This week we held the latest globinar "Women in Global Leadership" and for the first time after 6 years of programs we focused on key leaders in international economic development. Amazing! These women are extraordinary, and you'll enjoy listening to the recording on youtube HERE.
Global Chamber® "Women in Global Leadership" events began in the early days Global Chamber®, and we hold them regularly, typically by region.
Normally we have a man in the panel but this time the only man was the co-moderator... Doug Bruhnke - founder/CEO of Global Chamber. Special thanks to Barb LaMue of New North for her expert moderation that got things working perfectly smoothly.
Some of the highlights of this conversation for me were...
- Katy Sinnott talked about having the courage of conviction to be thoughtful, decisive and sticking to both your decisions and your principles.
- Katy also discussed how the expectations for women leaders in the workplace are still different regarding appearance.
- Stephanie Agee addressed the definition of 'what is global leadership' and it transcends gender.
- Jeanine Jerkovic has some great comments about women leaders as connectors, and how those skills really help in economic development.
- Holly Milburn-Smith shared her own experience with biases and how we each need to be careful to not let gender bias creep in.
- Carrie Cole recounted how tech firm Gazelle.ai celebrates equity and diversity, and reminded us of how important that is.
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- Katy Sinnott - Vice President of Global Trade and Investment with Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
- Jeanine Jerkovic - Economic Development Director with City of Surprise, Arizona
- Stephanie Agee - Vice President, International Trade with Virginia Economic Development Partnership
- Carrie Cole - Vice President of Sales with Gazelle.ai
- Holly Milburn-Smith - City Hub and Network for Gender Equity (CHANGE) Project Coordinator at Mayor's Fund for Los Angeles
Moderators
- Barb LaMue CEcD, EDFP - President & CEO at New North, Inc.
- Doug Bruhnke - founder/CEO at Global Chamber®
Speaker Bios
Katy Sinnott
Katy Sinnott is Vice President of Global Trade and Investment with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). In this role, she is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to grow Wisconsin’s economy in three key areas: helping Wisconsin companies expand and accelerate their exports, expanding and growing key driver industries by working with key stakeholders in the state, and through attracting both foreign and national investment into Wisconsin.
Katy has more two decades of business management and financial services experience, working in more than 40 countries with an emphasis on China. Before joining WEDC, she was the CEO and a board director for ERIC Paris Salons, a chain of salons based in China. Under her leadership as CEO, the company expanded from three salons to 38 in three years. At its peak, the company had revenues of $6 million and 450 employees.
Prior to that, Katy was a consultant in Hong Kong for McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm. In this role, she oversaw the merger of two global television tube manufacturers spread across multiple continents and helped design a customer loyalty program for China’s second-largest oil company. Katy also held several positions in Hong Kong with HSBC Ltd., one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations. She is experienced in redesigning bank business processes and ensuring information services are business-driven.
A Wisconsin native, Katy holds a BS in finance from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. After college, she was awarded a scholarship to attend the Chinese University of Hong Kong through Yale University, where she completed a nine-month intensive studies course in Mandarin. She is conversant in Chinese and French.
**Jeanine **Jerkovic
Jeanine Jerkovic, CEcD– BIO is the Economic Development Director of the City of Surprise and was recognized in 2019 as “Economic Developer of the Year” by the Arizona Association for Economic Development and named one of Arizona Business Magazine’s 2021 “Most Influential Women in Arizona.” Jeanine has a B.A. from Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University and has an MSc from the London School of Economics in the UK. Jeanine and her husband Velko and their two children live in Surprise, Arizona.
More info on the Surprise Economic Development Department here.
Follow Jeanine...
Stephanie Agee
Stephanie Agee serves as Vice President of International Trade with Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), providing leadership and oversight of programs designed to support Virginia companies in growing their international sales. Before starting this role in January 2020, Stephanie led marketing and development activities at the Virginia Department of Agriculture, developing and implementing innovative domestic and international marketing programs and economic development strategies designed to enhance the profitability of Virginia agribusinesses.
Prior to this, Stephanie served in multiple positions in VEDP’s International Trade Division, where she worked with Virginia companies to develop and implement international sales strategies, identify and access target export markets, and provide counsel on specific international business issues. Stephanie also worked for the U.S. Government Accountability Office where she analyzed international trade and security assistance programs.
