GEN Z + AI: THE NEW PLAYBOOK FOR WORKPLACE GROWTH UNVEILED AT GWI LEADERSHIP FORUM
From left to right: Jennifer Openshaw, Founder & Chair, Girls With Impact, Lauren Lopez, Chief People & Community Engagement Officer, National Women’s Soccer League, Gideon Spitzer-Williams, Global Experiential Marketing Lead, Canva, & Sameera Sabherwal, Chief People Officer, Bloomberg
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2025
NEW YORK, NY — Against a backdrop of AI disruption, workplace uncertainty, and youth unemployment, nearly 200 business leaders gathered at Girls With Impact's 5th Annual Leadership Forum to explore how companies can adapt, attract, and thrive with the next generation of talent.
This year’s Forum, titled "Gen Z Advantage: Reshaping the Workforce of Tomorrow," spotlighted how Gen Z and AI are transforming how we work, communicate, and lead — and how companies can leverage these shifts to stay competitive.
"If you are not showing up for Gen Z, you won't be around to lead them," said Gideon Spitzer-Williams, Global Experiential Marketing Lead at Canva. "They're the largest generation and they bring real superpowers — but you have to recognize how to leverage them."
The Forum featured keynote speaker Amanda Schneider, TED speaker and Founder of ThinkLab, who shared never-before-seen insights from her upcoming book. Her rapid-fire revelations unpacked how Gen Z’s unique communication, career, and leadership expectations are already reshaping organizations from the inside out.
"Amanda delivered a compelling reframing of what’s broken — and how Gen Z, paired with thoughtful leadership, is uniquely positioned to fix it," said Jennifer Openshaw, CEO and Founder of Girls With Impact. "Her insights help shape our own work as a nonprofit, giving young women the tools and skills they need to succeed in this fast-changing world."
A lively panel discussion followed, moderated by Openshaw, featuring:
Sameera Sabherwal, Global Head of Talent Acquisition, Bloomberg
Gideon Spitzer-Williams, Global Experiential Marketing Lead, Canva
Lauren Lopez, Chief People & Community Engagement Officer, National Women’s Soccer League
The panel revealed:
That traditional "entry-level" jobs are rapidly disappearing as AI automates grunt work — pushing Gen Z to arrive more skilled and self-directed than ever
How the youngest generation’s expectation of purpose, directness, and impact is forcing companies to redesign onboarding, team structures, and manager training
That Gen Z’s visual fluency and speed with tools like AI are accelerating productivity — and pushing companies to rethink how teams operate across all generations
The closing question asked each panelist to share one piece of advice for any manager trying to get Gen Z right starting tomorrow. Their answers:
"Listen more."
"Don’t give up on them."
"They’re just so smart — you have to learn how to use them as a superpower."
"Give them a seat at the table."
Girls With Impact (GWI) is the nation’s only live, online business and leadership program for young women ages 14–26. The organization equips the next generation of talent with real-world skills, confidence, and career readiness. As entry-level roles shrink and expectations rise, GWI’s Career Accelerator program is answering the call — preparing students to lead from day one.
Sponsors and Supporters of the event included: Eagle Point Credit, S&P Global, and Cigna, with additional support from Bristol Myers Squibb, Tangle Teezers (BIC), Kenvue, TD Securities, Deloitte, Franklin Templeton, Fiduciary Trust, and Wellington Securities. Attendees included leaders from Citi, EY, Coty, JPMorganChase, among others.
For partnership inquiries or to learn more, visit www.girlswithimpact.org.
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Contact:
Emily Adji
emily.adji@girlswithimpact.org
203-314-4011