AS/COA Holds First Women's Hemispheric Network Forum in Miami

Miami, December 9, 2013—Americas Society/Council of the Americas held on Monday the first Women’s Hemispheric Network forum in Miami. Prominent business and political leaders from across the continent shared personal stories about how they balanced work and family challenges on their path to professional success. Speakers at the event, which was held at the Miami offices of the law firm Greenberg Traurig, included former First Lady of Mexico Margarita Zavala, CEO & Founding Partner of Minerva Capital Group Jocelyn Cortez-Young, Owner & Director of GalleryDiet Nina Johnson-Milewski, CEO of Itaú Private Bank International Frances Sevilla-Sacasa, and Partner of Shearman & Sterling LLP Antonia Stolper.

The AS/COA Women’s Hemispheric Network is dedicated to inspiring young professional women with leadership potential between the ages of 22 to 35 by connecting them with successful women leaders. AS/COA President and CEO Susan Segal said the purpose of the network is to give promising young women the opportunity to network at senior levels and identify role models. “We need to build the number of women in CEO and board member positions. However to change the gender mix at the top of the pyramid, we need to help women find reasons to stay in the workforce,” said Segal. “It is important to show women that they are not alone in the challenges that they face, and that others before them have been up against similar obstacles and persevered.”

The Miami forum was just the latest in a series of similar workshops and roundtable events held over the past year in major hemispheric cities, including New York, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Mexico, and Lima. The Women’s Hemispheric Network convenes women from different countries and professional disciplines who seek to find common threads in their experiences. “The richness of the event is the result of bringing together women with different personal histories and outlooks,” said Segal. “More women in senior positions and more diversity makes for more successful companies and organizations.”

“Through this event we aim to make strides in transforming the path of the next generation of female leaders. I am thrilled to share my experiences in the hope that they may serve as a catalyst to encourage women to stay passionate about their goals and realize their full potential,” said Patricia Menéndez Cambó, Chair, Global Practice, Greenberg Traurig.

Participants in the first Women’s Hemispheric Network forum in Miami included: Alexandra Aguirre, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig LLP; Mariana Atencio, Co-Anchor for “The Morning Show,” Fusion; Angela Camacho, Associate General Counsel for Microsoft Latin America; Jocelyn Cortez-Young, CEO & Founding Partner, Minerva Capital Group; Cynthia Hudson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of CNN en Español and Hispanic Strategy for CNN/U.S.; Nina Johnson-Milewski, Owner & Director, GalleryDiet; Patricia Menéndez Cambó, Chair, Global Practice, Greenberg Traurig; Susan Segal, AS/COA President and CEO; Frances Sevilla-Sacasa, CEO, Itaú Private Bank International; Antonia Stolper, Partner, Shearman & Sterling LLP; and Margarita Zavala, former First Lady of Mexico.

• Explore our Women’s portal.
• Check out our 2013 events.
• View more videos on our women´s initiative.
• Get updates via the AS/COA Women's Hemispheric Network Blog.
• For more information, contact women@as-coa.org.
• For press inquiries contact: Adriana La Rotta | alarotta@as-coa.org | 212-277-8384.