ACG CT Women's Luncheon: Breaking Barriers, November 2025

Breaking Barriers | Women Leading in Male-Dominated Industries

In sectors like manufacturing, aerospace, biotech and finance, women have historically been underrepresented.  This dynamic panel brings together accomplished women leaders who have not only navigated these challenging environments but have reshaped them.  Through candid stories and practical insights, they will share how they broke through entrenched barriers, built influence and carved out space for future generations of women leaders.  

Attendees will gain strategies for overcoming bias, cultivating resilience and leading with authenticity – while hearing firsthand how persistence, innovation and mentorship can change the face of leadership in event most traditionally male-dominated fields.  

Featured Speakers include:

Image

Brittany Isherwood, President, Burke Aerospace 
Brittany Isherwood is President of Burke Aerospace with a strong background in business development across the aerospace and industrial gas turbine industries. She is skilled in engineering, process improvement, and cross-functional leadership, and holds an MBA in International Business and Supply Chain Management from Northeastern University.
 

Image

Nicole Wagner, President & CEO, LambdaVision 
Nicole Wagner, Ph.D. is president and CEO of LambdaVision, a biotechnology company developing a protein-based artificial retina to treat patients blinded by retinal degenerative diseases.  Dr. Wagner has secured >$17M in funding to accelerate research, development, and commercialization of the technology. Her research has recently involved the production of artificial retinas on the International Space Station (ISS), which is establishing new commercial opportunities to manufacture products in microgravity with direct clinical benefit. 

Image

Christine Williams, Northeast Region Leader, Aon
Christine Williams serves as Aon’s Northeast Region Leader, where she oversees teams in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, New England, DC Metro and Philadelphia markets. Christine works in partnership with Aon’s solution line leadership in Commercial Risk, Health, and Wealth solutions. Her ultimate responsibility is to serve clients and lead the Northeast team. Christine has worked at Aon for 23 years in various global leadership roles, having been promoted into her current Northeast leadership role in March 2024. Previously she was Aon’s Global Specialty Leader and ran the Financial Lines and Professional Services practice globally. Prior to joining Aon, she spent five years in Asset Management at Citigroup (Salomon Smith Barney). Christine earned her M.B.A. in Finance from St. John’s University, and her B.S. in Finance from Le-Moyne College.