Ohio State’s conference and event space, the Fawcett Event Center — located at 2400 Olentangy River Road — is set to host the Fisher College of Business’ fourth annual Women’s Leadership Symposium Friday. Credit: Michael Misel | Lantern Photographer

Women in leadership roles and aspiring professionals will come together at Ohio State Friday to discuss health, executive management and career growth. 

The Fisher College of Business will host its fourth annual Women’s Leadership Symposium from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Fawcett Event Center, located at 2400 Olentangy River Road. 

According to Ohio State’s website, this year’s event — which focuses on balancing professional success with personal well-being — will explore strategies for achieving sustainable success in leadership. Featuring well-known researchers, business leaders and Fisher College alumni, the symposium will offer insights on nutritional health, mental toughness, workplace balance and inclusive leadership through various keynote speeches, panel discussions and Q&A sessions. 

Cynthia Turner — Fisher’s associate dean of access, engagement and outreach — said organizers created this year’s program to actively engage attendees in discussions on timely topics, which are carefully selected each year along with a new lineup of speakers. 

“What makes this year’s symposium unique is our continued focus on curating session topics that are not only relevant and impactful, but that truly resonate with our audience and inspire action,” Turner said.

According to Ohio State’s website, one of this year’s featured discussions, titled “Leveraging AI for Professional and Personal Success,” will examine how AI can streamline work, boost productivity and assist with personal task management. 

This session will feature guest speakers Sandy DeFelice — senior vice president at Digital Wave Technology — and Nathan Craig — associate professor of operations and business analytics.  

Turner said dialogues related to professional success and personal balance have become increasingly relevant in recent years and can be particularly challenging for women.

“Whether you’re an executive, a manager or part of a team, the pressures of work and the pull of personal responsibilities are constant, especially for women,” Turner said. “This year’s theme acknowledges that reality. It invites honest conversations about the challenges of achieving balance, while offering strategies and inspiration to help us lead with purpose and take care of ourselves along the way.”

Another key topic at this year’s event, according to Ohio State’s website, is “Fueling Success Through Health and Nutrition,” which will explore the connection between comprehensive well-being and long-term success. The discussion will feature guest speaker Ashley Zipfel, a holistic registered dietitian, health coach and CEO of A to Z Holistic Nutrition.   

Zipfel said nutrition and self-care play a foundational role in many leaders’ enduring success.

“Being aware of different things that we can do to support our health from a nutrition standpoint, along with our mindset and even our mental health from the self-care standpoint, they’re all very intricately connected,” Zipfel said. 

Zipfel said women leaders generally face issues such as excessive stress and role conflict, and often don’t have enough time or space to take care of their physical and emotional needs as a result.

“It doesn’t allow a whole lot of room to take care of our nutrition, and to take care of our self-care and put ourselves first because we usually have so many other things that we have to put first,” Zipfel said. “So, I think those are very, very real, big challenges that women leaders are facing right now.”

Beyond the health and psychological realms, Zipfel said the event will also focus on women’s roles in community building and forming interpersonal connections. She said building an emotional support network is crucial for women leaders, yet it is often overlooked amid busy schedules.

“Being able to be vulnerable with other women and open up about, ‘These are my struggles,’ because typically, other women are going through, again, a lot of the same things,” Zipfel said. “And so, they can help each other and support each other on that journey if they are willing to open up and say, ‘Hey, I’m struggling in this area. How can we move forward? Where can I get support?’”

Turner said the event’s ultimate goal is to ​​deepen attendees’ collective understanding of the many challenges women face in leadership roles, as well as to supply them with strategies for working through these struggles. 

“It’s an opportunity for all participants, including allies and advocates, to gain fresh perspectives and walk away with strategies they can use to foster positive change in their own communities and workplaces,” Turner said. “The Women’s Leadership Symposium also reflects what makes our college special: the expertise of our faculty, the energy of our students and the commitment of our alumni and friends.” 

For more information about the symposium, including the full list of guest speakers and discussions, visit Ohio State’s website.