The October 2024 Women in Global Careers Roundtable
Panelists Sponsors Plan Your Visit
Women in Global Careers Roundtable
October 30, 2024
5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
City View Room, 7th Floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, D.C. 22052
Hosted by GW-CIBER, the GW Women in Business (GWWIB) Organization, the GW Women's MBA Association (WMBAA), and the GW Forte Fellows Organization
Are you interested in learning about:
- What it takes to forge a successful career as a female professional in high-pressure environments?
- Working with clients in fast-growing markets?
- Helping U.S. companies expand internationally?
- Managing a global team?
- Balancing a global career with a fulfilling personal life?
We invite you to join us at the 11th Women in Global Careers Roundtable for engaging discussions and networking opportunities with executives who have worked around the world. These accomplished women represent a range of backgrounds and roles, and all have experience in international and multinational work.
This roundtable will offer the opportunity for personal discussions regarding industry, positions and guidance on how women can excel in their chosen fields and the global arena. Attendees will come away from the event armed with top tips and empowered to pursue a global career!
A buffet dinner will be provided.
Global Mentors
Stacie Berdan
International Careers Expert
Panel Moderator
- Read Stacie's Bio
Stacie Nevadomski Berdan is a thought leader, communications strategist, entrepreneur and a best-selling and award-winning author on how to succeed in the global marketplace. Her career has taken her around the world creating successful marketing strategies and communication campaigns for some of the biggest global brands. She has served as coach, counselor and strategist to CEOs, politicians, senior executives and students around the world. Stacie currently serves as a Senior Advisor to Perceptual Advisors, a full stack brand strategy, marketing communications and public affairs firm. In addition to providing communications advice to a variety of global clients, Stacie also works with universities and local communities; she helps professionals, students and parents develop a global mindset necessary to working with other cultures, customs, economics, regulations, and governments in the U.S. and around the world. Stacie has worked in more than 50 countries and traveled to an additional 40 or so. Stacie has authored six books on the intersection of globalization and careers; several have been best sellers and other award-winners with translations into Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Spanish. She has served as an expert contributor to global media outlets and has appeared on NPR, NBC, ABC, CNN and FOX, as well as in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes, USA Today, Time, Chronicle of Higher Education, and Huffington Post, among others.
Arsheya Devitre
Global Business Executive - Travel, Education, Waste Services
- Read Arsheya's Bio
Arsheya Devitre is an executive with over twenty years of management experience, including over a decade in China. She is recognized for scaling operations, leading high-performing teams, and her deep international business acumen. In 2014, she joined EF Education First in China where she oversaw global edtech operations for a team of more than 3,000, and led a mass recruitment turnaround, which was critical to the eventual sale of the business. In 2019, she moved to the U.S. to support the start-up of EF Gap Year, and then served as Senior Vice President of Sales at Go Ahead Tours (EF’s adult travel division), where she oversaw consecutive record annual sales. Prior to EF, Arsheya was with Waste Management, Inc. initially managing the company’s entry to China. She was later seconded to Shanghai Environment Group, a joint venture between a major Chinese state-owned enterprise and U.S.-based Waste Management as Co-Head of Business Development and Public Affairs. Shanghai Environment Group was an early player in building, owning, and operating energy-from-waste facilities across China. Arsheya's earlier work experience includes roles at Citibank Egypt, Nestlé UK, and Burson-Marsteller in New York and Beijing, in various customer service, corporate communications, and government relations roles. She has a bachelor’s degree in Mandarin Chinese from Georgetown University where she graduated with honors, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Arsheya is an enthusiastic adventurer and traveler, and an active community volunteer. She resides with her family in Massachusetts.
