In celebration of Women’s Equality Day, this year’s Pathways for Women Conference welcomed more than 380 people for two days of inspiration, learning, and connection across generations.
Among the throngs of attendees from private and public agencies throughout the state were Michelle Lawson (pictured above, left) and her 21-year-old daughter Hailey (right).
“It was meaningful to learn things I wish I’d known when I was Hailey’s age,” said Michelle, CalPERS’ technology business management division chief. “It made me realize I can help her learn these lessons now instead of later on in her career. I’m still learning and growing too, and often wish I would’ve known these tips for building confidence and balance 25 years ago.”
Taking Action to Build Confidence
Since 2021, Pathways — the brainchild of CalPERS CEO Marcie Frost — has brought together hundreds of women leaders and their supporters from such fields as government, healthcare, technology, academia, and law enforcement for two days of networking and insight-sharing on achieving goals and overcoming both external and internal barriers to success.
This year, the attendees included a record 19 students such as Hailey, who will graduate in December from California State University, Sacramento, with an engineering degree.
CalPERS leaders were again well represented this year. Michelle Lawson’s public service career spans 25 years — 14 at the California Department of State Hospitals and 11 at CalPERS. Over time she’s discovered the value of trust and delegation and believes strong leadership means recognizing others’ strengths and creating a safe space for teams to share their expertise.
She said motherhood has also shaped her leadership style by giving her a greater understanding of the importance of empathy, flexibility, and shifting priorities.
“Rather than balancing life perfectly, it’s more about shifting priorities and focus,” Michelle said. “It’s also about figuring out the right time to make moves, or enjoy the role I’m in.”
Michelle served as a session moderator and steering committee member for this year’s Pathways gathering. She said she appreciated the event’s focus on confidence as a theme.
“I really appreciated the keynote on building confidence and the idea that it’s a skill — not something you either have or don’t have — and it’s built through action,” she said.
Michelle said she also appreciated the strategies presented for handling difficult situations and managing self-doubt.
“It was funny — on the plane home, I heard people talking about ‘head trash,’ which was also something we heard from the keynote,” she said. “It’s normal to worry about what other people think of you and to seek validation. But when those thoughts override your inner voice and guide, they’re no longer useful — they’re ‘head trash.’”
Bringing Lessons into the Real World
Hailey, attending Pathways for the first time, said she appreciated hearing from strong, confident women who have succeeded in fields where they are a minority, which has historically been the case in engineering.
“It’s quite common already to be the only woman in the room, and it can be intimidating to be in an authoritative role where I’m telling people what to do,” she said. “But hearing from women who have been in similar settings, who have felt the same and risen to the occasion by putting themselves out there — and asking for help — has better prepared me for my professional life.”
Join Us at the Next Pathways for Women Conference
Whether you want to strengthen your confidence, gain strategies for professional growth, or support women who are leading the way across industries, we invite you to join us at the next Pathways for Women Conference. Stay tuned for more information, and thanks to all who attended and participated this year.