Celebrating the 10-Year Anniversary of WINnovation!

WALTER’s signature event to showcase women leaders in our community was founded in 2015. Meet our speakers from over the years.
by Ayn-Monique Klahre

We are delighted to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of WINnovation! Originally conceived by WALTER staffers Liza Roberts and Jesma Reynolds in partnership Kari Stoltz and Virginia Parker of Bank of America, the first WINnovation, in September 2015, was billed as “an elegant dinner celebrating women and innovation“ and held at The Angus Barn Pavilion. The first event included six panelists who shared short “WIN Talks” outlining their experience with entrepreneurship and innovation.

Since 2016, the event has taken place over dinner at The Umstead Hotel & Spa. The evening has also expanded to include professional workshops and networking. But each year, the core of the event has remained the same: gathering women leaders in our community to share their stories. Over the past ten years, we’ve discussed just about every topic related to women in the workplace — from fueling ambition to finding balance, from overcoming failure to mentoring fresh talent, from navigating workplace politics to leading solo. Below are a few of the speakers we’ve highlighted over the past 10 years (with WALTER staffers noted in italics) — and get to know our WINnovation 2025 speakers right here.

Buy tickets now for WINnovation 2025!

WINnovation 2015
Guenevere Abernathy, Jackie Craig, Molly Paul, Lauren Whitehurst, Nancy McFarlane, Brooks Bell
WALTER’s first WINnovation took place at The Angus Barn. Read the recap.

WINnovation 2016
Maura Horton, Cindy Whitehead, Isa Watson, Jamie Meares, Tashni-Ann Dubroy
Read the recap.

WINnovation 2017
Tatiana Birgisson, Alice Hinman, Nnenna Freelon, Donna Preiss, Michelle Moore, Sarah Yarborough
Read the recap

WINnovation 2018
Emily Grey, Sepi Saidi, Melisse Shaban, Katherine Poole, Lindsay Zanno, Laura Wall, Cicely Mitchell
Read the recap

WINnovation 2019
Julie Hafer, Ann Ross, Billie Redmond, Angela Salamanca, Donna Sylver
Meet the panelists

WINnovation 2020
Shana Tucker, Ayn-Monique Klahre, Mavis Gragg, Judith Cone, Kristie Nystedt
In 2020, WINnovation was a live video event, with guests attending virtually due to the COVID pandemic. Read the recap