DCU and Rutgers University unite for Intergenerational Women’s Leadership Seminar
Dublin City University and Rutgers University recently partnered to deliver a women’s leadership seminar, “Practical Strategies for Leadership from an Intergenerational Perspective”. The Seminar, on Wednesday 18th March, co‑hosted by the DCU Women’s Impact Network, the DCU Alumni Office, Douglass Residential College, and the Institute for Women’s Leadership, brought students, early‑career professionals and senior leaders together for an afternoon of reflection, insight and connection.
The seminar was generously hosted at Accenture’s Manhattan West offices by DCU alumna Lisa Duke (BA 2014, MSc 2015), Strategy & Consulting Senior Manager.
Attendees were treated to a series of engaging “leadership snapshots” delivered by speakers from both institutions, setting the stage for a lively panel discussion moderated by Katie Keogh and Meghan Rehbein. Panellists Rida Kadri, Áoibhín Barrett, Michelle Antwi, Lisa Duke, Sarah Aiosa, and Rachel Horan explored how generational diversity and personal experiences shape effective leadership in today’s evolving career landscape.
The event concluded with vibrant discussion and networking, underscoring the value of intergenerational collaboration and forward-thinking leaders. Curious what’s on our leaders’ reading lists? We have gathered their current favourites below to spark your next great read or audio queue!
Special thanks were extended to all panellists and DCU alumna Rachel Horan, Áoibhín Barrett, Lisa Duke, Katie Keogh and DCU President Prof Dáire Keogh for their contributions and insights.
Following the seminar, DCU and Rutgers co‑hosted a joint alumni reception, offering graduates living and working in New York an opportunity to reconnect and strengthen their global community.
Leaders’ recommended reads and listens:
- I’ll Have What She’s Having: Chelsea Handler
- The Power of Now: Eckhart Tolle
- Smarter Faster Better: Charles Duhigg
- Essentialism: Greg McKeown
- The Daily: New York Times
- Leading with Gratitude: Aidan Gostick & Chester Elton
- The New Age of Sexism: Laura Bates
- Invisible Women: Caroline Criado Perez
- Carless People: Sarah Wynn-Williams
- Books by Margaret Heffernan
Learn more about each panel speaker in their bios below
Rida Kadri DRC’26
Rida Kadri is a senior at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, pursuing a major in Political Science with a minor in Sociology through the School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program and Douglass College. She is an Eagleton Undergraduate Associate, in addition to her time as a former RU Voting Ambassador and RU Ready Intern. Rida serves as President of Rutgers' chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, and is a contributing news writer for The Daily Targum, where she covers campus and statewide issues. On campus, Rida serves as the Douglass Governing Council Representative for the Rutgers University Student Assembly. Rida previously interned with the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Capitol Hill, supported by the Rutgers-Eagleton Washington Award. Through her academic and professional experiences, she has developed a strong interest in civic engagement, education, and democratic institutions.linkedin.com/in/rida-kadri
Áoibhín Barrett DCU’26
Áoibhín is a final year student in Climate and Environmental Sustainability at DCU. She describes herself as bright, bubbly and determined. In her third year she completed an Erasmus year abroad in Prague, focusing mainly on ecology, geography and global population demographics. This experience gave her new perspectives on familiar issues and opportunities to collaborate with students from many different cultural backgrounds. Alongside her studies she also works with the Office of Student Life in DCU as a student support staff, a role that gives her the opportunity to engage with students and staff in a positive, rewarding way. She is grateful for these past years in college as she has grown in confidence in her academic work and also her personal life, making her more determined than ever to become the best version of herself. linkedin.com/in/áoibhín-barrett-5b0576369
Michelle Antwi RC’03
Michelle F. Antwi is a senior marketing executive with 20+ years of experience leading integrated, omni-channel campaigns and creative strategy. She serves as Vice President, Creative Marketing at J.P. Morgan Chase, managing product, and insights marketing campaigns for the Private Bank. She has led innovative, multi-platform programs for partners at Bloomberg and in prior roles with Oprah Winfrey’s OWN Network, The New York Times, AOL-Huffington Post, and MTV/Comedy Central, driving revenue growth across TV, digital, video, social, mobile, print, and live events. Recognized for cross-functional leadership, she brings deep expertise in video production, n-air and digital shoots, consumer events, product launches, agency management, and promotions. She currently serves on the boards of the Rutgers Institute for Women’s Leadership and Louisiana Appleseed Org. linkedin.com/in/michelle-f-antwi-4b97171
Lisa Duke DCU’14 &’15
Lisa is a Senior Manager at Accenture, where she works with Software & Platform companies, helping them navigate the challenges and complexities that come with the territory. She's been in the industry for over nine years, working across a variety of clients and roles, and has been based in New York for the last few years. Before consulting, she spent time as a lecturer at DCU in Dublin, where she also studied Economics, Politics & Law, and later E-Commerce & Business. She has a genuine curiosity for how the software and platform world works and enjoys getting stuck into new challenges as they come. linkedin.com/in/lisa-duke-42569945
Sarah Aiosa DC’98
Sarah Aiosa DC’98, Douglass Advisory Board Member, is SVP and President, Latin America at Merck & Co., the first woman to lead the region in the company’s history. She oversees nearly 5,000 employees across 30+ countries and is responsible for a vast portfolio of medicines and vaccines reaching revenue of ~$3B in 2025. With prior leadership roles at Merck, Novartis, Sanofi, and Eli Lilly, Sarah brings global expertise in strategy and operations. She holds degrees from Rutgers and Johns Hopkins and serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards. linkedin.com/in/sarah-m-aiosa-mph/
Rachel Horan DCU ‘95
Based in New York with clients in the US and Europe, Rachel is a Professional Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation, certified in the use of Hogan Assessments, HBDI and CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder), with a particular skill for identifying clients’ strengths and challenges and helping them achieve success. Having worked as a producer at the BBC in London, in political communication in Dublin, and in marketing and media relations, Rachel's experience ranges from corporate to public service to private enterprise. She is also an experienced trainer and facilitator creating and delivering high energy, impactful training in performance management and development, personal effectiveness, change management, and diversity & inclusion to executives at all levels across a range of industries including technology, advertising, banking, publishing, financial services, pharmaceuticals, retail and construction. Whether you want to improve performance or change direction, working with Rachel Horan can help you achieve your priorities. linkedin.com/in/rachel-horan-coach