.png)
Keynotes, Breakout Sessions, & Guided Activities
Keynote Sessions
Cultivating Connection: Igniting Leadership Through Authentic Networking with Mindy Audlin
Join us to kick off the "Inspire & Ignite" conference with a focus on the power of connection. Leave with a newfound understanding of how authentic networking can light the way for your leadership journey. Let's cultivate connection, inspire each other, and set the stage for a day filled with meaningful relationships and personal growth.
The Power of our Thoughts, Devan Robinson, Developing with Devan
In her dynamic keynote speech, "The Power of our Thoughts," Devan will unravel the incredible power of thoughts. She'll reveal how a single thought can spark life-changing transformations, drawing inspiration from her own experiences such as starting a business, writing her book, and becoming a foster parent. She will illustrate how thoughts can be a force for both creation and destruction, shaping our actions and our success. Using the framework of Cognitive Behavioral Theory, she'll connect the dots between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors while helping you take an inside look into your own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Devan will unveil the top three types of thoughts that create a massive disconnect for women in both their professional and personal lives and explain the common cognitive distortions amongst those three types. Devan will also offer practical tips to help women break free from these distortions using a simple, yet profound formula for each one.
The goal? Empower the audience to change their thoughts, change their lives, and silence the inner critic. Devan's keynote will inspire attendees to embrace their potential and embark on a transformative journey.
_edited.jpg)
Breakout Sessions
Adirondack/Style: Clothing & Cosmetics for Fit, Personality, Role and Weather – facilitated by Valerie Pawlewicz, Bloom (PM)
Learn to dress for your body, style, role and weather conditions for conducting business in the Adirondacks. Learn how to be confident, stylish, and dress for success whether you are in the Adirondacks or headed to the city. Get tips for different body types and different seasons with clothes, accessories, and cosmetics. Be comfortable with YOU! This session will include a panel of experts: Lizzie Boolukos of "Seven Flowers of Luxury", Georgeanne Gaffney of “8 Academy”, Martha Jackson of "Restored by Design", and Tori Vazquez Boutique Owner of "Main Street Exchange".
Understanding Unconscious Bias and Nurturing Civility with Sharon Van Auken, CITEC (PM)
Explore diversity and unconscious bias in the context of discrimination and harassment prevention in our workplaces. Through various exercises, participants will examine involuntary mental shortcuts we take that lead to unconscious bias. Participants will leave the session with ideas for achieving a workplace culture rooted in civility and respect for all.
.jpg)
Breaking Barriers as a Wilderness Education Entrepreneur with Carolyn Walton, WOODS Program (AM)
Discover how Carolyn navigated the challenges of being a female in the male dominated field of wilderness education. Participants will learn tools for entering into mostly male space with confidence, how to network in small communities and how to bring entities together that have overlap in missions/visions to produce a service product. Learn how the Woods program breaks down the barriers of entry that exist to explore the outdoors and use nature by experience to enhance wellness.
Leading a business with Empathy with Chrissy Crosby (PM)
In this session we’ll discuss the importance of the human connection to drive business as a woman, a mother, and a partner. Participants will learn how to successfully sell by using their own stories and perspective while also being open-minded and compassionate to others.
In the Business World - from corporate fashion to my own business with Martha Jackson, Restored By Design (AM)
Entrepreneur and community contributor, Martha Jackson, shares her experiences working in the business world, the ups and downs, staying creatively inspired, and keeping her sanity, what she loves and what she misses! Participants will gain insight to keeping a balance between creativity, family life, and aspiring success. The creative spirit can be a bear to manage in a business environment…staying inspired is key. Prioritizing, managing, and organizing one’s creative endeavors is also a matter of funneling your energies without getting discouraged or burning out. Martha will share some of these tips to stay positive and focused on accomplishing your dreams.
Nurturing An Online Network with Nicole Ouellette, Breaking Even (AM)
Living in a rural place or working for a very small business, it can be easy to feel isolated or unsure of how you're going to find new opportunities. This presentation will focus on your options for connecting with others online and the pros and cons of various online platforms and some use cases for how other women have used these strategies to get more business, meet new friends, and more. Learn out to use the internet to effectively start and nurture a network - evaluating how your efforts are working and connecting with people.
Guided Activities
Come Back to Your Senses with Helene Gibbens, Adirondack Riverwalking
How can we re-focus at work within a few minutes? How do we make the most of each day? Using our senses grounds us into our bodies, gives our executive brain functions a reboot that leaves us feeling mindful and refreshed for what is next in our day. Add nature, with outdoor or indoor sensory activities, and you have a powerful wellness practice that you can take home, whether you live in the country or the city. Come dressed appropriately as this session will combine playful outdoor and indoor activities that are accessible to everyone.
Practical and Empowering Women's' Self-Defense with Greg Langdon, ADK Boxing
This workshop is an empowering and practical hands-on training on the fundamentals of women's self-defense. This workshop is built on the premise that self-defense does not require complicated, in-depth knowledge of martial arts or other combat sports, or participants to be in top physical condition. Participants will learn practical self-defense techniques that are as simple as using their voice, body language and defensive postures, to striking and offensive moves. The knowledge gained in this supportive and empowering environment gives the confidence to be able to act in everyday situations where participants may feel threatened.
The Rhythm of LIFE with Johnna MacDougall, Somabeats
Feel the Beat! Find your Rhythm! Gather together for Self-Care Rejuvenation with a heartbeat rhythm and sense of community. Join Johnna McDougall for this drumming, movement, laughter retreat!
Yoga with Jill Henck
Come set aside one hour of your day to build a relationship between breath, movement, and inner clarity. This all levels Hatha yoga flow will hopefully leave you feeling replenished and engaged and with a renewed pathway to growth.
Intro to Slow Birding with Mikayla Ploof, Northern New York Audobon
Slow birding is an accessible way to experience the birds around you. Birds are everywhere and learning to listen and watch can be beneficial to your mental health. In this session we will take time to sit, clear our minds, and experience nature. No birding experience is necessary. A notebook is encouraged. Being in nature has been proven to make people happier, but nature does not mean you need to get lost in the woods somewhere. Learn how to enjoy the wild that is already around you. You can slow bird in the city, in rural areas, and of course out in the wild. You will learn some key tips to identifying birds (and possible other wildlife) around you in a slow, accessible way while also getting in touch with nature and yourself.
Moving past the fear of success and failure with Autumn Star Serino
Learn how to empower yourself to embrace your journey so you can finally own that big dream.
Autumn will demonstrate how to access the subconscious part of the mind that has been protecting you and keeping you safe, yet unfulfilled in your career and life. Then by teaching you self-hypnosis you will learn how to change those subconscious beliefs and thoughts to align with your desires and dreams. You will be able to take these skills and knowledge to apply it to any situation in your life that you are seeing the same repeating patterns in. Connect and grow with other local women who have been silently struggling with the same feelings so that you can support each other and form a cooperative community.