Caroline Wanga, President and CEO of Essence Ventures, will share her wisdom and signature leadership around authenticity in a keynote fireside chat at the Catalyst Awards Conference & Dinner on 12 March 2024. The annual event is hosted by Catalyst, a global nonprofit promoting gender equity and workplace inclusion, in New York and online for a global audience.

Caroline Wanga is the Co-Founder of WangaWoman LLC and President and CEO of Essence Ventures, the number one media, technology and commerce company dedicated to Black women and communities. She joined Essence Ventures from Target Corporation in 2020, where she served as Chief Culture, Diversity and Inclusion Officer. Wanga has worked her way up from entry-level positions to the highest of C-suite roles and is passionate about modelling what she teaches. Her “real-talk” delivery, witty thought leadership and unmitigated perspective on democratizing authenticity make her a highly sought-after keynote speaker, equity strategist, thought leader, and community influencer.

Additional just-announced speakers and sessions for the conference include:

• Reshma Saujani, Founder of Moms First and Girls Who Code, leading a session on the childcare crisis and how companies can build workplaces that work for working parents.
• Mike Wirth, Chevron Chairman & CEO, in a fireside chat with Catalyst CEO Lorraine Hariton sharing his personal journey and how he has made gender partnership a priority as an ally for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Melonie Parker, Google’s Chief Diversity Officer, in conversation with Mellody Hobson, Chairman of the Board of Starbucks Corporation and Co-CEO and President of Ariel Investments, highlighting how women of color in leadership positions can use their power and influence for positive change.

Sephora and Zoetis have demonstrated the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to create workplaces that work for women – and for everyone – and will be honored with the 2024 Catalyst Award for their efforts and results. These companies’ initiatives have engaged employees at all levels, resulting in increased representation of women, including women of color, across their organizations.

Since 1987, the Catalyst Award has recognized 110 initiatives at 98 organizations from around the world. Catalyst Award Winners lead a community of forward-thinking organizations that are developing new and innovative ways to advance talent and strengthen their organizations through gender equity.

The 2024 Catalyst Awards Conference & Dinner—the premier gender equity conference and awards—will take place in person at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City and online. This year’s theme, the Catalyst Effect, celebrates the collective impact of individuals committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion—who together can create massive change.