Welcome to In Her Hands: Women Driving Change
Thank you for joining us this evening as we celebrate Women’s History Month with a powerful conversation about leadership, philanthropy, and social impact. At MorDance, we believe in the transformative power of art to inspire change, raise awareness, and build stronger communities. Tonight, we are thrilled to bring together an incredible group of women leaders who are breaking barriers and making lasting impacts in their respective fields.
Our evening will feature a dynamic panel discussion with leaders in philanthropy, advocacy, business, and the arts, discussing their journeys, the challenges they’ve faced, and how they’re empowering the next generation of women and girls. The conversation will touch on topics such as the intersection of art and activism, the importance of mentorship, and the critical need for more intentional investment in women’s leadership.
Agenda for the Evening:
5:30 PM: VIP Reception
A chance to connect with fellow attendees and panelists over drinks and light refreshments.6:30-6:40 PM: Performance of Eroded Silhouettes
This work, created after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, explores the erosion of women’s rights, setting the stage for our conversation on the intersection of advocacy, social change, and leadership.6:40-7:30 PM: Panel Discussion
Hear from our incredible panelists, including leaders in philanthropy, advocacy, business, and the arts, as they share their stories and insights. We’ll leave time for a Q&A, so come prepared with your questions.7:30-8:30 PM: Networking
Continue the conversation, meet new people, and build meaningful connections.
Our panelists for the evening include:
Macy Schmidt – Forbes 30 Under 30 Orchestrator, Music Director & Producer
Nneka Nwaifejokwu – Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at Grantmakers for Girls of Color
Jennifer O’Connor – CEO of Élan Power, Exercise Physiologist, Strength and Conditioning Coach, and Master Yoga Teacher
Atossa Movahedi – Director of Development at Moms First
We are excited to hear their stories and look forward to an evening of inspiration, empowerment, and connection. Thank you for being part of this important conversation!
Artistic Director and Founder of MorDance
Morgan McEwen (she/her) is the founder and artistic director of MorDance, a pioneering ballet company that redefines the art form as a catalyst for social impact, civic engagement, and community building. A former professional ballerina with nearly two decades of experience, Morgan has performed on some of the nation’s most prestigious stages, including The Metropolitan Opera, BalletMet, and Richmond Ballet. As a choreographer, she is celebrated for her powerful storytelling and activism-driven work, with commissions from BalletX, Eglevsky Ballet, and Columbia Collaborative, among others.
Since its founding in 2014, MorDance has been at the forefront of innovation in ballet, earning recognition from The New York Times and national arts institutions. Under Morgan’s leadership, the company has expanded beyond the stage, offering free after-school dance programs, community workshops, and performances that make world-class ballet accessible to all.
Beyond her work in choreography, Morgan is a public speaker, advocate, and thought leader in the arts, addressing audiences at ArtsWestchester, the Stericycle Women's Leadership Summit, and the Hudson River Museum. She champions the role of the arts in economic revitalization, education, and community well-being, securing major grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, and other key funders to further MorDance’s mission.
Recognized as one of Westchester County’s 40 Under 40 Rising Stars in Business, Morgan has been featured in Crain’s New York, American Theatre Magazine, Dance Enthusiast, and Dance Data Project. Her work has been showcased at renowned festivals, including Battery Dance Festival, Hudson Valley Dance Festival, and New Rochelle Dance Festival, with residencies at CUNY Dance Initiative, Kaatsbaan UpStream, and Vineyard Arts Project.
Through her leadership, Morgan is shaping a future where ballet is not just a reflection of society but an active force in shaping it. She remains dedicated to uniting, educating, and inspiring through the transformative power of movement.
Dancer
Lilit Hogtanian (she/her), a Los Angeles native, started her training with Yuri Grigoriev. At the age of 15, was featured in Los Angeles Times ‘Face to Watch’ following her performances as Clara for Los Angeles Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker.
She was a semi-finalist in the Prix de Lausanne and won first place in the contemporary and classical category of the Youth American Grand Prix, Long Beach, Ca. Lilit graduated from Academie Princesse Grace on full scholarship and went on to work as a professional dancer at the Slovak National Theatre, Ballet Memphis, the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and State Street Ballet.
She has performed soloist and principal roles in various classical and contemporary productions including Nikiya in La Bayadere, the Sylph in La Sylphide, Alice in Alice in Wonderland, Nacho Duato’s Coming Together, Square Dance by George Balanchine, and Cupid and Kitri’s Friends in Don Quixote.
Panelist - Nneka Nwaifejokwu
Nneka (she/her) is a black Nigerian woman whose life is energized by the desire to see people live and be loved in their truest form. She has worked to mobilize resources to support social justice movements, communities, and organizations for over a decade. She has been responsible for creating and executing pivotal strategic development plans and interventions that stabilize movement work and center community.
Nneka is guided by the idea that movements will begin to have the agency to thrive once they’re equitably resourced and connected to those with lived experience. This belief informs her commitment to centering and lifting those who have first-hand knowledge and have been directly affected by structural violence. Using that belief as a north star, you can often find her teaching and training on topics that center community in philanthropic conversations and give people with lived experience a seat at the decision-making table.
She is a proud alumna of Winston-Salem State University (Go Rams!) and holds a Masters in Public Affairs and Nonprofit Management from Baruch College. Nneka calls Nigeria home and currently resides in Brooklyn, on the traditional territory of the Canarsee tribe.
Panelist - Jennifer O’Conner
Jennifer O’Connor (she/her) is the award-winning CEO of Élan Elite Inc who has worked with Olympians, Major League Teams & CEOs to help them think like a champion & train in the right way to succeed. She is a Master Yogi, Exercise Physiologist, Athletic Trainer, Goldmans Sachs alumna and has shared the stage with Buffet, Blakely & Branson & showcased at the United State of Women White House Summit.
