Join us at the Weatherhead Leadership Conference, where we will gather to explore the transformative power of leadership in a world undergoing rapid change. In the midst of this flux, leadership matters more than ever. Whether we lead organizations, communities or families, we hold the power to shape culture, foster connection and create spaces that honor our shared humanity
Inspired by women who strive to lead with intentionality, humanity and heart, this conference invites leaders from all walks of life to engage in meaningful dialogue and reflection on what it means to lead with purpose and compassion.
Key Themes and Highlights:
- Human-Centered Leadership: This approach emphasizes the importance of prioritizing people alongside organizational success. Attendees will learn how to create cultures anchored in respect, trust and inclusivity, fostering environments where everyone can thrive. By embracing authenticity and courage, leaders can build communities that are resilient and adaptable in the face of change.
- Workshops and Learning Tracks: Participants can choose from a variety of workshops covering themes such as Human-Centered Leadership, Culture and AI/Technology. These interactive sessions offer practical tools and strategies for shaping environments that value and connect people. Attendees will gain fresh insights into how culture is intentionally formed through leadership behavior and collective influence, equipping them with actionable approaches to building enduring cultures.
- Closing Panel Discussion: Economic Trends & Implications: As the day concludes, a dynamic panel of thought leaders will delve into economic forces shaping our present and future. This conversation will ground big-picture trends in the lived realities of leadership, offering insights into how leaders can respond with clarity, courage and care.
- Networking: Throughout the conference, participants will meet other professionals in attendance. Additionally, the conference will feature a closing Networking Reception as a capstone.
Discover More: Visit our website for detailed information on sessions, speakers and registration. Attend to connect, learn and lead with greater purpose and humanity. Whether you are an established leader or emerging in your field, this conference offers a unique opportunity to reflect on your leadership approach and engage with a community committed to meaningful change.
Leadership Conference Keynote Addresses Aim to Align and Ignite
Along with two-dozen professionals presenting workshops and panel program options at the conference, two exceptional leaders with diverse life and professional experiences will serve as keynote presenters.
Shelly McNamara
Shelly McNamara is a transformational leader who has spent her career helping people, organizations, and systems grow into their full potential. For more than three decades at Procter & Gamble, she designed bold cultural shifts, developed leaders and built organizations that thrived through change. In her final role as Chief Equality & Inclusion Officer, she helped P&G and its world-famous brands better reflect and serve the diverse people they employ and the billions they serve and touch around the globe.
What sets Shelly apart isn’t just her résumé—it’s her humanity. She’s a bridge builder who sees both truth and possibility with unfiltered clarity. She knows that real change requires both art and science: the frameworks that anchor it and the heart that makes it stick. Whether shaping culture in a boardroom or coaching a leader one-on-one, she brings wisdom with warmth, and a lightness of spirit that makes even tough work feel possible.
Her story is as inspiring as her impact. Born in Cleveland, the youngest of 15 children, Shelly grew up surrounded by community and resilience. She’s a natural storyteller, speaker and writer, with a gift for bringing people together across differences. At her core, Shelly believes we all deserve love, connection and the chance to grow. That belief has fueled her work as an advisor, speaker and advocate around the world.
Today, Shelly serves as Vice Chair of the Board for The Trevor Project, fighting to ensure LGBTQ+ young people can see a bright, hopeful future. She also advises on the University of Michigan’s LS&A Dean’s Advisory Board and is an active alum with Weatherhead.
At home in Cincinnati, Shelly shares life with her wife of 40 years, Cindy, their three grown daughters, and a son-in-law. She’s known for her sparkling eyes, quick humor and the way she makes people feel both seen and inspired.
Shannon Watts
Known as the “summoner of women’s audacity,” Shannon Watts organizes and mobilizes women to create political, electoral and cultural change. Shannon was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People, a Forbes 50 over 50 Changemaker, a Glamour Woman of the Year, a WORTH Magazine Worth 100 and a 2025 Parents Next Gen Award winner. Her most recent book, “Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age,” was an instant New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller.
Under her leadership, Moms Demand Action became one of the largest grassroots movements in the country; the organization is twice as large as the National Rifle Association. After 11 years as a full-time volunteer leader of Moms Demand Action, Shannon stepped down in 2023. When Vice President Kamala Harris became a presumptive presidential nominee in 2024, she organized the largest Zoom gathering in history, mobilizing over 200,000 voters online and raising over $11 million. She also co-hosted Women Wednesdays for Harris with Indivisible, weekly Zoom calls that provided thousands of women with practical guidance on how to take action in the run-up to the 2024 election.
Shannon’s first book, “Fight Like a Mother: How a Grassroots Movement Took on the Gun Lobby and Why Women Will Change the World,” was released in 2019. Her most recent book, “Fired Up,” released in 2025, led to the creation of Firestarter University, a program designed to help women explore their dormant desires and transform their lives, and Bonfire communities, in-person gatherings across the country to help women tap into their political, professional and personal power.
Hear from Shannon Watts and Shelly McNamara, along with dozens of leaders from the region at the Weatherhead Leadership Conference on Thursday, March 5. Learn more about the conference and register here.
