Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations
By Nadjad Nikabou-Salifou, Co-Chair of the Young Professionals' CommitteeOn March 27, 2025, the UNA-NCA Young Professionals (YP) Program hosted speakers from diverse backgrounds — spanning various career levels and industries — with the aim of uplifting and inspiring future generations. This in-person event focused on both the achievements and unexpected career changes, emphasizing perseverance and fostering resiliency. Through lessons learned and challenges they’ve overcome, the speakers of this event highlighted the power of mentorship, education, and leadership in driving progress. The event primarily consisted of a moderated fireside chat, followed by audience members’ questions directed towards panelists, and concluded with a networking reception.
UNA-NCA’s President, Paula Boland, opened the event with personal remarks and outlined its objectives, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation and honoring those who have paved the way for women's rights. She then introduced the Co-Chairs of the YP Program, Ms. Lanice C. Williams and Ms. Nadjad Nikabou, along with information on how attendees could get involved with UNA-NCA. Ms. Nikabou provided an overview of the speakers’ diverse backgrounds and expertise. The panelists included: Dilly Severin, Executive Director at Universal Access Project; Dr. Revi Sterling, Deputy Director at Digital Impact Hub at CARE; and Abigail Spangler, Global Associate Director for the Gender Equality Portfolio at Room to Read.
Moderating the event was YP Board Member, Kay Igbogidi, who transitioned the event into the fireside chat segment. Prefacing her questions with statistics about the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles, Ms. Igbogidi asked the panelists about their experiences with women's representation. In response, Ms. Spangler shared her efforts to encourage parents to keep their daughters in school and ensure they graduate from secondary school. She noted the resistance she often faces in this area but ultimately emphasized the need for collaboration with community members. Dr. Sterling, who focuses on rural connectivity to bring internet access to young women and girls, echoed this sentiment, stressing the importance of women-led coalitions, particularly in times of crisis. Ms. Severin remarked that “a crisis is also an opportunity,” stating that such moments can facilitate new partnerships among U.S. specialists across different sectors, as well as global experts who may have been previously overlooked. She highlighted the importance of maintaining an open mind regarding potential opportunities to further collaborate.
Reflecting on her own career journey, Ms. Sterling explained that the exclusion she and other women faced working for technology companies led her to advocate for women’s rights in tech. As the panel speakers discussed the necessity for women to break barriers across industries, Ms. Severin emphasized the importance of not just mentorship, but sponsorship as well. She noted that having advocates who will promote your interests in professional settings is crucial, even when those advocates do not necessarily resemble us in physical features or identity. Additionally, she underscored the value of networking not only in large and formal settings, but connecting with others through frameworks that are most effective for each individuals’ communication style. This could entail coffee chats and other tailored informal gatherings.
In reflecting on past lessons learned, Ms. Spangler emphasized the importance of believing in one’s self as a young professional and acknowledged the unique contributions young people bring to older generations. She noted that the reciprocal relationship of this intergenerational knowledge exchange is something for young people to be cognizant of and confident in. On a similar note, Dr. Sterling advised to push against fears and boldly enter new spaces. Lastly, Ms. Severin noted “that sometimes when you’re in the minority you also need a soft place to fall,” affirming that we’re meant to find places that also enable us to “thrive and grow.”
Questions from attendees addressed key topics, including how to navigate career changes, ensuring women are heard in the workplace, and tips for securing job opportunities particularly in the face of fewer job openings. After the Q&A session, the event’s presenters and attendees were thanked by YP Program Co-Chairs Ms. Lanice C. Williams and Ms. Nadjad Nikabou for their participation. The event concluded with a networking reception.
