Simmons School of Management Leadership Conference: Simply the Best

We've had the pleasure this year of promoting the Simmons Leadership Conference, which is in its 29th year. It is deservedly described as the pre-eminent women's leadership event in the country.

The conference has built a terrific reputation, and has featured such noteworthy women as Madeleine Albright, Maya Angelou, Jane Fonda, Toni Morrison, Queen Noor, Cokie Roberts, Jehan Sadat, Lily Tomlin and Oprah Winfrey, to name just a few. This year's event was dedicated to the late Benazir Bhutto, who had twice spoken at the conference.

The keynotes this year were Mireille Guiliano, former CEO of Clicquot and author of French Women Don't Get Fat; Louise Leakey, noted paleoanthropologist; and Dr. Nancy Snyderman, chief medical editor for NBC News. The incomparable Gloria Estefan -- five-time Grammy winner, entrepreneur, philanthropist and children's book author, presented the closing keynote.

Several of us attended the conference, so over a series of posts, we'll summarize some of the terrific women who took the stage. Here are a few highlights of the conference coverage:

Boston Globe's Names column and a conference preview story

Boston Globe Magazine "First Person" Q&A with Ms. Estefan

Boston Herald preview story

Fox 25 interview with Ms. Estefan