Failing Forward | The Leadership Super Power You Need to Know About

We are thrilled to bring together an amazing group of panelists this year. Our discussion will be focused on failure - that's right! How to shift how we define it, how to grow from it, and how to turn it into the fuel that makes us better women and leaders. Please join us!

Dr. Sue Edwards | President of Wright State University

Since her appointment, Dr. Edwards has made it her mission to cultivate a culture at Wright State that guarantees access to exceptional academics and puts student success at the forefront. She creates a holistic environment where students are encouraged to thrive personally and academically, preparing them to stand out in their chosen careers. Dr. Edwards is committed to providing opportunities that merge classroom learning with practical experience, giving students a direct pathway to meaningful careers. She has forged strong alliances with leading regional employers such as Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Premier Health, and Dayton Children’s. Furthermore, she has driven cross-campus collaborations between academic colleges and industry partners, strengthening the workforce pipeline and supporting the region’s economic growth.

Ivy B. Glover, CDP, CCUFC | Director, Community Impact & Development at Wright-Patt Credit Union, Inc.

Ivy Glover is Director, Community Impact & Development for Wright-Patt Credit Union (WPCU). She also serves as interim Executive Director for the organization’s foundation, the WPCU Sunshine Community Fund. Ivy is responsible for development and implementation of internal and external strategies to drive community impact, development, engagement, and inclusion. For ten years, she also led financial literacy initiatives, including the nationally awarded and recognized Savings Race®.

Prior to WPCU, Ivy served as Director of Marketing and Communication at Community Action Partnership of the Greater Dayton Area for seven years, where she led several community engagement initiatives.

Ivy loves helping people connect through similarities and learn through differences. She shares a passion for making a positive impact. Outside of the office, she spends time with her husband and five sons, balancing life as a “busy momfessional”.

Within the community, Ivy serves as a member of the Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors and Miami Valley Urban League Advisory Board.

Ivy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication (with a Marketing Minor) from Wright State University. She also holds Certified Diversity Professional, and Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor designations.

Ivy is a 2024 Ohio Diversity Council Woman of the Year, 2022 Dayton Business Journal Outstanding Diversity Champion, 2020 Heart of Gold Recipient and Dayton Business Journal Forty Under 40 Awardee.

Thoughts to live by:

Every cause has an effect; so, find your cause, and cause a ripple effect!

When your why is big enough, you will find your how!

Every day we have an opportunity to make impact – to have a strong effect on something or someone - what will your impact be?

Nan Whaley, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio and Former Mayor of Dayton

Nan Whaley is a seasoned public servant with more than two decades of experience in local government. Her strong leadership, relationship and organizational skills have helped drive positive growth not only across her community, but the state and country as well. She is singularly focused on getting results, using her ability to bring together often competing interests and her deep understanding of policy and budgeting to develop better outcomes for the public and non-profit sector.

Since 2024, Ms. Whaley has served as the President and C.E.O. of Planned Parenthood Southwestern Ohio. She leads a team of 130 professionals in reproductive healthcare serving 23 counties. She is tenacious in the mission of expanding abortion access in a safe haven area that is surrounded by states with no access to abortion services.

Ms. Whaley served as the Mayor of Dayton, Ohio from 2014 to 2022, where she led the city through several major challenges, including the devastating tornadoes of 2019, a senseless mass shooting and the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2016, she led her community in passing high-quality preschool for every four-year-old. The program was so successful that, in 2022, it expanded to include all three-year-olds in Dayton and to several neighboring suburbs. She was also a founder of the Ohio Mayors Alliance, an advocacy group for Ohio’s thirty largest cities. Ms. Whaley was elected by her peers across the country to serve as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2021-22; successfully advocating for passage of the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, both of which brought billions in resources to local communities. In 2023-24 was the Director of Membership for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, where she continued to work closely with mayors across the country to amplify their leadership and make cities stronger.

Prior to her tenure as Mayor, Ms. Whaley served on the Dayton City Commission where she was the youngest woman to hold that post. During her time in office, she focused on improving the city's infrastructure, promoting economic development, and strengthening the city's sense of community.

Ms. Whaley is a strong advocate of Midwestern economic development. She has worked to address issues of racial inequality and poverty in Dayton. She has also been a vocal advocate for gun safety and has worked to pass legislation at the local, state and national level to reduce gun violence. In 2022, she was the Democratic nominee for governor of Ohio; making Ohio history as the first woman from any major political party to be nominated.

In addition to her work in government, Ms. Whaley is actively involved in her community and has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations. She holds a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from the University of Dayton and a master's degree in Public Administration from Wright State University. She lives in her beloved Five Oaks neighborhood in Dayton with her husband Sam, their dog Louis and cat Paris.

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Host or Publisher Hannah Myhre-Gaskill and Peggy Collins with Northwestern Mutual