Maintaining relationships, empowering disenfranchised voices, and building up young people are all hallmarks of an effective leader.
At this year’s Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s eighth annual Women’s Initiative Regional Summit, women from around the region have the opportunity to hone these skills. The summit’s theme is Passing the Mic: Empowering Ourselves & Others, and will focus on professional development and mentorship.
“As people are raising in their roles within firms and companies in their own companies as entrepreneurs, we are also bringing people along with us and grooming them,” Women’s Initiative Regional Summit Chair Melissa Lutz told LINK nky.
The summit is slated for Nov. 2 at Newport’s MegaCorp Pavilion. The day-long event features a roster of speakers focused on guiding attendees through career goals by providing them with insights, training, and tools. Running from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., the event will include presentations on networking, overcoming perfectionism, workforce development and more.
“It’s a power-packed group of speakers,” Lutz said.
Women in all career stages, ranging from young professionals to mid-career and senior-level professionals and entrepreneurs, are encouraged to attend, she said.
“If you think about when you’re taking an entire day to go to an event, it has to be meaningful because it’s taking away from your day-to-day work,” Lutz said. “I would just say this is THE event to go to of the year for women in business. It will help you to grow. The biggest part about it is being inspired. It’s a really important investment in you to attend this event.”
Lutz, the principal at Cincinnati-based Champlin Architecture, has been involved with the Women’s Initiative for several years. She credited the Women’s Initiative for being a catalyst for her own professional development, specifically related to relationship building and networking.
“It has helped me tremendously,” Lutz said. “The relationships I’ve had have helped myself personally. They’ve helped my company and they’ve helped other companies. They’ve also helped other people within my firm to grow.”
The Women’s Initiative will also feature a panel moderated by Aviatra Accelerators CEO Jill Morenz. The panelists are Shaw Solutions Founder/CEO Erica Shaw, Greenway Innovations General Manager Alison Conner, and Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky Executive Director Kim Webb.
The session speakers for the Women’s Initiative Regional Summit are listed below.
Collaboration Over Competition: Elevating Your Business with Sister-Friends
Tracy Stokes: founder of the Tracy Nicole Brand/Senior Consultant, DEI for St. Elizabeth Healthcare.
Catrena Bowman: executive director, Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission and founder, Inspired Fashion.
Stokes and Bowman will host an interactive “podcast-style” conversation showcasing the importance of a sister-friend relationship. Participants will be asked to brainstorm ideas to enhance their strengths and spotlight areas for opportunity.
Not Your Mother’s Networking
Beth Conger: leadership coach, Beth Conger Coaching.
Participants will explore the necessity of networking in today’s world. This session will delve into the profound difference between traditional networking approaches and the impact that can be achieved by sharing a personal story.
From Small Talk to Big Opportunities: Cultivating Connections for Personal and Professional Development
Elisabeth Galperin: owner/founder, Peak Productivity.
Attendees will be taught how to transform networking from socializing to a strategic investment. This session will enable attendees to craft a personalized networking
strategy.
The AI-Proof Leader: How Authenticity Creates a Competitive Edge
Jordyne Carmack: principal, Jordyne Carmack Communication Coach.
During this presentation, Carmack will teach attendees how to enhance networking effectiveness through authentic communication.
Overcoming Perfectionism: How to Lead a Life of Excellence
Vitale Buford Hardin: CEO/president, The Hardin Group.
Buford Hardin will teach attendees how to redirect perfectionist tendencies toward success. She will explore two types of perfectionism types and how they affect leadership. Attendees will leave with tools to lead confidently.
Tickets to the Women’s Initiative Regional Summit are $175 for NKY Chamber members, $150 for Young Professionals, and $200 for future NKY Chamber members. Registration is required online in advance of the event. To register, visit NKYChamber.com/WISummit.