The largest women’s leadership conference in Central Massachusetts, bringing together the most forward thinking female leaders.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW:

Time: 7:30am – 4pm

Location: DCU Convention Center, Worcester MA

Check back in the March for more 2022 conference details!

2022 Sponsorship Opportunities Available Now

At the Chamber, and our WWLC committee, we have been impressed and grateful for the continued support of the conference sponsors. This is the event you want to be a part of! Reach out to Karen Pelletier for options.

The Worcester Women’s Leadership Conference

This conference is an opportunity for women to build their careers and share their experiences with other women.

The Worcester Women’s Leadership Conference is all about giving women the tools to discover the possibilities available to them, lift each other up, and create a hub of smart, talented, and forward-thinking women.

Women in the workforce overcome obstacles each and every day and the Worcester Women’s Leadership Conference is a place to share experiences and bring together dynamic, accomplished, and confident female leaders.

The programming of the day-long conference is designed to motivate attendees to overcome traditional barriers, to becoming influencers, change-agents, and leaders in their own fields.

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2022 Keynote Speakers

LUVVIE AJAYI JONES, New York Times Best-Selling Author, Podcast Host & Professional Troublemaker
Luvvie Ajayi Jones is what happens when you blindly follow doing what you love without expectation. Born outside the box, her brilliance is the unifying theme for all her endeavors. The New York Times best-selling author, sought-after speaker, and podcast host thrives at the intersection of comedy, media and justice. Her debut book, I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual, hit the New York Times best-sellers list at #5 in its first week. Her latest book Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual was released on March 2, 2021 and became an instant New York Times bestseller as well.
Selected for Oprah Winfrey’s inaugural Supersoul 100 list for “elevating humanity,” Ajayi Jones is known for her trademark wit, warmth, perpetual truth-telling and trouble making. Putting into words the thoughts few dare to say; the veteran blogger could give a masterclass on disruption. Internationally recognized, she has graced stages around the globe for some of the world’s most innovative companies and conferences, including Google, Facebook, Amazon, Twitter, MAKERS, SXSW and the Obama White House. Her wildly popular TED talk “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable” has over 5 million views and climbing.

Claire Wasserman is an educator, author, and founder of Ladies Get Paid, an educational platform, global community, and book that champions the professional and financial advancement of women. She holds a Master’s Certificate in Behavioral Finance and Financial Psychology and is the host of the John Hancock podcast, Friends Who Talk About Money.
A highly sought-after expert for Fortune 500 companies working to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, Claire has traveled the country teaching thousands of women how to negotiate millions of dollars in raises, start businesses, and advocate for themselves in the workplace. She was named one of Marquis Who’s Who 75 Most Influential Financial Leaders of 2021, as well as Entrepreneur Magazine’s 100 Most Powerful Women.
Claire has spoken at places such as Harvard Business School, Facebook, NASA, and the United Nations, and has appeared on Good Morning America and in the New York Times, among others.

Registration open March 1!

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2022 Conference Schedule

June 16, 2022

Time	Description
7:15 AM	Registration (3rd floor), Coffee, Networking
8:00 AM	Morning Keynote Speaker: Claire Wasserman
9:45 AM	Break, Coffee, Networking
10:15 AM	4 Workshops: A/B, C/D, E, Junior Ballroom
11:30 AM	Break, Coffee, Networking
11:45 AM	Lunch
12:30 PM	Break, Coffee, Networking
12:45 PM	4 Workshops: A/B, C/D, E, Junior Ballroom
2:00 PM	Break, Coffee, Networking
2:15 PM	Afternoon Keynote Speaker: Luvvie Ajayi Jones
3:15 PM	Reception
4:00 PM	Adjourn

PLEASE NOTE | Workshops have a maximum seating capacity. Please arrive in a timely fashion to ensure your seat. If the room is full, please attend a different session. Thank you.

MORNING WORKSHOPS

Women-Owned Businesses: Pivoting to Survive the Pandemic

Panelists:
Eurayshia Williams Reed, Owner & Stylist, Shi Shi’s Lounge
Lynn Carbonneau, Owner, Carbonneau Bridal & Formalwear
Nadine James, Owner, Unique Café
Dr. Camille Roberts, Owner, The Dermatology Center of Worcester
Moderator: Stephanie Ramey, President, Worcester Railers HC; Owner, The O Shop

In this powerhouse panel, a handful of women business owners here in the Greater Worcester area will share their experiences as entrepreneurs. The past two-plus years of the COVID-19 pandemic have been challenging for us all, and small businesses in particular have struggled. Panelists from different industries will share how they adapted to the rapidly changing business landscape and how their companies were able to survive and thrive.

