Conference for Women Speakers
Our exceptional lineup at this year's Conference for Women includes several inspirational leaders who are poised to ignite your passion, empower your potential, and equip you with actionable insights for personal and professional growth. Our esteemed speakers are trailblazers in their respective fields, embodying resilience, innovation, and leadership.
Through their diverse experiences and expertise, they will inspire you with their compelling stories, ignite the flames of your ambition, and demonstrate that success knows no boundaries. Get ready to be inspired, empowered, and armed with actionable items for personal and professional growth!
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Grit & Gravitas Live: Unstoppable Together – Embracing Your Journey
with Anne Carnathan & Anne Deeter Gallaher
Join us for a special live edition of Grit & Gravitas at the Conference for Women, where they’ll dive into the real-life stories behind resilience, reinvention, and embracing the unexpected twists that shape our personal and professional journeys. Through candid conversation and a fireside chat setting, we’ll share our own “Unstoppable Together” moments — navigating bankruptcy, job loss, economic downturns, and more. We’ll open the floor for a dynamic Q&A, offering real-time advice for women in business on how to bounce back, push forward, and grow stronger through setbacks. Expect actionable insights, powerful reflections, and take-home "business vitamins" you can apply immediately.
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Breakout Sessions II 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Jeannie Zappe
What if I Can?
Heather Hockenberry
Speak So They Listen: A Public Speaking Workshop
AN EMPOWERING PANEL ON AUTHENTICITY, RESILIENCE, AND SUCCESS
Sue Engels
Former VP IT Delivery and Technical Business Support
Bitsy McCann
Brand Architect and Owner
Bitsy Plus Design
Julie Walker
President
Peyton Walker Foundation
Breakout Sessions III 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Tiffiney L. Hall
Your Pain, Your Purpose, and Your PosiTiff Vibe
Anne Marie Brandt
Dead Personal & Business Goals? Learn how rewriting your “obituary” can help you revive your goals and bring them back to life
Shawn West
Opportunities for Women in the Era of AI & Automation
BREAKOUT SESSIONS I
BREAKOUT SESSION I
From Frantic to Focused: How to Shift Your Life from Out of Control to Streamlined & Successful
with Beth Caldwell
In this engaging and fast-paced presentation, Beth will share practical, real-life strategies for women balancing careers, families, community commitments, and more — yet still feeling like it’s never enough. Designed for women ready to break free from guilt and overwhelm, this session embraces a more balanced, fulfilling approach to success across all areas of life.
Whether you’re a business owner, a leader in the corporate or nonprofit world, or managing the demands of a busy household, this presentation offers the inspiration and insights needed to shift from chaos to clarity. It’s perfect for ambitious, community-minded women who often support everyone else — except themselves.
This presentation will deliver essential tools for professional women and leaders to be realistically productive at work and at home. You’ll walk away with strategies to:
• Strengthen your emotional resilience
• Regain control of a chaotic schedule
• Stay positive and productive in the face of challenges
Expect an immediate boost in optimism, courage, and self-esteem, as you embrace a more empowered, balanced approach to life.
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BREAKOUT SESSION I
The Power of No: Overcoming Fears & Embracing Alignment
with Jeannette Louise
In this empowering session, you’ll discover how to conquer the inner fears that hold you back from achieving your full potential. Learn the power of understanding the "worst-case scenario" and realize that even in failure, you never truly "fall below zero." This mindset shift will empower you to take risks, pursue your goals, and embrace opportunities without the fear of failure. We’ll explore strategies for confidently asking for what you want and improving your outcomes. Attendees will leave with practical tools to boost their confidence, increase their chances of achieving their goals, and ultimately succeed in their personal and professional journeys.
BREAKOUT SESSION I
Shielding Yourself from Predictable Challenges
with Patrick Cawley
Building a successful career and planning for retirement are goals we work hard to achieve, but life inevitably throws challenges our way. These challenges can drain us emotionally, physically, and financially, making it harder to stay on course. This session explores the importance of being proactive when it comes to safeguarding your future.
By implementing thoughtful legal strategies, you can better anticipate and prepare for health concerns, relationship difficulties, and potential financial threats. The key is in understanding the risks that could affect your long-term security and taking steps to protect yourself against them. With the right preparation, you can build a financial and emotional shield that secures your hard-earned achievements and keeps you moving toward the life you’ve envisioned, no matter what obstacles come your way.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS II
BREAKOUT SESSION II
What if I Can?
with Jeannie Zappe
Women's lives are defined by different chapters, each one demanding different roles and responsibilities. The question is, can we truly listen to our inner desires and pursue the things that matter most in the time we have?
