Frank & Eileen™ Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership

Last night, the Frank & Eileen™ Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership hosted the 12th annual Disruption Dinner. This year’s theme, “Shattering the Glass Ceiling: One Digit at a Time,” highlighted sectors of the finance industry where women have historically been underrepresented in leadership roles. The event featured a keynote speech by Ruzanna Queenan, CFA, MBA ’13, founder of Queenvest LLC, a wealth management firm dedicated to transforming how ambitious entrepreneurs achieve personal financial freedom. Following her inspiring address, Mrs. Queenan joined a panel moderated by Dr. Shakenna K. Williams. The panel included industry experts in finance, venture capital, and alternative start-up funding. Our distinguished guests included Allison Byers, founder of Scroobius and a pioneer in equitable capital distribution, and Modjossorica (Rica) Elysee, a tech entrepreneur and founder of BeautyLynk, known for her expertise in alternative financing and start-up funding. The panel was rounded out by Babson notables Ab Igram, MBA ’96, Executive Director of the Tariq Farid Franchising Institute and experienced venture capitalist, and Stephen Martiros, ’83 MBA ’85 P’21 ’21, founder of Kindros and a finance industry expert. The event was well-attended by members of the Babson community, including undergraduate and graduate students, staff, faculty, alumni, and external partners. The Marla Capozzi room was filled to capacity as attendees enjoyed a light meal, an informative speaker program, and the opportunity to network with our esteemed panelists.

🌏 Wondering what the Diana International Research Conference is all about? Hear directly from last year’s attendees about the impact our conference had on their research and collaborations. Our Diana International Research Institute (DIRI) continues to be a leading authority on women's entrepreneurship. 📅 2025 Dates: July 1-4 📍 Location: The University of Auckland Business School - Aotearoa Centre for Enterprising Women 👉More Info: https://lnkd.in/e-eq2v_w #DIRC2025

🌟What happens when fashion, AI, and entrepreneurship unite? Femme Fatale Boston III - An unforgettable evening that brought innovation and style to the forefront.🌟 The program kicked off with a story of entrepreneurial success by Mary Lou Andre, Founder of Dressing Well, followed by a dynamic panel discussion on the role of Generative AI in the fashion industry, featuring expert insights from Dr. Caroline Daniels, Director of Babson’s Fashion Entrepreneurial Initiative, and Jay Calderin, Founder of Boston Fashion Week. The panel was expertly moderated by Karen Holmes Ward of WCVB-TV, delving into AI’s impact on fashion innovation and sustainability. The evening concluded with a vibrant fashion showcase, where Babson student leaders and Boston women leaders took to the runway in designs from Sara Campbell and emerging talent from the Boston School of Fashion Design, Maria Irfan and Galia Bermudez. Femme Fatale Boston III perfectly captured the intersection of creativity, business, and technology. We look forward to the exciting future ahead! Gratitude to Femme Fatale Boston's Founder, Violet Wittig, and to Nancy Nager for their incredible collaboration. #FemmeFataleBoston #InnovationInFashion #GenerativeAI #Entrepreneurship #BabsonCollege #BostonFashion #WomenInLeadership #AIInFashion #CreativityAndLeadership

We are only eight days away from the F&E CWEL annual Disruption Dinner. Each year, this event showcases the experiences of accomplished women leaders in a common industry who are acting boldly to break barriers, blaze trails, and launch movements that change industries, organizations, and communities around the world. Hear from our powerhouse keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and private wealth manager Ruzanna Queenan, CFA, MBA '13 and distinguished panelists Allison Byers, Modjossorica (Rica) Elysee, Ab Igram MBA '96, and Stephen Martiros '83 MBA'85 P'21 '21, moderated by F&E CWEL Executive Director, Dr. Shakenna K. Williams '94. This event is open to all Babson students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends. You don't want to miss the insights from these finance industry experts; register today: https://cvent.me/yDLQ3q

