IWD 2027, March 12, 2027: “She Speaks: The Power of Her Voice" Hosted by Cox Enterprises, Produced by IWF Georgia

LISA BENJAMIN

Lisa Y. Benjamin is a partner at Lexicon Strategies. Renowned for her expertise in public-private partnerships, major government projects, commercial real estate, and infrastructure development, Lisa brings a wealth of experience and a strategic vision to Lexicon Strategies, driving transformative impact for businesses, organizations, and governments.

Lisa previously served as the Chief Operating Officer for the City of Atlanta, appointed by Mayor Andre Dickens. In this role, she led a staff of 8,500 and oversaw city operations including public safety, emergency management, infrastructure, information technology innovation, and the world's busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson International. Under her leadership, the City of Atlanta managed over $11 billion in funds and maintained robust financial health with reserves exceeding $200 million. Lisa's stewardship contributed to the city's Aa1 and AA+ bond ratings from Moody's and Fitch and garnered numerous accolades, including Money Magazine naming Atlanta the Best Place to Live.

Before her tenure with the City of Atlanta, Lisa was the President and CEO of Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, where she led one of the nation’s highest-producing and most impactful affiliates. During her five-year leadership, the organization served over 1,000 families, managed a $74 million balance sheet, and raised over $40 million to support homeownership. Her efforts earned Atlanta Habitat recognition as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Best Charity in Metro Atlanta and a Best Place to Work by the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

IWF Georgia IWD 2027 Committee Chairs

IWD 2027 Sponsorship Chair ​

Brittany Collins
Brittany Collins is the  Executive Director of the Betty and Davis Fitzgerald Foundation.  She is a trusted, strategic advisor and social impact strategist with over a decade of experience in urban public education, community development, and the non- profit sector. 

IWD 2027 PR/Communications Chair ​

Gina Espinosa-Meltzer

Gina is the CEO of Hope-Beckham Espinosa Inc.. She joined Hope-Beckham with the merger of the firm she founded 12 years ago, GPR Global, into HBI, now HBE. She’s a communications strategist and publicist who’s worked with for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations to increase awareness of their brand, increase sales and enhance messaging to both the Hispanic and mainstream markets. 

IWD 2027 Program Committee Co-chair ​

Helene Lollis

Helene Gassen Lollis is President and CEO of Pathbuilders, a leadership development firm she has led for more than two decades. Drawing on her early career as a chemical engineer and corporate strategist, she has built Pathbuilders into a trusted partner to major organizations seeking to develop their leadership talent. She is passionate about helping leaders broaden their perspectives, strengthen their judgment, and realize their potential to make a meaningful impact. She is also an active civic leader, serving on boards that advance education, business, and the arts.

IWD 2027 Program Committee Co-chair ​

Penelope McPhee

Penelope McPhee is an author, journalist and philanthropic executive. She is President Emeritus of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation in Atlanta, GA, where she served as president from 2004 until her retirement in February 2021.  

IWD 2027 Venue Host 

Jennifer Hightower

Jennifer Hightower is executive vice president and chief legal and compliance officer at Cox Enterprises, a global, family-owned company that owns, operates and invests in businesses spanning automotive, greenhouse agriculture, software, cleantech, outdoor recreation and journalism.  

IWD Event Director, 2020 - 2027

Jennifer Langley

Jennifer Langley is the IWF Georgia Forum Executive and Managing Principal of JL Events & Association Management.  She established her company with a focus on providing association and operations management as a contracted executive director for professional membership organizations. She is a senior executive with 20+ years of success building organizations and associations through strategic growth initiatives and effective operations management to thoroughly execute an organization’s mission and vision by assembling a support team and providing oversight. 

IWD Founding Chair

IWD 2027 Committee: 

Leona Barr-Davenport

Lisa Benjamin, IWD Chair

Myra Bierria, Sponsorship Co-chair

Amanda Brown-Olmstead

Brittany Collins, Sponsorship Chair

Gina Espinosa, PR Chair

Sarah Gershon

Amy Glennon

Farhana Hasan 

Monica Khant

Jennifer Langley, IWD Event Director

Helene Lollis, Program Co-chair

Penelope McPhee, Program Co-chair

Laura Neuman

Elizabeth Noe, IWF GA President

DeRetta Rhodes

Mini'imah Shaheed

Belisa Urbina

Kanyatta Walker

Peggy Wallace