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Women's Day

Visitation School Women's Day 2023

Visitation School Women’s Day is an occasion for Visitation Middle (6th-8th grades) and Upper School (9th-12th grades) students to step outside the regular curriculum and gain insight into careers, community involvement and current women’s issues. Women’s Day has been offered approximately every four years, the last event occurring in 2018. The 2023 theme is Trailblazers: Women Who Lead the Way. The overarching goal is to showcase different types of leaders and the many ways that women can trailblaze in various arenas such as science/engineering, performing arts, business/management, athletics, education, medicine, marketing/entrepreneurship, manufacturing and more! 

Keynote Speaker - Rosalind Wiseman

For Women’s Day 23, we are excited to welcome Rosalind Wiseman for multiple speaking events at Vis. She is a multiple New York Times bestselling author whose publications include Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World—which was the basis for the movie Mean Girls. Rosalind is the co-founder of Cultures of Dignity an organization that partners with communities to reimagine how to bring dignity and social and emotional learning to all. As keynote speaker for Women’s Day 23, Rosalind will address both Middle and Upper School students.

We are also excited to welcome Rosalind for a special parent presentation on Tuesday, April 4 at 7 p.m. at DeSales Auditorium. Creating heart-to-heart relationships is at the core of a Visitation education, and we are eager to host Wiseman as she talks about how parents can support their daughters as they navigate friendships, social media, and growing into their best selves. Relying on a principle-based approach, Wiseman provides parents with strategies to help turn common social challenges into teachable moments that cultivate resilience and confidence. Parents, especially of girls, should plan to attend this event. 

Visitation School is delighted to welcome more than 30 woman leaders to Women's Day 2023. Thank you to all of our presenters! 

Ruth Sinn, University of St. Thomas Women’s Basketball Coach

Dr. Madeline Gagnon ‘01, Chief of Staff for Gillette Children's 

Meredith Lawrence ‘13, Mendota Heights Recreation Manager

Kathleen West ‘95, Author

Beth Cutter-Wilson Carver ‘00, Phoenix School Counseling

Elizabeth Hickey Orme ‘04, Founder and CEO of Creatively Focused

Molly McFadden ‘14, Venture Capitalist at Arthur Ventures

Jane Beckwith Ford ‘05, Dentist and Veteran

Ashley Bruber Gullickson ‘11, Second Home Real Estate Specialist and The Modern Vacationista Podcast

Allie Bruber ‘06, Executive Director at At Home Apartments and The Modern Vacationista Podcast

Anna Dourgarian Anderson ‘08, Software Development

Danielle Harrison Vis St. Louis ‘83, President of Mission, Faith, Equity Consulting

Shannon O’Leary, Chief Investment Officer at the Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundations

Dr. Theresa Glomb, Professor, The Toro Company-David M. Lilly Chair In Organizational Behavior Department Of Work And Organizations at the University of Minnesota

Julie Koepsel, Chief Client Officer at CourtAvenue, 

Jamie Candee, CEO Edmentum

Tat Shiely, retired Head Women’s Volleyball Coach, Marquette University

Nicole Sullivan, President at Youth Frontiers

LeAnn Rasachak, CEO WomenVentures

Molly Kinsella, Vice President, Best Buy Creative, Content and Operations

Dr. Mary Ann Zastrow, Optometrist and Entrepreneur

Elizabeth Arnstein, Upper School English teacher

Caroline Little, Middle School Science teacher

Anna Goodrich, Visitation Ballet teacher

Yen Fasono, Associate Director of Catholic Schools: Drexel Mission Schools Initiative

Dr. Colleen Casey, double board certified Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility

Dr. Julie A. Switzer, Board-certified orthopedic surgeon

Women's Day design by Elise Hansen '24