Get To Know Tiffany Atkinson

As leaders, women face added pressures to present a perfect image in the workplace. From encountering likeability bias to experiencing microaggressions and confronting performance bias, women frequently find themselves at a crossroads, weighing whether to listen to advice to be themselves in the workplace or maintain the armor of the “perfect leader.”

In this thought‑provoking presentation, Tiffany addresses how this internal struggle is driven by women’s justified fears that letting their true selves show will diminish how they’re perceived, evaluated, and treated in their careers.

Drawing from practical insights and her personal story, Tiffany reveals how women and their workplaces can work together to combat gender bias in leadership and cultivate cultures where every woman can comfortably lead from a place of authenticity, without fear of the repercussions.

From mental health struggles to chronic illnesses and disabilities, many women build careers while living with an invisible illness, a health condition that can’t be seen. Despite an estimated 10% of Americans living with an invisible illness, these women often suffer in silence, fearing that opening up about their condition will hinder their career ambitions.

In this illuminating presentation, Tiffany sheds light on how the stigma of staying silent and not letting productivity slip, even when you’re feeling your worst, contributes to rising levels of burnout and stress impacting women in the workplace.

Leveraging cutting‑edge research, her personal story, and the stories of other women living with invisible illnesses, Tiffany shares how women and their workplaces can work together to normalize regularly holding conversations around employee well‑being and cultivate cultures where every woman can get the support she needs to advance in her career.

Throughout their leadership journeys, women experience pervasive, gendered age discrimination that often inhibits their career progression. From emerging leaders beginning their careers to seasoned leaders in executive positions, many women find themselves contending with the harsh reality that there’s no “magic age” where their career aspirations aren’t challenged.

In this compelling presentation, Tiffany delves into how this growing problem stalls women’s advancement in the leadership pipeline and results in the underrepresentation of women across all leadership levels.

Referencing expert studies and her personal story, Tiffany explores how women and their workplaces can work together to challenge biased career expectations and cultivate cultures where every woman is empowered to build a career on her terms.