2008 Speakers

Ms. Cristeta Comerford – Originally from Manila, Philippines - Columbia, Maryland, USA

As the first female executive chef for the White House, Cris Comerford's schedule is never dull. From state dinners to casual meals in the East Wing, Comerford's menus are as diverse and multi-cultural as her training. With rave reviews from First Lady Laura Bush, Comerford is a treat to have in the White House and at the fifth annual International Women's Leadership Conference.  Read more.

Appearing via video message  – U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

Dr. Condoleezza Rice became the 66th Secretary of State on January 26, 2005. The Secretary's objective of transformational diplomacy is to " work with our many partners around the world to build and sustain democratic, well-governed states that will respond to the needs of their people -- and conduct themselves responsibly in the international system." Read more.

Ambassador Kristie Kenney – Manila, Philippines

A distinguished senior diplomat with the U.S. Department of State, Ambassador Kenney currently   serves as the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines.  Among her leadership roles, Kenney coordinated a critical public-private partnership to addresses the education needs of Filipino child laborers and victims of abusive child labor practices in the Philippines. Read more.

Chief Cathy Lanier – Washington, D.C., USA

Despite low numbers of women in the field of law enforcement, Chief Lanier serves as the first-ever female  Chief  of  Police  for  the  District  of  Columbia.  As  the  former  Commander  of  the  Special  Operations  Division  (SOD),  she  established  the  agency’s  first Homeland  Security/Counter-Terrorism  Branch. Read more.  

Ms. Moira Cameron – London, United Kingdom

Appointed as the first female Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London in 2007, Moira Cameron overcame centuries of inequality in the United Kingdom. Cameron remains the only woman to hold this honored position in the Tower’s 900 year history. Read more.

Ms. Susan Dong – Rancho Bernardo, CA

As vice president of performance excellence for the Electronics & Integrated Solutions (E&IS) operating group of BAE Systems, Susan is responsible for the group's mission success initiatives, program management, and quality assurance programs. Read more.

Ms. Aduei Riak – Originally from Sudan, Africa – Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Currently a paralegal for the Boston law firm, Ropes & Gray, Aduei Riak was one of the 4,000 Sudanese refugees as a child.  Among her stories is the thousand mile walk she took to flee the civil war in Sudan.  At age 23, Riak says, “I’ve seen a lot of things that a person my age should not have been exposed to.” Read more.

Ms. Alison Spencer – Melbourne, Australia

Under Alison Spencer’s leadership as IBM’s Lead Cultural Change, Workforce Transformation, her company has been named “Employer of Choice for Women” by the federal government's Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) for the seventh year in a row.  For her vision and leadership, Spencer herself was named EOWA’s Diversity Leader of the Year in 2003. Read more.

Vernice Armour – Washington, D.C., USA

Vernice Armour earned her pilot's wings in July 2001 and was ranked first in her class. She was recognized as America's first African-American female combat pilot by the Department of Defense and completed two combat tours of duty in the Persian Gulf as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps. Read more.