Four-time Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross to headline Agnes Scott College’s 2026 Women’s Global Leadership Conference
Focused on innovation, leadership and impact, the conference will also feature a fireside chat and two panel discussions with women leaders from business, health care and higher education.
DECATUR, Ga. — Agnes Scott College will welcome four-time Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross as the keynote speaker for its seventh annual Women’s Global Leadership Conference on Tuesday, October 6, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Presser Hall at Gaines Chapel on the college’s campus.
Each October, Agnes Scott’s Women’s Global Leadership Conference brings together leaders and emerging leaders for conversations about leadership and the issues shaping communities, industries and the world. This year’s theme, “Innovation Inspiration,” celebrates people who inspire new possibilities across professional settings. Speakers from a range of industries, sectors and communities will explore timely issues, bold leadership and new ideas that drive a more innovative society.
Richards-Ross will headline the conference with a keynote conversation, during which she will share perspectives from her career in athletics, media, entrepreneurship and community leadership.
“Conference attendees will have an extraordinary opportunity to consider their own leadership journeys and the ways they can use their experience, perspective and influence to shape what comes next for each of them,” said Agnes Scott President Leocadia Zak. “We are thrilled to welcome Sanya Richards-Ross as the keynote speaker. She embodies the ambition, reinvention and leadership at the heart of this year’s conference, and her career demonstrates what can happen when you recognize an opportunity, embrace what comes next and use your experience to create impact on local and global levels.”
A celebrated athlete and entrepreneur, Richards-Ross held the American record in the 400 meters for 19 years. At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, she became the first American woman in 28 years, and only the second in history, to win Olympic gold in the event. She earned her fourth Olympic gold medal at those Games as part of the U.S. 4×400-meter relay team.
Richards-Ross has continued to build her leadership beyond athletics. She is an NBC Sports analyst, longtime Nike brand ambassador, entrepreneur, advocate and founder of MommiNation, a multimedia and virtual community created to support and empower Black mothers.
Richards-Ross’ career reflects a willingness to pursue new opportunities, redefine what is possible and turn experience into action. Her keynote conversation will explore the choices and experiences that have shaped her leadership journey, from ambition to reinvention to impact.
Rose Scott, award-winning journalist and host of “Closer Look with Rose Scott” on WABE 90.1 FM, Atlanta’s NPR station, will moderate the keynote conversation. The program will also include a fireside chat, “Inspiration, Creativity and Results,” and two panel discussions: “Women Who Mean Business,” moderated by Gail Grimmett, president and CEO of the Delta Flight Museum, and “Healthcare Innovation and Inspiration,” moderated by Shannon Sale, executive vice president and chief administrative officer of Grady Health System.
In addition to Richards-Ross, conference speakers include: Amy Breidenthal, associate professor of business management at Agnes Scott College; Catherine Brewton, vice president of creative at Broadcast Music Inc. and founder of Hope for Harvest; Tiffany Burns, senior partner at McKinsey & Company; Jai Ferrell, CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta; Jeannette Guarner, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at Emory University School of Medicine; Naeemah Jade, CEO of The Lola; Kathryn Lawler, CEO of Saint Joseph’s Mercy Care; Veronica Maldonado-Torres, president and CEO of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; and Doris Taylor, CEO of Organamet Bio Inc. and a regenerative medicine pioneer.
Zak will close the conference with remarks reflecting on the ideas, connections and inspiration shared throughout the day and the importance of equipping women to lead boldly.
The conference is open to the public and tickets start at $35. To register, view the full schedule and learn more about the speakers, visit https://www.agnesscott.edu/womens-global-leadership-conference/.
About Agnes Scott College
Agnes Scott College is a private liberal arts college for women in Decatur, Georgia, located seven miles from Atlanta. Founded in 1889, the college prepares students to lead with confidence, think across disciplines and enter the world with a record of experiences that demonstrates what they can do. Agnes Scott has been ranked the No. 1 most innovative liberal arts college in America for nine consecutive years and integrates global learning, Atlanta-based experiences, faculty mentorship and career preparation throughout the undergraduate experience. The college’s students and alumnae are known for their intellectual curiosity, leadership and ability to make an impact in the rooms they enter.
