May 16, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kathy Gest, 202-728-5535, [email protected]

MEDIA ADVISORY TINA BROWN AND ABIGAIL DISNEY TO SPEAK AT NDI’S MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT AWARDS LUNCHEON AND PANEL

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The impact of technology on women and democracy will be the subject of a panel discussion including former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright and Tina Brown, editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast and Newsweek, on Wednesday, May 29, in Washington, D.C.

Organized by the National Democratic Institute (NDI), which Albright chairs, the panel will precede a luncheon at which Mexico’s Network of Support for Women Municipal Leaders (REAMM) will receive NDI’s 2013 Madeleine K. Albright Grant in recognition of its efforts to further the political participation of women.

American filmmaker and philanthropist Abigail Disney will deliver the keynote address.

In addition to Albright and Brown, the panel includes Stephanie Cutter, former deputy campaign manager for President Barack Obama's 2012 campaign and partner at Precision Strategies; Ping Fu, chief strategy officer, 3D Systems; Shelly Esque, vice president at Intel Corporation; and Laura Inés López Padilla, president of the board of REAMM.

“We are delighted to have women leaders from such diverse backgrounds come together to reflect on the way technology is being used to empower women and communities around the world,” Albright said. “We also want to focus on new ways to improve women’s political participation to make democracies stronger and more vibrant for the benefit of all.”

REAMM recently participated in a successful campaign to help improve the use of federal political party funding designated for women’s leadership training. It will use the award’s $25,000 grant to pursue similar initiatives for Mexican women at the local level.

The luncheon also marks the launch of the Madeleine K. Albright Project, a new global fund in honor of NDI’s chairman that will support and enhance NDI’s work helping women globally to participate, compete and lead in democratic politics. 

The event will stream live at www.ndi.org/live. Follow the discussion at #NDIMKA.

WHAT:

• Panel discussion - Women, Technology and Democracy: How Women are Being Impacted by Technology Around the Globe

• Madeleine Albright, former secretary of state and NDI chairman
• Tina Brown, editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast and Newsweek
• Stephanie Cutter, former deputy campaign manager for President Barack Obama's 2012 campaign and partner at Precision Strategies
• Ping Fu, chief strategy officer, 3D Systems
• Shelly Esque, vice president at Intel Corporation, global director of the company’s Corporate Affairs Group, and president of the Intel Foundation
• Laura Inés López Padilla, president of the board of Mexico’s Network of Support for Women Municipal Leaders (REAMM)

• Madeleine K. Albright Luncheon
  • Keynote Speaker - Abigail Disney, filmmaker and philanthropist
  • Madeleine K. Albright Grant awarded to REAMM

​WHEN: Wednesday, May 29

• 10:30 a.m. - Panel Discussion
• 12:30 p.m.- Luncheon

WHERE: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 1150 22nd St., NW, Washington, D.C.

NDI is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government. For more information, visit www.ndi.org.

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