Millions of people in the United States and around the world find the voice of former ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton speaking on matters of health to be a sanctuary.
As the co-host of Good Morning America’s “GMA3,” the board-certified ob-gyn and obesity medicine physician discusses thorny topics. Subjects include nutrition and weight management, maternal mortality rates, mental illness and suicide, heart disease, menopause and, during the Covid-19 pandemic, infectious diseases and public health.
Bestselling author Ashton is, as of 2023, the founder/president of Ajenda, a multimedia company focusing on women’s health issues. She will appear in-person as a keynote speaker at the 21st Annual East Bay Women’s Conference. The event takes place March 3 at the Lesher Center for the Arts in downtown Walnut Creek, presented by the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau in association with Kaiser Permanente.
Ashton will speak about launching Ajenda and about closing her private practice to concentrate on the company. Performance coach Korey Rowe will join Ashton in conversation to discuss their collaborative project, Ajenda’s The Wellness Experiment.
The conference also offers keynote speakers Vera Jones, an empathy coach, and The Joy Project CEO Amanda Gore, along with an exhibitor marketplace, bookstore, speaker meet-and-greets, author signings and networking opportunities. The Second Annual Women Making a Difference Awards focus on three local women selected to receive the Innovation, Leadership and Empowerment, and Rising Star awards. A continental breakfast, lunch, afternoon wine reception and complimentary parking are included.
In an interview one month prior to the conference, Ashton emphasized that any generalizations she makes about women business owners and entrepreneurs should be “taken with a huge boulder of salt because I’m just a few years into the process.”
Even so, she finds most women entrepreneurs enter the early stages with trepidation, whereas men tend to dive in. She said the preparatory phase has challenging and contradictory time constraints. Adequate time to establish a robust financial platform means slowing down, but delaying a product or service release to the public might result in not being first to market.
Ashton insisted women excel in listening and responding to feedback, crucial first steps for any business. “Women really know their strengths,” she said. “They take feedback and respond to it. They’re also good at prioritizing.”
Most women in her professions—medicine and media—are highly educated and motivated to reach top leadership positions. “They like to be in that environment,” Ashton said. “They say, ‘I’m hungry, ambitious and ready to work hard.’”
Regarding networking, Ashton suggested the advent of digital interaction through social media platforms has not entirely obviated the value of in-person connections. “There’s a benefit to being in the same room, physically,” she said. “[Unfortunately] those social practices and etiquette are 100% taking a hit.”
Ashton enjoys interacting on all levels. She said a “home run” is when with a scarcity of time, her message provides everyone with something of value.
In a time when less than 1% of newsletters worldwide have even 100,000 subscribers, Ashton said her company’s free newsletter already has roughly 200,000 subscribers. “I think it’s a success because I never talk down to anyone,” she said.
Ashton’s last thoughts addressed the importance of men sharing responsibility in women’s health and advancement. While excited about women leaders stepping up and being empowered, she said men remaining silent, especially health practitioners, are “a real head-scratcher.” Areas she expects to continue prioritizing are how nutrition affects women’s reproductive health and improving the understanding of women’s heart disease.
East Bay Women’s Conference, March 3, 8am to 5pm at Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. walnut-creek.com/ebwc2026
