Leadership Conference Workshops
Workshop Session #1 [11:30AM-12:30PM]
Student Research on Women's Leadership
This session will explore women’s leadership in the arenas of health care, violence against women and politics. Research will be presented by Stevens students and recent alumnae.
Moderator: Dr. Lindsey Swindall, School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Panelists:
Emily Martinez (“The Ongoing Fight Against Violence Toward Indigenous Women”) recently graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts and Technology and a concentration in Design and minors in History and Film Studies. She is currently a student at New York Institute of Technology, where she will be getting a Master’s degree in Graphic Design and Media Innovation. She hopes to become a graphic designer and instructor in the future, and continue to bring other people’s ideas and my own to life through visual and digital art.
Sanja Radan (“The Fight for Equal Healthcare: Women’s Health Activism from the 1960s to Today”) is a 3/4 Science, Technology and Society major. On campus she is involved in Delta Phi Epsilon. She is passionate about integrating perspectives from STS with healthcare systems, and in contributing to more inclusive frameworks that recognize women’s diverse experiences and advance equitable healthcare practices.
Maggie Zarish-Yasunas (“Breaking Stereotypes: United States Evolutionary First Ladies Exceeding Expectations”) is a senior Social Science major in the HASS school at Stevens with minors in Pre-Law & Public Policy, History, Philosophy, Science, Tech & Society, and Medical Humanities. She hopes to pursue politics, legislative work, and/or law after she graduates, and is specifically interested in healthcare, women’s rights, education, voting/election reform, and other advocacy work. Outside of school, Maggie plays on the Stevens Division III Women’s Lacrosse team, is President of the Alpha Phi sorority & Law Society, and is working on political campaigns.
Evelyn Toscarelli (“Women’s Health: The Disparities of Equitable Healthcare Practices”) graduated in May 2025 from Stevens Institute of Technology with a degree in Information Systems and now works in Internal Audit at Prudential Financial. In her free time, she enjoys exploring data analytics, writing, and wellness topics.
Lead with Value: Negotiation as a Leadership Skill
Ever felt awkward asking for more money or unsure how to frame your value? You’re not alone. In this hands-on workshop, executive coach Jamie Lee shares practical tools and mindset shifts—grounded in neuroscience and real-world experience—to help you prepare, communicate, and negotiate with clarity and confidence in any stage of your career.
Jamie Lee is an executive coach who helps marginalized leaders get promoted and better paid without compromising their integrity or values, blending self-advocacy strategies with neuroplasticity tools. A South Korean immigrant inspired by the resilience of her mom who ran a nail salon speaking broken English, she has trained thousands of professionals at leading organizations like Citi, Unilever, and UC Berkeley. Learn more at www.jamieleecoach.com.
Leading with Purpose: College Coaches on Building Winning Teams and Strong Leaders
From fostering team culture to mentoring student-athletes for life beyond sports, hear firsthand how these coaches cultivate winning mindsets, navigate adversity, and shape the next generation of leaders through intentional leadership. Whether you're in athletics, education, or organizational leadership, this session offers powerful insights into what it means to lead with vision, values, and impact.
Moderator: Kileen McNeill ‘27, Women’s Volleyball
Panelists:
Macon Frey is in her third year as Head Women's Volleyball Coach at Stevens with previous stops as an assistant coach at Springfield College and Bridgewater College. She received her masters in Sport Management from Springfield College and a Bachelors in Exercise Science at Bridgewater College. She is passionate about inspiring and helping young people find the leadership type that is most authentic to them and creating opportunities for them to showcase that leadership.
Kathleen Jaeger is entering her third year on the Stevens women's lacrosse staff and was recently promoted to Associate Head Coach. With a background in education, she values relationship building and connections on and off the field to support each player's growth as both an athlete and a person. Kathleen is driven to cultivate a strong team culture by empowering athletes to lead in meaningful ways.
Arik Zeevy ’11
Emily Kaczmarek
Eco-Conscious Leadership in Action: Building Social Consciousness for a Sustainable Future Panel
Moderator: Nicole Assante '26, Environmental Engineering
Panelists:
Olivia Conner-Bennett
Dr. Vaishali Kushwaha
Olivia Cecchi
Workshop Session #2 (1:50PM- 2:50PM)
The Future of STEM Leadership: Why EQ Matters as Much as IQ
In STEM, technical brilliance opens doors, but emotional intelligence (EQ) keeps teams thriving, ideas moving, and leaders effective. This interactive workshop explores why EQ is just as important as IQ for rising STEM leaders, what it actually entails, and practical strategies to cultivate it. Participants will leave with actionable tools to strengthen self-awareness, communication, and team impact: skills that will support you in becoming influential leaders in any STEM environment.
Dr. Victoria Farris is an engaging keynote speaker, leadership strategist, and executive coach, specializing in transformational leadership, DEI, and organizational trust-building. With over a decade of experience working with Fortune 500 companies and leadership teams, she helps executives align leadership with business strategy, foster inclusive workplaces, and build high-performing teams. Her THRIVE framework provides leaders with actionable strategies to drive innovation and meaningful change.
Harnessing the Power of Your Voice
Want to stand out during interviews, speaking engagements, or leadership opportunities, but feeling limited by insecurities about your voice? In this workshop we'll learn reliable techniques for harnessing the mind, body and breath so that we can speak with clarity and confidence.
Emily Jeanne Brown is an actor, musician, and Embodied Voice Coach based in Brooklyn, NY. In 2020, after a decade spent working in professional theater, Emily founded OnVoice Coaching & Consulting to support emerging leaders through body and breath-based techniques. She is passionate about helping policymakers, educators, creatives, entrepreneurs and recent college graduates connect to their voices and values with confidence, presence and purpose. www.emilyjeannebrown.com
Workshop Session #3 (3:00PM-4:00PM)
Listening Labs: Experiments in Connection
In a world overflowing with noise, urgency, and competing priorities, it’s easy to feel unheard. Listening Labs offer a refreshing pause in a judgment-free, advice-free space where presence matters. This welcoming session invites participants to share and listen deeply in structured, time-limited exchanges designed to foster genuine human connection.
Dr. Leo Pedraza (he/him) joined Stevens in November 2018 as the Assistant Dean of Students & Director of Undergraduate Student Life. He has dedicated the last 25 years to helping students succeed in college. Dr. Pedraza is a certified facilitator of Listening Labs, a program that creates guided spaces to strengthen listening skills through structured sharing.
Money Management Basics
This presentation will walk participants through the foundations of money management. We'll cover how to build a realistic budget, track spending, and manage time effectively so that financial routines feel sustainable. The goal is to help participants feel more organized and empowered to take control of their financial lives.
Mia Vellon ‘22 is a financial coach / educator and founder of Iridescent Money, where she helps young professionals feel confident and in control of their finances. Her approach focuses on aligning money with values and goals, making personal finance feel more meaningful. After navigating her own financial challenges at a young age, Mia is passionate about creating a safe space for learning.
Disability Inclusion for Leadership: A Student Panel
Join our student panel to learn more about what it means to become an inclusive leader and lead with access and inclusion in mind. In this panel, we'll define disability inclusion, discuss common barriers to achieving disability inclusion, and learn best practices for being an inclusive leader!