Virtual Panel Discussion Will Examine the Pandemic's Impact on Women Tuesday, November 17, 2020

The Women In Industry (WIN) initiative at Point Park University’s Rowland School of Business is partnering with Take The Hill leadership podcast to host a live stream virtual discussion addressing how the pandemic has adversely affected women nationally and in the Greater Pittsburgh region.

“Coming Together: Pandemic Implications and a Path to Progress for Women," will take place Monday, Nov. 23, 12–1:30 p.m., via Zoom. The discussion will illuminate the challenges faced by women and further exacerbated by the pandemic and provide encouragement and direction for a path forward through community and workplace collaboration.

The event is free and open to the public. Visit AcceleratingWIN.org to register and access the session link.

 "COVID-19 has significantly impacted many aspects of life, but it has dramatically magnified challenges faced by women in the community and in the workplace, threatening to roll back the socio-economic progress made by women over the last several decades," said Dorene Ciletti, Ph.D., the H.J. Heinz Company Endowed Chair in Business Management at Point Park University’s Rowland School of Business. 

 Panelists include:

• Angela Reynolds, Ph.D., CEO of the YWCA Greater Pittsburgh
• Britney Brinkman, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the Psy. D. program at Point Park University; owner of BGB Consulting, a consulting firm for non-profit organizations and schools
• Jessica Mulvihill, Ph.D., director of Education Abroad at Indiana University of Pennsylvania
• Samantha Weber, senior human resources management major and recruiter for Advance Sourcing Concepts

The discussion will focus on how the pandemic has impacted the notion of community for women, especially how it has magnified the challenges of marginalized groups and impacted their ability to work remotely or outside of the home. 

Other topics include how women are:

• Disproportionately affected in general with significant concerns around economic insecurity
• Less likely to have social protections
• More likely to head a single-parent household
• Have fewer resources through savings
• More likely to face unemployment or reduction in paid work hours

 "While we are trying to increase awareness of issues and opportunities for women and provide a pathway to education, resources and other means of support, we also want to look at solutions," Ciletti said. 

More information on the WIN initiative in the Rowland School of Business can be found at AcceleratingWIN.org.

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