AGENDA
Registration 7:30-8:30 AM
Marketplace 8:00-8:30 AM
8:00-8:30 AM Mimosas and Marketplace, Marketplace Area
8:30-8:45 AM Welcoming Remarks and Sponsor Recognition, Main Stage
8:45 – 9:30 AM Opening Keynote Speaker Lenora Dawson Lassiter, Main Stage
How did they keep me around? Why Did I Stay? I was optimistic and I was hoping for change. Her from Lenora Lassiter on ways you can pivot to your purpose!
9:30 – 10:15 AM Keynote Speaker Nishita Roy-Pope, MBA, Main Stage
What makes some people rise quickly and others feel like they are constantly playing catch up? And doesn’t this race feel infinitely harder as a woman trying to advance your career?! Do we just have to accept where we are is where we deserve to be? Or is there a way to actually learn how to level up? In her keynote talk, Nishita shares how you can level up as a corporate professional or entrepreneur through tangible and practical strategies to get that next promotion, project or opportunity to be a better you!
10:15 – 11:15 AM Morning Breakout Sessions
PANEL: Financial Empowerment: Leveling the negotiation playing field
Negotiation skills are invaluable, and apply to situations beyond just your salary and benefits. In the market for a contractor for a project at home? Trying to land that next contract or sign on a new vendor at work? Figuring out who is going to cook dinner? We are always negotiating, but research shows that women are statistically less likely to reach their desired outcome through the course of a negotiation. Join us to learn how to leverage your existing skill set to lean in, become more assertive and ask for (and get!) what you want.
PANEL: Diversity Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace: Dare to navigate microaggressions and pull up to the table with your own chair
The word “micro” denotes small in value, however there is no such thing as a small assault, invalidation, or insult. Microaggressions are attempts, often subtle, to further devalue the differences of marginalized groups. Whether behavioral, environmental, and/or verbal in nature, they target the very differences that should be celebrated. Addressing microaggressions in the workplace is challenging and takes courage. Join us for a discussion where the goal is not only to learn how to navigate these challenges but also to be seen, heard, and understood. Grab a chair, we have a seat at the table waiting for you.
PANEL: Inspiring Entrepreneurs: Don’t be afraid to start: learn from women who took the leap
The hardest thing about change is taking that first step. There are so many unknowns..Where do I start? What if I don’t have all the answers? What will my family and friend’s think? Where will I get the money? The fact of the matter is that starting your own business will envelope a wide range of emotions, most of which are centered in fear. Even the fear of success can be terrifying. With the appropriate planning, that very same fear can be harnessed as the driving force to your success. Sit with us and listen to women who were once right where you are. Learn how they overcame to create personal success.
PANEL: Health and Wellness: Putting the ME in WE: strategies to support your mental health when the world is on your shoulders
Burnout, simply put, is the result of “too much”. It is disregard for, and depletion of oneself due to outside demands. In a report published by McKinsey and LeanIn.org regarding women in the workplace, “the burnout gap between men and women doubled compared to a year ago and one in three women have considered leaving the workforce or downshifting their career.” More demands have been placed on women than ever before, so how do we put the ME back in WE? How do we carve out time for our own mental, emotional, and physical well-being when it already feels as though there aren’t enough hours in the day? Join us as we uncover strategies to put the “self” back in care.
WORKSHOP: Women in Leadership: Personal Branding: How to tell them who you are!
What is personal branding? According to Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” It has also been said that you only have one shot to make a first impression. Both of these statements carry a degree of validity, so how do we communicate authentically to let people know who we are, what we stand for, and where we are going? That is exactly what this workshop is about! We all have a story. What do you want yours to say about you? Let’s interact together to create a roadmap for success because although personal branding is unique, it cannot be achieved independent of others.
11:15 – 11:30 AM Marketplace / Break, Marketplace Area
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Lunch + Young Women’s Circle Panel
11:30 AM – 12:15PM Keynote Speaker Bianca Anderson , Main Stage
Join Bianca Anderson as she shares a keynote presentation that explores how women can actively embody practices that accelerate race equity through their leadership. This conversation will support women leaders with applying an intersectional power analysis to their experience and support them with identifying additional ways to create and sustain more equitable experiences in the workplace.
12:15 – 1:00 PM Lunch/Young Women’s Circle Panel, Main Stage
Sam Altman- entrepreneur, investory, programmer and blogger- once said: “young people willing to push super hard to make something happen are among the most powerful forces in the world.” We’ve gathered these young women who are rising stars to share their thoughts on becoming the leaders of tomorrow. We’ll hear from them to understand what they view as a priority, how they put their values into action, and what their dreams are for our collective future.
The R.I.S.E Women’s Leadership Conference is proud to foster the importance of mentorship and paying it forward through the Young Women’s Circle. This critical platform is created in partnership with our key sponsors to provide young women and girls of all backgrounds the opportunity to attend the conference and participate in workshops throughout the year and day of at the annual conference. R.I.S.E Women’s Leadership Conference is firmly grounded in the importance of early education and the empowerment of young women. We seek to connect young women with dynamic leaders of diverse backgrounds.
1:00 – 1:15 PM Scholarship presentation & Awards, Main Stage
1:15 – 2:15 PM Afternoon Breakout Sessions
PANEL: Women in Leadership: The next chapter: transition & life changes in the workplace
The “Motherhood Penalty” is real- women in the workforce experience less mobility, less frequent pay increases, and are frequently labeled “distracted” when discussing their children at work. Becoming a mother is not the only transition that a woman experiences throughout her life, though. Transitioning into the workplace from school, becoming a caregiver for a family member, re-entering the workplace, joining a brand new field- these are all significant transitions that can occur throughout a woman’s career. Managing the mental, physical and social elements of these transitions can take a toll on a person. Join this session to explore thoughtful ways to navigate these transitions with strength and confidence while prioritizing your mental and physical health.
WORKSHOP: Women in Leadership: Advocacy 101: How to use your voice, take action and get involved
A constant barrage of sensational news headlines and political polarization surround us all on a daily basis. We often experience a lot of emotions in response- overwhelm, sadness, anger, frustration. “What can we do about it?” we ask ourselves, “how can things change?” Join us in this interactive advocacy workshop that will explore the where, when, how, and who of making your voice heard and contributing to REAL change.
PANEL: Paying it Forward: Lift while you climb!
Looking for guidance on ways to give back? Not sure the best way to jump in and share what you’ve learned throughout your career? Explore what it means to truly pay it forward and lift while you climb! This dynamic panel will talk about successful ways to be a mentor and inspire the future generation of fearless leaders that will allow everyone to lift others while they continue to achieve success.
PANEL: Health and Wellness: Wake up: learning to live your life consciously and with intent
Sometimes it can feel like we aren’t taking an active role in our own life; that it’s just happening to us instead of for us. It’s time to take back control- to set boundaries, live with intention, set and track your goals and examine your impact on the world around you. Join us to explore what it means to live consciously, and learn about ways to help form the habit of examining your decision making, your choices and your impact.
PANEL: Women in Leadership: You’re not the Imposter; you’re meant to be here!
Have you ever felt inadequate, doubted yourself and your abilities, or simply found yourself confused as to how you “got here”? In a research study published by Forbes magazine, it was discovered that “98% of professional women experience at least one of the 7 most damaging power gaps that prevent individuals from reaching their highest and most thrilling potential, and 75% face three or more of these gaps at the same time.” Power gaps are the divisional factors that perpetuate that feeling of estrangement, that feeling that says you’re not meant to be here. We are here to tell you that YOU ARE NOT AN IMPOSTER! It is not by luck or chance, rather a compilation of hard work, aptitude and learned experiences which have EARNED you your current status. It’s time we embraced who we are and even more so, where we can go. The sky’s the limit!
2:15 – 2:30 PM Marketplace / Break, Marketplace Area
2:30 – 3:15 PM “Men Who Get It” Panel, Main Stage
Since the 19th century, men have been part of the much-needed cultural and political responses to feminism within each “wave” of our movements. If society is going to evolve and be built to include women as decision-makers, we need ‘men who get it’ advocating for why it needs to happen. Hear from our panel of Men Who Get It to learn about efforts to create a more equal society and how we can work together to all be feminists leading the change.
3:15 – 3:45 PM End of Day Keynote Diana Pagano, Main Stage
In our personal and business lives we always say that we strive to be a better version of ourselves and somehow few can answer what that truly means to them. We often get caught up with the everyday whirlwind and lose focus on what will actually moves the needle. Join Diana for a peak into her journey that turned into the inspirational “make things happen” movement!
3:45 – 4:00 PM Closing remarks, Main Stage
4:00 – 5:00 PM VIP Reception, Rotunda (Ticketed Event)
Women leaders are suffering from an exhaustion gap at work. Compared with men, women report higher levels of chronic stress, and working moms are most at-risk for burnout. So, how do women balance it all? They don’t. In this inspirational talk, women’s leadership expert Nikki Groom will share how you can make a difference by staying off balance on purpose, becoming your own best advocate, and role modeling a different way to lead.