Women’s Impact Summit Brings Big Ideas and Bold Energy to Oakland
The room was full and the energy was electric as women executives, entrepreneurs and civic leaders from across the region gathered at the PG&E Auditorium in Oakland on Oct. 28 for the Bay Area Council’s 3rd annual Women’s Impact Summit presented by Kaiser Permanente. Headlined by California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom with a powerful introduction by Bay Area Council CEO Libby Schaaf, the Summit convened some of the most influential women leaders in California for a morning of candid conversations on leadership, economic opportunity and the policies shaping the future of women in our workforce.
Siebel Newsom, in a lengthy, personal and deeply informative conversation moderated by Dr. Rita Ng from Kaiser Permanente, brought her longtime advocacy for gender equity and the advancement of women and girls to a room full of leaders ready to put those ideals into action.
In Women Building Wealth and Navigating Politics, former U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios, Chair of America250, and Andrea DeVincenzi, Managing Director and Senior Financial Advisor at Wells Fargo, shared their perspectives on building wealth and achieving success amid today’s divisive political climate, and what it will take to bridge our differences and work together on our biggest challenges. Carla Peterman, President of PG&E Corporation and Executive Vice President, Customer & Corporate Affairs, joined San Jose Clean Energy Executive Director Lori Mitchell for a timely conversation on energy affordability, grid reliability and powering the Bay Area’s innovation economy.
The State of the Girl: Shaping Tomorrow’s Workforce panel brought together Mary-Jane Strom, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Northern California; Abby Raisz, VP of Research at the Bay Area Council Economic Institute; and Nandita Bothra, Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company, in a conversation moderated by Peg McAllister, SVP Western Region at LHH. Drawing on the Girl Scouts’ 2026 State of the Girl Report, the panel explored how the mental health and economic pressures girls face today shape their confidence and career aspirations, what that means for the talent pipeline and women’s advancement, and what employers can do to help girls thrive from the classroom to the boardroom.
Read the Girl Scouts’ 2026 State of the Girl Report>>
A special thank you goes to The Arc San Francisco, whose ambassadors welcomed every guest with warmth, professionalism and a smile. The Arc SF supports adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through education, employment, health and wellness programs, and works hand in hand with employers to open doors to meaningful, lasting careers. Their ambassadors are a living example of what inclusive hiring looks like and a powerful reminder that a workforce that includes people with disabilities is a stronger workforce. We encourage Council members to learn more about partnering with The Arc SF.
None of this would be possible without our sponsors. Our deepest thanks to presenting sponsor Kaiser Permanente, to PG&E for hosting us, and to all of our generous sponsors for their support. [See the complete list of sponsors]
Thank you also to our Summit steering committee for shaping such an outstanding program: Kristina Lawson, Managing Partner, Hanson Bridgett LLP; Mary Huss, Publisher Emeritus, San Francisco Business Times and Silicon Valley Business Journal; and Janet Lamkin, Corporate Director and former President of United Airlines. And a big thank you to our moderators, who kept every conversation sharp and engaging: Julie Baccelli, VP of Acquisition & Corporate Affairs, Build Group; Peg McAllister, SVP Western Region, LHH; Ashley Quintana, State and Local Public Policy, Meta; and Dr. Rita K. Ng, Physician-in-Chief, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center.
We can’t wait to see you at the fourth annual Women’s Impact Summit next year.
See photos from the 3rd Annual Women’s Impact Summit >>
Videos from the 3rd Annual Women’s Impact Summit
Power Women, Literally
The State of the Girl: Shaping Tomorrow’s Workforce
Women Building Wealth and Navigating Politics
California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom
