Connection, travel, & Truth-telling
May 1-2: Start-up and investing Events
Location: Omaha, NE
Piece by Piece: Building the Future of Startup Investing
International Investors Tour & Reception
TAKEAWAY: ·Highlighted the skills, networks, and experiences that we each bring to the table to support innovation.
May 7-8: Start-up and investing Events
Location: Chicago, IL
Project MedTech Midwest Showcase
1871’s Scale-Up Event
TAKEAWAY: Emphasized the value of partnerships and investment relationships in the journey. “Partnerships are the new power”
May 17: ACOG 2025 Advocacy Product Theater Panel: Dishing on Menopause: An Invitation to Listen
Event: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Annual Meeting Theme: Powered by Purpose
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Panel Sponsored by: Bayer
Description: A fly-on-the-wall opportunity to listen to the unfiltered menopause stories of women. Anna Barbieri MD FACOG ABOIM, Gynecology and menopause specialist, Assistant Clinical Professor, Mount Sinai School of Medicine will moderate the conversation where women bravely share the raw truths of their menopause experience.
Panelists:
Donna Klassen (co-founder of Let’s Talk Menopause)
Wendee Lee Curtis (veteran news anchor and Broadway performer)
Susan LePlae Miller (consultant and founder of Pieces of I)
TAKEAWAY: We each spoke from a unique lens and shared what surprised us most, what’s hardest to explain, and what we hope clinicians take to heart. It was an amazing opportunity to collaborate with doctors and industry partners on this natural phase of life.
May 20: Women’s Health Matters: Research, Advocacy & Support for a Thriving Future
Hosted by: Chicagoland Chamber Women’s Business Council
Location: Chicago, IL
Description: Half-day summit that brings together leading experts, advocates, and professionals to address one of the most pressing issues of our time—women’s health.
Moderator: Sona Jones, Head of Brand Experience | Nestle Health Science Active Lifestyle Portfolio
Panelists (Panel 1):
Dr. Shikha Jain, Founder, Women in Medicine
Kim Vender Moffat, Managing Director, Rosa Partners, Impact Investor & First Women’s Bank Board Member
Jodi Patkin, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Breast Cancer Research Foundation
Lauren Streicher, MD, Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, and the Founding Medical Director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause
Panelists (Panel 2):
Sheri DeShazo, President, Advocate Sherman Hospital
Dr. Melissa Dennis, Chief Medical Officer, Partum Health
Sadia Zapp, Managing Director, Communications & Content, Breast Cancer Research Foundation
Panelists (Panel 3):
Elizabeth Andrews, Director of Strategic Partnerships | mHub
Susan LePlae Miller Founder & Strategic Partnerships Consultant | Pieces of I
Meghan Doyle, Founder & CEO | Partum Health
TAKEAWAY: Joined a dynamic conversation about how to move beyond benefits to create workplace cultures that genuinely support working parents.
With 4 adult children, and almost 3 decades of experience navigating the “working mom” waters, my perspective and stories highlighted how culture is where change truly happens.
Model flexibility as a core value, not a favor.
Train managers to lead with empathy, not assumptions.
Redefine productivity through impact, not hours
Build community, not just programs.
This is where my mantra comes in: "Know your value, Live your values". Recognize your employee's worth and build cultures aligned with shared values. It’s an invitation for employers to lead with care and courage.
May 19 - 20: Founder’s Forum & Women in Finance Chicago
Founder’s Forum: Hosted by Birch Lake - May 19, 2025
Appreciated the candor and thoughtful dialogues expertly facilitated by Sarah Austin and Robyn Miller Brecker with inspiring Founders, Oprah Network Creators, and Data Center Developers all in one room!
Women in Finance: Hosted by: Bespoke Commercial Real Estate - May 20, 2025
A network of over 200 well intentioned, meaningful connections, and created a space where senior-level professionals can truly be themselves. ·
Stories, experiences, perspective … but most of all support as we travel the landscape together. An inspiring groups of change-makers.
May 22: Tech for Good Innovation Week: HealthTech Community
Hosted by: 1871 at Denton’s in Chicago
TAKEAWAY: Connected with fellow innovators to discuss how to make a meaningful impact on the world through technology-based solutions.
May 30-31: ASCO: American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting
Location: Chicago, IL
Description: ASCO Offers Premier Scientific Events For Oncology Professionals, Patient Advocates, Industry Representatives, And Major Media Outlets Worldwide.