Danelle DiLibero
Vice President - People, Augury
- Read Danelle's Bio
As a senior HR executive, Danelle drives optimization of business operations to recruit and retain a high-performing and diverse workforce while supporting the mission and culture at Augury, the pioneer in AI-driven Machine Health and Process Health solutions for manufacturing. She brings over 25 years of experience working with organizations such as Goldman Sachs, Boston Consulting Group, Risk Management Solutions, Verisk Analytics and Sensata Technologies. All roles afforded her the opportunity to work with colleagues around the world and an assignment living in Kuala Lumpur in 2008. As a member of multiple Advisory Boards, Danelle has cultivated relationships as trusted advisor to Founders, CEO’s and Boards of Directors on talent and engagement strategies. She recently joined the Board of Directors at Parasol Cooperative, a non-profit organization that builds survivor-centered technology products for individuals and victim services organizations. She is also a Founding Partner at Fierce Foundry a FemTech Startup Studio. Danelle has completed a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Quinnipiac University and ongoing learning Executive Certificates from University of South Florida Muma College of Business. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and American Literature from the University of South Florida. When not with her family, she can be found trolling the stacks at her local bookstore in search of a new hardcover.
Nicole Hession
Chief of Staff - Commercial Bank, Capital One
- Read Nicole's Bio
Nicole has been with Capital One for over six years with roles in both Commercial and Retail Bank. In her most recent role, she led the Commercial Chief of Staff team and Commercial-wide Geostrategy where she focused on workforce planning. She has built a strong reputation for building strong relationships and driving operational excellence when leading large-scale initiatives. Prior to Capital One, she worked as a Management Consultant at PriceWaterHouseCoopers supporting risk and operational consulting for Banks. Nicole lives in Northern Virginia with her partner, Chris, and their 100 pound lab, Chief. Outside of work, she loves a good outdoor adventure, especially ones that involve skiing, scuba diving, and hiking.
Stacey Jackson
Partner Sales Executive, Google
- Read Stacey's Bio
Stacey Jackson is currently a partner sales executive at Google Cloud, where she assists her small business clients with the delivery of technology and innovation in support of US federal and state, local government missions. Prior to joining Google in 2021, Stacey spent over four years at Amazon Web Services, also supporting technology startups and small business government contractors. Stacey served as a U.S. Department of State Foreign Service Officer from 2009-2017; during that time, she lived and worked in Shanghai, China and Accra, Ghana, and completed domestic assignments in support of the Intelligence Community and the U.S. delegation to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Stacey is proficient in Mandarin and holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of International Affairs from the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University in the city of New York, respectively. Stacey is originally from Long Beach, California and lives in Washington, DC with her husband and two young daughters.
Heather Kaye
Co-Founder, Finch Designs & Loop Swim
- Read Heather's Bio
Heather Bowie Kaye is the co-founder of Loop Swim, founder of the Shanghai Eco Warriors Summit, and co-creator of the “Plastics are Forever” impact project. Transferring from Kate Spade’s New York design offices to China’s manufacturing frontlines in 2006 launched Heather into a backstage tour of the fashion industry, from fabrics to garments. In 2010, Heather and Itee Soni co-founded Loop with the goal of upending the most unsustainable aspects of the fashion industry: fast fashion cycles, body negativity, disposable quality and environmentally damaging raw materials. Heather’s passions are connecting and empowering female entrepreneurs, the circular fashion movement, and saving our oceans from plastic pollution. After nearly 17 years of living and working in China, Heather and her family moved to Washington DC in 2022, where she has been flexing her civic muscle, volunteering for Moms Demand Action for Gun Safety, the Harris-Walz Campaign and co-chairing the Sustainable Campus Committee at her daughters’ school. A California native, Heather is a graduate of Harvard University, Parsons School of Design, and is currently applying to law school.
Erin Murphy
Senior Fellow - Asia Program, Center for Strategic & International Studies
- Read Erin's Bio
Erin Murphy is a senior fellow for the Economic Security and Technology Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). She has spent her career in several public and private sector roles, including as an analyst on Asian political and foreign policy issues at the Central Intelligence Agency, director for the Indo-Pacific at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, founder and principal of her boutique advisory firm focused on Myanmar, and an English teacher with the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program in Saga, Japan. Murphy received her master’s degree in Japan Studies and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and her bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Spanish from Tufts University. She was also a 2017–2018 Hitachi international affairs fellow in Japan with the Council on Foreign Relations. Murphy is also the author of Burmese Haze: US Policy and Myanmar's Opening-and Closing (Association for Asian Studies, 2022).