This session dives deep into how we can set daring goals and bravely take on intimidating opportunities with optimism, even in the face of uncertainty. We will challenge the notion that ambition and self-fulfillment are selfish pursuits, and instead, explore how saying "yes" to new experiences can open doors to possibilities beyond our wildest dreams.
By embracing mental toughness — building it brick by brick, just like a fortress — we can tackle any challenge. The process of building resilience will be illustrated through personal stories, including Jeannie's own journey of swimming across the English Channel in her 50s.
This session invites participants to let go of age-based limits and other restrictions we impose on ourselves, in both life and work. Through strategic planning and action, we'll explore how women can continue to grow and achieve greatness at any age.
BREAKOUT SESSION II
Speak So They Listen: A Public Speaking Workshop
with Heather Hockenberry
Public speaking can be a terrifying experience for many people, but it doesn’t have to be. This session offers a practical, hands-on approach to conquering that fear. Together, we’ll explore the fundamentals of selecting a speech topic, structuring your message for maximum impact, and using nonverbal cues to enhance your delivery and project confidence.
We'll also delve into impromptu speaking scenarios, sharing valuable tips and tricks for tackling the unexpected with poise and professionalism. You'll learn strategies you can immediately apply to become a more effective speaker. With this knowledge, you'll be able to approach every speaking opportunity — whether planned or spontaneous — with more confidence and ease.
AN EMPOWERING PANEL
Redefining Success, Resilience, and Authenticity
with Sue Engels, Bitsy McCann, and Julie Walker
In a world full of unexpected challenges it’s the power of resilience, community, and authenticity that shapes our paths to success. This panel brings together diverse voices to explore what it means to embrace your journey while redefining success on your own terms.
Join us for a powerful discussion on topics like breaking the mold of traditional career paths, the shifting dynamics of power as you grow in your career, and the crucial role authenticity plays in both personal branding and professional growth. We'll also dive into the importance of resilience, positivity, and mentoring without being asked. Through shared experiences and actionable insights, this panel will inspire you to rise above challenges and move forward — unstoppable, together.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS III
BREAKOUT SESSION III
Your Pain, Your Purpose, and Your PosiTiff Vibe
with Tiffiney L. Hall
When we encounter pain, whether emotional or physical, it often feels like a burden. However, pain can also be a powerful catalyst for transformation and growth. In this session, we’ll explore how to channel personal struggles into purpose-driven action. By turning our experiences into a source of strength, we can not only overcome adversity but also foster resilience and build stronger connections within our communities.
This workshop will guide participants through the process of transforming personal pain into actionable goals that not only serve individual growth but also contribute to the well-being of others. Through shared experiences, participants will develop practical skills for creating supportive environments that empower both themselves and those around them. Whether you are seeking to harness your struggles for personal growth or to make a positive impact on others, this session offers valuable insights and a pathway to finding purpose through pain.
BREAKOUT SESSION III
Dead Personal & Business Goals? Learn how rewriting your “obituary” can help you revive your goals and bring them back to life
with Anne Marie Brandt
We all have personal and business goals that have fallen by the wayside — dreams left unfulfilled or ambitions we haven’t yet pursued. This session takes an innovative approach to reviving those goals by asking participants to rewrite their own "obituary." This thought-provoking exercise encourages you to reflect on what you truly want to accomplish in your lifetime, both personally and professionally. By looking at your life from this unique perspective, you’ll gain clarity on the goals you want to achieve and the steps you need to take to get there.
Whether you’re a seasoned business owner or just beginning your professional journey, this workshop will inspire you to reimagine your future and create an action plan to make it a reality. Participants will leave with a renewed sense of purpose and a clear outline for achieving their most important goals, no matter how far off they may seem.
BREAKOUT SESSION III
Opportunities for Women in the Era of AI & Automation
with Shawn West
As artificial intelligence (AI) and automation rapidly reshape industries, women have an unprecedented opportunity to lead the charge in technology, engineering, and data science. In this session, we will explore how AI is creating new pathways for women to rise as leaders and innovators. We'll discuss the critical importance of including women's voices in the development of ethical AI systems, ensuring that these technologies reflect diverse perspectives and avoid bias.
Attendees will gain insights into how they can position themselves as leaders in the AI revolution by acquiring essential skills like digital literacy, technical expertise, and strategic problem-solving. With practical guidance on how to leverage AI tools to boost productivity and stay competitive, this session will empower women to take advantage of the technological advancements reshaping the workforce and drive business success.