Carlen Duncombe, M.P.A., director of Enrollment Services, served on the Event Program subcommittee, supporting the development and coordination of the program and on-stage logistics.

Coordinating Program Development

The Women’s Commission promotes awareness of issues affecting women and supports initiatives across the University. The annual breakfast is organized through multiple subcommittees responsible for different aspects of the event.

Duncombe’s role focused on shaping the program and ensuring its execution, including coordinating speakers, preparing scripts and managing the run of show.

“The committee’s goal is to identify program content, participants, award presenters and keynote speakers,” she said. “We developed scripts, talking points and coordinated all stage logistics to ensure the program ran smoothly.”

A Theme Centered on Gratitude

This year’s theme, “Grow with Gratitude,” guided the program and overall tone of the event.

Duncombe noted the strong turnout as a reflection of both the planning efforts and the continued engagement of the University community.

The program included remarks from Joel Samuels, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, who discussed advancing initiatives focused on women’s leadership and well-being. Pat Whitely, senior vice president for student affairs and alumni engagement and a past May A. Brunson Award recipient was also in attendance.

Keynote speaker Shalom Saada Saar, Ph.D., assistant professor of professional practice of medical education, spoke on the role of gratitude in leadership, emphasizing reflection, presence and intentional engagement.

Departmental Engagement

Duncombe emphasized the importance of representation from the Department of Public Health Sciences.

“It is important that the Department of Public Health Sciences is represented,” she said. “It reflects the department’s commitment to supporting the well-being and contributions of women and creates opportunities to engage in meaningful dialogue.”

The Women’s Commission recently introduced an Idea Lab initiative aimed at generating actionable recommendations to support women across the University.

Initial areas of focus include work-life balance, career growth and leadership development. Duncombe noted the importance of continued collaboration with University leadership to strengthen mentorship, professional development and pathways for advancement.

Written by Deycha Torres Hernández, published March 27, 2026.