SUZANNE AT POWERUP: COURAGE TO LEAD 2025
Power Up: Courage to Lead 2025 Concert & Conference
On August 26, Suzanne joined the Power Up: Courage to Lead 2025 Concert & Conference in Washington, D.C., speaking on the panel “Building and Sustaining Female-Founded Business.” She appeared alongside Margery Kraus, Founder & Executive Chairman of APCO Worldwide, and Heather Florio, CEO of Desert Harvest. The discussion was moderated by Vada Manager, Founder & CEO of Manager Global Holdings.
The conference is the creation of Gloria Feldt, co-Founder and president of Take The Lead. Gloria is a nationally recognized activist, author, and former CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, who co-founded Take The Lead to prepare, develop, inspire, and propel women into leadership positions. Through initiatives like the 9 Leadership Power Tools and the annual Power Up gathering, she has created a platform for women leaders and their allies to come together, build community, and advance toward gender parity.
During the panel, Suzanne reflected on the challenges of staying true to her values while running a business in a polarized environment. She spoke about keeping Michael Stars production in Los Angeles to ensure living wages and healthcare, even as much of the apparel industry shifted to fast fashion. She also shared what it means to be a values-driven company and how that guides her decisions.