Elizabeth Thompson
Consultant, Fashion Leadership; Former SVP - Mktg., GUESS Watches
- Read Elizabeth's Bio
Elizabeth L. Thompson is a seasoned global merchandising executive with experience in cultivating product lifecycles and driving brand performance on an international scale. Her career spans roles at prestigious companies including Timex Group, Liz Claiborne and Bloomingdale’s, where she has consistently demonstrated her ability to merge global vision with local insight. As the former SVP of Global Product & Marketing for GUESS Watches, Elizabeth led a diverse team across the U.S. and Asia, overseeing product development, merchandising and marketing to over 100 countries. Her expertise in product strategy, team leadership, and global partnerships has been instrumental in expanding high-profile fashion brands into untapped markets. A key highlight of Elizabeth's global career was her seven-year tenure at Designa Accessories in Sydney, Australia. As Director of Brand & Planning, she managed the distribution of innovative brands including Timex and GUESS for the Australia and New Zealand markets. Elizabeth spearheaded the development and execution of high-impact strategies, consistently driving top-line growth while galvanizing international license partners and major retailer groups. With a B.B.A. from George Washington University and ongoing education in e-commerce from Parsons School of Design, Elizabeth continues to evolve her skillset. Currently consulting on various leadership projects, her extensive international experience, coupled with her ability to navigate diverse markets and cultures, positions her as a valuable voice in the conversation on women's global careers.
Sonia Vora
Chief Human Resources Officer, Gates Foundation
- Read Sonia's Bio
Sonia Vora is a strategic leader dedicated to developing talent-driven solutions that foster integrity, inclusivity, and global impact. With a career spanning investment banking, strategy consulting, and human resources, Sonia has consistently transformed organizations to create transparent, diverse, and high-performing cultures that drive exceptional customer experiences, elevate employee engagement, and enable scalable growth. As Senior Vice President of Global Talent Development at Northern Trust, Sonia successfully launched the Global Operations Center in Bangalore, establishing programs in mentoring, onboarding, and functional training for 6,000 employees. She then served as the Head of Talent at Cetera Financial Group, where she built a comprehensive talent management department from the ground up. Later, as Head of Customer Experience, she oversaw the development of advisor training, business consulting, and change management initiatives for 15,000 financial advisors. In her current role as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at the Gates Foundation, Sonia has led transformative projects, including implementing global job architecture, expanding the organization’s global footprint, and crafting holistic talent and rewards strategies. A trusted and collaborative partner, she focuses on driving growth, navigating organizational change, and cultivating high-integrity cultures that align with customer expectations and workforce needs. Sonia holds an MBA with a concentration in International Finance from Georgetown University, an MA in Creative Writing from Temple University and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Economics from Albion College.
Organizers & Sponsors
This event is organized by the GW Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER), GW Women in Business (GWWIB), the GW Women's MBA Association (WMBAA), and the GW Forté Fellows.
Plan Your Visit
This event will be held in the City View Room at the Elliott School of International Affairs at 1957 E Street NW.
Please note that street parking is limited. Paid visitor parking is available in the Elliott School parking garage (access on 19th Street between E Street and F Street). View parking details and rates. The Foggy Bottom and the Farragut West stations are the closest Metro (subway) stops; both are within a 10-15 minute walking distance of the venue.
Take a Virtual Tour of GW's Foggy Bottom Campus
Directions & Accommodations
- From Ronald Reagan National Airport
Located in downtown Washington, D.C., the George Washington University School of Business is easily accessible by taxi, rideshare, bus or subway (Metrorail) from the region's airports.
From Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA), take the Blue Line of the Metrorail from the Ronald Reagan National Airport Station to the Foggy Bottom-GWU Station.
From Dulles International Airport (IAD), take the Silver Line Express bus to the Wiehle-Reston East Metrorail Station, and then take the Silver Line to the Foggy Bottom-GWU Station. You may also take the Washington Flyer private bus service directly to many downtown hotels.
From Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), take the Super Shuttle or Amtrak train directly to Union Station in downtown Washington, D.C., then take the Metrorail Red Line from Union Station to the Metro Center Station and transfer to the Blue, Silver or Orange Lines to go to the Foggy Bottom-GWU Station.
- By MetroRail (Subway)
The Foggy Bottom-GWU Metrorail Station is located on campus. It offers access to Metrorail’s Blue, Orange and Silver lines. For more information on Metrorail, visit the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
The GW School of Business is located in Duquès Hall, just two blocks from the Foggy Bottom-GWU Station. Upon exiting the station, you will find yourself on 23rd Street NW. Walk directly across 23rd Street NW onto I Street NW. Take a right onto 22nd Street NW and walk South approximately two-and-a-half blocks. The main entrance to Duquès Hall will be on your right on 22nd Street NW halfway between H Street and G Street NW.
- By Car
From North:
- Take Interstate 95 South to Interstate 495 North toward Silver Spring/Northern Virginia
- Take Exit 33, heading south on Connecticut Avenue for about nine miles
- Turn right onto Florida Avenue (just past the Washington Hilton) and then turn left immediately onto 21st Street NW
- The visitor entrance to the G Street Garage is on the left between G and F Streets NW
From Northwest:
- Take Interstate 270 to Interstate 495 North toward Silver Spring/Northern Virginia
- Follow directions as shown above in “From North”
From West:
- Take Interstate 66 or Route 50 to the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge
- Cross the bridge and exit left at E Street NW, then again at Virginia Avenue NW
- Stay to the left, following signs for 23rd Street NW
- Turn left onto 23rd Street NW and continue a few blocks to campus
- Turn right onto H Street
- The visitor entrance to the University Parking Garage is on the left on H Street between 23rd and 22nd Streets
From South:
- Interstate 95 to Interstate 395, Arlington Memorial Bridge Exit
- Cross the bridge and stay to the left at the Lincoln Memorial
- Turn left onto 23rd Street NW
- Turn right on H Street
- The visitor entrance to the University Parking Garage is on the left on H Street between 23rd and 22nd Streets
- Where to Park
University Parking Garage
Access on H Street NW between 22nd and 23rd Streets NW. Located under the Science and Engineering Hall.
Hours: Open 24 hours a day
This is a self-service garage for visitors. This garage only accepts MasterCard, American Express, and Visa for payment. Rates:
- 1 hour: $10
- Up to 2 hours $16
- Daily Maximum: $22
- Weekend Daily Maximum: $12
- Evening Maximum Rate (after 5 p.m. until midnight): $10
G Street Garage
Access from both 20th Street NW and 21st Street NW between F and G Streets NW.
Hours: Open 24 hours a day
This is a self-service garage for visitors. This garage only accepts MasterCard, American Express, and Visa for payment. Rates: see University Parking Garage rates.
University Student Center Garage
Access on H Street NW between 21st and 22nd Streets NW.
Hours: Open Monday–Friday from 7:00 a.m. to midnight. Closed on weekends and holidays.
This is a self-service garage for visitors. This garage only accepts MasterCard, American Express, and Visa for payment. Rates: see University Parking Garage rates.
Elliott School Garage
Access on 19th Street NW near E Street NW.
Hours: Open Monday–Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Closed on holidays and weekends.
This is a self-service garage for visitors. This garage only accepts MasterCard, American Express, and Visa for payment. Rates:
- Up to 1 hour: $10
- Up to 2 hours: $17
- Daily Maximum: $26
- Evening Maximum Rate (5 p.m.-11 p.m.): $14
Ambulatory Care Center Garage
Patients and visitors of the George Washington University Hospital and of the Ambulatory Care Center are welcome to park at the Ambulatory Care Center Garage. In the event that this garage is full, patients may park at the other university visitor parking locations.
For more information, visit GW’s transportation website.
- Discounted Hotels and Lodging
There are many options for accommodations across the D.C. area.