Less Unicorn, More You! Leeza Gibbons, South Carolina, set the stage for LEADDD with her opening keynote “Less Unicorn, More You!” where she discussed the importance of optimism, connections and—above all—kindness. Leaving attendees with the image of the giant sequoia tree, Leeza encouraged them to build support systems.
"The speakers and panels at LEADDD really emphasized how invested Tri Delta is in cultivating the next brave, bold and kind group of professional women." -Shannon Fonseca, Cal State/Northridge
“The sequoia’s roots reach out under the soil, and they connect with the other trees. She holds hands, she wraps arms with the other trees. They become each other’s strength, they become each other’s support system. And, my Tri Delta sisters, it is exactly that way for each of us…You connect, you empower. That’s exactly who we are, and that’s what you’re going to be celebrating all day today throughout this LEADDD Conference.”
Chasing the American Dream At lunch, E! Entertainment’s Giuliana Rancic, an Italian-American immigrant, delivered the second keynote, sharing her unique perspective on “Chasing the American Dream.” Giuliana told the story of how she came to the United States from Italy as a young child and learned English by watching the evening news. These news programs inspired her to pursue a career in entertainment journalism—eventually becoming one of the top female entertainment journalists in the world. Her husband, entrepreneur and television host Bill Rancic, surprised the audience by joining her on stage to talk about the importance of partnering and supporting a strong, successful woman. Following the keynote, Bill and Giuliana participated in a Q&A moderated by LEADDD’s emcee Heidi Guest, California/Davis, senior director of on-air media and leadership development for
Photo, opposite page: Leeza Gibbons and Tara Campbell. Photo, right: Giuliana Rancic.
www.tridelta.org Photos: Michael Johnson
Summer 2019 The Trident
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