The enduring mission of the Tobias Center is inspiring leadership excellence on a national scale. Special access to the Center’s work will be furnished to Indiana citizens for the distinct purpose of enhancing leadership within the state.
Patricia Miller - Co-Founder and Co-Owner, Vera BradleyPatricia Miller and Co-founder Barbara Baekgaard founded Vera Bradley Designs in 1982, which quickly grew into an internationally recognized brand. Vera Bradley designs and manufacturers cotton quilted handbags, travel bags and accessories, and the Vera Bradley brand has recently expanded to include eyewear, tableware, rolling luggage, home furnishings, stationery and men’s ties. Patricia took a leave of absence in 2005 to serve as Indiana’s first Secretary of Commerce for the State of Indiana and CEO of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. She returned to Vera Bradley in early 2006. Currently Patricia is also serving as a board member of the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer and the Northeast Indiana Corporate Council. In the past she has served as a board member on more than 15 boards. Patricia and her husband, Mike, enjoy golf, tennis, bicycling, traveling, reading, lake activities, and spending time with their three sons, five grandchildren and their families. About the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer: In 1994, the personal loss of a dear friend to breast cancer inspired Patricia and Barbara to add a new dimension to Vera Bradley. They established the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer. To date the Foundation has contributed nearly $7 million to the Indiana University Simon Cancer Center bringing a pledge total of $10 million. 2008 National Philanthropy Day Award, Outstanding Philanthropist |
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About the Hazelett ForumThis program grows out of a desire to honor and hear from individuals who are successful leaders. Our speakers are individuals who exemplify excellence in leadership and work to support the advancement of women in leadership roles. With the generous support of Ambassador Randall L. Tobias, the Randall L. Tobias Foundation, IU Tobias Center
for Leadership Excellence, IUPUI, and its Office for Women
have combined efforts to create the Hazelett Women in
Leadership Forum. The
Hazelett Forum joins the mission
of the IU Tobias Center to To this end, the IU Tobias Center, the IUPUI Office for Women, IUPUI Chancellor Charles R. Bantz and his wife, Professor Sandra Petronio, and the IU Foundation invite the community, corporate leaders, students, and scholars to share in a learning experience focused on women leaders in all walks of life. Honorees offer insights into knowledge about leadership in the modern workplace, including their reflections on the role of gender, work/life balance, and effective communication. This Forum was established in honor of the late Susie Hazelett, the former Executive Director of the Randall L. Tobias Foundation. She was instrumental in helping to establish the IU Tobias Center for Leadership Excellence and we are proud to have her name associated with this important leadership forum. The Hazelett Forum was made possible by a generous gift
from Ambassador Randall L. Tobias, who wanted to honor
Susie Hazelett’s outstanding work for the Tobias Family
Foundation, the community of Indianapolis, the State of
Indiana, and for the women in these communities. By establishing
this Forum within the Tobias Center, it is his hope the
Forum will present at least one program each year focusing
on the issues of leadership in gender, family, and
work/life balance. The Hazelett Women in Leadership Forum
serves various constituencies of the university, including
students, faculty, staff, alumni, and interested persons in the
community, by providing a forum for knowledgeable and
creative speakers to celebrate the achievements of women
leaders in various walks of life and to elevate public discussions
and university scholarship on women in leadership
roles.
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