Fortune 1000 CEO Lisa Wardell to speak in Preston

The president and chief executive officer of Adtalem Global Education will speak at a free event in Preston on December 15.

She will discuss her career journey into enterprise and the women who have inspired her along the way.

Lisa, who was named in the Savoy Magazine’s 2017 Most Influential Black Corporate Directors list, said: “As the only African-American female CEO in the Fortune 1000 in the United States, I can’t underestimate the value other female leaders have brought to my career journey. It is the responsibility of female executives – and my personal pleasure - to mentor and encourage other women who are navigating their chosen professions.”

Lisa was appointed President and CEO of Adtalem Global Education in 2016 and has been a member of Adtalem's board of directors since 2008. Adtalem is the parent company of the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC).

Since September, a 650-strong cohort of staff and students from AUC has been temporarily working with UCLan and East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) to continue studies after Hurricane Irma had a devastating impact on Sint Maarten, the Dutch-French island where AUC’s medical sciences campus is based.

UCLan vice-chancellor professor Mike Thomas said: “Lisa brings with her a wealth of experience of working at the very top in both business and education so I’m sure business leaders from the region will be interested in what she has to say."

Prior to her current position with Adtalem, Lisa was executive vice president and chief operating officer for The RLJ Companies, a diversified holding company with portfolio companies in the financial services, asset management, real estate, hospitality, professional sports, film production and gaming industries.

As COO, she was responsible for managing The RLJ Companies portfolio, including strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, business strategy, operations and finance. She is a member of The Committee of 200 (C200), an invitation-only membership organisation of the world's most successful women business leaders.

Click here for more details of the event and to register your place.