2023 Michigan Women in Leadership Symposium
March 21, 2023
8:00 AM - 12:30 PM (ET)
Theme
Rising in Resilience: Achieving Empowerment Through Advancement & Adaptability
This year’s symposium theme is "Rising in Resilience: Achieving Empowerment through Advancement & Adaptability.” Despite advances over the past several years, women continue to be underrepresented in the C-Suite and executive leadership teams of businesses across the nation. By bringing together successful women leaders, we hope to educate, inspire, and encourage attendees to reflect on their goals and status as they strive to advance in their organizations.
Panelist
Nguyen
Van Nguyen (pronounced Von Winn) joined PNC Bank in 2022, charged with educating corporate members on the importance of financial wellness for their employees. Van’s expansive background compliments her current role as a Financial Wellness Consultant, where she helps employees become financially stable and reach their short- and long-term goals. Prior to banking, Van’s experience spans the automotive, healthcare, nonprofit, and education sectors. Recently serving as the chief marketing officer at a community college, she promoted the college’s mission and elevated the brand. Additionally, she chaired the college’s inaugural DEI task force, formed in 2020, and assisted in creating a strategic plan. Her time at Beaumont Health Foundation helped advance the newly formed Trustees to be community ambassadors. As executive director for APACC, she launched economic advancement programs in the minority business community. Van’s an active member for the Southeastern Salvation Army – Adult Rehabilitation Center, a board member at MCHS Family of Services, Ascension Providence and Chair of Livonia Chamber of Commerce. She has been awarded Crain’s 40 Under 40 and Women’s Leadership in Action Award and is a recent alum of Leadership Detroit. Van received her bachelor's degree from Baylor University and her master’s degree from the University of Texas at Dallas and is finishing her doctoral degree at Ferris State University.
Moderator
King
Darlene King began her career with the Michigan Diversity Council-MIDC, a division of the National Diversity Council, in 2015. As the executive director, her charge is working with corporations and organizations in developing diversity and inclusion initiatives, programs, processes, and procedures. She also oversees the growth of the council in the area of business development throughout the entire state of Michigan. Prior to her tenure with the MIDC, she held the role of director of events, consultant services, training and development for all 34 school districts under the Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency for over 10 years. Her territory covered implementation and execution of all workshops and conference as well as maintaining CEU’s for teachers and administrators within Wayne County MI. She managed more than 60 consultants as well as county-wide, signature events such as the Teacher Job Fair, County K-12 Art Fair and the Cultural Collaborative for Learning. Darlene was also an inaugural member of the Diversity Strategic Planning Committee, which rolled out a county-wide diversity plan for all districts. Darlene’s background is widespread. She spent six years as a national concert promoter, traveling around the world with some of today’s most popular artists in the industry. She has produced and promoted shows at every concert venue in Detroit and beyond. In 2008, she launched her consulting company, Life’s Journey Training and Consulting. Competing in today's global market, Life’s Journey offers services in industries ranging from education to automotive, medical, non-profits and manufacturing. Its area of expertise consists of diversity and inclusion, leadership development, marketing, and public relations. Life’s Journey has provided service deliverables to Wayne County Head Start Programs, Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency, The Order of the Fisherman, The Detroit Medical Center, Revival Home Health Care, RTM Music Group, Real Times Media, Stonecrest Behavioral Health, Detroit Area Agency on Aging, Universal Studios, Detroit Community Schools, MASCO Corporation, Diversity Lansing and many more. Darlene is a native of Michigan and enjoys spending time with her family, nephews and niece. She says her faith in God, family, passion for people and her love of traveling and gardening are the drivers which keep her on a Life’s Journey. Darlene has a passion for people and earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations and marketing from Wayne State University in Detroit. She has been operating in this capacity as well as in education and organizational development for 25 years. Darlene earned her National Certification as a Certified Diversity and Inclusion Professional in 2018.
Award Nomination Woman of the YearThe nomination submission deadline date is February 14th. The award winner will be announced at the event.
Sponsorship Information
$3 Transaction Fee Will Be Added