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The 16th Annual Texas Conference for Women

Promoting ‘The Power of Us’ by inspiring women to grow as leaders.

The 16th annual Texas Conference for Women will be Oct. 15 at the Austin Convention Center. This year’s theme, “The Power of Us,” gears the conference toward inspiring women, encouraging professional development, personal growth and helping facilitate networking throughout Texas. Keynote speakers for this year’s conference include broadcaster Robin Roberts and actress Patricia Arquette. With more than 100 experts in their fields, breakout sessions will focus on building communication and leadership skills, as well as discussions and tools for work-life balance. 

“Our keynote speakers embody the bold, creative action that we encourage and celebrate at the Texas Conference for Women,” says Johnita Jones, president of the board. “Our attendees will receive great advice and wisdom from strong leaders looking to help all women succeed.”

 

Keynote Speakers

 

Patricia Arquette

In 2010, Patricia Arquette saw firsthand the devastation that was caused by the earthquake that hit the island of Haiti. It moved her to start GiveLove, a charity that helps provide sustainable housing to the victims of the disaster.

 

Candy Chang

Senior TED fellow and co-founder of neighborland.com, Candy Chang works to make neighborhoods and communities more cooperative public spaces. This emerging urban innovator is also the creator of the Before I Die project, which started when she simply wrote, “Before I die, I want to ____” on a chalkboard wall in an abandoned house in New Orleans. Overnight, it became a place for people to reflect and share their stories, and led to the publication of the {Before I Die} book in 2013.

 

Bert Jacobs

Bert Jacobs is the co-founder and CEO (Chief Executive Optimist) for the Life is Good Company, which works to spread optimism through inspiring art, community and nonprofit work. His recently published book, {Life is Good: The Book–How to Live with Purpose and Enjoy the Ride}, inspires readers to “grow the good” in their lives by choosing optimism.

 

Robin Roberts

Robin Roberts is easily recognizable as the co-anchor of ABC’s {Good Morning America}. In 2007, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and, five years later, was diagnosed with MDS (myelodysplastic syndrome), a blood and bone-marrow disease. She has won many awards through her tireless efforts to inform people of this disease and inspired hundreds to become bone-marrow donors. Robins has also published two memoirs, {From the Heart: Seven Rules to Live By} and {Everybody’s Got Something}.

 

Go-to Panels

 

On Leadership

Pioneering Pay Equity: Strategies to Bridge the Gap, Own Your Value and Negotiate Your Worth

10–11 a.m.

This interactive panel offers advice from senior executives who are taking public steps to put an end to the seemingly never-ending battle of equal pay. They’ll offer up today’s most successful negotiation strategies and advice for recognizing your individual strengths and power.

Thought leader: 

Gloria Feldt, New York Times best-selling author and co-founder and president of Take the Lead

Panelists:

Patty McCord, consultant and former chief talent officer at Netflix

Anne-Marie Slaughter, author of Unfinished Business: Women Men Work Family, and president of the New America Foundation

Elizabeth Thornton, author of The Objective Leader: How to Leverage the Power of Seeing Things As They Are

 

 

On Career Advancement

No Risk, No Reward: Taking the Risk to Do What You Want With Your Career

10–11 a.m.

This session is aimed at helping women overcome their fears and take chances in their careers, emphasizing women should always remember even failure leads to growth.

Thought leader: 

Mary Spio, CEO of Next Galaxy Corp. and author if It’s Not Rocket Science: 7 Game-Changing Traits for Uncommon Success

Panelists:

Major M.J. Hegar, one of {Foreign Policy Magazine}’s 100 Leading Global Thinkers

Rochelle Rae, founder of Rae Cosmetics

Amie Sikes, co-founder of Junk Gypsy

Jolie Sikes, co-founder of Junk Gypsy

Host: 

Colette Pierce Burnette, president and CEO of Huston-Tillotson University

 

 

On Transitions

Branding & Perception: How to Maximize How You are Perceived by Others 

10–11 a.m.

Looking for ways to leverage social media to mold your image? This panel will teach women how to shape perception when marketing their unique brand.

Thought leader: 

Stephanie Carls, digital lifestyle and branding expert for My Savvy Life

Panelists:

Azita Ardakani, founder of Lovesocial

Aliza Licht, author of Leave Your Mark and formerly known as DKNY PR Girl

Elizabeth Matthews of Dell

Host: 

Stephanie Douglass, chief brand and culture officer, BIGAustin

 

Reviving Your Career: Actionable Steps to Achieve a Professional Renaissance 

11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

It happens all the time: We change direction in our lives, so we have to change direction or take a step back from our careers. But when it’s time to get back on the path to your passion, you’re not welcomed with open arms, and instead are often shunned or frowned upon by employers. This panel of experts uses stories of real women overcoming bias and obstacles to help attendees revive their careers.

Thought leader: 

Kerry Hannon, best-selling author and career, retirement and personal-finance expert

Panelists:

Gayle Morris, vice president of, Americas global customer success at Cisco

Laura Simms, author of The Purpose Paradigm

Wendy Wallbridge, author of Spiraling Upward: The 5 Co-Creative Powers for Women on the Rise

Host: 

Jen Ostrich, leadership coach and brand consultant

 

Health and Wellness

Optimize Your Stress and Improve your Overall Well-Being

11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

We experience stress in all facets of our lives, but we respond to it differently. Oftentimes, though, we allow it to unintentionally affect us physically and emotionally. In this session, experts share their insights on how to manage stress through nutrition, self-compassion, mindfulness and preventative self-care. 

Thought leader: 

Renée Trudeau, author and stress-management expert

Panelists:

Dawn Bazarko, founder of Moment Health, UnitedHealth Group

Jan Bruce, author of meQuilibrium: 14 Days to Cooler, Calmer, and Happier

Christine Durbin, mind-body therapist, Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Dr. Kristin Neff, associate professor at the University of Texas and author of Self-Compassion

 

The 16th Annual Texas Conference for Women
Oct. 15
7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Austin Convention Center

txconferenceforwomen.org

Photos courtesy of Texas Conference for Women.

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