13th Women's Leadership and Empowerment Conference [WLEC2022]
Innovation ◊ Illumination ◊ Integration​
​March 1st - 3rd, 2022 VIRTUAL Conference
13th Women's Leadership and Empowerment Conference [WLEC2022] was great success.

But this wouldn't have been possible without you! We want to express our deepest gratitude to all of you, presenters and attendees, panelists, moderators and Scientific Committee for making the WLEC2022 such a joyful, inspiring and empowering learning and networking experience.
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It was such a pleasure to be among so many old friends who joined us this year – you are an example of the true power of connections and what can happen when a community stays together. We are also grateful for an opportunity to welcome new members to our WLEC community of friends and colleagues and are looking forward to connecting with them deeper.
13th Women's Leadership and Empowerment Conference [WLEC2022] in numbers:​
​Countries
41
Attendees
156
​Speakers
35
Sessions
25
Panel discussions
3

WLEC2022 Panel discussion

Future of female entrepreneurship and implications
Tuesday, March 1st '22
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM UTC
FACEBOOK LIVE (FB: WLEConference)
For some, entrepreneurship is a path to freedom. For many, it is an opportunity to find their purpose. In this panel discussion we will dive into challenges and opportunities of the emerging entrepreneurial sector.
​Our insightful panelists will help us understand what is the future of female entrepreneurship and what are its implications for an individual on both personal and professional levels, as well as how it is shaping our society.

WLEC2022 Panel discussion

​Empowering the invisible
Wednesday, March 2nd '22
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM UTC
FACEBOOK LIVE (FB: WLEConference)
Global experts will help us understand how to best empower silenced voices and illuminate their hidden wisdom, talents and creativity and why it is important for creating a positive change in our lives and the world around us.
We’ll discuss the challenges that women, and marginalized groups, from across the world encounter on cultural, personal and professional levels, identify opportunities and offer solutions based on lived experiences.

WLEC2022 Panel discussion

​How women can support and uplift women in leadership positions
Thursday, March 3rd '22
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM UTC
FACEBOOK LIVE (FB: WLEConference)
This panel discussion is set to remind us of the importance of evolving together; seeing each other as collaborators rather than competitors. It is crucial, especially when times are turbulent, to collaborate and support each other. Together, we stay stronger against the storm.
We’ll discuss challenges that women encounter in leadership positions and how we can support them in removing obstacles. We’ll explore how we can work together for the common good but also to support each other’s mission and understand that someone’s mission may contribute to our own purpose.

