The Future of Power at Forbes: Top Takeaways From the 2026 Power Women’s Summit
We stepped off the elevator, and you could feel the energy vibrating through the floor.
Conversation buzzed, enormous banners of luminaries hung from the ceiling at Lincoln Center and lights from NYC’s Columbus Circle glimmered beyond oversized windows. The morning hummed as coffee was served and Forbes cover photos were taken – and we hadn’t entered the auditorium yet.
But every invitee knew what was coming.
A day packed with live-wire leaders women sharing insights and purpose – with all eyes squarely on this year’s theme…The Future of Power.
What could be more perfect, I though as I settled into my seat, than to make sure that the next gen hears takeaways from today’s speakers? After all, I smiled as Moira Forbes welcomed us to the day, today’s girls are, in every sense, the future of power.
In addition to reconnecting with friends and my first foray into watch modeling (thank you Bulova), below are 20 takeaways I couldn’t wait to share with tomorrow’s power women…
1. Natasha Bedingfield honoring Dolly Parton, performing her new song Dot, Dot, Dot and bringing us all to our feet with Unwritten.
2. Serena Williams confiding that she wants her kids to see "the mom that’s in the schoolbooks” and confirming her belief in the vital importance of mentorship.
3. Lauren Manning describing her 9/11 survival story one day before the 25th anniversary.
4. Gunjan Kedia bringing the swagger back to U.S. Bancorp after a crisis of confidence.
5. Caryn Seidman Becker and Kate Ryder making travel and healthcare across the world frictionless and safer.
6. Laurie Santos unveiling three tips to make us happier (hint: embracing negative emotions, increasing self-compassion and focusing on our time wealth).
7. Cindy Crawford reminding all of us we can be students anywhere we find ourselves.
8. Kate Nack and Leena Nair linking financial security to safer workplaces and noting the importance of being an outsider.
9. Alysa Liu and Aly Truwit giving us behind the scenes glimpses into Olympic-sized dreams and finding the joy in the work.
10. Mika Eddy building better maternal care exactly when women need it most.
11. Linda Hill and Claire Southey paving the way for innovative races in AI.
12. Vivian Tu closing the financial literacy gap by teaching the room how to STRIP (aka savings, total debt, retirement, investment and planning).
13. Jennifer Garner taking it down to the studs, absorbing smart feedback and bouncing back fast; the biggest gift of fame – she told us – is access to rooms like this.
14. Regina King launching a new wine label in memory of her son, noting that the things we enjoy the most usually have important stories attached.
15. Dystany Spurlock demonstrating how NASCAR role models race towards their dreams.
16. Lindsay Jurist-Rosner and Reshma Saujani focusing on caregiving and working families while introducing PaidLeave.ai as a new tool that can help.
17. Christina Koch creating space for every STEM-obsessed human looking skyward.
18. Pat Cleveland and Huma Abedin connecting fashion to world events and modeling best practices for future leaders.
19. Ashlyn Harris setting World Cup goals but chasing purpose, not championships.
20. Elaine Welteroth closing out the day chatting about journalism, philanthropy and what's next.
Was there more?
Of course. I’ll be in awe of electronic violinist and dancer Lindsey Sterling’s performance for weeks to come.
Will we be replaying these mantras in our minds as women head back to classrooms, boardrooms, runways, rockets and racetracks?
You bet. Because that’s where power walks and Forbes’ annual fall summit kicks it off in style every year.
With deepest thanks to Moira Forbes, Maggie McGrath and everyone at Forbes Women for the invite and endless inspo – you outdid yourselves this year and I’m grateful to have been part of the day.
Looking forward to the future of power,
Illana
ÊXTRAS: Three more ways to rewatch last week’s Power Women’s Summit you won’t want to miss: the full agenda of 2026 speakers here, clips and recaps on Forbes Women’s Insta here, and more quotes and mantras on Forbes’ Insta here.
