Breakout Sessions
Making Waves: Opening Doors for Women in Male-Dominated Fields
Session Track: Surge and Soar
Let’s face it, many areas of business can feel mostly male. As an emerging female leader, how do you enter, navigate, and succeed in these spaces without losing your identity? And as an established leader, how do you engage the next generation of women when you might still feel unwelcome yourself? In this session, panel members will tell about their journey to become some of the most respected women in traditionally male-dominated fields. They will share their advice and insights about how they got there and explore the challenges they still face. Together we will discuss how we can open doors for each other in male-dominated fields.
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Archelle Georgiou
President - Archelle, MD
Dr. Archelle Georgiou is an experienced advisor, speaker, and author–and also happens to be a physician known to be a lightning rod for change. As a senior executive and the chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare from 1995 to 2007, she dismantled the company’s pre-certification policies that hassled patients and physicians. Since 2008, she has used Archelle, MD as her platform to coordinate a diverse portfolio of business initiatives–all focused on improving health and giving consumers a voice in their own care. She is also an adjunct faculty member and an Executive in Residence at the Carlson School. Georgiou earned her medical degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Sheri Lewis
Vice President, Global Operations, Minimal Invasive Therapies Group - Medtronic
Sheri Lewis has more than 30 years of operations and general business management experience displayed through strong leadership skills spanning multiple business sectors including aerospace, industrial, and medical devices. At Medtronic, she is responsible for leading the operations strategy for 31 facilities and manufacturing plants with nearly 16,000 employees. Among her leadership roles, she serves as the appointed chair of the Medtronic Women’s Network (MWN). She is also a certified Medtronic Coach and active mentor to many leaders across the organization. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management from Concordia University and is a Certified Purchasing Manager from the National Association of Purchasing Managers.
Lori Reese Earley
CEO/Owner - Wonderwoman Construction, LLC
In 1990, Lori Reese Earley fulfilled a childhood dream and launched her own business – Wonderwoman Construction – knowing it would take superhuman powers to succeed in a man’s world. She already had the gifts of strength and stamina from growing up on a farm. She added a woman’s ability to nurture– setting herself apart from the competition by taking the time needed to help clients gain confidence in their decisions. This proved to be beneficial when she began incorporating better building techniques and energy efficiency into her business. Reese Earley knows from experience that thinking and acting like a superhero woman will overcome many obstacles that get in your way.