearing them. In the process, we miss the opportunity to truly connect with that person and the potential for innovation that resides in a full collaboration.

Generative listening helps listeners better understand others’ perspectives and helps speakers feel more understood and less threatened. It also is the only way to unlock the hidden potential in a collective effort, inclusive of diverse viewpoints and assumptions.

In this session, you will be introduced to a Levels of Listening framework that you can leverage as a self-assessment and we will experience the power of generous listening to build trust quickly among strangers.

Dorian Baroni ’81

As a part of the year-long Conservation Research Project, I have been working with William &^ Mary’s Institute for Integrative Conservation and Céline Cousteau, filmmaker and environmentalist, to create a curriculum for children ages 9-12 that teaches them about environmental interconnectedness and sustainability from the perspective of the critically endangered indigenous Marubo tribe.

Indigenous peoples only make up 4% of the global population, yet they nurture 80% of the world’s biodiversity on their land. One of the most biodiverse regions in the world is the Brazilian Amazon, which is home to many different Indigenous groups and hosts the highest concentration of uncontacted communities in the world. Our project will focus on the Marubo tribe that resides in the Javari Territory of the rainforest. The struggles and survival of the Marubo tribe is documented in Cousteau’s documentary “Tribes on the Edge” (2021).

Using the film as inspiration, we drafted eight lessons that investigate and celebrate the key connections that bind us to the Amazon rainforest community: air and water, biodiversity, health and well-being, food and natural resources. Because of the massive learning potential of young students, we believe that teaching them about our interconnectedness, both locally and globally, is a promising way to ensure that newer generations can take charge and take care of their future.

Tara Vasanth ’23

In this fun, engaging and informative session, I'll cover the topic of the Imposter Syndrome and how to transform it into success. We'll discuss common myths about Imposter Syndrome, what the fields of neuroscience and psychology have to say about it, how it impacts leaders across the globe and how to coach ourselves and our teams through the experience.

This session is perfect for anyone who has ever doubted their abilities, felt unqualified for the role they want, or believed they simply "lucked in" to their job.

Participants will come away with actionable tools to boost confidence and morale for themselves and their teams.

Erin Berube M.B.A. ’15