Lilly Ledbetter
Fair Pay Icon

Born in the rural town of Possum Trot, Alabama, Lilly Ledbetter's journey epitomizes resilience and determination in the face of adversity. Raised in a household devoid of modern conveniences like running water and electricity, she learned early on the value of hard work and perseverance.

In 1979, despite initial hesitations from her husband and with two young children to care for, Lilly courageously pursued her dream job at the Goodyear tire factory. Breaking barriers as one of the few women in a predominantly male environment, she defied expectations and secured a management position through sheer talent and determination.

Throughout her tenure at Goodyear, Lilly encountered daily instances of gender discrimination and sexual harassment. Despite these challenges, she remained steadfast in her belief in the possibility of change. It wasn't until nineteen years into her employment that Lilly received an anonymous note exposing the vast wage gap between herself and her male colleagues. This revelation ignited her determination to seek justice.

In a landmark case against Goodyear, Lilly initially emerged victorious, only to face a devastating setback on appeal. Undeterred, she embarked on an eight-year legal battle that culminated in a historic showdown at the Supreme Court. Although the Court ruled against her due to strict filing deadlines, Lilly's perseverance captured national attention, with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's impassioned dissent serving as a rallying cry for continued advocacy.

Lilly's unwavering commitment to fairness and equality ultimately led to her becoming the namesake of President Barack Obama's inaugural piece of legislation—the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. This groundbreaking law aimed to rectify the gender pay gap by extending the statute of limitations for filing pay discrimination claims.

As the namesake of a significant legislative victory, Lilly remains a tireless advocate for gender equality. Her story serves as a testament to the power of perseverance and the enduring struggle for justice. On the 15th anniversary of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in January 2024, the White House reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling barriers to fair pay and empowering women in the workforce, honoring Lilly's legacy and championing policies that promote transparency, accountability, and economic opportunity.

Lilly Ledbetter's journey continues to inspire future generations, reinforcing the fundamental principle that equal work deserves equal pay. As an icon for fair pay and the driving force behind landmark legislation, her legacy endures as a beacon of hope in the ongoing fight for gender equality.

Amy Cross
Founder, Gender Fair

Amy-Willard Cross is the founder of the Gender Fair Index, which does independent data analysis of companies’ gender metrics. Foreign Policy named her a Global Thinker of 2015 for her work on “Economic Girl Power.” In 2016, she was invited to join the Clinton Global Initiative. Prior to that, Cross created a women’s news site, VITAMIN W Media, which rated women’s and co-ed colleges, conducted a rebranding contest campaign for feminism, and co-created the Add Feminism campaign. For 20 years, Cross worked as an editor and writer for national publications in Canada and the U.S., writing features, essays, and reviews, as well as authoring two books and working on TV shows. In her 20s, she developed the first magazine for midlife women for the publishers of SHAPE. An honors graduate of Wellesley, she maintained the family tradition of attending women’s colleges since the 1880s and is named for Frances Willard, a friend and comrade of her great-grandmother’s.

Dr. C. Nicole Mason
President & CEO, Future Forward Women, New York Women's Foundation

Recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders, Dr. C. Nicole Mason is President/CEO of Future Forward Women, a legislative exchange and policy network committed to building women’s political, economic, and social power and influence in the U.S. and globally.  

Most recently, Nicole was named one of Glamour Magazine’s 100 Influential Women Leaders and Washingtonian Magazine’s Influential Policy Leaders. In 2016, Nicole delivered a dynamic and well-received TED Talk on The Gift of Being Difficult and the Power of Disruption. 

Before Future Forward, she served as the President/CEO of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) and the Women of Color Policy Network at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

For the past two decades, Dr. Mason has spearheaded research on issues relating to economic security, pay equity, poverty, women’s issues, and entitlement reforms; policy formation and political participation among women and communities of color, and racial equity. 

At the start of the pandemic, she coined the term she-cession to describe the disproportionate impact of employment and income losses on women. Dr. Mason is the author of Born Bright: A Young Girl’s Journey from Nothing to Something in America (St. Martin’s Press) and has written hundreds of articles on women, poverty, and economic security. Her writing and commentary have been featured in the New York Times, MSNBC, CNN, NBC, CBS, the Washington Post, Marie Claire, the Progressive, ESSENCE, Bustle, BIG THINK, Miami Herald, Democracy Now, and numerous NPR affiliates, among others.

Nicole serves on the boards of All Our Kin, the Jeremiah Program, and the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center.

Holly Corbett
Contributor, Forbes

Holly C. Corbett is a Forbes contributor who covers gender equity, and a multi-platform storyteller and leader for social impact. Holly is the Content Marketer Of The Year Winner from the 2023 Women in Content Marketing Awards. Her work experience includes being an editor and writer at national outlets ranging from USA Today to TravelChannel.com to Redbook.  She is also co-author of the memoir The Lost Girls: Three Friends. Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World. She received her master’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Illana Raia
Founder, Être

Named one of the first 250 entrepreneurs on the Forbes Next 1000 List and recognized twice by Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas, Illana Raia is the founder and CEO of Être - a mentorship platform for girls. Believing that mentors matter as early as middle school, Illana brings girls directly into companies they choose to meet female leaders face to face.

