Global Seminar Series
Connecting girls to learn & unite with each other to understand their roles in our global community.
Launched in May 2020, the Global Seminar Series aims to provide an opportunity for high school girls globally to connect, learn, and collaborate as they address relevant pressing global issues. The Global Seminar Series (GSS) prepares students to become informed and empowered to take action by exploring one global issue through an interdisciplinary lens, interacting with experts in various professions, and participating in collaborative group projects.
To date, the GSS has engaged:
Join us for Global Seminar Series #14
Breaking Boundaries Through Art: Women Creating, Resisting, and Redefining
February 21 and 28, 2026
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. ET on Zoom
Cost: FREE
Registration for the GSS is currently closed.
Across the world, women use art to share their stories, remember their histories, and speak out against injustice.
Whether through painting, music, film, writing, or digital media, creative expression can challenge power, question stereotypes, and make hidden voices seen and heard. This powerful creative force has become both a cultural mirror and a political act to confront censorship, repression and catalyze visibility and global impact.
This seminar invites high school girls from around the world to explore how women from different cultures use art to express identity, resist censorship, and build community. Together, we will ask:
How do women use art to express who they are and what they believe in?
How does censorship affect which artists and stories we get to see—or don’t see?
How can creativity become a powerful way to speak up, push back, or make change?
How can learning about art from around the world help girls build confidence, lead, and take action together?
The series will culminate in a collaborative exploration of how our past influences our future. It will provide a platform for girls to claim their space in the popular narrative and forge connections across borders.
Participants will meet inspiring women artists and activists, connect with girls globally, and create their own Art for Change project. Together, they’ll discover how creativity can inspire visibility, equity, and meaningful impact.
Keynote Speaker
Lee Beckwith
Lee Beckwith is passionate about using computation as a tool for thinking through environmental justice issues. They have extensive experience in applied computation research ranging from developing disability-friendly pedestrian routing algorithms to utilizing machine learning techniques in climate modeling. Lee currently teaches in the Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship department as well as the Humanities Department at Miss Porter's School while simultaneously working towards their M.S.Ed. through the University of Pennsylvania. They earned their bachelor's degrees in computer science and environmental analysis from Scripps College.
Featured Panelists
Information on panelists coming soon!
Guest Speakers
Arghavan Agida
Arghavan Agida was born in Iran during the Iran–Iraq War, a time marked by unrest and insecurity, into a family made especially vulnerable by her father’s work as an artist and author at a time when artistic professions were heavily restricted after the revolution, forcing millions to flee the country. Her family escaped first to Azerbaijan, then Germany, and finally settled in Sweden in 1989, carrying with them fear and anxiety but also hope and courage. Arghavan grew up surrounded by art, music, and poetry.
In 2010, a new chapter began when she participated as a singer in the Googoosh Music Academy in London, one of the largest Persian music competitions, followed by millions worldwide—a groundbreaking act, as female solo performance is forbidden in Iran. It was an experience that shaped her calling to amplify silenced women’s voices. Since then, she has worked extensively with women’s rights through artistic projects centered on women’s strength, creativity, and perspectives.
In 2014, she published the anthology Zan (“Woman”), featuring the stories of nine women in Iran, alongside a touring music show of the same name reflecting on her artistic journey and Iranian music before the revolution. From 2014 to 2019, she served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Women National Committee in Sweden, and her later project ARTDOM emerged from a deep reflection on global boundaries and injustices affecting women, asking how freedom, feminism, and equality are defined—an ongoing process followed by hundreds of thousands through social media, exhibitions, and media coverage—driven by her life’s mission to build bridges across borders and strengthen women’s voices worldwide, step by step.
Fola Adenugba
Fola is a Nigerian arts professional with a global upbringing in the UK, Switzerland, and the United States. She is the founder of ISE-DA™, leading business development, strategy, and art advisory services. Fola holds a Master of Arts in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art, New York, and a Bachelor of Business Administration with a second major in Art History from Emory University.
Her career spans consulting roles, internships, and positions at institutions like the High Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, Cheryl Hazan Gallery, and Meta's Open Arts team. Fola has curated exhibitions featured on NBC NY, spoken at Miami Art Week, and moderated panels on Black contemporary art. She was selected as a cultural partner for Carnegie Hall’s Afrofuturism festival and appeared in a PBS documentary on Afrofuturism.
Recognized on Forbes North America's 30 Under 30 Art & Style list for 2024, Fola has guest lectured at RISD, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, and presented for the St. Louis Museum of Art's Collectors Circle Program. She also serves as an inaugural member of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art's Global African Council.
Gabby Banks
Gabrielle Banks was born in Nassau, Bahamas. She received her BFA in Painting from the Rhode Island School of Design with a completed semester in the Independent Studio Program at Slade School of Fine Art in London, England.
Banks has exhibited in the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, including her solo show "The Mark of a Woman" and most recently, the NE10 Exhibition "MERCY." She has contributed work to the first all-female auction at Sotheby's Auction House, "By Women, For Tomorrow's Women."
Banks has completed fellowships at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, Vermont, and Wassaic Project in Wassaic, New York. In addition to her painting practice, Banks served as the galleries assistant at the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts at Harvard University until 2022. Banks now works as the galleries assistant for the nonprofit arts organization, AS220 in Providence, Rhode Island.
Ariane Lignier
With over 10 years of experience in international advocacy, communication, and humanitarian work, Ariane Lignier serves as the International Consultant for the UN's Office of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.
Ariane worked for international organizations, as well as Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Geneva, Brussels, New York, as well as Bangladesh and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. In her work, Ariane focuses particularly on advocating for the protection of vulnerable people, including persons with disabilities and children. Passionate of all forms of art, she often uses creative mediums to deliver messages. Ariane is currently working on a global art project, #ProveItMatters, involving kids making origami doves as “a message of peace."
Prune Nourry
Prune Nourry is a New York and Paris-based artist whose practice investigates ethical questions surrounding balance, resilience, gender, and the links between humans and their environments. A graduate of École Boulle, she merges traditional craftsmanship with experimental processes. Clay is central to her work, alongside collaborations with artisans and specialists across cultures and disciplines, including geneticists, sociologists, and anthropologists. Her landmark project Terracotta Daughters, created with Chinese artisans, formed an “army of girls” later buried to be unearthed in 2030.
A breast cancer diagnosis in 2016 deeply reshaped her practice, inspiring an exploration of healing and myths. Nourry turned inward, creating the acclaimed documentary Serendipity (2018) and subsequent works such as Catharsis and L’Amazone Érogène. Her exhibitions include Musée Guimet, Bon Marché Rive Gauche, and major international venues. In 2024 she co-founded Catharsis Arts Foundation to amplify marginalized voices, creating projects such as Statues Also Breathe. She continues advancing socially engaged, globally rooted art.
Fabienne Toback
Documentary filmmaker Fabienne Toback is executive producer and filmmaker behind the award-winning Netflix series High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America. Based on the culinary historian Jessica B. Harris’ book of the same name, the show explores the present-day and little-told historical influence of African Americans on the kitchens and food cultures of the US, from the story of gumbo to the Black Panthers’ free breakfast program for schoolchildren. Toback along with Karis Jagger continue to cook up projects under Hey Sistah, a production company and platform that unites their passions for sharing ideas and food experiences. Toback’s passion lies in connecting people, stories, ideas, and taking projects from concept to greenlight. She is insatiably curious about what makes us human.
Pippa Tubman Armerding '86
Pippa Tubman Armerding is a lawyer and business professional with 20 years’ experience operating across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas in multi-cultural, global environments and providing sophisticated strategic and legal advice to multinational corporations and academic institutions. Ms. Tubman Armerding has significant experience in developing targeted solutions, implementing business strategies, conducting in-depth research and writing business case studies. She is passionate about Africa and contributing to the development of the continent and making a difference in the lives of its people. She is currently the Executive Director of the Harvard Business School (HBS) Africa Research Center, an Independent Director of Godrej Consumer Products Limited, a member of the Advisory Board of the African Legal Support Facility and a Director of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls. Ms. Tubman Armerding is an alumna of Miss Porter’s School and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University and a Juris Doctor degree in international law from New York University School of Law. She is a member of the Bar of the State of New York.
Josselyn Navas
Josselyn Navas is an analyst in the Global Markets division of Goldman Sachs. She is responsible for providing trading execution services to large institutional clients. Josselyn is a first-generation college student and graduated magma cum laude with a major in economics and a minor in data science from the University of Chicago. Josselyn is originally from Ecuador but grew up in Queens, NY. During her free time, she enjoys going on runs, writing for her personal finance blog, and dancing salsa.
Addie Gundry '05
Pluie founder and CEO, Addie spent most of her career in the kitchen. She studied with Christian Etienne in a Michelin starred restaurant and honed her skills in kitchens in California and New York. She appeared on The Food Network, wrote for Martha Stewart Living, and designed food and beverage products at a Chicago innovation agency. Addie is the author of several cookbooks, making elegant recipes easy and approachable for any cook. Three years ago, she had a son, and after that, a daughter. As a mom, Addie quickly realized how horrific public changing tables are so she put down her knives and left the kitchen! She founded Pluie and with the help of a talented team Addie set out to change the table.
Renée C. Triay '86
Glam2Go founder, Renée C. Triay started her career in sales and business development for the television and entertainment industry at Univision Networks in Miami, FL (1991-1996). She worked for Oppenheimer Ltd in Bermuda as Director of client services for an emerging markets fund (1997-1999) and In 2000 moved back to Miami. Since 2004 Renée has lived in Mexico City focusing on new technologies and growth opportunities within the Mexican and Latin America for US companies (Vonage, One Command). She graduated with a BS in Communication from Boston University in 1991 and from Miss Porter’s School in 1986.
Join us for Global Seminar Series #11
Empowered Voices: Girls Shaping Democracy and Community
November 2 and November 9, 2024
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. ET on Zoom
Cost: FREE
What is democracy? Is democracy on the decline globally? Why is it important that girls and women become active and engaged citizens in their countries? What impact will the U.S. election have globally?
