The Women's Conference: About Us


The Women’s Conference is the nation’s premier forum for women, and its mission is to empower women to be Architects of Change in their homes, their workplaces, their communities and the world around them.

The Conference Event

The Women's Conference event was originally established in 1985 by Governor George Deukmejian as The California Governor & First Lady's Conference on Women, a nonpartisan forum for women small business owners. At that time, women-owned businesses were failing at a high rate and the conference was created to provide support to this growing sector of the economy and help women access funding and resources.

Since 2004, under California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver's leadership, the event has  grown into the largest one-day conference for women in the nation and has become an iconic destination for world opinion leaders, entrepreneurs, visionaries, tastemakers, spiritual figures, authors, journalists, artists, and women from all walks of life to share perspectives, find common ground, undergo transformative experiences and create lasting legacies.

During this time, The Women's Conference has featured such high-profile speakers as His Holiness the Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, Oprah Winfrey, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, Barbara Walters, Jane Fonda, Queen Noor of Jordan, Martha Stewart, Tyra Banks, Tim Russert, Tom Brokaw, Queen Rania, Maureen Dowd, Sandra Day O'Connor, Thomas Friedman, Anna Quindlen, and Billie Jean King. These world-renowned speakers, and many others, have addressed the issues and concerns important to women today including family, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, politics, spirituality, health, aging and financial planning.

The annual event is held at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California.

The 14,000 women who attend The Women’s Conference come from all over California, but primarily Southern California. They range in age from 16 to over 65, and are diverse in terms of their occupations, income levels, race and ethnicity, and political affiliations. 

The Conference Organization

A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, The Women’s Conference is led by California First Lady Maria Shriver and her belief in the "power of WE."  The Women’s Conference is a "conference with a conscience" that has formed partnerships, developed programs, and supported initiatives -- in California and beyond -- to extend the inspiration of the conference beyond the day-long event and empower women everywhere.

 

WE Educate: Today's Young Women to Be Leaders of Tomorrow

WE Invest: In the Empowerment of Women Entrepreneurs

WE Connect: You to Money, Opportunities, and Dreams

WE Act: To End Violence Against Women

WE Inspire: Women to Know Their Past and Dare to Make Their Mark on History

WE Honor: Remarkable Women. Remarkable Legacies.

 

>> Click here for more info.

The Conference Leadership Team

Erin Mulcahy Stein is the current Executive Director of The Women's Conference, which is headquartered in Los Angeles.  

The Women's Conference Board of Directors

* Jillian Manus

* Tanya Lopez Brooks

* Vicky Carlson

* Larry Dicke

* Cristina Ferrare Thomopolous

* Susan Froomer

* Lindy Dekoven

* Diane Jones Lowrey

* Donna Lucas

* Jan Miller

* Bonnie Reiss

* Amy Rosenberg - Ex Officio

* Michael Rourke

* Nadine Schiff

* Nicole Taylor 

* Margita Thompson

The Women's Conference Website Team

*Editor-in-Chief - Cherie Simon

*Editorial Manager - Emma Brownell

*Web Producer - Ande Dagan

The Conference Community

Every year, women leave The Women’s Conference feeling transformed – they are inspired to make change happen in their lives, empowered to serve their communities, and emboldened to reach goals that once seemed out of reach. WomensConference.org is "The Home for Architects of Change," a place with resources, programs, and tools to keep this feeling alive throughout the year, connect these women to many others around the world, and remind all women of their power to be “architects of change."

We have incorporated the latest in design and technology to connect, educate, empower and inspire women in California and beyond. Please join our mailing list to get our newsletter and other important information. We also welcome you to join the conversation on our discussion boards and view and comment on our multimedia galleries.