Celebrating Women Leaders Banner

WFPG’s Celebrating Women Leaders Luncheons are held annually in Washington, DC to highlight the achievements of some of the most prominent policy-makers and thought leaders shaping the world today. Honorees are recognized for their extraordinary leadership in foreign affairs and national security, as well as for their roles as trailblazers and role models for aspiring women leaders. Speakers have included key US officials including secretaries of state, top national security leaders, and senators, as well as heads of UN agencies.


2024 Benefit Luncheon
Friday, November 15, 2024 | Embassy of Italy, Washington, D.C.

Celebrating Women Leaders Benefit
Awardees
Peacebuilding Award: Irene Fellin, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security Breaking Barriers in Journalism Award: Amna Nawaz, Co-anchor of PBS NewsHour
Keynote SpeakerJennifer Ewbank, Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency for Digital Innovation, 2019-2024

2021 Celebrating Women Leaders Luncheon
2023 Benefit Luncheon
December 7, 2023 | Embassy of France, Washington, D.C.

Celebrating Women Leaders Benefit
Awardees
International Journalism: Masih Alinejad, Iranian-American Journalist 
Courage on the Frontline: Shabana Basij-Rasikh, President and Co-Founder of School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA)
Impact in Philanthropy: Women Moving Millions, Accepted by its CEO, Sarah Haacke Byrd
Fireside ChatDr. Geeta Rao Gupta, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues
Moderator Elisabeth Bumiller, The New York Times Washington Bureau Chief, WFPG Board Member

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2021 Celebrating Women Leaders Luncheon
2022 Benefit Luncheon
December 8, 2022 | Washington, DC
Celebrating Women Leaders Luncheon

Ambassador Katherine Tai, US Trade Representative
Elisabeth Bumiller (moderator), New York Times Washington Bureau Chief
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2021 Celebrating Women Leaders Luncheon
2021 Benefit Luncheon
December 8, 2021 | Washington, DC
Celebrating Women Leaders Luncheon

Hon. Deb Fischer, US Senator from Nebraska (R)
Hon. Jeanne Shaheen, US Senator from New Hampshire (D)
Gloria Dittus (moderator), Story Partners
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2019 Benefit Luncheon
December 3, 2019 | Washington, DC
Celebrating Women Leaders Luncheon

Ambassador Susan Rice, 24th National Security Advisor
Susan Page (moderator), USA Today Washington Bureau Chief
Hon. Susan Gordon, Former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence
Hon. Andrea Thompson, Former Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs
Elisabeth Bumiller (moderator), New York Times Washington Bureau Chief
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2018 Benefit Luncheon
December 6, 2018 | Washington, DC
Women Shaping the Global Economy

Dina Habib Powell, Goldman Sachs
Elise Labott, CNN Global Affairs Correspondent
Patricia Ellis, WFPG President Emeritus and Co-Founder
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2017 Autumn Gala
November 7, 2017 | Washington, DC
A Conversation on National Security

Hon. Mike Rogers, Host of CNN's Declassified
Lisa Monaco, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism (2013-17)
Cathy Russell, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues (2013-17)
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2016 Fall Conference
November 29, 2016 | Washington, DC
Facing a World in Turmoil

Panel I: Security at Home and Abroad
Panel II: A World in Chaos: Challenges for the Next Administration
Keynote Speaker: Hon. John Kerry, US Secretary of State
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2016 Celebrating Women Leaders
June 20, 2016 | Washington, DC
Combating Terrorism, Regional Conflicts, and Migration Challenges
in the Middle East and Africa

Assistant Secretary Anne Patterson, Near Eastern Affairs
Assistant Secretary Anne Richard, Population, Refugees, and Migration
Assistant Secretary Linda Thomas-Greenfield, African Affairs
Karen DeYoung (moderator)
, The Washington Post
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2015 Celebrating Women Leaders
December 11, 2015 | Washington, DC
War and Diplomacy: The Inside Story of Covering the World's Conflicts

Margaret Brennan, CBS News
Helene Cooper, The New York Times, Missy Ryan, The Washington Post, and
Elisabeth Bumiller (moderator), The New York Times
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2015 20th Anniversary Celebration
June 10, 2015 | Washington, DC
Women Leaders Tackling 21st Century Challenges

A full-day conference and evening reception celebrating the 20th Anniversary
of the WFPG
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2014 Celebrating Women Leaders
December 15, 2014 | Washington, DC
Global Conflicts and Crises: The View from the Inside

Helene Cooper, The New York Times, Elise Labott, CNN,
Missy Ryan, The Washington Post, Margaret Warner, PBS Newshour, and
Elisabeth Bumiller (moderator), The New York Times
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2014 Celebrating Women Leaders
May 14, 2014 | Washington, DC
Major National Security Challenges Facing the US

