Greater Houston Business Ethics Roundtable - 2026 Women of Integrity Conference

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2026 Women of Integrity Conference

10 March 2026 | 8 AM - 4:30 PM CT | HOUSTON, TX

In recognition of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, GHBER’s 2nd Annual Women of Integrity Leadership Conference brings together leaders who understand that integrity requires more than good intentions—it requires courage.

This year's empowering conference explores the theme:

The Courage to Lead:

Ethics, Accountability, and Trust in a Changing World

In a time of rapid change, regulatory pressure, and rising stakeholder expectations, ethics and compliance professionals are increasingly called upon to lead through uncertainty, challenge the status quo, and earn trust when it matters most.

This full-day conference explores what courageous leadership looks like in practice—through the lens of ethics, accountability, and trust—while recognizing women whose leadership is shaping ethical organizations and supporting the next generation of ethical leaders through scholarships.

Date: March 10, 2026

Time: 8 AM - 4 PM PT

Location: Sysco Foods Headquarters, 1390 Enclave Parkway, Houston, TX 77077

JOIN US AT THE CONFERENCE

7:45–8:25 AM
Registration, Breakfast & Sponsor Engagement

Mistress of Ceremonies: Monica Toomes, Sysco

8:30–8:45 AM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Justin Ross, Sysco
Terry Stringer, GHBER

8:45–9:30 AM
Opening Keynote: Using the Changing World to Find the Courage to Lead
Erica Salmon Byrne, Ethisphere

9:30–9:40 AM
Break

9:40–10:30 AM
The State of Ethics & Compliance 2026: Risks Leaders Can’t Ignore Emerging enforcement, AI governance, geopolitical risk, whistleblowers, and board expectations
Moderator: Monica Toomes

Speaker: Tom Fox, Compliance Podcast Network

10:30–10:40 AM
Break

10:40–11:30 AM
Enabling Responsible AI Innovation
How Ethics & Compliance can accelerate adoption while building trust
Moderator: Elonda Banks

Panelists: Dr. V. Rahimzadeh (Baylor College of Medicine), Hilary Wandall (Dun & Bradstreet), and Khrys McKinney (eDiscovery)

Women of Integrity Award Luncheon Program

10:30–10:40 AM
Break

11:35 AM–12 PM
Buffet lunch served

12 PM–12:05 PM

Open Award Luncheon & Special Thanks/Recognition – Sponsors

Emcee: Monica Toomes

12:05–12:15 PM
GHBER History and Tribute to Founder Bette A. Stead
Speaker: Joya Williams – 2025 GHBER Woman of Integrity

12:15–12:25 PM
Bette A. Stead Scholarship Program
Speaker: Dan Chapman, GHBER Scholarship Program Chair

GHBER Scholarship Winner Testimonial

Lucretia Anslow, 2025 Grad

12:25–1:15 PM
Bette A. Stead Women of Integrity Leadership Awards
Nominees: Anamika Gupta, Marianne Ibrahim, DeAnna Nwankwo, Dr. Vasiliki Rahimzadeh, Tameka Ramsey, Teri Cotton Santos, Diana Urelius, Ellen Smith, and Sherron Watkins

1:15–1:50 PM
Fireside Chat with Sherron Watkins
25 Years After Enron: Ethical Lessons from the Enron Scandal and Whistleblowing in the Era of Dodd-Frank Act
Moderator: Terry Stringer

1:50–2:10 PM
Close-out luncheon/photos

2:10–3 PM
The Courage to be Heard - Walking the Ethical Tightrope: The Unique Leadership Challenges Ethics and Compliance Professionals Face
Moderator: DeAnna Nwankwo
Panelist: Vanessa Johnson (University of Houston)

3–3:15 PM
Break

3:15–4:05 PM
Courage to Inspire Trust: Culture Under Pressure: Speak-Up, Trust & Accountability
Moderator: Terry Stringer, GHBER Program Chair

Panelists: Le Hammer (Valaris), James Byrne (Lockheed Martin), and Alejandra Almonte (Miller Chevalier)

4:05–4:20 PM
Choosing Courage: Closing Reflections & Call to Action: Carrying Integrity Forward
Terry Stringer, GHBER Program Chair

4:20–4:30 PM
Drawings and Conference Close
John Fanning, GHBER President

AWARD LUNCHEON

Join us for a delightful catered lunch as we honor our 2026 GHBER Women of Integrity Award Honorees. We are honored to recognize this distinguished cohort of women whose leadership exemplifies ethics, accountability, and trust.

Learn about the honorees here.

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Featured WOI Luncheon Speaker and GHBER's Bette A. Stead Woman of Integrity "The Courage to Speak" Awardee

Sherron Watkins, "Enron whistleblower" and the 2002 Time Magazine’s Person of the Year

Known internationally as the Enron whistleblower, Sherron speaks around the globe to a broad range of audiences about ethics and leadership, and the lessons to be learned from the collapse of Enron, where she served in a variety of executive positions for over 8 years. She is the former Vice President of Enron Corporation who warned Enron's CEO that the company ‘might implode in a wave of accounting scandals.’ She has testified before Congressional Committees from the House and Senate investigating Enron’s demise. TIME magazine named Sherron as one of the 2002 Persons of the Year for “people who did right just by doing their jobs rightly.” Watkins now lectures on leadership and ethics and continues to contribute as an ethics advisor to various organizations.

Keynote speaker

Erica Salmon Byrne, J.D., Ethisphere’s Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Chair

As Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Chair of Ethisphere, Erica Salmon Byrne drives the company’s continued growth while upholding its mission that good businesses perform better. She also chairs the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA), advancing global dialogue and practical guidance on ethics and governance. Previously serving as CEO and President, she led Ethisphere through major growth and transformation, overseeing its data and services business and working closely with clients to assess and strengthen ethics and compliance programs across industries.

Before joining Ethisphere, Ms. Salmon Byrne was Executive Vice President of Compliance & Governance Solutions at NYSE Governance Services, Corpedia, and earlier practiced law at DLA Piper in Washington, DC, focusing on investigations, enforcement, and regulatory matters. She has represented clients before the SEC, DOJ, and congressional committees, and advised multinational companies on FCPA and export controls compliance. She holds degrees from George Washington University, Northeastern University, and Georgetown University Law Center, and has taught business ethics at the University of Denver.

Conference Speakers

Jim Byrne, Vice President, Corporate Ethics and Business Conduct

Terry Stringer, “The Ethics Whisperer”

Tom Fox, Compliance Podcast Network

Elonda Banks, Risk Management, Compliance, and Operational Resilience Professional

Vasiliki Rahimzadeh, PhD., Assistant Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine

Hilary Wandall, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer at Dun & Bradstreet

DeAnna Nwankwo, Chief Compliance Officer at Prairie View A&M University

Vanessa Johnson, Associate Professor of Legal Studies at the University of Houston - Clear Lake and Human Resources Consultant

Le Hammer, Compliance & Anti Corruption Counsel at Valaris

Alejandra Almonte

Joya Williams

SPONSORSHIP LEVELS

As a Sponsor of the GHBER's 2026 Women of Integrity Leadership Conference, you will receive recognition for supporting ethical leadership, data-driven compliance, and the next generation of integrity professionals.