Graham’s Women in Leadership Breakfast 2026

On March 19, 2026, we hosted Graham’s third annual Women in Leadership Breakfast in the spectacular penthouse suite at Mutual of America on Park Avenue. We launched this event in 2024 with the support of Graham Board member, Joan Haffenreffer, and the New York Women’s Forum. Originally aimed to inspire young adults in the Graham community as they embark on finding living-wage career paths, this event has become a community favorite, drawing over a hundred participants. Titled “How’d I Get Here?” this series asks speakers to share stories about how they found success in their chosen fields and overcame obstacles along the way.

The morning opened with remarks from Graham Board member and event co-sponsor, Joan Haffenreffer, who shared with the room the success of Graham’s SLAM initiative for youth in 8th grade through age 26. She also noted that this event and the advice and encouragement from our guests are part of a wide array of resources that Graham offers young adults early in their careers.

Joan’s warm introduction was followed by a keynote address from Sandi Davidson, Associate Commissioner and NYC Regional Director of the NYS Office of Children and Family Services. Recognizing that March is Women’s History Month, as that this March is the 220th anniversary of Graham’s founding by four forward-thinking women, Sandi spoke of the strength of women leaders: “Women bring perspectives and experiences that drive better decisions and innovative solutions. Strength isn’t only a woman’s actions—it’s her ability to manage her own responsibilities while uplifting others.”

Graham’s President and CEO, Kimberly Watson, moderated an engaging panel discussion that featured questions from young adults in our Graham SLAM initiative. Panelist Morgan Bass Roper, who is the Head of Strategic Programming & Early Careers Recruiting at BNY, spoke about approaching career growth with resourcefulness and a problem-solving mindset: “If you don’t know the answer to something or if you know that there is a problem you need to solve… [you] take the problem bite by bite.” She also encouraged listeners to bring their full selves to their work, sharing, “The gifts you have internally that you bring to any room that you’re in, that’s the extra special sauce and value that you’re bringing.”

Dinorah Claudio, Division Commander for the FDNY-EMS, talked about her 36-year career with the fire department and the important role that mentors played in her advancement. “I had a lot of mentors along the way, and they just reaffirmed the choices that I was making—they continued to push me and say, ‘you can go for more’.” She also spoke about how meaningful it has been to work in and serve her own community: “Working in the area that I grew up in was…special to me, but to be one of the highest leaders and be responsible for the services that we provided to my own community was extremely rewarding.”

Our third panelist was the Chief of Staff for NYC Public Schools, Kenita Lloyd. Kenita spoke about how New York City is a great place to see and experience women in leadership roles, but that there is still room for growth. “I often find myself as the only woman of color in many rooms. Early on, I was silent until I realized this is why I’m here. My perspective is needed.” She also shared that she is so proud of her younger self for persisting, saying, “There were many distractions that could have changed the trajectory of my entire life.”

Viewers of PIX11 easily recognized our final panelist, Emmy-winning investigative reporter Monica Morales, whose show “Monica Makes it Happen” helps solve local problems, encourages community advocacy and highlights inspiring stories. Monica brought inspiration for the girls and young women in the room with her encouraging statements. “Don’t be afraid and don’t let anyone talk you out of the dream that you have!”

We are so grateful to all of our panelists for their time, their generosity, and their candor in these conversations. The stories shared at this event will become part of our digital Career Journey Library, an online resource that provides insights and inspiration for members of the Graham community as they navigate their own career paths. We aim to have a robust and diverse collection of career insights that will speak not only to our high school and college-aged students but also to our staff, our community members, and our broad network of supporters.

Do you want to share your career story? We can arrange in-person or fully remote recording sessions, with or without a Graham SLAM student interviewer. Sign up to get involved here!  

The Women in Leadership Breakfast in an annual event held every March. Join our email list to stay up to date with all of Graham’s events and discover additional ways to support our work with children, families, and communities. 

Watch a full recording of the 2026 Women in Leadership Breakfast: