Generation W 2026: Impact

Generation W is back for another insightful day of thought leadership and connection. You don’t want to miss this exciting day!

Why People Come to Generation W – IMPACT

“Impact isn’t always immediate—it reveals itself over time.”
— Donna Orender, Founder & CEO, Generation W

Generation W is a nationally recognized thought leadership experience known for bringing the right voices into the same room—and creating conversations that matter long after the day ends.

Generation W – IMPACT is where insight meets action.

This is not a passive leadership event. It’s a carefully curated, full-day experience built around high-impact panels, powerful speakers, and intentional dialogue designed to challenge perspectives, spark ideas, and move people forward—professionally, personally, and collectively.

If you come to Generation W – IMPACT, you come for the conversations.

You’ll hear from leaders across business, finance, technology, health, philanthropy, government, and culture—people making real decisions, shaping policy, driving innovation, and redefining leadership in real time. These are not theoretical conversations. They are grounded, relevant, and purpose-driven discussions about what it actually takes to create lasting impact.

What Makes These Conversations Different

The conversations at Generation W – IMPACT are:

• Purposeful and powerful, not performative
• Designed to push thinking, not reinforce what you already know
• Built around real-world leadership challenges and opportunities
• Moderated to encourage honesty, nuance, and depth

From impact investing and leadership to AI, women’s health, and the future of work, each conversation is crafted to deliver perspective you can apply immediately.

Between speakers and panels, you’ll engage in interactive workshops and breakout conversations that allow you to reflect, connect, and translate insight into action—so you don’t just leave inspired, you leave clearer.

A Full-Day Experience — Not Just a Schedule

Generation W – IMPACT blends substance with energy, creativity, and joy.

Throughout the day, you’ll experience:

• Thought leadership panels
• Keynote speakers
• Hands-on workshops designed for clarity and growth
• Local chefs and food experiences woven into the day
• Music, movement, and art that energize the atmosphere
• LauncHER, featuring women-owned, early-stage businesses showcased and supported
• Connection moments and networking that feel natural, not forced

This is a day designed to feel alive—where leadership, learning, and celebration coexist.

Who Should Be in the Room

Generation W – IMPACT is for:

• Leaders, professionals, founders, and changemakers
• Those who value substance over soundbites
• People who want to think differently, connect meaningfully, and lead with intention
• Anyone ready to invest one powerful day in growth and impact

Why It’s Worth Your Time

Because one intentional day—spent in the right room, with the right people, having the right conversations—can change how you lead, decide, and move forward.

Generation W – IMPACT is where bold ideas become shared momentum.

What To Expect:

8:30 a.m. Doors Open

Tina Wilson, Creative Director, Generation W

Donna Orender, Founder & CEO, Generation W; Commissioner, The UPSHOT League

9:05 a.m. Dr. Olenda Johnson, Professor, U.S Naval War College

9:35 a.m. Impact Panel

Patti McElroy, President, Vystar Foundation; Senior Vice President, Vystar Credit Union

Mari Kuraishi, President, Jessie Ball duPont Fund

Patrick J. Geraghty, Former President & CEO, Guidewell Mutual Holdings

Aida Seeraj, Founder & CEO, Inspire to Rise

Karen Feagins, VP, Client & Community Relations Director, PNC North Florida

10:30 a.m. Networking Connection Break

11:00 a.m. AI Panel

Dr. Betty Mbom, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Paradigm

Izu Emeagwali, Managing Director & Associate General Counsel, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Dr. Elizabeth Adams, CEO & Advisor, EMA Advisory

Diya Winn, Principal, Responsible AI, Public Policy, Amazon Web Services

11:40 a.m. Keia Clarke, CEO, New York Liberty

12:00 p.m. Nazanin Afshin-Jam Mackay, Human Rights & Democracy Advocate

12:45 p.m. Workshops

Unlock Your 2026, From Overwhelmed to Unstoppable

- with Parul Patel, Managing Partner & CEO, Avesa Partners and IvyTek

Telling the Truth in a Post-Truth World

- with Anna Dougan, Senior Client Officer, IPSOS

Dance is Medicine- From Burnout to Alignment

- with Blakely Stein, Movement Dance Facilitator, Holistic Intuitive Coach

2:15 p.m. Musical Performance, Adelya Nartadjieva, Concert Master, Jacksonville Symphony

2:30 p.m. Women’s Health and Longevity

3:00 p.m. The Impact of WOW

3:15 p.m. Donna Deegan, Mayor, City of Jacksonville

3:45 p.m. Connection Reception

Tickets include complimentary parking, breakfast, lunch, and a post-event reception as part of the full-day experience.

For up to the minute Speaker Annoucements and Event Information, check out our website: https://genwnow.com/gen-w-2026/