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The Women's Leadership Center
on the shores of Geneva Lake
You're Invited

Secrets of
the Universe

One unforgettable day to explore, wonder, and howl at the moon. A circle of extraordinary women, the lake at our feet, the whole sky overhead — and a rare eclipse to end the night.

-- nights until we gather beneath the eclipse

Thursday · August 27 · 2026

WhenThursday, August 27, 2026
Time11:30 AM – Late Evening
WhereWilliams Bay, Wisconsin

Join Us

You're invited to spend a day discovering the secrets of the universe
— and a few of your own —
alongside a remarkable circle of women.

Think summer camp for the brilliantly curious, set on 8.6 acres of woodland above the shimmering blue of Geneva Lake, with a day built to light up your brain and your senses. By day, you'll roam the campus:
talks on the pier, stories around the bonfire, and adventures you chart yourself.
By night, we'll gather under a rare eclipse moon for dinner, dancing, and stargazing. For some of you, this is a heartfelt thank you for the guidance you've offered along the way; for others, a first introduction. For all of you, it's a day and a night we intend to make unforgettable.

Date: Thursday, August 27, 2026

Time: 11:30 AM – Late Evening

Location: Women's Leadership Center

333 Constance Boulevard, Williams Bay, Wisconsin

Getting Here & Staying Over

Travel: Guests arrange their own travel to Lake Geneva.

Overnight stays: Because the eclipse runs late into the night, we warmly encourage you to stay over and make a night of it. We've reserved a block of rooms at The Lodge at Geneva National, and a complimentary shuttle will run from the hotel to the Center before lunch and back again at evening's end.

Room reservations are made directly with the hotel, and lodging is at each guest's own expense.

Booking instructions for the room block, along with shuttle details, are available when you RSVP.

"The stars for women's leadership are aligning over Williams Bay."

— Ann M. Drake, Chair & President

Thursday, August 27, 2026

Your Day Unfolds

From talks on the pier and bonfire stories to dancing beneath a rare eclipse moon — every moment is built to spark your curiosity and your senses.

SunlightStarlight

11:30 AM – 1:00 PMArrival & Welcome Lunch Buffet
1:30 – 5:30 PMAfternoon Adventures & Campus Exploration
5:30 PMRelax and Freshen Up
6:30 PMReception — Thematic Beverages & Music
7:30 PMDinner & an Astronomy Primer
9:00 PMDancing Under the Stars
9:33 PMLunar Eclipse Begins & Stargazing
Late EveningEclipse at Its Peak — A Night to Remember

You Are Here

The Council, Lodge, Cabin, Terrace Garden, Boardwalk, Woodland Clearing, and more — all connected by winding paths through 8.6 acres of pristine woodlands on Geneva Lake. As the day's full agenda comes together, this map will become your guide: a wayfinding key to every Science, Nature, Art, and Connect experience, where it happens and when — so you can chart your own path through the Center.

A preview of how the day will flow across the Center. Sample tracks and times shown below — the final wayfinding map, with confirmed sessions and start times, arrives closer to the event.

Map of the Women's Leadership Center campus on Geneva Lake, showing the Council, Lodge, Cabin, Base Camp, Terrace Garden, Boardwalk, Woodland Clearing, Oak Savanna Knoll, and the lakeshore.
You Are Here

By the End of the Night

We hope every guest leaves having had the chance to —

Challenge

Stretch your thinking — on the pier, in the panels, and in conversations that change the world.

Connect

Meet remarkable women, reconnect with old friends, and forge bonds around the bonfire.

Celebrate

Raise a glass over dinner and dance beneath a rare eclipse moon on Geneva Lake.

Catalyze

Leave sparked — carrying new ideas, energy, and momentum into all that comes next.

1:30 – 5:30 PM

Afternoon Adventures

Experiences unfold all across the Center — on the pier, along the lakeshore path, around the bonfire, and inside the Council. Follow your curiosity from one to the next and design your own adventure. You are here — and the whole campus is yours to discover.

Sign up for these experiences when you RSVP. Space is limited for each and offered first-come, first-served. As experiences reach capacity, we'll work to open more sessions.

