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Friday, March 6 - Saturday, March 7, 2026

CSUEB Hayward Campus, CORE Bldg

Care is not just a private duty—it’s public infrastructure. It’s time we lead like it.

In today’s evolving world, caregiving is not just a personal responsibility—it’s a foundational economic driver.  The Women in Leadership (WIL) Forum 2026 explores “The Business of Care” across three vital domains: elder care, childcare, and care for individuals with disabilities.

WIL Forum Agenda at a glance

March 6

Student Showcase for Demo Lab and Data Summit on Caregiving

March 7

The Future of Caregiving – Innovation, Inclusion, and Impact

Day 1- Friday, March 6 (12:00 pm - 4:00 pm)

• 12:00 PM Lunch
• 12:10 – 12:20 PM Welcome and Introductions – Anthony Muscat, Provost, California State
  University, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ
• 12:20 – 12:35 PM Caregiving Innovation, Inclusion, and Impact
  Panelists: Alina Engelman (CSUEB) & Sarah Taylor (CSUEB)
• 12:40 – 2:10 PM Demo Lab: Innovating Caregiving Project Team Presentations
  Judges: Sunil Bhargava (Tandem Capital), Benazir Fateh (Google), Sudarshan
  Seerapu (HCL), Japjit S (Google)
• 2:15 – 3:00 PM Data Summit: Researching Care – Presentations by Oscar Awardees
  Judges: Jennifer Sherwood (CSUEB), Deka Dike (Omatochi), Joshua Kerr (CSUEB)
• 3:00 – 4:00 PM Networking Social

 

Day 2- Saturday, March 7 (9:30 am - 4:30 pm) 

Morning Sessions

• 10:00 AM Welcome – Asha Rao (CSUEB), Amy Schoildager (Board Executive)
• 10:15 AM Keynote Speaker – Deka Dike, Founder, Omatochi; Alumna, CSUEB
• 10:35 AM Keynote Speaker – Vanessa Valerio, Co-Founder, CareIndeed
• 10:55 AM Ashley Mates, NorCal Regional Manager, UDW/AFSCME – Supporting California
  Childcare Providers
• 11:20 AM Leona Tang, Founder, Finanli – Care Across the Lifespan: Financial Planning for Care
  Across the Ages
• 11:40 AM Maureen Goode, Founder, Goode Cents – When the Child Becomes the Parent:
  Navigating Elder Care and Financial Management
• 12:00 – 12:30 PM Roundtable Discussions with Speakers
• 12:30 – 1:40 PM Lunch & Speed Networking (Speed networking begins at 1:00 PM)

Afternoon Sessions

• 2:00 PM WIL Data Summit – Filippo Rebessi, CSUEB
  Student finalists present research analyzing the $6 trillion care economy, focusing on time-use patterns and wage gaps affecting elders, children, and people with disabilities.
• 2:30 PM Demo Lab: Caregiver Tools – Lan Wang, CSUEB
  Finalist teams present innovative caregiver tools and prototypes.
• 3:15 PM Awards – Anthony Muscat, Provost, CSUEB
• 3:20 PM Closing Reflections – Rupal Hollenbeck (Board Executive)
  Key takeaways, recognition, and a vision for the future of caregiving and leadership at CSUEB.

Our Sponsors

        

                                                

Tickets: $15 General Admission, $5 for Students
Purchasing 1 ticket grants admission for both days.

Caregiving is a $6 trillion sector in the U.S., encompassing both paid and unpaid labor. As of 2023, more than 105 million Americans provide care to loved ones, contributing $600 billion in unpaid labor. Women—who make up over 75% of informal caregivers—are disproportionately involved in care, often balancing full-time work with care responsibilities.

• The elder care market alone is projected to reach $779 billion by 2030.
• Childcare in the U.S. was a $61.7 billion industry in 2023 and continues to grow.
• Over 20% of Americans live with a disability, creating ongoing demand for inclusive, equitable caregiving solutions.

Meanwhile, the care workforce is facing historic shortages. Over half of U.S. home care agencies report staffing gaps, and demand for caregivers is rapidly rising.
Why does this matter for WIL? Because women not only shoulder the majority of care responsibilities—they are also leading the way in care innovation. From founding tech-based care platforms to shaping policy and workplace benefits, women leaders are redefining what it means to value and support care work.
WIL Forum 2026 brings together voices across sectors—entrepreneurs, technologists, advocates, and students—to examine how care can be a lever for equity, innovation, and inclusive economic growth.

Come join us! 

If you are interested in being a speaker, event sponsor, or recruiter at the event, please contact us womeninleadership@csueastbay.edu

In alignment with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and certain other federal and state laws, Cal State Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender or sexual orientation in employment, as well as in all education programs and activities operated by the university (both on and off campus), including admissions.