Speakers/Facilitators
Keynote Speakers
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Robin Gerber Robin Gerber is the author of Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way: Timeless Strategies from the First Lady of Courage (Penguin/Portfolio, 2002) and Katharine Graham: The Leadership Journey of an American Icon with a foreword by Jim Collins, author of Good to Great (Penguin/Portfolio, October, 2005). Eleanor vs. Ike is a novel about what it would have been like if Eleanor would have run for president against Dwight D. Eisenhower. This new book was released right in time for the 2008 presidential primaries (Harper/Avon, January, 2008). Robin is a national commentator on women, leadership and politics. Her opinion pieces appear frequently in national newspapers and she is a popular columnist for Reader's Digest. She has been a commentator on NPR’s Marketplace and Morning Edition, and has appeared on The Newshour with Jim Lehrer and dozens of radio talk shows. Some of Gerber's clients include Bank of America, IBM, Marriott, JP Morgan/Chase, Aetna Information Services, the AARP, Giant Food, The Culinary Institute, and many universities, colleges, girls’ schools, nonprofits and government agencies. Prior to becoming an author, Robin practiced law in Washington, D.C. and worked on Capitol Hill. For more information on Robin Gerber visit www.robingerber.com
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Amy Blankenbiller Amy Blankenbiller is the President and CEO of The Kansas Chamber of Commerce which is the leading statewide pro-business advocacy organization. For nearly eleven years prior to her position at The Kansas Chamber, Amy was the senior associate at Waterman & Associates, a privately owned governmental consulting and lobbying firm in Washington, D.C. In that position, she managed the federal legislative and regulatory agendas and was principle advocate for two national trade associations, as well as worked with several other groups to develop their policies and legislative strategies on environmental and business issues. Amy has also worked as the Legislative Director for Environmental Policy for the National Associate of Homebuilders, received an appointment from President George H.W. Bush as a congressional liaison at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and worked on Capitol Hill as a staff assistant to former Kansas Representative Bob Whittaker and a legislative intern to Senator Bob Dole. Blankenbiller was also an adjunct professor at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management. Amy received her undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas and has completed coursework toward a Masters Degree in environmental planning at the University of Virginia. |
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Break-out Session Topics and Speakers
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How to Get from Where You are to Where You Want to Go What's holding you back? Many times what holds us back as women is that we get comfortable and allow the same routine or habits to control our lives, thus we are unwilling to make a SHIFT. This session will include the tools necessary in order to reposition yourself, overcome distractions and step outside of your comfort zone. |
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Understanding Cultural Differences in Our Expression as Women
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You've Got Talent! Learn how to express yourself without fear. Identify your learning style and gain insight into your creative abilities. It's never too late to uncover your hidden talents! |
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Girls Inc.: Empowering the Next Generation of Women What can be done to help young girls grow into their leadership potential? Emily Mwaja, Director of Programs at Girls Inc. of Omaha, will share information about Girls Inc. and its mission – “Inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.” Special emphasis will be given to programming designed to build leadership skills in girls. |
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Self-Branding: Creating Your Image for the Ultimate Career This session will explore all of the avenues to help you create and discover your ultimate career. Various topics include resumes, dressing for interviews, marketing yourself and creating business contacts. This session will be interactive and fun, but most of all, it will give you another perspective of what you can do to create a brighter future. |
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The Power of Mentoring in the Lives of Women Who makes a good mentor? Where do I find one? Mentoring is a critical part of the leadership process. Learn how to identify different types of mentor relationships and how to find the right mentor relationship that will enhance your career and/or personal development. |
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A Force of Nature: Harnessing the Power of Self-confidence Are you lacking self-confidence? This interactive session will help participants develop techniques and practical skills to increase our confidence and personal power levels. Learn how to not only recognize your strengths and talents, but to develop the confidence to share them with the world. Learn how to take the wheel and rule the road, no matter what map you're holding.
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Gender Roles in Popular Culture and their Effect on Our Perceptions of Leadership Have you thought about the impact that media has on our thinking? How does popular culture affect our perceptions of leadership? Susan Faludi writes that post 9/11 our society has been inundated with a cultural fallout complete with a comeback in traditional gender roles and a glorification of "heroes" like John Wayne and Superman who save helpless damsels in distress. Come eager to examine how these ideas in popular culture and media affect our perceptions of leadership and discuss what we can do to address this issue. |
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The American Tsunami: America's Changing Workforce As millions of baby-boomers begin to retire, America will face a wave of change in the workforce. As we become a more diverse society, workforce training and education will also need to become more diverse. The session will address the challenges involved with the changing workforce and offer insight to the leadership opportunities in the effort to “stem the tide”.
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The Benefits of Nurturing Yourself Health and beauty are two important things that people always want and need more of. When you look good on the outside, you’ll feel better on the inside. Spend and hour with us, and learn how to better take care of yourself with quick beauty tips and suggestions. Find out why massage therapy is so important, and get ready to feel your best!
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Civic Engagement: Going the Distance All too often, when working with youth, we ask them to participate in a single workday as a volunteer. Sometimes it is just a one-hour event during a class or as a church project. This session will explore the integration of business, education and non-for-profit organizations in developing sustaining projects that truly exemplify civic consciousness. These long-term volunteer projects offer the schools and community an opportunity to truly make a difference in the lives of others. As one student stated in a radio interview: “We have learned to reach out beyond ourselves to help others.”
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