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Speaker Biographies

Joan Helpern

Professor and Executive in Residence, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University; Co-Founder, Joan and David

Joan Helpern is an international fashion leader and entrepreneur known as "The Joan of Joan and David." Honored by her peers for successes in highly diverse areas of business. Known as an innovative thinker who uses creative, non-traditional methods of problem solving and management, with a focus on inclusion, empowerment and training.

Joan is now Professor and Executive in Residence at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, as well as serving on the Advisory Board for the Deming Center’s Advanced Commerce Research Institute and the Mentoring Board for the Eugene Lang Entrepreneurship Program at Columbia Business School. Joan was founder of Joan & David fashion house and was CEO between 1968 and 2000. During this time Joan & David formed unique manufacturing partnerships in the U.S. and Italy, established marketing and distribution channels throughout the world, and established 82 privately owned and leased boutiques worldwide including Europe, Asia, North Africa, and Central and South America.

Prior to setting up Joan & David, Joan was Director of Pupil Personnel Services at Lexington Public Schools and served as Director of Guidance Services for Elementary Schools for the New York City Board of Education. Joan has been honored for her entrepreneurial successes, her creative design and her philanthropic activities with awards including: Athena Award, Outstanding Achievement, Hunter College (1996); Financial Women’s Association Entrepreneurial Award (1996); Shattered Ceiling Award, Atlanta Women’s Organization; Distinguished Leadership Award, Financial Women of New York; Coty Award, Council of Fashion Designers of America (1978); Michelangelo Award, Italian Government of Trade Commission (1993); Hall of Fame, Footwear Design, FFANY (Fashion Footwear Association of New York); Women of Distinction, Northwood University; Leading Female Entrepreneurs of the World, Star Group, London; Top Fifty Business Women in the United States (1993, 1994, 1995).

In addition, she is a member and co-founder of the ‘Committee of 200’ (an organization of the leading businesswomen that leverages the success, power and influence of women in the global economy) and is a member of the Women’s Leadership Board at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, where she is involved in Women Waging Peace and the Council of Women World Leaders.