Power Women

Laura Forese, M.D., M.P.H., is executive vice president and COO of NewYork-Presbyterian, one of the nation’s most comprehensive, academic healthcare systems, consistently recognized as a top-10 hospital by U.S. News and World Report. She has operational responsibility for 10 hospitals, 200 primary and specialty clinics and medical groups, 45,000+ employees and affiliated physicians, and over $9 billion in revenue. An orthopedic surgeon, she graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Princeton University, Alpha Omega Alpha from Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, and holds a management degree from Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health.

What steps still need to be taken to increase gender parity?
Starting from the earliest school years, we must encourage all genders to expect that women will work outside the home, and that men will participate inside the home with childcare and other tasks at the same rate, and to the same degree, as women. We must focus on building professional pipelines for girls to ensure that women have equal access to all career paths at work. We must also adopt flexible work arrangements so that we don’t disproportionately lose women to family obligations.      

What can New York policymakers do to support the interests of women across the state?
In light of the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, policymakers here in New York state should do everything in their power to ensure reproductive rights. New York State should mandate paid parental leave for both parents, and for every birth and adoption. I also believe the state should subsidize child care.   

If you could have dinner with any three women from history, who would they be and why?
Marie Curie because of her passion for science.  

Eleanor Roosevelt because of her incredible perseverance while facing many difficult personal and professional challenges. 

Julia Child because I like to eat.   

What advice or wisdom would you share with a younger version of yourself?
I would tell the younger version of myself that it’s okay to make a mistake. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Correct it as soon as you can, move on, and try not to make the same mistake twice.  

When Jane Fraser was appointed to her current position in February 2021, she became the first woman to serve as chief executive officer of Citi in the bank’s history. Ms. Fraser oversees all aspects of the company, and she has extensive experience managing Citi’s consumer businesses, mergers and acquisitions, and investment banking. From 2015 to 2019, Ms. Fraser served as CEO of Citigroup Latin America. In her current role, she is responsible for Citi’s global operations across 160 countries and jurisdictions, serving millions of consumers, businesses, and institutions.

Belgian-American fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg first rose to prominence in the 1970s and her famous wrap dress remains a staple in every woman’s closet. Ms. von Furstenberg remains one of the biggest names in fashion, and she served as chairwoman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America from 2006 to 2019. She currently holds the position of director for the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, which provides support to nonprofit organizations that promote community building, education, human rights, arts, health, and the environment.

On November 2, 2021, Vanessa L. Gibson was elected to be the 14th Bronx borough president to serve the over 1.4 million residents and families that call the Bronx home. Ms. Gibson began her career in public service as an intern at the New York State Assembly in 2001 before being elected to represent District 77 in 2009. After serving two terms, Ms. Gibson was elected to the New York City Council in 2013 and quickly became a leader in education, affordable housing, and criminal justice reform. Now, as Bronx borough president, Ms. Gibson is committed to promoting food equity, housing security, public safety, and support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Born and raised in upstate New York, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand attended the Emma Willard School in Troy, New York — the first all-women’s high school in the country. She went on to study at Dartmouth College before earning her law degree from the UCLA School of Law. After working as an attorney in New York City for more than a decade, Gillibrand served as special counsel for the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development during the Clinton Administration. She then worked as an attorney in upstate New York before becoming a member of Congress.

What steps still need to be taken to increase gender parity?
I’m focused on fundamental changes that address gender parity issues at their core. That means affordable child care and accessible paid leave for every woman. It means better pay and protections for jobs in which women are overrepresented — like in the case of domestic work — and addressing it through my Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act. In the military, I am fighting to create a National Cyber Academy to improve diversity and opportunities for women in the armed services. I’ve also worked to fix the Army Combat Fitness Test to make it more equitable for women.

What can New York policymakers do to support the interests of women across the state?
I have championed economic empowerment of women and authored legislation to rewrite workplace rules to keep pace with our workforce. I fought to pass bills that raise the minimum wage, make child care affordable, and ensure equal pay for equal work. I lead the FAMILY Act, which would create a national paid leave program. I lead the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act to improve labor protections for domestic workers, often women of color and immigrants.

If you could have dinner with any three women from history, who would they be and why?
My children’s book, Bold & Brave, describes 10 remarkable suffragists who fought for women’s right to vote. I would have to choose all 10 of them! If I had to start with three, though, I would start with Sojourner Truth, a New Yorker and the first African American woman to successfully stand up for herself in court. I’d like to sit down with Jovita Idar, an important teacher, activist, and journalist. Last but not least, Ida B. Wells, who believed that ”the people must know before they can act, and there is no educator to compare with the press.”

What advice or wisdom would you share with a younger version of yourself?
To get off the sidelines sooner and start helping people! I wish I knew that I could start contributing, making a difference for people without having to wait for my perfect moment. There is no better moment than right now to step up and into the fight for a better country, a better life for our families. There are so many barriers and obstacles for women in public service. I wish I could have told my younger self that those barriers and obstacles were put there for you to overcome, and hopefully show other women that they can overcome them too.

