A day of thought-provoking conversation and enriching empowerment is taking place at Cal State San Bernardino’s Women’s Leadership Conference today, Friday, Feb. 2, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Santos Manuel Student Union Events Center.

Attendees are getting the chance to see “powerful speakers, panelists of amazing individuals who identify as women and sessions that cater to women issues,” according to Roselyn Gardea, interim associate director of residential education and a member of the Women’s Leadership Conference committee. These sessions, she says, “will build confidence, wisdom and direction.”

The Women’s Leadership Conference features two prominent key speakers: Diane Guerrero and Marianne Cooper.

Guerrero is an actress, activist and author of “In the Country We Love: My Family Divided,” a memoir about her parents and older brother being detained and deported to Colombia when she was just 14 years old. She is most well known for her role on hit shows such as “Orange is the New Black” and “Jane the Virgin.”

Cooper  is a sociologist at the Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford University and an affiliate at the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality. She is an expert on gender, women’s leadership, diversity and inclusion, financial insecurity and economic wealth. She is the author of “Cut Adrift: Families in Insecure Times” and was the lead researcher for “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead” by Sheryl Sandberg.

Along with the keynote speakers, the event includes workshop presentations, lunch, a panel discussion and a networking mixer.

“Our hope is that the attendees feel empowered after leaving the conference, for all attendees and allies to understand the importance of women in leadership roles and for our students to have the opportunity to build at least one connection while attending,” said Gardea.

Event registration was at capacity, but those who were interested in attending were placed on a waitlist by emailing diversityoffice@csusb.edu with the subject title “WLC Waitlist.” The conference was  open to active CSUSB affiliates, including all students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Sponsors of the CSUSB Women’s Leadership Conference are CSUSB Athletics, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, President’s Office, University Enterprises Corporation, Santos Manuel Student Union Women’s Resource Center, Santos Manuel Student Union, Office of the Provost, University Advancement, Information Technology Services, Student Affairs, Administration and Finance, Department of Housing and Residential Education, and Associated Students Inc.

A valid CSUSB parking pass or $6 daily parking pass is required. For accessibility accommodations, contact diversityoffice@csusb.edu 72-hours in advance.

For more information about Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university's Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit inside.csusb.edu.