LIGHTING THE PATH FORWARD
NAVIGATING THE PEAKS OF PROGRESS
On October 16, Athena convenes its 5th Annual Lifting While Climbing Summit at ResMed’s global headquarters—a gathering designed not just to inspire, but to mobilize.
At a moment when women’s advancement is being tested, Athena is answering with resolve—amplifying its mission to elevate, equip, and embolden women and allies to lead with purpose, courage, and community.
This year’s theme—Lighting the Path Forward | Navigating the Peaks of Progress—captures the charge before us: to rise higher, fortify alliances, and safeguard the hard-won ground of equity and innovation. Where shadows loom, this Summit stands as a shining light on what’s possible when bold leaders move together and in community.
Expect an rapid pace of breakthrough insights from:
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AI trailblazers shaping the future of intelligence
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Climate tech pioneers reimagining sustainability
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Workforce equity champions redefining access and advancement.
This immersive experience enables a convergence of change agents in business, policy, and social impact. It’s the kind of room where connections spark movements, where visionaries collide with opportunity, and where you will not want to be a spectator, but a participant of history-in-the-making.
Your Live Event Ticket Includes:
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An exclusive 1.5-hour VIP Reception for high-powered networking
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Complimentary beverages and decadent hors d’oeuvres
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Open seating at a high-energy Summit that sells out year after year
We invite our partners, sponsors, and speakers to stand with us—not in silence, but in strength—as we light the path forward and navigate the peaks of progress, together.
4:00 PM | Doors Open + Networking | Signature Athena Cocktails + Music
5:15 PM | Holly Smithson | Athena CEO
Opening Remarks on the Collective Brilliance of Women Leading in STEM
5:20 PM | AI Lightning Talks | From Fear to Power
While many fear AI will replace us, these AI leaders are showing how to command it—using AI to launch social enterprises in Africa, automate global regulatory compliance, and amplify corporate social impact across multiple countries. Join these STEM innovators to see how purpose and curiosity turn AI into a tool for career advantage and global impact.
Moderator: Jaye Connolly | Chairman & CEO, RippleNami
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Sarah Hassaine | Head of CSR & Diversity and Inclusion, ResMed
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Claude Jones | Founder & CEO, DoitWithAI
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TBD | PwC
6:05 PM | Eve Rodsky | NYT Bestselling Author of Fair Play & Founder of Fair Play Institute (Video)
Eve Rodsky sparked a movement by exposing the silent, invisible labor that women carry every day. In this personal message, Eve brings her groundbreaking Fair Play framework to life—challenging us to reimagine how we value time, power, and partnership in our homes, workplaces, and communities. With humor, heart, and hard truths, Eve calls us to stop the burnout cycle and start building a more equitable future—one where care work is not just seen, but shared.
6:15 PM | Climate Tech Lightning Talks | Women Who Won’t Wait
From scaling climate-tech startups to funding breakthrough sustainability ventures and steering innovation at one of the nation’s top research labs, these pioneering women are proving how leadership in science, capital, and technology can lift society and accelerate a sustainable future. Daphne De Jong (Ven), Mary Louise (Terragenome Ventures), and Victoria Slivkoff (Los Alamos National Laboratory) will ignite a vision of what’s possible when women lead by turning resistance into resilience—because we didn’t come this far ….to just come this far.
Moderator: Jaye Connolly | Chairman & CEO @ RippleNami
· Daphne De Jong | Founder & CEO, Ven
· Mary Louise Gifford | General Partner & Founder, Terragenome Ventures
· Victoria Slivkoff | Founding Strategic Leadership Council Board Member, Los Alamos National Laboratory
7:00 PM | Susan Poser & Holly Smithson Take Stage for Call of Action