Patricia Miller and Co-founder Barbara Baekgaard founded Vera Bradley Designs in 1982, which quickly grew into an internationally recognized brand. Vera Bradley designs and manufacturers cotton quilted handbags, travel bags and accessories, and the Vera Bradley brand has recently expanded to include eyewear, tableware, rolling luggage, home furnishings, stationery and men’s ties.

When: Tue Oct 27 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Where: IUPUI Campus Center Room 450C 420 University Blvd. Indianapolis, IN 46202

Patricia Miller took a leave of absence in 2005 to serve as Indiana’s first Secretary of Commerce for the State of Indiana and CEO of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.  She returned to Vera Bradley in early 2006.  Currently Patricia is also serving as a board member of the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer and the Northeast Indiana Corporate Council. About the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer: In 1994, the personal loss of a dear friend to breast cancer inspired Patricia and Barbara to add a new dimension to Vera Bradley. They established the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer.  To date the Foundation has contributed nearly $7 million to the Indiana University Simon Cancer Center bringing a pledge total of $10 million.

The Hazelett Forum was made possible by a generous gift from Ambassador Randall L. Tobias, who wanted to honor Susie Hazelett’s outstanding work for the Tobias Family Foundation, the community of Indianapolis, the State of Indiana, and for the women in these communities. By establishing this Forum within the Tobias Center, it is his hope the Forum will present at least one program each year focusing on the issues of leadership in gender, family, and work/life balance. The Hazelett Women in Leadership Forum serves various constituencies of the university, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and interested persons in the community, by providing a forum for knowledgeable and creative speakers to celebrate the achievements of women leaders in various walks of life and to elevate public discussions and university scholarship on women in leadership roles.

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