By Laura Cook Kroeger
Special to NKyTribune
Some people know her as the sister of former White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers. Most know Betsy Myers as an outstanding leader in her own right. She is one of the nation’s foremost authorities on developing women for leadership roles and has held some of the country’s highest-level positions that have advanced the stature of women in the workplace.
Myers, the author of several books including Take the Lead: Motivate, Inspire and Bring Out the Best in Yourself and Everyone Around You, is the headliner for the June 29 Regional Women’s Summit at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center.
It’s an ambitious project for the seven-year-old Northern Kentucky Women’s Initiative as the group invites women from Ohio and Indiana as well as Kentucky to attend the day-long Summit.
The conference kicks off with an address by Myers. Her second keynote is during lunch.
Summit attendees will be able to select two different breakout sessions in the morning and another two in the afternoon. The topics are inspired by Myers’ seven principles of leadership: authenticity, connection, respect, clarity, collaboration, learning and courage. Some of the session themes include Perfecting Your Personal Pitch, Fast Fixes to Team Dysfunction, Developing the Courage to Conquer the Next Level and Creating Balance for Sustainable Leadership.
“As I travel the country, the key issue I hear about from professional women is work-life balance,” she reveals. “Is there really such a thing as work/life balance? I believe the real question is how we achieve work/life integration. For those of us who have children, that question is always fluid. What your child needs at a particular year is different at seven or eight and different again when they enter middle school or high school. We have to adjust for constant change along with what life brings us with regards to our support systems, including our spouse, local family members, friends and/or resources to afford help.”
She continues, “What is fascinating is that the millennial generation is gender neutral and forcing much of the change that women have been trying to do for several decades. Both millennial women and men want the same things from their work experience: purpose and passion; a desire to make the world a better place; the ability to show up as your authentic self and live an integrated life between professionally and personally. Companies today are realizing that attracting and retaining talent means creating a healthy and happy workplace environment where people no longer need to hide who they are. And, work/life integration is no longer just a women’s issue.”
Myers’ interest in women’s issues began during her teenage years when she watched her mother “reach for her authentic self.” After dropping out of college to marry Myers’ father and then have three daughters, she returned to school when Myers was 13, finished her degree and received a Master’s in psychology. “She began working at a local college in Los Angeles where she ran a program for women looking to reenter the workforce,” she recalls. “Many of those women were single mothers with few resources or job experience. She was a guidepost and champion for these women to return to school and build a new life. She was the perfect person for this job because she had just done the same thing in her life. She captured me with the stories of these amazing women and it sparked a curiosity in me that has been a guidepost throughout my career.
“She also showed my sisters and me that it is never too late to change direction or our roles in both our personal and professional lives. Most of all, she showed me how important it is to live your authentic life, even if it upsets the status quo and is challenging to pursue.”
Myers eventually became the first White House Director of Women’s Initiatives and Outreach and then advocated for entrepreneurs and women-run businesses as an official with the Small Business Administration. Harvard drafted her to be part of its prestigious Center for Public Leadership. She now runs the Center for Women and Business at Bentley University and travels across the nation helping Fortune 500 companies enhance their women’s leadership development programs.
Women who register for the Summit by May 15 can take advantage of the special $129 rate, which also includes lunch and the annual Shore to Shore networking reception at the conclusion of the day. The price jumps to $159 on May 16. It is $179 at the door. Companies sending five or more employees receive a 20 percent discount.
The Regional Women’s Summit is made possible by the following sponsors: Title Sponsor- PNC Bank; Event Sponsor- Loftus Plastic Surgery Center; VIP Breakfast Sponsors – Anthem B/C B/S, Business Benefits Insurance Solutions, Cincinnati/NKY International Airport and Toyota; Breakout Session Sponsor- Castellini Group of Companies; and Supporting Sponsors Clark Schaefer Hackett and US Bank.
To register for the summit contact Pam Mastruserio at the Northern Kentucky Chamber at (859) 578-6384 or pam@nkychamber.com