We are recognizing all the women leaders who change your life. The ones who model empathy and empower others to achieve their goals. In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, we’re bringing inspiring leaders to you:
KEYNOTE ANIA SMITH: CEO of TaskRabbit
A seasoned leader with deep expertise across a variety of multi-sided marketplaces, Ania joined TaskRabbit as CEO in August 2020. Ania has more than 20 years of experience in global business operations and strategic planning in the eCommerce, transportation, travel and retail industries.
Prior to joining TaskRabbit, Ania was with Uber, where she led courier operations for Uber Eats. Before this, she spent several years in key roles at Airbnb, developing targets and strategy for North America business operations before leading the growth of host services. Previously, Ania was with Walmart eCommerce, focusing on strategy and partnerships, and with Expedia, concentrating on the brand’s growth into central and eastern Europe. Earlier in her career, Ania held several consulting roles, including Booz-Allen & Hamilton and L.E.K. Consulting.
Ania holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the University of South Dakota and an M.B.A. in Strategic Management and Finance from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and their three children. Together, they love to travel and enjoy hiking, rafting and biking.
PANELIST CATHERINE SADLER: Former Global CMO of Coach, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor
Catherine Sadler has been called a Brand Guru and Change Agent by Women’s Wear Daily, featured in such leading publications as Forbes, WSJ, NYT, Adage, and the Drum. She is renowned for her breakthrough media and lifestyle collaborations and award-winning integrated creative campaigns that drive disruption, action and sales. She is an advisor to both start-ups and multi-billion dollar legacy brands as CEO of her eponymous brand consultancy, SADLER + BRAND. She has been the Executive Director/Fashion Chair of Fashion Digital NY & London and was the prestigious Clio Image Awards’ first-ever juror for Integrated Marketing and Partnerships. She currently mentors through New York Fashion Tech Lab, is passionate about business as a force for good, and has a deep commitment to women’s issues and empowerment.
First and foremost, Catherine is an innovator and brand builder. The branding and creative force behind such iconic fashion and lifestyle brands as Conran’s, Coach, Ann Taylor, and Banana Republic, as well as consultant to numerous others (including Birdies, Allswell, Loft, Modcloth, and Donna Karan’s Urban Zen). She has launched brands that are now multi-billion businesses and navigated mature brands through digital evolution (from Coach to Gap Inc’s Banana Republic as Global CMO where she led a 98 person multi-disciplinary team that developed 360˚ omni-channel global marketing programs for the brand worldwide).
Known for her equal measure of left brain/right brain, Catherine is a one-woman powerhouse, with a deep-rooted passion for building relevancy and customer advocacy through equal parts strategy and creativity.
PANELIST JENNIFER ADRIO: CEO of Cali Red Cross
The Northern California Coastal Region and Bay Area Chapter welcomed Jennifer Adrio as the Regional Chief Executive Officer in July 2019. She leads a team of more than 5,000 volunteers and approximately 70 employees to provide Red Cross programs and services to more than 10 million residents across five chapters in 15 counties.
Adrio’s non-profit career began with the American Red Cross in Biomedical Services; she then transitioned to the United Way where she served as an Executive Vice President from 2000 to 2013, overseeing more than $75 million in resources, more than $30 million in revenue, 15,000 volunteers and 60 employees. During her United Way tenure, the organization received several national awards for initiatives that increased revenue in planned-giving and major-gift programs.
Since her return to the Red Cross, Adrio’s experience has garnered her multiple deployments and special assignments. She has deployed to six national disasters as an Elected Official Liaison and served as the interim Regional CEO for South Florida. Adrio serves on multiple Red Cross committees and is a proud member of the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle, a community of women leaders who advance the Red Cross mission through a focused investment of time, talent and treasures.
PANELIST REMI COHEN: CEO of Domaine Carneros Winery
On the first day of the 2020 harvest, Remi Cohen joined the Domaine Carneros family as CEO, bringing with her a diverse, twenty-year track record of experience in all facets of the fine wine business, from vineyard management and winemaking to sales, marketing, and brand development. Continuing Domaine Carneros’ tradition of visionary female leadership, Cohen is the ideal candidate to take over from illustrious founding winemaker and former CEO Eileen Crane.
The new role brings Cohen’s career full circle, for it’s in Carneros where it all began. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, Cohen was more interested in studying plant biology than medicine, and thus enrolled in the University of California, Davis’ master’s program in viticulture. Before graduating, the chance to taste her first wine vertical of reserve Pinot Noir from the iconic Saintsbury was truly eye-opening and sparked Cohen’s interest in the Carneros AVA.
Cohen brings extensive experience in sustainable winegrowing and business management to the table, most recently spearheading Cliff Lede’s achievement of the Napa Green certification. She is also a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, which makes her adept at providing luxurious and educational hospitality experiences. She served as the President of the Stags Leap District Winegrowers Association for five years and was previously a Board Member of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers Association. Cohen was recognized as one of Wine Enthusiast’s 40 Under 40 in 2015 as a tastemaker and influencer in Napa Valley. She resides in Napa and enjoys traveling to wine regions around the world, sampling diverse cultures and cuisines, and loves dance, hiking, yoga and world music.
BONUS Masterclass Session
At some point in their lives, 95% of women will be their family’s primary financial decision-maker. Watch Kim, Beata & Tara from Bernstein Private Wealth Management discuss the five concrete steps women can take to become more financially engaged.
KIMBERLY DAVIS: Managing Director at AB Bernstein
Kim is a creative person who built a career in finance. As Managing Director, she leads a team that shares core principles of entrepreneurship, collaboration, and empathy. Together, they bring this mindset to advise high-net-worth families and their respective trusts, estates, foundations, endowments, and pension plans. Also, her team provides initial structural (investment policy statements (IPS), spending policy, and governance) and ongoing (donor engagement and board education) support for not-for-profit institutions to empowering organizations to achieve financial sustainability and implement their mission.
Before becoming Managing Director in 2020, Kim joined Bernstein in 1998 as an associate, was promoted to Vice President in 2003, and was appointed Principal in 2009. She holds a BA in public justice and Psychology from the State University of New York and an Executive Certificate in financial planning from Fordham University. She maintains her Series 7, 63, 65, and 33 licenses and is a certified 2164 advisor.
Kim likes to pay it forward as an angel investor for early-stage, female-founded technology, and consumer brands companies for fun and personal fulfillment. She is also an active advisor and supporter of numerous charitable organizations and an active member of Chief. She currently lives in NYC and plans to move to New England with her husband and son within the year.
TARA THOMPSON POPERNIK: Director of Research, Wealth Planning & Analysis at AB Bernstein
Tara joined Bernstein in 2003 as a Private Client Associate, becoming an Investment Planning Analyst in 2004. She assumed management responsibility for the New York Investment Planning Analyst team in 2006. In 2008, she was named a Vice President and Wealth Management Specialist, and in 2011 she became the Director of Research. She was named a Senior Vice President of Bernstein in 2015.
In her current position, she develops insightful research for private clients around issues of asset allocation, income tax planning, retirement planning, charitable giving and trust and estate planning.
Tara earned a BA in Comparative Literature from Dartmouth College, graduating cum laude with honors. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst charter holder and a CFP(R) Certificant.
BEATA KIRR: Co-head of Investment Strategies at AB Bernstein
Beata is a Co-head of Bernstein’s Private Client Investment Policy Group, the decision-making body for the private client business. The PCIPG oversees strategic asset allocation for our high-net-worth, nonprofit and family office clients.
Before joining the firm in 2007, she was a director at Harris Alternatives, a global fund of hedge funds, where she advised institutions on the firm’s offerings. Previously, Beata was with Goldman Sachs, where she advised clients in the Equities, M&A and Equity Capital Markets divisions, from their New York, London and Chicago offices. She holds a BS in economics (magna cum laude) from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Beata is passionate about helping women investors succeed, speaks frequently to women’s groups nationally, and is the host of “Bernstein Insights” Women & Wealth podcast series. Beata is on the Board of Women Employed. She is the proud mom of two energetic kids and tries to find time to read great books and travel.
Learn moreor subscribe to the Women & Wealth podcast hosted by Beata Kirr, where female founders, philanthropists, and fierce advocates share hands-on advice and expertise on all things financial.