WLEC2022 Scientific Committee

Dr. Megumi Okugiri - University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo [Japan]
Dr. Megumi Okugiri is currently a professor at the University of Sacred Heart Tokyo, teaching Leadership and Teamwork, Cross-cultural Communication, Language Acquisition, and Language & Identity.
Sandy Lamb - Altitude Business Coaching [USA]
Sandy believes in a world where all leaders model emotionally intelligent behavior to transform the way their teams collaborate and grow both personally and professionally. Through her targeted executive coaching program, assessments and leadership training, she helps women, in male dominated industries, to gain self-confidence in their ability to inspire and influence others by their authentic leadership style. She spent 27+ years working as a female executive in the Engineering/Construction industry and is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University with an MBA in International Business.
Dr. Susan Crosbie - Susan E Crosbie Consulting, LLC [Oman]
After working for various investment banks in NYC and Bangkok, Dr Susan Crosbie returned to academia and earned her doctorate in education from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus, USA in 2006. Her inspiration came after teaching at an adult literacy program in the Republic of South Africa from 1996-2001. She has been teaching in the Arabian Gulf for over seventeen years, and currently during the academic year, she acts as an educational consultant for K-12 schools. Her research interests include 1) academic integrity and the use of technology, including artificial intelligence, not only in the identification of academic fraud but also in guiding students how to use technology to build vocabulary to avoid plagiarism, and 2) MSALs (Modern South Arabian Languages) of Oman which are included in the UNESCO list of endangered languages.
Khandicia Randolph - Regent University [USA]
Khandicia Randolph is the owner and sole proprietor of Finer Consulting Services. A Chicago native, Khandicia has been a member of the Columbia, MO community for 20 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Missouri (Columbia), a Master of Public Administration, and a Master of Arts in Law from Regent University’s School of Law. Currently, she is in her final year as a Doctor of Strategic Leadership student at Regent University. She has consulted for Columbia Public Schools, The Daniel Boone Regional Library, and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated chapters in Columbia and KansasCity, MO, as clients on various aspects of leadership development, effective communications, and, organizational planning and strategy. Khandicia has presented domestically and internationally on topics concerning effective communications, accountability, and leadership development.
Prof. Gerald Fry - University of Minnesota [USA]
Dr. Fry is a distinguished international professor in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. He received his BA from Stanford University, an MPA from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton, and his PhD from Stanford University. Previously, Dr. Fry was a professor of political science and international studies at the University of Oregon where he also directed the International Studies Program and the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies. He was the team leader for major Asian Development Bank projects in Laos and Thailand related to education reform. He has previously taught at Stanford and various universities in Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. In 1991–1992, he was a Pew Fellow in International Affairs at the Kennedy School at Harvard.  Among his many publications are the books Pacific Basin and Oceania; The International Education of Development Consultants: Communicating with Peasants and Princes; International Development Dictionary; Thailand and Its Neighbors: Interdisciplinary Perspectives; Synthesis Report: From Crisis to Opportunity, The Challenges of Educational Reform in Thailand; Association of Southeast Asian Nations; Historical Dictionary of Thailand; and Education in Thailand: An Old Elephant in Search of a New Mahout.
Laura R. Leaton - Anchored Elements Coaching and Training, LLC [USA]
Laura Leaton has a natural gift for helping individuals discover their inner strengths and use those strengths to achieve personal and professional success. She is an expert in sales, Leadership Development Training, and personal performance coaching. What began as a successful stint coaching Division I Collegiate Women’s Volleyball, led her to an accomplished 17-year career with a competitive global Fortune 500 company. During her tenure, she successfully held Sales Training, Sales Management, Sales Director and Executive Coaching roles and ultimately Executive Director of Leadership Development where she coached managers, emerging leaders and individual contributors throughout the company. Laura has spent her entire career, leading high performing teams, and supporting individuals in achieving their goals. After much reflection into her own leadership journey, she has cultivated an intense devotion to promoting the power of compassion in the workplace. She has a reputation for employing a personal, dynamic approach to affecting change. She is recognized as an energetic leader, strong motivator, noteworthy communicator and powerful speaker. Laura is an Executive Coach, Transformational Leadership Coach, Trainer, and Speaker. She is the owner of Anchored Elements Coaching, LLC. Laura grew up in Los Angeles, CA. and now travels the country in her fully renovated sprinter van named “Wanda” (short for Wanderlust.) She is a dedicated volunteer and mentor at Down Syndrome of Louisville, loves to travel and enjoys all things outdoors.
Prof. Ummu Atiyah Ahmad Zakuan - Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) [Malaysia]
Currently, attach to UUM with the International Affairs Department. Recently received the National Book Award 2020-2021 Winner (The Best Political Science Book Category), and an international research grant by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung - on the Substantive Representation of Women in Asia ( focusing on Malaysia ). Teach Political Science, Human Rights, and International law. Also appeared on radio and TV to speak on issues relating to women's leadership and empowerment and national politics.
Dr. Ami Lynch - Social Solutions International, Inc. [USA]
Dr. Lynch has been involved in public health-related research and evaluation for 20 years. As Chief Strategy Officer at Social Solutions International, she ensures high quality methodological and analytical approaches to all projects, as well as promoting data integrity and clarity in reporting to both professional and lay audience. Dr. Lynch has extensive experience in mental and behavioral health.