Women's Leadership Institute at The Manhattanville School of Business Hosts Riveting Female-Led Panel

The Women’s Leadership Institute at The Manhattanville School of Business hosted the panel discussion, “Being the Boss,” April 14 at Manhattanville’s historic Reid Castle. Moderated by News 12 Westchester’s Janine Rose, the panel of influential female leaders shared experiences as they rose to their posts, and the lessons learned along the way, including risk-taking, negotiation, and self-confidence.

The “Being the Boss” panel was made up of Clare LeGal, vice president, Fraud Intelligence & Reduction Solutions, MasterCard; Maria Imperial, CEO, YWCA; Fabienne Fredrickson, founder of The Client Attraction Business School, and Jackelyn Melia, employee benefits manager, USI Insurance Services.

“Our role as a leader is two-fold,” Fredrickson said. “First is to have vision, the second is to be strategic. If you can create a really good vision, and if you can map out the strategy as to how the company or the team can get there, your job then is to empower those around you to implement it.”

Melia, Imperial, and LeGal additionally asserted that truth, honesty, and authenticity are key to growth and success. LeGal shared an anecdote of one “lesson in leadership,” watching a senior executive overindulge at a corporate social event.

“That taught me that I have to be the same person I am in social settings that I am in work or at home, and I have to be careful how I react to outside factors – a new environment, heat, wine – to make sure I can still be taken seriously, especially as a woman,” LeGal said. “At that point of time it was a (business) world full of men.”

The Women’s Leadership Institute will continue its events with the first annualWomen’s Leadership and Empowerment Conference on Wednesday, June 3 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The full-day summit will feature keynote speakers Dr. Patricia Galloway, president and CEO of Pegasus Global Holdings, Inc.; Vicki Escarra, global CEO, Opportunity International; Nell Merlino, founding chair, Personal Data Independence Trust; and Evelyne Zakiyyah Robinson Matthews, CEO, diversityofficers.com.

Juana Hart, corporate communications consultant and former TV news anchor and reporter, will be the event’s emcee. The conference will also include workshops, a panel discussion, networking, action planning, and a continental breakfast and lunch.

Advance registration is required. Early-bird pricing is $295 per person, valid through April 30; regular pricing is $395 per person. Registration closes May 29. To learn more, or to register today, visit https://community.mville.edu/msb. Event sponsorship and vendor opportunities also available: http://www.mville.edu/programs/women’s-leadership-institute-wli/sponsorship-and-gift-programs.

The Women’s Leadership Institute, supported by PepsiCo, is the first of its kind at an academic institution in Westchester and surrounding areas, offering a unique academic certificate program, mentoring, coaching, and training opportunities.

“It is our mission to advance the personal and professional development of women by offering a comprehensive array of educational programs, mentoring and coaching, and training,” said Kathy Meany, director of the Women’s Leadership Institute.

Photo 1: (From left to right): Kathy Meany, director of The Manhattanville School of Business Women’s Leadership Institute, with panelists Jackelyn Melia, Fabienne Fredrickson, Clare LeGal, Maria Imperial,and moderator Janine Rose.

Photo 2: (From left to right): Moderator Janine Rose, News 12 anchor; Dr. Anthony Davidson, dean, The Manhattanville School of Business; and Kathy Meany, director, Women’s Leadership Institute.

Photo 3: (From left to right): Panelists Jackelyn Melia, Fabienne Fredrickson, Maria Imperial, Clare LeGal,and moderator Janine Rose.