Panel, Conference Presentation
Coming of Age: Women Rise to the Top
Milken InstituteGayle King, Jane Harman, Donna Karan, Sherry Lansing, Sylvia Rhone, Anastasia Soare, Susan
- Panel Composition & Demographics: The session features five highly accomplished women at the Milken Institute: Sylvia Rohn (74, Chairman & CEO, Epic Records), Anastasia Soare (61, Anastasia Beverly Hills), Jane Harman (64, former U.S. Congresswoman), Sherry Lansing (70, former CEO, Paramount Pictures), and Donna Karan (70, designer/Urban Zen).
- Reframing Aging: Participants collectively reject the label "women of a certain age," preferring terms like "perennials" or focusing on the "encore years" of life.
- Sylvia Rohn expresses gratitude for longevity, citing the recent death of John Singleton at 50 as a stark reminder of mortality.
- Anastasia Soare celebrates her 61st birthday while internally celebrating her 39th, attributing her vitality to work passion.
- Jane Harman and Sherry Lansing discuss "resilience" and "fearlessness" as tools for navigating career longevity.
- Career Trajectories & Breakthroughs:
- Sylvia Rohn: Appointed Chairman and CEO of Epic Records six days prior to the event; previously transformed Atlantic Records' black music division into the number one department in the business.
- Anastasia Soare: Built a $3 billion beauty empire starting with eyebrow techniques; grew Anastasia Beverly Hills to 19.2 million Instagram followers.
- Sherry Lansing: First female CEO of a major film studio (Paramount); entered the industry despite gender bias, noting a specific instance of pay inequality where she was denied a raise because she "didn't have to support a family."
- Jane Harman: Elected to the U.S. House in 1992 ("Year of the Woman"); later became the first female President/CEO of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
- Industry Shifts & The "Me Too" Movement:
- Sylvia Rohn notes a "sharp difference" in workplace conduct since the Me Too movement, specifically regarding jokes and physical boundaries.
- Rohn and Sherry Lansing highlight the structural shift: women's voices are now being heard and respected, with fewer repercussions for reporting harassment, though "collateral damage" exists.
- Donna Karan emphasizes the need for new standards of "permission" regarding physical contact (e.g., hugging) and expresses concern over the lack of boundaries for children in the digital age.
- Leadership & Power Dynamics:
- Jane Harman praises Nancy Pelosi (79) as an effective Speaker of the House, arguing that age is a non-factor in her leadership capabilities.
- Sherry Lansing and Jane Harman agree that "excellence" is the primary deterrent to prejudice; being the most qualified person in the room supersedes gender-based barriers.
- Sylvia Rohn asserts that fearlessness and self-assurance in stating "I am good at what I do" are critical leadership traits often socialized out of women.
- The "Encore" Concept:
- Sherry Lansing advocates for the "Encore" movement, proposing that professionals aged 50–80 re-enter the workforce to address societal shortages.
- Specific Initiative: A proposal to recruit experienced private-sector professionals to teach math and science in underserved U.S. areas, countering the salary disparity where corporations offer $150,000 versus $35,000 for teaching.
- Personal Philosophy & Health:
- Donna Karan: Shifted focus from pure fashion to "Urban Zen," addressing healthcare and education; notes that aging brings physical limitations (e.g., yoga flexibility) but requires a proactive approach to health care.
- Jane Harman: Defines a meaningful life at this stage through three pillars: personal fulfillment, family (including grandchildren), and partnership.
- Sherry Lansing: Attributes continued vitality to "curiosity" and "meaningful work," suggesting that work keeps the generation eternally young.
- Forward-Looking Statements & Trends:
- Diversity Hiring: Panelists suggest that as successful older women continue working, they will influence hiring practices, leading to more diverse organizations as leaders hire those they are comfortable with.
- Global Perspective: Donna Karan and Anastasia Soare discuss their global impact, from working in Haiti to educating women worldwide, framing their work as a responsibility to the next generation.
- Work-Life Redefinition: The panel concludes that passion has "no age limit" and that the definition of retirement is dissolving into a continuous cycle of contribution and learning.