What does empowerment mean for women and how can it be achieved? In this inspiring talk, Roxanne shares effective strategies that women can use to transform their lives. The first in her rural Manitoba family to consider higher education, Roxanne went on to become a Stanford graduate, a Rhodes Scholar, a clerk at the Supreme Court and one of the 100 most powerful women in Canada. Now a successful social entrepreneur and the CEO of ME to WE, she has dedicated her life to helping uplift women in rural areas of Africa and Asia, bringing their products to market at Holt Renfrew, Nordstrom and Fossil. Roxanne will share stories of the resilient women who are the backbone of ME to WE Artisans—not only providing for their children but emerging as innovative business leaders in their communities, and redefining a woman’s role in the process.

From the hallways of Oxford to the rural villages in Asia and Africa to the top design showrooms of New York and Los Angeles, Roxanne has demonstrated the true power that social enterprises can have through her work as CEO of ME to WE and founder of ME to WE Artisans. Under her leadership, ME to WE Artisans has created an international market for the intricate handiwork of more than 1,400 indigenous women in Kenya, allowing them to lift their families out of poverty and establish themselves as leaders in their communities. As social entrepreneurship emerges as a leading activity in North America and a dynamic tool for systemic change, her valuable insights will inspire business leaders hungry to create social change through their work.