Watermark Conference for Women Announces Actor and Author Mindy Kaling, Soccer Superstar Abby Wambach and Entrepreneur John Jacobs as Keynote Speakers

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Watermark Conference for Women Silicon Valley announced today that Mindy Kaling, actor, producer, director and best-selling author of "Why Not Me?" and Abby Wambach, two-time Olympian and retired forward of the 2015 Women's World Cup Champion U.S. National Soccer Team, will be keynote speakers at the Silicon Valley conference on April 21, 2016, at the San Jose Convention Center. John Jacobs, co-founder and chief creative optimist of the Life is good® company will also deliver a keynote at the second annual conference.

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Kaling currently writes, produces and stars in the Hulu original comedy series "The Mindy Project." In 2014, the show earned nominations from the Television Critics Association for Individual Achievement in Comedy and Outstanding Achievement in Comedy. Kaling's performance on the show also earned her an NAACP Image Award nomination. Before "The Mindy Project," Kaling was best known for her work on the Emmy Award-winning show "The Office." In addition to directing, producing, and portraying celebrity-obsessed Kelly Kapoor, Kaling wrote 18 episodes of the series, including the Emmy nominated episode "Niagara." Kaling is the author of two New York Times best-selling comedic memoirs, including "Why Not Me?" published in September 2015.

One of the world's greatest women's soccer players, Wambach is the all-time leading scorer in international soccer history with 184 career goals. Wambach has been long known as one of the most intense competitors in U.S. history, with years of clutch goal scoring making her a fan favorite. She led the U.S.A. in scoring in the 2008 and 2011 Women's World Cup tournaments, and the 2004 and 2012 Olympics. Wambach is a leading voice for women's sports, as well as for her generation of female soccer players and athletes. John Jacobs is co-founder and chief creative optimist of the Life is good® Company. The $100 million LIG brand spreads the power of optimism and helps children overcome violence, poverty and illness by donating 10 percent of its net profits to The Life is good Kids Foundation.

"We are thrilled to have Mindy Kaling, Abby Wambach and John Jacobs as keynote speakers this year," said Marlene Williamson, CEO of Watermark. "All are accomplished trailblazers in their fields, as well as inspiring role models for all of us concerned with advancing women's leadership and achieving gender equality in the workplace."

Formerly referred to as "Lead On," the Watermark Conference for Women Silicon Valley, which sold out its inaugural event last year, will host thousands for a full-day of networking, inspiration, professional development and personal growth. In addition to a standout lineup of keynote speakers, the nonpartisan, nonprofit conference will feature breakout sessions led by experts in the fields of business, philanthropy, health, finance, media and professional development.

The 100+ speakers at the Watermark Conference will include: Malika Chopra, media entrepreneur, public speaker, author, and founder of Intent.com, a website and app focused on personal, social and global wellness; Robin Hauser Reynolds, director/producer, CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap; Danielle Feinberg, director of photography, Pixar Animation Studios & Girls Who Code speaker; Linda Oubre, dean, San Francisco State University College of Business; and Isis Anchalee, creator, #iLookLikeAnEngineer campaign and full stack engineer, OneLogin.

The Watermark Conference for Women Silicon Valley is presented by Juniper Networks and generously underwritten by the following sponsors: Akamai, Amazon, Cisco, EMC, Gilead, Johnson & Johnson, KFOG-FM, KGO 810, Mercer, NASH FM, Oracle, and Riverbed.

"Juniper Networks is proud to sponsor the Watermark Conference for Women, an event which embodies our dedication to diversity and gender equality," said Rami Rahim, chief executive officer, Juniper Networks. "This conference offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to advance the interests of women in the workplace, not only in the heart of Silicon Valley, but throughout the country."

Registration is now open for the conference. To register or learn more about the event, visit https://www.watermarkconferenceforwomen.org.  

To apply for media credentials, please contact Michelle Clark, [email protected].

ABOUT WATERMARK Watermark is the leading community of top women executives, entrepreneurs and emerging executives in the San Francisco Bay Area whose mission is to increase the representation of women in leadership positions. The membership organization connects, develops and advocates for the advancement of women in the workplace by offering regular leadership development programs and networking opportunities and promoting gender diversity and equality initiatives. Watermark supports girls' leadership programs, as well, to help build a well-qualified workforce for the future.

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Media Contacts: Karen Breslau [email protected] (650) 906-3132

Alexa Bluth [email protected] (916) 607-7942

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SOURCE Watermark Conference for Women Silicon Valley