📢 Welcome, Dr. Diana Hechavarria! We are pleased to introduce Dr. Hechavarria, who has joined Babson College as a Professor of Entrepreneurship. As a respected scholar, she ranked among the top 2% of cited authors on women’s entrepreneurship from 2020 to 2022 and serves on the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor U.S. team. “I look forward to advancing thought leadership on women’s entrepreneurship with the Diana International Research Institute (DIRI). Our goal is to impact policy through research.” Welcome to Babson, Dr. Hechavarria - we look forward to working with you! Read more here 👉: https://heyor.ca/ruDaVf #WomensEntrepreneurship #DIRI #Collaboration #Research #Entrepreneurship #BabsonCollege

✨ On Thursday night, we kicked off an incredible closing weekend for BWEL Cohort 6 with an inspirational opening reception which was kicked off by Babson College's President Stephen Spinelli and Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer, Sadie Burton-Goss, Ph.D. !✨ Our special guest, Karen Slack, provided invaluable insights with the cohort, drawing from her unique experiences as a Black opera singer and Black women entrepreneur. She spoke candidly how using her gift of voice led her to discover and develop the many spokes of her other talents—offering our cohort invaluable advice on how to embrace their unique gifts in their entrepreneurial journeys. The Black Women Entrepreneurs Leadership (BWEL) program at Babson College is not just about business—it’s about community, data-driven strategies, and a support system that understands the unique challenges Black women entrepreneurs face. Since its inception in 2019, BWEL has been tackling barriers to growth like access to mentorship, capital, and entrepreneurial education. This year's cohort is a testament to that effort—collectively generating $6.7M in revenue, exceeding national averages for Black women entrepreneurs! We can't wait to see what the future holds for these incredible women and look forward to supporting their continued success.

We are thrilled to announce we are accepting nominations for the 2024 Racial Equity Awards for Women in Business. These annual awards elevate women of color and allies in the local business community. They are leaders who represent successful enterprises that support all women with access to jobs, mentorship, and other resources. The Woman of Color Racial Equity Award recognizes the owner of a business that provides a service/product that embodies their entrepreneurial excellence. The winner of this award will receive a cash prize. The Ally Racial Equity Award honors an Ally of any racial identification who owns or leads a business that demonstrates a commitment to the advancement of women of color in business. Nominations for both awards are due by noon on October 31. Award recipients will be celebrated at The Boston Club's Annual Corporate Salute on the morning of Wednesday, January 29, 2025. For more information, and to submit your nomination, please visit: https://bit.ly/REAwardsNom #TheBostonClub #RacialEquityAwards #WomenInLeadership #WomenHelpingWomen

We’re in Good Company 💚 A huge thank you to every staff member, faculty, student, and partner for fueling Babson College’s vibrant community of entrepreneurial changemakers. From the Frank & Eileen™ Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership: Dr. Shakenna K. Williams, Kara O'Connor Miller, Natalie Joseph, Sarah Grillo, AMARI DIAS, Mackenzie Hayes, & McKenzie Cloutier.

On Tuesday evening F&E CWEL hosted a compelling program titled, “Sponsorship vs. Mentorship: Tools to Propel Your Career.” The event featured a panel of distinguished professionals who delved into the critical roles of sponsorship and mentorship in career development, clarifying the distinctions between these two powerful tools and highlighting their unique benefits. Best of all, panelists shared their personal experiences and best practices to help audience members maximize these relationships for their own career advancement. Our warmest thanks to Tuesday’s panelists for a truly thought-provoking & impactful discussion: Audrey McLoghlin – Founder & CEO, Frank & Eileen Chris Bignell '94 P'27 – Partner, The Alchemy Fund Dr. Donna Stoddard P'21'25 – Dean of Faculty, Babson College Julie Meyer – Co-Founder & CEO, AugMentors Thank you as well to Babson students Jolie Lanae Wyatt ‘26, Anusha Sanghvi MSBA ‘25, and Tamanna Kothari ’26 for your leadership in opening, moderating, and closing the event!