BECOMING HER. Her Story, Her Way.
Friday, March 6 · 9 am–6 pm
Katie Murphy Amphitheatre
Current FIT students, faculty, and staff, please register on our internal site.
Join us at FIT's 2nd Annual Womxn's Empowerment Conference - Becoming Her: Her Story, Her Way in celebration of Womxn's History Month.
This is not a conference you simply attend; it’s one you experience!
The Womxn’s Empowerment Conference is an intentionally curated, one-day experience designed for students and alumni, shaping what leadership looks like now and in the future. The event brings together a dynamic community of leaders for a day of thoughtful conversation, immersive moments, and genuine connection.
Conference Schedule
9 am | Conference Check-in and Breakfast
10 am | Welcome + Morning Keynote Speaker: Yaya DaCosta
11 am | Her Story: Defining Eras of Alumni Leadership
Moderated by: Cara Araneta, Fabric Styling ’05, Alumni Advisory Council Member, Cultural Strategist, and Community Builder
Madeline Gardner, Fashion Design ‘79, FIT Foundation Board Member, Designer / Creative Director / Business Owner
Molly Taylor, Fashion Buying & Merchandising ‘88, FIT Foundation Board Member, SVP Merchandising; Fashion & Editorial, Rue-Gilt Groupe
Christina Treviño, Fashion Design ‘92, Partner and VP - Latin Biz Today, Award-Winning Children’s Author & Fashion Executive
Nayantara Sam, International Trade & Marketing for the Fashion Industries '17, Digital Marketing and Media Manager, Fendi
12:15 pm | Fireside chat with Remi Bader
1 pm | Luncheon + Womxn-owned marketplace
A vibrant marketplace spotlighting womxn-owned businesses. This interactive lunch and networking experience features vendor pop-ups, product demos, and opportunities for sponsors to host activations and connect with attendees in an authentic way.
2:30 pm | Becoming Her: The Audacity of the Self-Made Story
Moderated by: Lauren Bell
Sora Lee, founder, CEO, and creative director of THE SORA LEE
Candace Witherspoon, owner of Candace Witherspoon Salon
Fatou Barry, founder of PR Girl Manifesto
3:30 pm | Afternoon Keynote with Naturi Naughton-Lewis
4:30 pm | Closing Remarks
5 pm | Alumni + Student Mixer and Pop Up Experience
The conference concludes with a lively celebration featuring food, music, and curated pop-ups from local and alumni businesses. Guests unwind, continue to nurture the connection made throughout the day, and leave inspired and maybe with a few goodies from our signature swag bags.
About the Womxn's Empowerment Conference
This is a full-day conference-style event open to the FIT community, featuring guest speakers, networking opportunities, panel discussions, hands-on activities, and more. Our goal is to inspire women to be confident in their careers, their bodies, and their lives.
This event is hosted by the department of Residential Life and Student Life at FIT.