Established in 2018, the Alumni Speaker Series aims to showcase and celebrate the many accomplishments and diverse paths our alums have taken. We also hope that these conversations with our alums will offer our undergraduate and graduate community new dialogues on challenges and opportunities in working toward change on issues related to women, gender, and sexuality, here in the United States, as well as around the world.
April 2021 Alumni Speaker Series
February 2021 Alumni Speaker Series
November 2019 Alumni Speaker Series
April 2021 Alumni Speaker Series
Thank you to our amazing alumni, Chelsea Williams-Diggs (MA’17), Ashley Atilano (BA’19), Jen Curt (BA/MA’18), and Duncan Stewart (BA’17) for an amazing conversation and to all who were able to attend our second Alumni Speaker Series: Envisioning Change, of the year! We had a great time catching up with what our alumni have been up to since they graduated, the impacts they are making in their respective fields, and soaking in all of their tips for our current students! If you missed this event, watch this space for the recording!
February 2021 Alumni Speaker Series
Credit: GW CCAS Marketing and Communications
To kick off this series in 2021, we invited three distinguished and pathbreaking leaders who graduated from the Women’s Studies Program, now called Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program: Denise Forte (MA ‘96, Senior Vice President – Partnership and Engagement, The Education Trust), Chitra Panjabi (MA ‘10, Certified Executive and Leadership Coach; Nonprofit Management Consultant, Chitra Panjabi Coaching), and Priya Purandare (MA ‘09, Executive Director, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)).
It was a privilege to hear about their incredible and inspiring journeys, and for current students, it was wonderful to be immersed in their inspiration and illuminating advice for their own personal and professional paths. This event showcased the exciting possibilities opened up by GW’s WGSS MA graduate degree; if you missed this terrific event, watch the recording!
November 2019 Alumni Speaker Series
Credit: GW CCAS Marketing and Communications
On November 22, 2019, many students and GW faculty gathered to hear from distinguished speakers on our most recent Alumni Speaker Series panel “Envisioning Change.” The panelists were three path-breaking leaders who graduated from the Women’s Studies Program, now Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program: Gina Chirillo, CCAS MPP ’17 (Senior Gender Program Officer, International Foundation for Electoral Systems), Susan Markham, CCAS MA ’94 (Partner, Smash Strategies), and Trey Johnston, CCAS MA ’17, CERT ’19 (Associate Director, Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute).
Photo Credit: Jay Mallin jay@jaymallinphotos.com
The panelist walked the audience through their experiences in the WSTU or WGSS program and how it shapes their career focus and goals today. If you missed this exciting conversation, you can watch the entire event for your insight on the important of a WGSS degree and how WGSS issues must infiltrate even common jobs!
Through this speaker series, we wish to showcase and celebrate the many accomplishments and diverse paths our alumnae have taken. We hope that these conversations offered our undergraduate and graduate community new dialogues on challenges and opportunities in working toward change on issues related to women, gender, and sexuality, here in the United States, but also internationally.
Alumni Speaker Series for the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program at The George Washington University in Washington, DC, on Nov. 25, 2019. Photo: Jay Mallin jay@jaymallinphotos.com 
Alumni Speaker Series for the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program at The George Washington University in Washington, DC, on Nov. 25, 2019. Photo: Jay Mallin jay@jaymallinphotos.com 
Alumni Speaker Series for the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program at The George Washington University in Washington, DC, on Nov. 25, 2019. Photo: Jay Mallin jay@jaymallinphotos.com 
Alumni Speaker Series for the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program at The George Washington University in Washington, DC, on Nov. 25, 2019.
Pictured (left to right): Anita Ponchione, Susan Markham, Gina Chirillo, Trey Johnston, and Kavita Daiya
Photo: Jay Mallin jay@jaymallinphotos.com
GWU Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies 