Joyce Kolligian, Ringleader

Photo by Shannon Power

Magnify

Simmons College was one of the first institutions to see great potential in developing female business leaders, and 1989 MBA recipient Joyce Kolligian may take credit for seeing great potential in the school’s annual women’s leadership conference.

About 14 years ago, she took the school’s "nice, comfy" conference and – in her words – "exploded it" into a premiere event that claims A-list speakers each year (including Oprah, Benazir Bhutto and Carly Fiorina) and enriches a student scholarship fund.

Now Joyce and two others work year-round to ensure the early May conference succeeds seamlessly.

"The conference is women getting up there and talking about things they wouldn’t say on TV to Tim Russert. It’s a very empowering day when you can listen to women who have been in the trenches." After nearly 30 years, though, the primary questions haven’t changed: women still want to know how to manage the work/life balance, she says.