Ambassador Susan Rice, US National Security Advisor
Judy Woodruff (moderator), PBS NewsHour Co-Anchor and Managing Editor
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2013 Celebrating Women Leaders
November 21, 2013 | Washington, DC
Voices of Women Journalists in Foreign Policy
Karen DeYoung, Senior National Correspondent, The Washington Post
Jill Dougherty, Foreign Affairs Correspondent, CNN
Siobhan Gorman, Intelligence Correspondent, The Wall Street Journal
Elisabeth Bumiller (moderator), Deputy Washington Bureau Chief, The New York Times
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2012 Celebrating Women Leaders
June 25, 2012 | Washington, DC
International Financial Diplomacy
Lael Brainard, Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs
Chrystia Freeland (moderator), Thomson Reuters Digital
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2012 Celebrating Women Leaders
April 20, 2012 | Washington, DC
Women's Empowerment in the Middle East and Worldwide
Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director, UN Women
Judy Woodruff (moderator), PBS NewsHour
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2011 Celebrating Women Leaders
November 3, 2011 | Washington, DC
Technology, Terrorism, and Intelligence
Senator Dianne Feinstein, Chair, Select Committee on Intelligence
Elisabeth Bumiller  (moderator)The New York Times
Maxine Isaacs (event chair), WFPG Board Chair
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2010 Celebrating Women Leaders
November 1, 2010 | Washington, DC
Leading a Global Corporation
Anne Mulcahy, Former Chairman and CEO, Xerox Corporation
Bianna Golodryga  (moderator), ABC News
Hon. Ann Korologos (event chair), Former US Secretary of Labor
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2010 Celebrating Women Leaders
July 15, 2010 | Washington, DC
Women Center Stage in Foreign Policy and the Global Economy
Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues
Judy Woodruff (moderator), PBS NewsHour
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2009 Celebrating Women Leaders
December 16, 2009 | Washington, DC
Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security
Elisabeth Bumiller  (moderator), The New York Times
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2009 Celebrating Women Leaders
July 23, 2009 | Washington, DC
The Development Challenge in the Middle of the Global Recession
Helen Clark, United Nations Development Programme Administrator
Kimberly Dozier (moderator), CBS News
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2008 Celebrating Women Leaders
September 29, 2008 | Washington, DC
Hunger as a National Security and Global Stability Issue
Josette Sheeran, Executive Director, UN World Food Programme
Lara Logan (moderator), CBS News
Mary Catherine Toker (event chair), General Mills, Inc.
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2007 Celebrating Women Leaders
December 10, 2007 | Washington, DC
Dr. Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State
Andrea Mitchell (moderator), CBS News
Hon. Ann Korologos (event chair), Former US Secretary of Labor
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2006 Celebrating Women Leaders
October 16, 2006 | Washington, DC
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia
Jendayi Frazer (tribute), Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
Renee Poussaint (moderator), CEO, National Visionary Leadership Project
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2005: 10th Anniversary Celebration
November 4, 2005 | Washington, DC
America's Dialogue with the World
Karen Hughes, Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs
Andrea Koppel (moderator), CNN
Kathy Bushkin (event chair), United Nations Foundation
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2004 Congressional Leadership Awards
March 31, 2004 | Washington, DC
The Challenges and Responsibilities of American World Leadership
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), US Senate
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), US Senate
Margaret Warner  (moderator), The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
Susan Davis and Elizabeth Bagley (event co-chairs)
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2003 Celebrating Women Leaders
December 2, 2003 | Washington, DC
Iraq Reconstruction: The Challenges for the US and the UN
Robin Raphel, Coordinator for Iraq Reconstruction, Department of State
Julia Taft, UNDP Asst Administrator for Crisis Prevention & Recovery
Susan King (moderator), Carnegie Corporation of New York
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2002 Celebrating Women Leaders
December 13, 2002 | Washington, DC
Foreign Policy Center-Stage: Voices of Women Journalists
Elisabeth Bumiller, The New York Times
Karen DeYoung, The Washington Post
Andrea Koppel, CNN
Judy Woodruff (moderator), Host of Inside Politics, CNN
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2001 Celebrating Women Leaders
November 27, 2001 | Washington, DC
Terrorism: New Challenges, New Missions, New Solutions
Maleeha Lodhi, Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States
Representative Jane Harman, (D-CA) Ranking Minority Member, House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security
Cokie Roberts (moderator), ABC News
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2000: 5th Anniversary Luncheon
November 20, 2000 | Washington, DC
Dr. Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State
Maureen Bunyan (moderator), Lead anchor, WJLA-TV
Janice Zorro (concluding remarks), WFPG Board Chair