Stephanie holds a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Maryland and a B.A. in International Studies and Political Science from Virginia Tech.
Carrie Cole
Carrie Cole joined the Gazelle.ai team in 2018 and is now Vice President of Business Development. She leads interaction with economic development professionals to support their business attraction and retention efforts through Gazelle.ai. Prior to joining the Gazelle.ai team, Carrie worked with Insyteful, an economic development marketing group, and gained valuable skills in website development, digital marketing, and strategic planning for economic development communities. She is a graduate of Auburn University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and Marketing.
Holly Milburn-Smith
Holly Milburn-Smith serves as the project lead for the City Hub and Network for Gender Equity (CHANGE) in the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. CHANGE is the world’s first international network of cities focused on advancing gender equity in local governments and city policies.
Prior to joining the Mayor’s team in 2021, Holly worked throughout the U.S. and internationally in community-based development with a focus on youth and families. She began her career in international development in Southern Africa and went on to lead programs that serve incarcerated mothers and their children in New York state prisons, manage workforce development opportunities for justice-involved youth in Chicago, and develop educational partnerships serving children with disabilities in Haiti. She enjoys studying urban and social policy and has recently completed research for the TIME’S UP Foundation and USC’s Sol Price Center for Social Innovation.
Holly holds a B.A. from Transylvania University in her home state of Kentucky as well as a Master of Public Policy and Certificate in Public Financial Management from the University of Southern California’s Price School of Public Policy.
Moderators
Barb LaMue CEcD, EDFP - President & CEO at New North, Inc. New North is an 18-county regional economic development corporation in northeast Wisconsin whose mission is to be a catalyst for regional prosperity for all through collaborative action. This is done primarily through the creation, implementation, and marketing of regional strategies for business and talent development.
Prior to this role Barb served as Vice President of business and community development for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). In addition to working with companies and communities on growth strategies and investments, she directed Downtown and Minority Business Development and has over 23 years of senior leadership experience in economic development.
Barb holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics from Lakeland College. She is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), a designation granted by the International Economic Development Council that is the industry gold standard for excellence in the profession. She also received her Economic Development Finance Professional certification through the National Development Council. She is a recent past president of the Mid-American Economic Development Council (representing 12 Midwestern states) and recent board members with the Wisconsin Economic Development Association, UW Madison Grainger Institute, and the UW-Stevens Point Wisconsin Sustainable Technology Institute (WIST). Barb currently serves on the boards of the Transportation Development Association, the Wisconsin Business Development Finance Corporation, Wisconsin Procurement Institute, On Broadway District, and the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). She is also a Commissioner with the Brown County Harbor Commission, Board member of UWGB’s Institute for Women’s Leadership, and Advisory Board member of African Heritage, Inc. Barb has been appointed by governors of both parties to serve on various state commissions.
Doug Bruhnke - Founder/CEO of Global Chamber®. Doug is a global entrepreneur dedicated to helping members of Global Chamber® successfully reach new markets across 525 metros - everywhere! He is a two-time expat with Dupont in Tokyo and Singapore with 35 years of global business experience in nearly all countries and segments. Doug is also regional advisor for U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and a member of Arizona District Export Council, British American Business Council of Northern California and more. He has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Utah and an EMBA from Michigan State University, and is co-inventor on 5 patents. Doug was born in Mount Kisco, New York and now is based in Scottsdale, Arizona and Palo Alto, California. Hear the Global Chamber® story here.
Global Chamber® is a unique, dynamic, collaborating and fast-growing chamber of commerce dedicated to growing member businesses anywhere, a 'global tribe' of trusted CEOs, executives, and top leaders in 525 metro regions around the world, located everywhere. We proactively help member organizations to export, import, invest and grow globally with direct assistance through warm introductions that generate clients, partners, projects and reliable resources. Across 525 chapters we deliver over 500 events per year to further connect members to prospective clients and leaders that support growth and success, and reduce risk and costly mistakes. Be global and UNSTOPPABLE! Global Chamber® is a registered trademark of Global Chamber, LLC since 2014.
Originally published at https://www.globalchamber.org/blog/2022/01/15/global-chamber/women-in-global-leadership-economic-development/
