Women’s summit: Learn strengths, share via storytelling

Lisa Blair Davis, a college Board of Governors member and the global head of human resources for MedTech at Johnson & Johnson, told students during the 2024 Summit for the Advancement of Women in Business: "The more you become knowledgeable about how your business operates, the more you're going to be valued being in those important discussions and in the roles that are going to come your way." Photo by Katie Xanders/College of Business Click to enlarge.

Human resources executive Lisa Blair Davis encouraged students in the Florida State University College of Business to graduate ready to speak up, raise ideas and listen – and to become confident tellers of their own stories.

“Spend time asking yourselves, ‘Where am I really at my best?” Davis said. “And if you can’t answer that, ask your network. Ask your roommate. As your partners on projects. Ask your professors. Figure out what they would say about you when you're not in a room or how they would describe you – and build that into your storytelling.”

Davis (BS Finance ’94), a college Board of Governors member and the global head of human resources for MedTech at Johnson & Johnson, served as keynote speaker this month during the 2024 Summit for the Advancement of Women in Business in the college’s Starry Conference Room. 

She offered anecdotes on her 30 years at Johnson & Johnson, which touts itself as the world’s largest and most diversified healthcare products company; insight into how the company works; and ideas to excel in the business world.

She advised students to become experts on their industries, competitors and companies. 

“The more you become knowledgeable about how your business operates, the more you're going to be valued being in those important discussions and in the roles that are going to come your way,” Davis said.

The summit remains the inspiration of Cassandra Cole, the Robert L. Atkins Professor in Risk Management and Insurance and director of the college’s online master’s degree in risk management and insurance, and Samantha Paustian-Underdahl, the Mary Tilley Bessemer Associate Professor of Business Administration and the Barry & Janice Anderson Director of the FSU Organizational Effectiveness Institute. Both coordinated the event for a third straight year. Orlando-based Art Originals and the Tallahassee-based Knight Think Institute served as sponsors, along with the College of Business.

Michael Hartline, dean of the college, told attendees that the summit “elevates the College of Business – and more importantly, it informs and inspires our students.”

A distinguished panel featured Amy Hecht, FSU’s vice president for student affairs, and four College of Business alumni – Gail Knight (BS Accounting '82), owner of Bob Knight Photo; Lynn McMahon (BS Finance '79; MBA ’81), a former managing director for Accenture; Debby Moorman (BS Marketing ’89), health and benefits North America leader at Willis Towers Watson; and moderator Bethany Schenk (BS RMI '92), CEO of Art Originals.

Knight, McMahon, Moorman and Schenk serve with Davis on the college’s Board of Governors.

In her keynote address, Davis offered additional advice, including:

Be present. “The thing that I see a lot of times with women, if I can generalize, is they're thinking about where they’re not versus being present where they are,” she said during comments about work-life balance. “If I'm focusing on (not being home) versus being present here, then you're not going to get the best of me. Lean in and be in that moment where you’re at.”

Ask for help. “That is something that I am not ashamed to do – go to my network and bring in other partners who have more expertise to scale me up on what I need to do to make the best decisions,” she said. “Be open. Don’t be afraid to fail.”

Maintain confidence. “Raise your voice. Bring your ideas forward. And be sure to listen,” Davis said. “Organizations will tell you what needs to improve. Make sure you’re in an environment where people want to listen.”

-- Pete Reinwald