For March’s theme, we are recognizing all the women leaders who change your life. The ones who model empathy and empower others to achieve their goals. In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, we’re bringing inspiring leaders to you:
We are recognizing all the women leaders who change your life. The ones who model empathy and empower others to achieve their goals. In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, we’re bringing inspiring leaders to you:
KEYNOTE ANIA SMITH: CEO of TaskRabbit
A seasoned leader with deep expertise across a variety of multi-sided marketplaces, Ania joined TaskRabbit as CEO in August 2020. Ania has more than 20 years of experience in global business operations and strategic planning in the eCommerce, transportation, travel and retail industries.
Prior to joining TaskRabbit, Ania was with Uber, where she led courier operations for Uber Eats. Before this, she spent several years in key roles at Airbnb, developing targets and strategy for North America business operations before leading the growth of host services. Previously, Ania was with Walmart eCommerce, focusing on strategy and partnerships, and with Expedia, concentrating on the brand’s growth into central and eastern Europe. Earlier in her career, Ania held several consulting roles, including Booz-Allen & Hamilton and L.E.K. Consulting.
Ania holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the University of South Dakota and an M.B.A. in Strategic Management and Finance from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and their three children. Together, they love to travel and enjoy hiking, rafting and biking.
PANELIST CATHERINE SADLER: Former Global CMO of Coach, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor
Catherine Sadler has been called a Brand Guru and Change Agent by Women’s Wear Daily, featured in such leading publications as Forbes, WSJ, NYT, Adage, and the Drum. She is renowned for her breakthrough media and lifestyle collaborations and award-winning integrated creative campaigns that drive disruption, action and sales. She is an advisor to both start-ups and multi-billion dollar legacy brands as CEO of her eponymous brand consultancy, SADLER + BRAND. She has been the Executive Director/Fashion Chair of Fashion Digital NY & London and was the prestigious Clio Image Awards’ first-ever juror for Integrated Marketing and Partnerships. She currently mentors through New York Fashion Tech Lab, is passionate about business as a force for good, and has a deep commitment to women’s issues and empowerment.
First and foremost, Catherine is an innovator and brand builder. The branding and creative force behind such iconic fashion and lifestyle brands as Conran’s, Coach, Ann Taylor, and Banana Republic, as well as consultant to numerous others (including Birdies, Allswell, Loft, Modcloth, and Donna Karan’s Urban Zen). She has launched brands that are now multi-billion businesses and navigated mature brands through digital evolution (from Coach to Gap Inc’s Banana Republic as Global CMO where she led a 98 person multi-disciplinary team that developed 360˚ omni-channel global marketing programs for the brand worldwide).
Known for her equal measure of left brain/right brain, Catherine is a one-woman powerhouse, with a deep-rooted passion for building relevancy and customer advocacy through equal parts strategy and creativity.
PANELIST JENNIFER ADRIO: CEO of Cali Red Cross
The Northern California Coastal Region and Bay Area Chapter welcomed Jennifer Adrio as the Regional Chief Executive Officer in July 2019. She leads a team of more than 5,000 volunteers and approximately 70 employees to provide Red Cross programs and services to more than 10 million residents across five chapters in 15 counties.
Adrio’s non-profit career began with the American Red Cross in Biomedical Services; she then transitioned to the United Way where she served as an Executive Vice President from 2000 to 2013, overseeing more than $75 million in resources, more than $30 million in revenue, 15,000 volunteers and 60 employees. During her United Way tenure, the organization received several national awards for initiatives that increased revenue in planned-giving and major-gift programs.
Since her return to the Red Cross, Adrio’s experience has garnered her multiple deployments and special assignments. She has deployed to six national disasters as an Elected Official Liaison and served as the interim Regional CEO for South Florida. Adrio serves on multiple Red Cross committees and is a proud member of the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle, a community of women leaders who advance the Red Cross mission through a focused investment of time, talent and treasures.
PANELIST REMI COHEN: CEO of Domaine Carneros Winery
On the first day of the 2020 harvest, Remi Cohen joined the Domaine Carneros family as CEO, bringing with her a diverse, twenty-year track record of experience in all facets of the fine wine business, from vineyard management and winemaking to sales, marketing, and brand development. Continuing Domaine Carneros’ tradition of visionary female leadership, Cohen is the ideal candidate to take over from illustrious founding winemaker and former CEO Eileen Crane.
