Marina Arsenijevic (left) receiving the Wear The Shirt Award from Gloria Feldt, Take The Lead co-founder and president, at the recent Power Up Conference 2025.

Power appears in many forms--including startling musical compositions that transcend all time and space.

Dame Marina Arsenijevic, internationally acclaimed pianist and composer, overwhelmed the more than 100 guests with her talent in an original concert at the National Museum of Women in The Arts for the kickoff of Take The Lead’s Power Up Concert and Conference 2025 in Washington, D.C..

It was the perfect launch for the two-day event.

After a welcome to the concert and dinner by Dr. Lily McNair, Take The Lead board and committee chair; Dr. Nancy O’Reilly, presenting sponsor and founder of Women Connect4Good; and Heather Florio, dinner sponsor and CEO of Desert Harvest, Take The Lead Co-founder and President Gloria Feldt introduced Arsenijevic, a friend, neighbor and Take The Lead supporter and colleague for more than 10 years.

“The passion of Gloria Feldt is unstoppable in her energy to help women find their own power,” said Arsenijevic, who received the Wear The Shirt Award from Take The Lead the following day.

“Art is above it all. We have the power to find common ground to unite. We as humans can move the world forward,” said Arsenijevic, who performed before the invited entrepreneurs, leaders and dignitaries. The guest list included His Excellency Dragan Sutanov of the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia; U.S. Serbian Embassy Minister Counsellor Jovana Nedic; Nikola Lonchar, Tesla Foundation President and U.S. Department of State’s Kelsie Wendelberger.

““We have the power to find common ground to unite. We as humans can move the world forward,” said Marina Arsenijevic, award-winning composer and pianist @takeleadwomen #PowerUp2025 Wear The Shirt #award #winner #leadership ”

At the fifth annual Power Up Concert, Feldt hailed the work of Arsenijevic, whom she says she met a decade ago at a pilates class in New York after friends in common introduced them.

Arsenijevic shares the mission of Take The Lead, that has the “goal to inspire and propel women to take their equal share in all sectors by 2025,” Feldt said. She added that when Take The Lead launched, women’s “share of leadership positions in 2014 was 18%, now it is 30%.”

Debuting the multimedia version of her Tesla Rhapsody in this world premiere, honoring the contributions to global innovation by Nikola Tesla, the Serbian-American inventor, Arsenijevic stunned the audience with her composition. When she completed the 30-minute rendition without consulting any sheet music, they gave her a hearty standing ovation.

Arsenijevic’s concurrent multimedia presentation included a prescient quote from Tesla: “Let the future tell the truth and evaluate each one according to his work and accomplishments.”

The next morning on Women’s Equality Day, the Power Up Conference at the National Housing Center with 200 participants from across the country and multiple industries, launched with the theme, Courage To Lead.

Conference host Reena Ninan, founder of Good Trouble Productions, introduced McNair, the former first female provost of Tuskegee University, and Take The Lead board member since its founding 11 years ago.

“This is all about women coming together to support each other as allies and advocates to embrace our power and vision for the future of our country,” McNair said.

““This is all about women coming together to support each other as allies and advocates to embrace our power and vision for the future of our country,” said Lily McNair, @takeleadwomen board chair, #conference chair, former @TuskegeeUniv president ”

Relaying the inspiring stories of the founders of the Sligo Law Group, women who were recently let go at the Department of Education; and the pioneering historic contributions to astrophysics and astronomy by the late British astrophysicist, Cecilia Payne Gaposchkin, McNair said, “Intention is important no matter what your field is. Embrace you power, envision the future and look to others because we are here for developing relationships and moving forward.”

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Florio, Take The Lead board member, then introduced attendees to the SHEposium, a group of entrepreneurs and vendors, she describes as “a collaborative hub of women-owned companies where women can engage with and learn from one another.”

On behalf of Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, D.C. Secretary of State Kimberly Bassett offered the proclamation of Women’s Equality Day for the Take The Lead conference, saying, “You are creating not only a conference but a movement in the continued fight for full equality.”

““You are creating not only a conference but a movement in the continued fight for full equality,” said Kimberly Bassett #WashingtonDC Sec of State @takeleadwomen #powerup #leadership”

Bassett added, “The Courage To Lead resonates deeply in our neighborhoods. Strength comes when you work side by side to bring diverse voices to the table.”

To start the day with high energy, Felicia Davis, CEO and founder of Haus of Vocal Empowerment and Take The Lead Leadership Ambassador, led an exercise on managing the power of your own voice.

“No matter how smart and talented you are, if you do not know how to create change, none of it matters. The biggest hurdle we will ever face is the one in our minds,” said Davis, who each year organizes and facilitates the 9 Leadership Power Tools Champion awards.

She added, “Your voice is not a performance, it is a power. When you own your voice, you shift the world.”

““Your voice is not a performance, it is a power. When you own your voice, you shift the world,” said Felicia Davis @takeleadwomen #powerup #leadership ”

Feldt agreed, “Our voices will and already are changing the world. One of the most salient reasons there is backlash now is because we have changed the world.”

Bringing Arsenijevic to the conference stage to receive her award, Feldt described the history of the Wear The Shirt Award, given this year to the globally accoladed composer and pianist.

Wear The Shirt is No. 6 of the 9 Leadership Power Tools because, as Feldt described, when she was leading Planned Parenthood in Arizona, some of the employees were trying to decide if they would continue wearing their Planned Parenthood shirt after they left work. That was because they would encounter comments and pushback outside the workplace.

Feldt said she asked them, “What do you believe in most strongly that you put it out on your shirt for the world to see?”

Arsenijevic is the 2025 award-winner because, “She has always used her talent to bring people together. Unity and diversity are her shirt,” Feldt said.

In a fireside chat with Feldt after accepting the award, Arsenijevic explained her origin story of growing up in the former Yuogoslavia, a Communist country. While war was all around her and her family, she was studying to be a concert pianist. “That saved my soul and my life. I was able to create music to show our common humanity,” she said.

She emigrated alone as a young woman to the U.S. to perform in concerts, and her career progressed to winning major awards, selling millions of recordings and performing at Carnegie Hall and for audiences around the world.

“I had to always be present and fight to get to the next level,” Arsenijevic said. “I always met amazing mentors who supported my vision that gave me the courage to step forward.”

Her efforts creating the Tesla Symphony that heads to Broadway in 2027, she said, is the culmination of years of hard work and a vision to honor the genius of Tesla. She explained her dedication, energy and perseverance.

“You have to say yes to a next step. You can accomplish something even though you do not have all the answers. You cannot stay in the tranquil position.”

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About the Author

Michele Weldon is editorial director of Take The Lead, an award-winning author, journalist, emerita faculty in journalism at Northwestern University and a senior leader with The OpEd Project. @micheleweldon www.micheleweldon.com

Manifesting The Power Of Courage: Power Up Concert & Conference Connects Leaders

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