One of The Northern Kentucky Chamber Women’s Initiative’s annual professional development events is set to return this year at a new location in Northern Kentucky University’s Student Union.
The 2024 Women’s Initiative Regional Summit will take place on Thursday, November 7 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This year’s lineup will feature topics to better help women professionals to Connect, Grow, and Achieve.
“Connect, grow, and achieve – that is what we hope to inspire women to do in their professional careers and personal lives after listening to our powerful presenters and engaging with one another,” said NKY Chamber Women’s Initiative Director, Holly Nibert.
“We will empower women through presentation and speaker topics ranging from imposter syndrome relief to artificial intelligence, improving health through leadership and team-based support, and more. The Regional Summit is a day for growth where professional women can come together to build a supportive community, uplift one another on their journeys to success, and gain insights on how to achieve their goals better and strive for success. We can’t wait to welcome everyone for a day of connecting and learning.”
Now in its ninth year, the Women’s Initiative Regional Summit supports professional women in all stages of their careers including young professionals, mid-career and senior-level professionals, entrepreneurs and women in their encore careers or transitioning into new careers.
The session speakers for the 9th Annual Women’s Initiative Regional Summit, sponsored by PNC, include (lineup subject to change):
• General Morning Session Speaker: “Onward and Upward” with Dr. Cady Short-Thompson, President, Northern Kentucky University. Short-Thompson was selected as NKU’s new president in 2023 and previously worked in the nonprofit sector helping to prepare middle and high school students for success and spent more than 20 years in higher education.
• Lunch Session Speaker: “The Power of Potential” with Angel Beets, CEO, Gilman Partners. Beets oversees an executive search and leadership development firm. She also helps develop custom training programs for leadership teams along with training sessions for business and nonprofit groups.
• Breakout Session Speakers:
· Building Better Health Through Leadership and Team-based Support — Kelly Barry, Senior Program Manager, 1N5. Barry holds more than 15 years of experience in evidence-based stress coping and resiliency and is a certified health education specialist, a national board-certified health and wellness coach, and a certified QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Instructor.
· Yes, But I still Have Joy – Ashleigh DuBois, Community Outreach Manager, Skanska USA. DuBois is a Cincinnati native whose career has taken her from China to New York back home to Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, where she recently held the title as the founding Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the NKY Chamber before moving on to work for Skanska USA.
· Embracing Your Neurodiversity: Leveraging Your Unique Traits for Professional Growth – Samantha Kelly, Advocate, Coach and Founder, Beyond Neurodiversity. Kelly brings past experience in HR consulting, CPA firms, recruitment, and marketing to the table and is passionate about embracing neurodiversity in the workforce and more.
· Get Out of Your Head — Claire Parsons, Bricker Graydon. Parsons’ professional experience at Bricker Graydon focuses on the areas of school law, litigation, and employment law. She also has extensive training and years of experience with meditation and is certified to teach meditation, yoga, pranayama, and compassion.
· Women and Financial Success: Providing Inspiration, Resources, and Solutions – Aimee Sheenan, Director of Women’s Business Development, PNC Bank. Sheenan has corporate and institutional banking experience, is a PNC Women’s Business Advocate and works to meet women where they are in their financial journey. She aspires to support and inspire women financial decision makers.
· Leading in a Multi-Generational Workforce – Rachel Strunk, VP and Regional Sales Director, Republic Bank. Strunk has spent nearly a decade growing her team at Republic Bank but also has a passion for leadership and learning how to be a more inclusive and relevant leader. Her experience has led her to manage a multi-generational team, from Baby Boomers to Gen Z, and she wants to empower others with her knowledge.
· Leading Beyond Doubt – Strategies for Imposter Syndrome Relief – Kan Yue, Leadership Coach, Kan Yue Coaching. Yue helps guide professionals and leaders to communicate and collaborate effectively, and to help them build a team where all feel appreciated and valued. Her goal is to empower people to redefine their potential and become confident leaders.
· What Drives You? Start with Why! – Alexia Zigoris, Owner/Leadership Coach, Alexia Zigoris Coaching. Zigoris says her journey started more than two decades ago when she discovered her mission in life is to empower people, bring out the best in them, and help people see they can better themselves and in return be better leaders.
Registration is required online in advance of the event and is $170 for NKY Chamber members, $190 for future members, $150 for NKYP, free with NKYP Event Pass and $1,600 for a table. To register or for more information, visit www.NKYChamber.com/events.