Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership Announces Helen G. Drinan Visionary Leader Award winner, Thasunda Brown Duckett

BOSTON, March 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership, a global authority on leadership, gender equity, and inclusion, is pleased to announce the 2024 recipient of the Helen G. Drinan Visionary Leader Award winner, Thasunda Brown Duckett.

Duckett is the President and Chief Executive Officer of TIAA, a Fortune 100 provider of secure retirements and outcome-focused investment solutions to millions of people working in higher education, healthcare and other mission-driven organizations. The Visionary Leader Award, given in honor of Simmons University's eighth president, Helen G. Drinan is awarded annually to a leader who embodies the Institute's mission to manifest equity in leadership and create a more inclusive workforce.

"I am delighted that the Institute for Inclusive Leadership is honoring a leader who has excelled in the financial services industry. Having spent twenty years in banking, I know firsthand how challenging it is to break into executive leadership," said Helen G. Drinan, President Emerita, Simmons University. "Thasunda Brown Duckett makes it possible for women growing up in the industry to see that the top job is within their reach, and that the path to leadership is worth the hard work and sacrifices which come with this level of competition. Brava!"

Duckett is the fourth Black woman to ever lead a Fortune 500 company. She is a leadership luminary and trailblazer in the financial industry who is widely recognized for prioritizing financial inclusion and educational opportunities for underserved populations. Prior to her role at TIAA, she held several executive positions during her career at JP Morgan Chase.

Past award recipients include Indra Nooyi, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo, Sheila Lirio Marcelo, Co-Founder and CEO of Proof of Learn and Founder of Care.com, and Sandra Fenwick, Former CEO of Boston Children's Hospital.

Duckett will accept the award on April 3, 2024 at the 45th Simmons Leadership Conference where thousands of leaders will be in attendance in Boston and online.

To learn more, visit: https://www.inclusiveleadership.com/community/visionary-leader-award/

About the Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership

The founding of the Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership in 2019 builds on the University's rich heritage of igniting positive action, fostering everyday leadership, and striving for lasting social justice. Our vision is simple: Manifest equity in leadership in our lifetime.

SOURCE Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership