Susan S. Lanigan
Susan Lanigan has over thirty years of professional experience as a senior executive of three publicly-traded retail companies, as a current member of the boards of directors of two publicly-traded
Shawn Taylor Kaminski | Executive Director
Shawn joined DirectWomen as its Executive Director in September 2017. She has spent her entire career in the legal non-profit world and is a Certified Association Executive (CAE). Shawn worked at the American Bar Association for 25 years serving in a variety of positions, including Director of the Commission on Women in the Profession. She also staffed the Gender Equity Task Force presidential initiative while with the Commission. Prior to joining DirectWomen, Shawn was the Director of Committees at DRI: The Voice of the Defense Bar. Shawn is an avid reader of fiction, loves to cook, and is a gardener-in-training. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband and two college-aged children.
(833) 239-6636
Kelsey Vuillemot | Director of Programs and Operations
Kelsey Vuillemot joined DirectWomen in August 2018. Prior to joining DirectWomen, Kelsey served as the Senior Program Manager at the National Association of Women Lawyers (“NAWL”), where she worked with a group of talented and passionate lawyer volunteers to plan and execute all NAWL programming, ranging from single and multi-day conferences to programmatic webinars and teleconferences. Kelsey is involved on Women Employed’s Advocacy Council and is active in her Alma Matter’s Alumni Association. She previously served on the Board of Directors of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Chicago (“YNPN Chicago”), where she served as Membership Co-Chair, and on the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois’ Associate Board, where she helped plan the Board’s signature “Derby for a Cause” event for several years. Kelsey received her Bachelor’s degree, with honors, in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Michigan.
(833) 239-6636
Yessenia Echevarria | Administrative and Events Specialist
Yessenia Echevarria joined DirectWomen in January 2024. Prior to joining DirectWomen, Yessenia served as the Program Manager for Kids Beating Cancer, where she managed various fundraising events and helped introduce the Hispanic community to Kids Beating Cancer’s mission. Her background includes a range of corporate, convention, sporting, social, and virtual events. Yessenia has been a part of executing events that have fundraised over $2M and accommodated 100,000+ attendees. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida where she majored in Tourism, Event, and Recreation Management, and specialized in Event Management. Yessenia loves to spend her free time discovering the world with her family, practicing and competing in the art of Kung Fu, and helping run her parent’s Italian Food Truck business.
(833) 239-6636
SUCCESS STORIES
Susan L. Blount
From 2005 to 2015, Susan Blount served as General Counsel of Prudential Financial, Inc. (Prudential), a leading provider of insurance, retirement and asset management products and services. In that role,
Julie S. Janson
Julie Janson is executive vice president and chief executive officer for Duke Energy Carolinas. She has responsibility for regulatory and legislative affairs – and for the long-term strategic direction, growth