Emily Giske is a longtime leader and public face of the government relations and public affairs firm Bolton-St. Johns, which she has positioned as a top-three lobbying firm in New York City and Albany. Long active in Democratic circles, Giske was instrumental in the passage of New York’s Marriage Equality Act in 2011 and has garnered a reputation as one of the most effective lobbyists in the state. Giske also serves on the board of Eleanor’s Legacy, which works to elect female candidates.

Kim Godwin, president of ABC News, oversees editorial and business operations for broadcast, digital, streaming, and audio news across the organization, which includes trusted and iconic franchises “Good Morning America,” “World News Tonight,” “20/20,” “Nightline,” FiveThirtyEight,” “The View,” and “This Week.” She is the first Black woman to serve as a network news president.

What steps still need to be taken to increase gender parity?
Excuse making is over. As executives, we must make a personal commitment to just do it. In my 15 months as president of ABC News, I fulfilled my personal commitment that my executive team and the executive producers of all ABC News programs and platforms are diverse. That choice leads to better journalism, and better reflects and represents the communities that we serve.

What can New York policymakers do to support the interests of women across the state?
As a journalist, I will only say that at ABC News, we make sure that we shine a light on all communities, especially those that are not seen or heard in smart and straightforward ways. 

If you could have dinner with any three women from history, who would they be and why?
Harriet Tubman

Ida B. Wells

Mary McLeod Bethune 

Because I am inspired by courageous women who fearlessly tackle problems by actually doing something about them — people who embody the change they want to see.

What advice or wisdom would you share with a younger version of yourself?
Own your story from the beginning. No need to be shy. Who you are is why you are there. No one else has your life experience.

Lorraine Grillo began her career in public service at the New York City School Construction Authority, where she served in several senior roles before being named president and CEO in 2014. Four years later, Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Ms. Grillo commissioner of the New York City Department of Design and Construction, and she later served as a senior advisor for COVID Recovery. She was elevated to the position of first deputy mayor under the Adams administration.

What steps still need to be taken to increase gender parity?
I think we’ve made real strides in this area. For example, I’ve been in government for almost 29 years and I have seen a real move toward gender equality and parity. As most of you know, we have more females in leadership positions than ever before. We have five female deputy mayors — the most in history — in this administration and many female commissioners that manage government operations.

What can New York policymakers do to support the interests of women across the state?
I believe that the biggest blow to women’s interests was the recent Supreme Court decision on Roe. The state government needs to do everything possible to protect women’s rights.

If you could have dinner with any three women from history, who would they be and why?
Ruth Bader Ginsberg — a trailblazer and a brilliant woman who never let her gender be an obstacle. Rosa Parks — her strength and bravery. Eleanor Roosevelt — her humanity.

What advice or wisdom would you share with a younger version of yourself?
Never doubt yourself and never let others drag you down.

Julissa Gutierrez, New York State’s chief diversity officer, supports the governor’s initiatives to increase diversity and inclusion. Julissa was recognized as #1 by City & State New York’s first MWBE Power 50 List. Julissa served as the governor’s deputy director of constituency affairs and in roles at NALEO Educational Fund. Daughter of Colombian immigrants and Queens native, Julissa is a board member of New Immigrants Community Empowerment, Queens Public Library Foundation, and trustee for Queens Public Library. Julissa holds a master’s from the University of Chicago and a B.A. from the University of Delaware.

What steps still need to be taken to increase gender parity?
In New York State, we have made great progress passing a nation-leading legislative package to protect abortion and reproductive rights for all and enacted a $35 million investment to directly support abortion providers. We also invested $7 billion to childcare over the next four years, the largest investment in childcare subsidies in the state’s history. But there is more to be done — we need to elevate women, especially BIPOC, to positions of leadership and power; close the pay gap; further grow paid family leave and childcare; and empower girls and women to enter non-traditional careers through apprenticeships and other supportive programming.

What can New York policymakers do to support the interests of women across the state?
Policymakers need to prioritize policies that increase gender parity and recognize these are core issues. When we talk about overall health and safety, the above-mentioned affects us and society as a whole. Women’s health — physical, emotional, mental — is a human right. Without laws and policies that support women’s health, and the most vulnerable, our entire state suffers. People with lived experience must be centered in the solutions that we’re looking to create.

If you could have dinner with three women from history, who would they be and why?
Sonia Sotomayor — an incredible legal mind and advocate for Latinos and those underrepresented. Although suffering a chronic illness, she has still risen to the highest heights, helping others every step of the way.

Shirley Chisholm — a trailblazer whose life’s work was deeply rooted in her immigrant background. She was the first Black woman elected to Congress and her historic presidential bid brought racial and gender equity to the national stage.

Sylvia Rivera — a transformative trans pioneer for LGBTQ rights, with an inspiring spirit. She helped found STAR, dedicated to helping homeless trans youth. The Sylvia Rivera Law Project is named in her honor.

What advice or wisdom would you share with a younger version of yourself?
Believe in yourself. Believe you are enough. Believe in the power of your lived experiences, both personal and professional. Believe you can do anything and it will take you far. And tell yourself this many times! Surround yourself with positivity — with individuals and a community that supports you, wants to do better with you and for you! And give back. I’ve found that giving back helps others as much as it helps you. Dance and have fun!