As of 1 October 2024, there are 29 countries where 30 women serve as Heads of State and/or Government. At the current rate, gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years.
Young people are growing up at a time when the lines between reality and perception are blurred, warped, and manipulated. We are navigating a world, in person and virtually, that is increasingly polarized and unwilling to address the pressing problems of our society. It is easy to understand how we can feel disillusioned when looking at the current political climate across the globe, but it is critical that we remain optimistic about their ability to impact the future.
The current socio-political landscape demands that young people have the skills needed to meaningfully participate in their communities and governing systems. We must be able to engage in civil discourse, be media literate, and thoughtfully navigate and understand our civic roles and opportunities. We must leverage the current political moment globally as an example through which we learn these necessary skills, and make clear that politics is every day, not simply on voting day.
In this virtual seminar series, you will:
- Connect with high school girls from around the world.
- Become better informed about the tenets of democracy as well as some of the challenges of democracy globally.
- Learn about some alternative forms of government.
- Understand how the U.S. electoral process works.
- Explore the issues important to girls and women voters.
- Unpack the results of the U.S. election and the potential impact it will have globally.
Keynote Speaker
Andrea Hailey '99
Andrea Hailey is the CEO of Vote.org, the largest non-profit, non-partisan voting registration and GOTV technology platform in America. Andrea has nineteen years of experience in get out the vote operations and campaigns.
After graduating from Miss Porter’s School and The George Washington University, Andrea launched her career on Capitol Hill in the office of Representative Patrick Kennedy. Over the past two decades, her career has expanded to include fundraising and campaigning for presidential and congressional candidates, historic landmarks, and ballot initiatives.
Andrea has been a consistent and passionate investor of time, energy, and resources in expanding America’s voter base. Prior to joining Vote.org, she served as the founder of Civic Engagement Fund, an incubator for grassroots non-profit organizations focused on voter empowerment and engagement. Today, Andrea is a recognized expert on civic engagement, and a staunch defender and promoter of democracy. She sits on the board of NARAL and Bend The Arc, serves on the Leadership Council of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and is a member of the Society of Fellows for the Aspen Institute.
Featured Panelists
Information on panelists coming soon!
Guest Speakers
Glynda C. Carr
As president, CEO, and co-founder of Higher Heights for America and Higher Heights Leadership Fund, Glynda C. Carr is at the center of the national movement to grow Black women’s political power from the voting booth to elected office. She is the daughter of immigrants who instilled the values of civic engagement from a very young age — values that she has brought to her work as the former executive director of Education Voters of New York, chief of staff to New York State Senator Kevin Parker (Brooklyn), campaign manager for two of Parker’s successful reelection campaigns, and now at Higher Heights.
In 2011, Glynda and Kimberly Peeler-Allen co-founded Higher Heights to address the clear dearth of organizing resources for politically active Black women and the lack of support for those who were considering seeking elected office. Through her leadership, Higher Heights has developed several innovative programs and efforts that have quickly solidified its reputation as the go-to resource and home for Black women's political leadership. Her work to date has helped to elect 11 Black women to the U.S. Congress--including one to the Senate--and increase the number of Black women holding statewide executive office--including helping to elect the first Black woman to serve as New York State attorney general.
Kate Bennett MPS'98
Kate Bennett '98, a Miss Porter’s School graduate and a former CNN reporter, is the only journalist in the White House press corps to cover solely First Lady Melania Trump, the East Wing and the Trump family. Bennett has been a lifestyle journalist for almost two decades, chronicling the intersection of people, pop culture, fashion, and politics. She was also the author of a weekly CNN Politics column about the social and cultural climate in Washington D.C. Bennett appeared on CNN as the East Wing expert and reporter, and her digital stories for CNN's website have earned hundreds of thousands of readers.
Bennett is a native of Washington D.C. and graduate of St. John’s College, where she majored in classics and philosophy, and her work has appeared in Politico, Washingtonian, and Capitol File magazine, where she was editor in chief. She lives in Bethesda, Maryland.
Our past Global Seminar Series:
- The Pandemic: A Call to Action (Spring 2020)
- The State of Democracy and the Global Impact of the U.S. Presidential Election (Fall 2020)
- Social Media 360: The Unsung Hero or the Insidious Villain? (Winter 2021)
- Sharing our Global Stories: Making the Invisible Visible (Spring 2021)
- Global Political Polarization – The Hidden Pandemic (Fall, 2021)
- The Climate Crisis: From Acknowledgement to Activism (Spring, 2022)
- Women’s Health and Reproductive Rights: Advancing the Global Conversation Among Youth (Fall 2022)
- The Economics of Being Female: The Wealth Gap, The Wage Gap, and What To Do About It (Spring 2023)
- Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators: Navigating the AI Frontier (Title generated by ChatGPT) (Fall 2023)
- Sharing Global Experiences: Shifting Perspectives and Elevating Personal Power (Spring 2024)
- Empowered Voices: Girls Shaping Democracy and Community (Fall 2024)
- Women on the Front Lines: Work and Life in Conflict Zones (Spring 2025)
- Memory as Resistance: Reclaiming Truth, Power, and Identity (Fall 2025)
Register for the Global Seminar Series
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