Attend the 12th Annual ‘Women Leading the Way’ Panel on Friday, November 18 in Melville

Women are an economic powerhouse for America, owning 10.1 million firms generating $1.9 trillion in sales and employing 13 million people.

Yet women face special challenges in reinforcing their business leadership. They must strike the right work/life balance, ensure their voices are heard, and carefully navigate their career paths.

On Friday morning, November 18, a panel of high-achieving Long Island businesswomen will explore such challenges at our 12th Annual “Women Leading the Way” Executive Leadership Program at the Hilton Long Island at 598 Broadhollow Road in Melville. We’d like you to be there with us.

Running from 8:00 am to 10:30 am, the panel will be moderated by Domenique Camacho-Moran, a Partner with Farrell Fritz PC. Invited panelists include Christine M. Riordan, President of Adelphi University; Anne Shybunko-Moore, CEO and Owner of GSE Dynamics and an HIA-LI board member; Andrea Principe, Director for the Northeast Division of Chase Business Banking; Theresa Sanders, President and CEO of the Urban League of Long Island; and Kristen Reynolds, President and CEO of Discover Long Island.

And while we’re on the topic, here are some recommendations for improving work/life balance:

First, working women should try to make space for self-care, says Lianna Bass, a New York City-based journalist, who suggests the following:

  • Eat healthy meals
  • Stay hydrated
  • Get enough sleep
  • Exercise regularly

A second set of recommendations come from the American Psychological Association. Among other suggestions, they recommend that working women “become more organized:”  

  • Create a structured but flexible schedule
  • Establish dedicated spaces for work versus play
  • Arrange task lists by priority, allowing for flexibility

And a third suggestion comes from a February 2021 New York Times column titled “Remember: What You Do is Not Who You Are.” It cites tips from Alison Green, founder of the advice blog Ask a Manager. She offered this recommendation for people struggling to separate work life and personal life: “start putting the boundaries in place.”

This could mean not answering your phone after your workday has ended, or not engaging with an email or text message while you’re taking a 15-minute mental health break during the day.

Often, Green says, “When people just start carving out those boundaries for themselves, they discover it’s fine. Nothing happens . . . no one even notices.”


The Executive Leadership event will include a craft fair. Contact Halle Grossman at hgrossman@hia-li.org for vendor opportunities.

For information about sponsorship opportunities, contact Anthony Forgione at aforgione@hia-li.org. Sponsors to date are: City National Bank, Custom Computer Specialists, Farrell Fritz PC, Island Harvest, Mark Grossman Public Relations, and People’s Alliance Federal Credit Union.

Tickets are $50 for HIA-LI members and $65 for non-members. To register, visit www.hia-li.org or call 631-543-5555.

Women to Talk Business at Friday’s Executive Leadership Event

Women are steadily increasing their ranks among business leaders overall.

Yet despite growing numbers, female entrepreneurs still face challenges in the corporate workplace.

They confront hurdles in striking the right work-life balance. They often need to look harder to obtain the right kind of mentoring. And the pandemic further complicated women’s pathways to business success.

What are the solutions? What best practices can we point to? And how does this all play out on Long Island?

This Friday morning, November 19, we’ll have an opportunity to get some answers.

A panel of high-achieving Long Island businesswomen will talk through issues like this at HIA-LI’s 11th Annual “Women Leading the Way” executive leadership event. It takes place at the LGBT Network at 125 Kennedy Drive, Suite 100 in Hauppauge. 

The panel, running from 8:00 am to 10:00 am, will be moderated by Domenique Camacho-Moran, a Partner with Farrell Fritz PC. Panelists include Lisa Mirabile, President and CEO of Vertigo Media Group; Karen Boorshtein, President and CEO of Family Service League; Lauren Nichols, President of 3G Warehouse, Inc.; and Natalie Wright, Suffolk County’s Commissioner of Economic Development and Planning.

Happily, the numbers for women executives are encouraging. Looking at census bureau data, the number of women-owned businesses nationwide increased 21 percent between 2014 and 2019, while all businesses increased nine percent. More than ten million women-owned firms generated $1.9 trillion in sales and employed 13 million people.

The idea that HIA-LI should host an annual forum to tackle woman-centered business issues was originally suggested by U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in 2010.

“Women Leading the Way” also features a craft fair.

Attendees may take part in person or via Zoom. The registration fee is $50 for in-person attendance, and $25 for virtual participation.

Vendors wishing to exhibit at the craft fair should contact HIA-LI at 631-543-5355.

The event is sponsored by Farrell Fritz, PC; People’s Alliance Federal Credit Union; Campolo, Middleton McCormick, LLP; Brookhaven National Laboratory; the LGBT Network; Signwave; City National Bank; LITimes.org; Mark Grossman Public Relations; WSHU Public Radio; and IHOP. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Anthony Forgione at aforgione@hia-li.org.

Per CDC guidelines, those not fully vaccinated will be required to wear a face mask.

To register, go to https://www.hia-li.org/events/hia-lis-11th-annual-womens-leadership-program/ or call 631-543-5355. I look forward to seeing you then!