Jennifer created the Élan Power Plan Methodology- a yearly program with a high touch level of support, accountability and luxury retreats that help high achievers who cannot afford to let health and wellbeing hold them back. Her clients have shifted from feeling exhausted, stuck and in chronic pain to feeling alive with the mindset and stamina to climb Everest! She hosts quarterly Women's Retreats in Greenwich CT and is available for Private Training, Keynote Speaking and Business Retreats/Seminars.
Development Director
Mary-Louise (she/her) is a behavioral therapist, writer, researcher, artist, and mental health advocate with a focus on child and adolescent mental health. She has an MS in Clinical and Community Psychology with a dissertation on the importance of empowerment and inclusion in communal well-being. She is dedicated to improving the field of mental health work by helping community-driven organizations create new structures and approaches that truly address the needs of the people they serve. She believes authentic connection is what allows us to reach our true potential, an ethos she pursues through art, music, dance, and poetry.
Dancer & Rehearsal Director
Ayaka Kamei (she/her) is a dancer and teaching artist based in New York. She recently performed with The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and currently performs with The Metropolitan Opera, and MorDance. Ayaka has danced with many companies including Twyla Tharp Dance, The Phantom of the Opera International Tour, New York Theatre Ballet, AZOTH Dance Theatre, and Ayalis In Motion. She has performed works by choreographers such as Balanchine, Cunningham, Tudor, Roy Assaf, Aszure Barton, Dario Dinuzzi, John Heginbotham, Jessica Lang, Austin McCormick, Matthew Neenan, Alexei Ratmansky, Taryn Kaschock Russell, and Bettijane Sills, among others. Following her early training at Tatewaki Hiroko Ballet School in Ehime, Japan, she graduated from Northern Ballet School in England as well as SUNY Purchase, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a President Award for Achievement in the Conservatory of Dance. She was selected to study abroad at Codarts in the Netherlands and Springboard Danse Montréal as well.
Dancer
Claire van Bever (she/her) is a New York based performer, teacher and choreographer. Originally from Portland, OR she trained at The Rock School and SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance. Claire started her career with American Repertory Ballet where she danced works by Kirk Peterson, Gerald Arpino and Patrick Corbin. After moving to New York, Claire graduated summa cum laude from The New School with a BA in Liberal Arts and began freelancing in New York. She has danced with the Metropolitan Opera, Chamber Music NorthWest, and the Dallas Opera, and her choreography has been commissioned by Woman in Motion. Last year Claire made her Broadway debut with The Phantom of the Opera after performing with the International Tour of The Phantom of the Opera for two years. She is thrilled to be in her third season with MorDance!
Naajidah Correll - Panelist
Naajidah Correll is a creative writer, youth educator, and professor at Mount Saint Mary’s College. She earned her graduate degree in English from Michigan State University, where her scholarly interests focused on contemporary literature, popular culture, gender, sexuality, feminism, cultural studies, as well as visual, sound, and disabilities studies. She is passionate about youth and community engagement, which is reflected in her community organizing and program facilitation. Her research utilizes community-based participatory research methods to empower underrepresented communities.
A recording and performance artist, Naajidah views creativity as a healing modality that fosters connectivity and resistance. In 2019, she was honored as the Wilfred Cartey Scholar for African Literary and Creative Excellence by the City College of New York and has received the institution’s prestigious fellowships in Humanities, Law, and Public Policy. Her research explores the intersection of African and African diaspora literature, critical race theory, performance studies, nationalism, and narratology in the U.S. As an undergraduate, her Mellon Mays research examined how acts of political resistance by Black icons influenced media discourse and challenged U.S. national narratives.
Outside of academia, Naajidah is dedicated to community-based initiatives, especially those promoting accessible arts and educational programs for underserved youth populations. She believes in the transformative power of creativity and technology as tools for collective healing and empowerment.
Panelist - Macy Schmidt
A first-generation Egyptian-American, Macy Schmidt (she/her) has forged an unprecedented career as both a businesswoman and a creative. By the age of 27, she has already been named a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, collected her first Tony Award, and become the first & only woman-of-color orchestrator in Broadway history. She is known among partners as a tenacious, imaginative, and driven producer, and has been trusted to grow powerhouse IP by the most prominent global brands in media and entertainment.
Through her celebrated career as a Broadway orchestrator, music supervisor, Sony Music recording artist, and founder of renowned all-women orchestra The Sinfonietta, Schmidt marries a unique blend of “creative” and “executive.” She has creative directed or been commissioned to arrange and orchestrate music for clients such as The Walt Disney Company’s 100th Anniversary Overture with the LA Philharmonic, and The 76th Annual Tony Awards Opening Number.
Schmidt is also CEO and Principal at Overture Global Entertainment, her development and production firm which specializes in live orchestra concerts and live score events.
Panelist - Atossa Movahedi
Atossa Movahedi is the Development Director at Moms First, where she leads strategic fundraising efforts to support the organization's mission of advancing economic equality for moms. With a deep passion for elevating women's voices and advocating for systemic change, Atossa manages key partnerships, cultivates donor relationships, and drives initiatives that create meaningful impact. Prior to joining Moms First, Atossa served as the Director of Legal Services & Development at the Urban Justice Center's Domestic Violence Project, where she spent over a decade advocating for survivors of intimate partner abuse. In this role, she oversaw the family and immigration legal practices, provided critical legal representation and guided survivors through complex legal systems. Atossa has a proven track record of raising awareness and funding for critical issues, including child care access, paid leave, and gender equality. She holds a law degree from New York Law School and a Masters degree in International Relations from American University.