The Women in Leadership conference began with a small group of women with an interest to make a difference and share knowledge. In 2010, the inaugural Women in Leadership conference was attended by 100 students and professionals. The event featured professional women sharing inspirational stories and leading workshops on issues that matter most to women including balancing work and family, cultural awareness, breaking the glass ceiling and generational differences.
The annual event, now in its 8th year, provides the next generation of senior leaders the opportunity to connect with high-level business leaders through bold conversation on critical topics and move forward into a future where we’ve changed the way we interact with our world and the way the world interacts with us.
Through the years, conference participants have enjoyed presentations by leaders from Fortune 500 companies on a range of topics such as personal branding, leadership, reinventing yourself and entrepreneurship.
Employers and sponsors of the conference value the opportunity give back to the community; nurture students; recruit and develop talent; and become an employer of choice for women. The event also supports the Meinders School of Business students through networking and financial support to attend the event.
Women in Leadership News
http://newsok.com/first-impressions-handshakes-are-key-to-women-in-leadership/article/5493101 NewsOK | April 20, 2016
Powerhouse women leaders encourage others to follow their dreams NewsOK | March 2015
Hong Kong native, former powerhouse executive to keynote OCU women’s leadership conference NewsOK | February 2013
Oklahoma City University women’s leadership attendees learn importance of personal brands NewsOK | March 2013
Top female execs share advice, lessons learned NewsOK | April 2012
Women in Leadership Founders
Melissa Cory
Melissa Cory is the Director of Communications & Executive and Professional Education Center for the Meinders School of Business at Oklahoma City University. She provides the strategic leadership and partners with professionals and organizations to meet talent growth and professional development initiatives through executive education, leadership development, and high-impact professional events and programs.
She is the Co-Founder of the Women in Leadership Conference and is a Certified CDR Executive Coach for talent management and leadership development.
Prior to joining OCU, she served as a Project Manager at Eateries, Inc. a national restaurant chain operating under the names Garfield’s Restaurant & Pub, Pepperoni Grill Italian Bistros and Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant.
She has experience in the oil & gas industry and working with ISO 9001 certified companies. Melissa participates in civic activities, the running community and is an OKCBiz 40 Under 40 Award Recipient. She is a member of the Project Management Institute, Association of Fundraising Professionals and holds a Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Central Oklahoma.
Barbara Crandall
Barbara Sigmon Crandall, Ph.D., is a native Oklahoman and Professor Emeritus of Management at the Meinders School of Business. Barbara specializes in organizational behavior, organizational culture and leadership. She also serves on many campus committees. Barbara is a certified mediator, has contributed articles and cases to several books and taught in China, England, Malaysia, Singapore, Canada and Nicaragua. She has been involved in fundraising and building the Ronald McDonald House of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Children’s Health Foundation and Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Debbie Fleming
Deborah S. Fleming is Executive in Residence for Energy Programs and Adjunct Professor of Finance at Oklahoma City University.
Debbie Fleming most recently served as vice president and treasurer of SemGroup Corporation and Rose Rock Midstream in Tulsa. She joined SemGroup in 2010 and was responsible for the refinancing of the company after it emerged from a very public and complex bankruptcy. In 2011, Fleming financed, and assisted in, the initial public offering of Rose Rock Midstream, the company’s MLP, comprised of domestic crude oil storage and marketing assets. She was also responsible for the company’s corporate finance, banking, cash management, and insurance functions. Fleming completed this assignment in February 2012.
Before joining SemGroup, Fleming was vice president and treasurer of OGE Energy Corporation where she was responsible for the corporate finance group encompassing treasury and banking operations, cash forecasting, financial planning, business unit budgeting, investor relations, and pension plan/401-K oversight. Fleming also gained experience as the assistant treasurer and other corporate financial roles during her 18 year career with for Williams. Her primary responsibilities were for the bank and rating agency relationships, all debt and equity product structuring and negotiations, debt compliance, cash flow forecasting, capital markets derivatives and FX decisions along with investments and plan options for the company’s pension and 401K plans.
Donna Miller
Donna Miller, founder and president of the Executive Resource Center, has had more than 30 years of hands-on experience as an executive in Fortune 500 companies, an award-winning talent management consultant and an executive coach. The theme of Donna’s career has been around initiating, driving and managing organizational transformations. Donna’s work experience in fast-changing industries allows her to help clients excel in volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environments that require a high degree of flexibility and innovation.
Donna has her MBA in Organizational Development from the University of Colorado at Denver and a BA in Business Administration and Psychology from Baylor University. Donna has a passion for making a difference and driving positive change. She is on the Board of the YWCA, co-founded the Women in Leadership Conference at OCU, orchestrated the first Oklahoma 2020 Women on Boards event and acts as the Women President’s Organization Chapter Chair for the state of Oklahoma. Donna is often asked to speak to groups of all kinds on the topics of leading change, improving organizational performance and developing leaders.