President’s Address and Keynote Presentation | The Power of Authenticity

It takes seven seconds for people to form an opinion about you. That's why most of us are taught to fit in a box instead of embracing those parts of ourselves that stand out. As a budding national TV journalist, Mariana was often encouraged to leave parts of herself at the door. But ‘covering' did not lead to real belonging, especially in the workplace. Embracing her uniqueness did – and Mariana's passion is empowering others to discover how to do the same. When people feel safe to be themselves, that authenticity builds trust, fulfillment, and credibility at work and in life. They're able to embrace a mindset of transformation to meet change more resiliently. And leaders find fostering authenticity on their team spurs engagement, collaboration, innovation, and community.