The Governor’s Conference for Women – Maria Shriver’s last
Women’s Conference as First Lady of California is the largest and best ever
mounted.
Three full days – it used to be one – with 140 newsmakers
and opinion leaders and an estimated attendance of more than 30,000 women. As
in past years, tickets sold out within hours of going on sale.
Extraordinary. Transformative.
These words are heard a lot at the Governor and First Lady’s Women’s Conference, as executed by Maria Shriver.
And as someone who attended the first Governor’s Conference for Women in 1986 when the keynote speaker was Mary Kay of Mary Kay Cosmetics and the conference was called the Governor’s Conference on Women in Business – because apparently that was so novel –all I can say is “We’ve come a long way baby”.
The 2009 Women’s Conference was the best ever. Just when you think Maria Shriver can’t take it any higher—she hits a longer home run. The two-day event, which drew a record 25,000 women, was way, way, way, over the top. Tickets went on sale last July and were sold out in a record two hours.
The Governor and First Lady’s conference for Women was a marathon — a 12-hour day, but well worth the price of admission.
The conference this year blew away all expectations. It was bigger, better and had a more excited and diverse line up of speakers than ever before.
Kicking off the day was a humorous panel with multi, multi billionaire Warren Buffett and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that was moderated by political pundit, Chris Matthews.
Three men at a conference with 14,000 women — It was clear the three were loving it and played ruthlessly to the house. At one point, Warren Buffett asked Chris Matthews if he thought so highly of women would have rather been one. Matthews skirted the answer…
Today kicks off the Governor and First Lady’s Conference on Women in Long Beach.
Nearly 15,000 women and — a smattering of self-assured men — will arrive at the Long Beach Convention Center for what will be a most amazing two days.
Just to give you an idea of the line up…Jennifer Lopez, JLo herself, kicks off the conference followed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Warren Buffet in a discussion moderated by MSNBC’s Chris Mathews.
Lunchtime speakers include Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Indra Nooyi, the Chairman and CEO of Pepsi. The afternoon session features Bono, the lead singer from U2 and co-founder of the One Campaign. Bonnie Raitt closes the day with a rockin’ concert, as if there was any other kind.