Design Your Life, Control Your Mind!

Armida Abreu Martínez
CEO & Founder, Divine Growth Coaching

Feeling stuck and unfulfilled? Get unstuck and live the life of our dreams! As a professional life coach, Armida helps people overcome limiting beliefs, break behavioral patterns, and create more freedom and choice over their mindset. During this interactive workshop, attendees will learn: to understand how their thoughts affect their outcomes and life experiences, in your life, the true power of abundance, and how self-sabotaging thoughts and limiting beliefs may be preventing them from having the life they deserve. This interactive session will allow you to discover what’s making YOU feel stuck and what YOU can do to change it.

Let's Dance! Building a culture where DE&I is more than inviting people to the party, it’s asking them to dance.

Tamara Lundi
President, Community Healthlink

Organizations have made significant strides in assembling diverse employee populations. But they can’t stop there. Equity and inclusion require engagement. Think of diversity as your ticket to the party. Inclusion is asking attendees to dance. Community Healthlink President Tamara Lundi shares practical tips and her organization’s journey as they’ve learned to tango, rumba, and salsa, sometimes stepping on toes, and sometimes with two left feet. But it’s okay. They’re finding their rhythm.

The Hidden Risks of Impostor Syndrome

Kim Meninger
Executive Coach & Consultant, Executive Career Success

There is a lot of discussion about impostor syndrome, but most conversations focus only on the individual. What we don’t often consider are the grave risks impostor syndrome poses to organizations. Conservative estimates suggest that approximately 70% of the population will experience impostor syndrome. Without a strategic focus on managing impostor syndrome, your business stands to lose key talent, innovation and competitive standing. In this session, we’ll examine the risks to organizations of failing to address impostor syndrome as well as key strategies you can use to minimize self-doubt among your teams.

AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS

Know Your (Net) Worth: How to Secure Your Financial Future

Panelists:
Kathleen Glowacki, Director of Investment Management, Bartholomew & Company
Kathryn Hersey, Chief Investment Officer, Berkshire Bank
Tess Waresmith, Founder, Money Confident
Polly Tatum, Attorney, Law Office of Polly Tatum
Moderator: Christina Andreoli, SVP of Private Banking, Berkshire Bank

According to a study by McKinsey, women control a third of total US household financial assets—more than $10 trillion. Over the next decade, that number is expected to climb to nearly $30 trillion. If you’re seeking financial independence and prosperity, this 101 is the perfect primer to arm you with the best financial information for your future.Panelists will tackle tips for financial planning (based on life stages) and how to build out a roadmap for making sound decisions today for tomorrow (e.g., are you investing enough in your retirement account?). Attendees will learn how to negotiate their salary with confidence, how to invest with a purpose and manage those investments in a volatile market, and how to build a legacy for your loved ones.

Unconscious Bias

Soudie Tahmassebipour
DEIB Strategist & Founder, Re-Envision Consulting

A little history, a little science, and a lot of self-reflection are the keys to successful diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives. And this profoundly important implicit or unconscious bias training is the foundation for how to develop those initiatives. Understanding how we, as human beings, unconsciously develop our biases and how we question and counteract these biases can make all the difference in both our workplace relationships and leadership development.

Play & Shape: How to Foster Creativity to Solve Problems

Breanna DiBella
Principal & Creative Director, Studio DiBella

This session is designed for dynamic, open-minded individuals who want to meet new people and explore their creativity to bring a fresh perspective to everyday problem-solving. You’ll learn a series of techniques that tap into your most playful self, and then we’ll collectively leverage our curiosity for a greater, strategic purpose. By shaping the way we approach challenges, we’ll explore the balance that can be found by infusing our days with more play.

Getting Work Done: Leveraging Flexibility for Hiring, Retention, and Work-Life Balance

Leanne Rodd
Director of Talent, FlexProfessionals

Flexibility has become part of the normal language when talking about work. The past two years of remote and hybrid work bring new possibilities for attracting and retaining talent with flexible work options, and for employees to engage at work in ways that work best for them. In this session, we’ll talk about the current hiring and job search landscape, success factors to help you identify flexible aspects of a role (including how to write/evaluate the job description and understand performance objectives), how to ask questions during an interview to get clarity on how a remote or hybrid environment will function, and top tips for making flexibility sustainable.