The new role brings Cohen’s career full circle, for it’s in Carneros where it all began. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, Cohen was more interested in studying plant biology than medicine, and thus enrolled in the University of California, Davis’ master’s program in viticulture. Before graduating, the chance to taste her first wine vertical of reserve Pinot Noir from the iconic Saintsbury was truly eye-opening and sparked Cohen’s interest in the Carneros AVA.
Cohen brings extensive experience in sustainable winegrowing and business management to the table, most recently spearheading Cliff Lede’s achievement of the Napa Green certification. She is also a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, which makes her adept at providing luxurious and educational hospitality experiences. She served as the President of the Stags Leap District Winegrowers Association for five years and was previously a Board Member of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers Association. Cohen was recognized as one of Wine Enthusiast’s 40 Under 40 in 2015 as a tastemaker and influencer in Napa Valley. She resides in Napa and enjoys traveling to wine regions around the world, sampling diverse cultures and cuisines, and loves dance, hiking, yoga and world music.
BONUS Masterclass Session
At some point in their lives, 95% of women will be their family’s primary financial decision-maker. Watch Kim, Beata & Tara from Bernstein Private Wealth Management discuss the five concrete steps women can take to become more financially engaged.
KIMBERLY DAVIS: Managing Director at AB Bernstein
Kim is a creative person who built a career in finance. As Managing Director, she leads a team that shares core principles of entrepreneurship, collaboration, and empathy. Together, they bring this mindset to advise high-net-worth families and their respective trusts, estates, foundations, endowments, and pension plans. Also, her team provides initial structural (investment policy statements (IPS), spending policy, and governance) and ongoing (donor engagement and board education) support for not-for-profit institutions to empowering organizations to achieve financial sustainability and implement their mission.
Before becoming Managing Director in 2020, Kim joined Bernstein in 1998 as an associate, was promoted to Vice President in 2003, and was appointed Principal in 2009. She holds a BA in public justice and Psychology from the State University of New York and an Executive Certificate in financial planning from Fordham University. She maintains her Series 7, 63, 65, and 33 licenses and is a certified 2164 advisor.
Kim likes to pay it forward as an angel investor for early-stage, female-founded technology, and consumer brands companies for fun and personal fulfillment. She is also an active advisor and supporter of numerous charitable organizations and an active member of Chief. She currently lives in NYC and plans to move to New England with her husband and son within the year.
TARA THOMPSON POPERNIK: Director of Research, Wealth Planning & Analysis at AB Bernstein
Tara joined Bernstein in 2003 as a Private Client Associate, becoming an Investment Planning Analyst in 2004. She assumed management responsibility for the New York Investment Planning Analyst team in 2006. In 2008, she was named a Vice President and Wealth Management Specialist, and in 2011 she became the Director of Research. She was named a Senior Vice President of Bernstein in 2015.
In her current position, she develops insightful research for private clients around issues of asset allocation, income tax planning, retirement planning, charitable giving and trust and estate planning.
Tara earned a BA in Comparative Literature from Dartmouth College, graduating cum laude with honors. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst charter holder and a CFP(R) Certificant.
BEATA KIRR: Co-head of Investment Strategies at AB Bernstein
Beata is a Co-head of Bernstein’s Private Client Investment Policy Group, the decision-making body for the private client business. The PCIPG oversees strategic asset allocation for our high-net-worth, nonprofit and family office clients.
Before joining the firm in 2007, she was a director at Harris Alternatives, a global fund of hedge funds, where she advised institutions on the firm’s offerings. Previously, Beata was with Goldman Sachs, where she advised clients in the Equities, M&A and Equity Capital Markets divisions, from their New York, London and Chicago offices. She holds a BS in economics (magna cum laude) from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Beata is passionate about helping women investors succeed, speaks frequently to women’s groups nationally, and is the host of “Bernstein Insights” Women & Wealth podcast series. Beata is on the Board of Women Employed. She is the proud mom of two energetic kids and tries to find time to read great books and travel.
Learn more or subscribe to the Women & Wealth podcast hosted by Beata Kirr, where female founders, philanthropists, and fierce advocates share hands-on advice and expertise on all things financial.
