2025 International Women’s Day Speakers on Accelerating Action Towards Gender Equality

The Detroit Regional Chamber hosted its annual International Women’s Day celebration on March 4, 2025, to encourage conversations and meaningful action towards the theme of #AcclerateAction towards gender equality. Four speakers took the stage to share their professional and personal experiences within this space, giving attendees actionable information and strategies to join this movement.

Authenticity + Connection = Your Story 

Opening the stage for the day was Christy McDonald, Chief Executive Officer of Sammac Communications Inc. She began her conversation by discussing her years-long career as a journalist and news anchor and the power of storytelling she experienced from it. She shared that while she was a storyteller by trade when she faced personal hardship, it wasn’t natural instinct for her family to share her husband’s cancer diagnosis and their journey through such a challenging time. Instead, they kept that life-changing experience private for fear of burdening others and that “no one wants to hear our story.” 

Once her husband passed away, McDonald became keenly aware of how she presented herself to the world and the impact it had on relationships, saying, “We want the reality … to bring us back to what makes us human and what brings our connection to each other, and it’s knowing and owning your story and revealing it to people saying, ‘hey, this is me. This is how I am.’” 

“Create a voice worth hearing.” 

DTE’s Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, JoAnn Chavez, began her discussion with gratitude for the many experiences and opportunities that transformed her into the person she is today, allowing her to overcome adversity. In her career, she noted that she’s “always the first and only,” experiencing conscious and unconscious biases while climbing the corporate ladder, which she shared made her the woman she is today. Unapologetically, she said, “Take it or leave it.” 

Throughout her journey, Chavez faced a moment of introspection to answer the question, “Who am I?” As a sixth-generation Mexican American raised in Detroit to a self-described dysfunctional family, she pondered her late father’s words of “never forget where you came from.”

“[I] created a voice worth hearing,” she said. “My family did not write my story, but they fostered my resilience and my grit. I wrote my narrative.”  

Because of this, she felt she’d traveled her professional road alone, but through the power of storytelling, she hopes that others facing similar situations or backgrounds will never have to “travel that road alone again,” she said. “We owe it to one another.” 

In closing, Chavez shared three truths that she holds dear and encourages others to live: 

• Success does not require assimilation.
• Each and every person has an obligation to lead their community.
• The sense of responsibility to others will both fuel and act as a battery for individuals. 

Invest In Yourself 

Working in a male-dominated field, Patti Glaza, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Invest Detroit, quickly discovered that men are taught earlier on in their lives the importance of relationships, and it gives them access to resources and talent to move faster. Women, on the other hand, tend to navigate their paths independently, often believing that asking for help undermines their achievements or becomes competitive. 

Because of this, Glaza shared that there is a responsibility among women to be supportive rather than competitive, asking, “Who in their network helps them create a team? A team for success?” 

She said the answer lies in fostering connections that support growth and success. It is not achieved in isolation. It thrives in networks, in teams built with purpose, and in the investment individuals make in themselves. For Glaza, the most important investment is time.  

“Take [time] for yourself,” she said. “No matter what it is, make sure it’s for yourself … The idea is that if you can be healthy and happy in your own life, it has that multiplier effect across others.” 

The Power of Deep Listening 

Jasmit Kaur, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Culturebie, shared that throughout her career, she discovered that data alone is not always enough to make necessary decisions, especially for someone seeking to strengthen leadership. 

One such way companies do this is through exit interviews and annual employee surveys. Organizations must go beyond surface-level metrics and commit to systematically listening to their employees through ‘deep listening.’  

Kaur stressed that there should be less emphasis on traditional methods of employee feedback that gauge only morale and management.  

“Don’t expect [these types of surveys] to tell you what you really need to know about your people,” she said. “Sure, those things are important, but what are the symptoms of other [issues] that matter?”

With deep listening, Kaur found that a focus on specific and relevant business goals in employee surveys provides a useful blend of quantitative and qualitative data. When leaders truly listen and engage with their teams in a structured and meaningful way, she found that they unlock powerful opportunities for growth, innovation, and transformation.