2023 Women in Leadership Half Day Summit: Transforming Your Leadership & Communication Skills by Creating Your Own Flight Plan

It was January 15, 2009, and just like all the other 155 passengers on Flight 1549 traveling for work, to home, vacation or wherever their destination, never did it occur to them they “might” not make it there.

Dave Sanderson was the last passenger off that fateful flight that landed on the Hudson River known as “The Miracle on the Hudson.” Dave uses the lessons he learned that day while submerged in the frigid water of the Hudson River as a springboard to discuss the essential facets of communication, teamwork, and leadership and more importantly, how to foster a "bounce back" attitude no matter the challenges life throws at you. He left the corporate world to share this experience with hundreds of companies and individuals on how that day forever changed how he would see his leadership role and the effect he could have on others. He has since been named one of Inc.com's Top 100 Leadership speakers. Read Dave’s bio here

Not only did Dave encounter the services of the American Red Cross on that historic day, but because of their humanitarian mission and what it did for those 155 passengers, he has been an integral supporter of the cause. So much so that he has teamed up with American Red Cross Regional CEO, Jill Orton, to bring their leadership perspectives to leaders across the world and for the first time ever to the Brookings community!

Jill Orton, with 29 years of Red Cross service, is the Chief Executive Officer for the American Red Cross Nebraska-Iowa Region serving 5 million citizens with a workforce of over 1,400 volunteers and 46 paid staff. She oversees an operation that touches 5 states (NE, IA, SD, WI and IL) and includes six chapter territories, each with its own board of directors. Starting in October 2014 Jill was named the Regional Executive for the Kansas-Nebraska Region, then in 2020 got the call to lead the newly aligned Nebraska-Iowa Region. As a talented team builder and champion for change, her team is top performing in fundraising, board development, and financial management. Read Jill’s bio here

This is the FIRST time that Dave and Jill will be on the stage TOGETHER sharing their stories and leadership expertise and how this can transform your career and your team. This is also the FIRST time the BROOKINGS Women in Leadership community will have the opportunity to be in the same room with these transformational leaders.