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Virgil and Joann Smith Thought Leaders Forum
Sponsored by:
The Virgil and Joann Smith Family Fund
The Power of Giving Voice
Women’s History Month
March 30, 2023
Speakers
The Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication is honored to showcase the Virgil and Joann Smith Thought Leaders Forum, which highlights women thought leaders who bring to the forefront thought-provoking ideas and expert commentary on issues in the field of communication to a national audience.
Speakers in the Forum will be showcased in the Kopenhaver Center signature virtual workshop held annually in the spring during Women’s History Month. The Forum and the speakers will also be highlighted on the center’s website and social media platforms through a series of multi-media video presentations.
Thought leaders who participate in the forum will actively be contributing to the center’s online educational archive by providing world-class ideas and expert guidance on contemporary issues to ensure transformational conversations and change for women in the field of communication.
The 2023 Thought Leaders Forum topic will focus on the “Power of Giving Voice.” Featured speakers for the 2023 Thought Leaders Forum are the following:
- Betsy Korona, Senior Vice President, Editorial Newsgathering NBC & MSNBC – Key Note Speaker
- Michelle Marchante ’19, Reporter, The Miami Herald – Convener
Betsy Korona
Key Note Speaker
Senior Vice President, Editorial Newsgathering
NBC News & MSNBC
![Michelle Marchante Profile Photo Michelle Marchante Profile Photo](https://carta.fiu.edu/kopenhavercenter/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2023/05/Michelle-Marchante-Profile-Photo.jpg)
Michelle Marchante ’19
Convener
Reporter
The Miami Herald
Michelle Marchante is the Miami Herald’s, Health Reporter. She previously covered all things Florida for the Herald as a Real-Time/Breaking News Reporter. She graduated with honors from Florida International University, where she served as the editor-in-chief of Student Media PantherNOW.