🌊

Water Talk on the Pier

The Pier · Geneva Lake

Science
🔥

Bonfire Stories & I-Stories

Woodland Clearing

Connect
🤝

Friend-to-Friend Interviews

The Terrace Garden

Connect
🌲

The Pottawattomi & the Lakeshore Path

Lakeshore Trail

Nature
🩺

Health Insights

Council Conference Rooms

Science
📖

Author Talks

Upper Library

Connect
🌉

Bridging the Current Divide

The Council

Connect
🤖

Harnessing AI for Good

Demonstration · The Council

Science
🎭

Improv Workshop

The Lodge Great Room

Art
📿

Bracelet Beading & Braiding

The Cabin

Art

Plus coffee lounges, refreshment stations, and quiet spaces to wander between experiences. Sessions are color-coded by track — Science, Nature, Art, and Connect — so you can design your own adventure across the Center. More to come.

As the Sun Sets

An Evening to Remember

As daylight fades, the evening builds toward something truly rare — a reception, a special dinner, dancing, and a celestial finale overhead.

Reception

6:30 PM — Thematic beverages & live music

Dinner & Astronomy

7:30 PM — A special dinner & a sky primer

Dancing & Stargazing

9:00 PM — Beneath the eclipse moon

A Once-in-a-Generation Finale

Beneath a Rare Eclipse Moon

On the very night of our gathering, the sky offers something extraordinary. A deep partial lunar eclipse — with roughly 96% of the moon slipping into Earth's shadow and glowing a deep reddish-orange — will be visible from start to finish across our skies. Astronomers call it the most striking lunar eclipse anywhere on Earth until the close of 2028.

9:33 PMEclipse Begins
11:12 PMGreatest Eclipse
LateStargazing Continues

The full "Sturgeon Moon" of late summer — perfectly timed, directly above Geneva Lake. No telescope required; the eclipse is safe and breathtaking to the naked eye.

Women leaders in conversation
"We believe the Center can be the place where conversations happen that change the world."
— Women's Leadership Center

Your Hosts & Guides

Featured Speakers & Leaders

You'll be in extraordinary company. Meet some of the remarkable women who will welcome, inspire, and guide you through the day.

Ann M. Drake

Your Host

Ann M. Drake

Chair & President, Women's Leadership Center at Williams Bay

Ann M. Drake founded the Women's Leadership Center in 2020 with a singular vision: to create a world-class space where accomplished women could reflect, connect, and collaborate on fresh approaches to complex challenges. A transformational leader and philanthropist, Ann brings together the brightest minds to imagine — and build — a better future.

Chevy Humphrey

Advisory Board

Chevy Humphrey

President & CEO, Griffin Museum of Science & Industry

Chevy Humphrey leads one of the world's premier science museums, inspiring millions to explore science, technology, and innovation. She will lead a breakout session on the future of science, discovery, and women in STEM.

Cady Coleman

Advisory Board

Cady Coleman

Retired Astronaut, NASA

Colonel Cady Coleman is a former NASA astronaut who spent 159 days aboard the International Space Station. A scientist, flutist, and trailblazer, she brings a perspective that is literally out of this world.

Francesca Cornelli

Advisory Board

Francesca Cornelli

Dean, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

Francesca Cornelli is the Dean of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University — one of the world's top business schools. A renowned economist and thought leader, she champions women in leadership at every level.

Janet Foutty

Advisory Board

Janet Foutty

Former CEO, Deloitte Consulting / US Board Chair – Deloitte

Janet Foutty served as Chair of the Board of Deloitte US and CEO of Deloitte Consulting, leading one of the world's largest professional services organizations. She is a passionate advocate for inclusive leadership.

Donna Zarcone

Advisory Board

Donna Zarcone

Board Director, Cigna Group, Smithsonian Institution

Donna Zarcone is a distinguished corporate board director serving organizations including the Cigna Group, Duchossois Capital Management, and the Smithsonian Institution. A respected voice in governance and leadership.

Angela V. Olinto

Advisory Board

Angela V. Olinto

Former Dean, Division of Physical Sciences, University of Chicago

Angela V. Olinto is a world-renowned astrophysicist and former Dean of the Physical Sciences at the University of Chicago. Her research on cosmic rays and the early universe has shaped our understanding of the cosmos.

WLC Leadership Team

MarySue Barrett

MarySue Barrett

SVP Programming & Partnerships

Jennifer Nix

Jennifer Nix

SVP Marketing & Strategy

Yvette Howard

Yvette Howard

VP Property & Visitor Experience

Casey Stelletello

Casey Stelletello

VP Programming & Partnerships

✦  Space Is Limited  ✦

Please RSVP by July 15, 2026

Whether we're saying thank you for your guidance along the way or welcoming you for the very first time, we'd be honored to have you with us. Space is limited, so we hope you'll reserve your place soon.

RSVP — Claim Your Place

Kindly respond by July 15, 2026.