Illana is chair-elect of the International Space Station U.S. National Lab Education Subcommittee, serves on the National Girls’ Collaborative Project Champions Board and was recently appointed to the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Board of Governors. Illana contributes to the Forbes Business Council, has authored 60+ articles for HuffPost, Ms. Magazine and Thrive Global, and her award-winning book Être: Girls, Who Do You Want To Be? was released on Day of the Girl 2019. Her second best-selling book, The Epic Mentor Guide, arrived during Women’s History Month 2022, sparking a weekly conversation on LinkedIn with The Epic Mentor Newsletter.

Prior to launching Être in 2016, Illana was a corporate attorney at Skadden Arps in NYC and a guest lecturer at Columbia University. She graduated from Smith College and the University of Chicago Law School, and remains unapologetically nerdy.

Kate Kelley
EVP, LILLY Social Action Campaign

Kate is a dynamic leader at the crossroads of advertising, social impact, and entertainment driven by a profound belief in the transformative power of storytelling. With a diverse background spanning various industries, she is dedicated to catalyzing positive change through narrative-driven initiatives.

In her dual capacity as Associate Producer of the eagerly anticipated feature film LILLY, set for release in 2024, and EVP of Partnerships for the accompanying LILLY Social Action Campaign, Kate is at the forefront of a movement aimed at empowering women in the workforce. Through strategic collaborations and impactful storytelling, she is not only crafting compelling narratives but also igniting tangible action toward building a more just and equitable society.

In addition to her achievements in entertainment, Kate plays a pivotal role as Senior Advisor to Simple Spirits, championing her belief in the power of businesses to act as forces for social good. Simple Spirits stands as a beacon of corporate social responsibility, exemplifying how businesses can drive positive societal change. To date, Simple has contributed over 1,000,000 meals to combat food insecurity in America, one drink at a time, and remain resolute in their mission to provide 30 million meals by the end of 2027, underscoring their dedication to making a meaningful and lasting difference.

Kate's deep understanding of brand strategy and integrated campaigns stems from her extensive experience collaborating with renowned events and brands, including the Tribeca Film Festival, Miami Art Week, SXSW, L'Oréal, LOUIS XIII, Disney, and Paramount. Through her strategic insights and contributions, she has played a pivotal role in elevating culture, fostering meaningful connections, and mobilizing action.

Kate's visionary leadership seamlessly integrates with her steadfast dedication to social impact. Her exemplary work serves as a testament to the boundless possibilities when passion, purpose, and leadership converge for the greater good.

Uma Iyer
Chief External Affairs Officer, National Women’s Law Center

Uma M. Iyer is the Chief External Affairs Officer at the National Women’s Law Center, where she sets strategy and growth for the organization’s resourcing initiatives, research portfolio, and the integrated campaigns and communications function. Since joining NWLC in 2018 as Vice President for Marketing and Communications, she has overseen the organization’s public-facing response to unprecedented assaults on women’s rights – from the overturning of Roe v Wade to the continuing reverberations of #MeToo and the impacts of Covid-19 on working women. 

With over 20 years of experience in social impact and brand strategy, data-driven storytelling, grassroots advocacy, and fundraising and campaign development across for- and non-profit organizations, Uma has spent her career connecting people with product, power, and purpose. She has previously worked at organizations including Vital Voices and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and on behalf of brands including Dove, and currently serves on the board of Shadhika, an organization that combats gender inequality in India. Uma studied Economics and Political Science at the University of Houston, and has appeared, both in first person and as a ghostwriter, in outlets from CNN to People to Teen Vogue. 

She currently resides with her family in Washington, DC, at the intersection of “I used to be cool.” and “Where are my children’s pants?”

Kristin Molinari Cohen
Chief Marketing Officer, sparks & honey

Kristin is a disruptive consultant advising C-suite executives in new methods to lead culturally driven transformation. In addition to guiding executives from government agencies to the Fortune 100, CPG and tech giants, she crafts marketing and IP development for sparks & honey. She leads s&h Intelligence Reports such as Future of Giving, Precision Consumer 2030, The Equity Effect and Gen Z Complexities. While every week you can find her shaping the editorial content for the firm’s famed Culture Briefings. 

Kristin honed her entrepreneurial skills in leadership positions with companies at the forefront of culture, including as Publisher of the award-winning food and travel magazine, Saveur, following stints at Condé Nast, Travel + Leisure, and Allure. Kristin left the publishing world to be co-founder of Delicious Contents, a full-service, editorially-focused creative collective, that redefined content creation across the food-sphere. 

Kristin has a BSBA in Marketing from Boston University. Her favorite OOO days are ‘adventure days’ with her 13 year old daughter where they explore the new and iconic in food, art, events and history in NYC and all over the world.