AWC Fall Workshop 2020

Chemberly Cummings - Town of Normal Councilmember & State Representative Candidate 

Learning to speak up is important wherever women live and work. Hear from community advocate Chemberly Cummings about how women can organize to have their voices heard. She will also cover the basics of running for office and describe the impact of women who hold office based on her personal experience. 

9:45-10:45am - Stress-Free Project Management for Non-Project Managers
Jen Williams - Operations Authority & CEO, Jen Williams Agency, Inc.

Both at work and at home, our goals and projects can get out of hand. Jen Williams takes the stress out of tackling large projects by covering Project Management 101, including the different types, how to know when to use each technique, and terminology to know. Plus, she’ll give us 10 steps to a successful stress-free project when you aren't in an official project management role.
 
11am-12pm - Storytelling for Networking 
Stefanie Santos McLeese - CEO, Santos McLeese Public Relations

Networking is a way of life in business today, but are you getting the most out of those moments to share and connect? Research shows that stories have major impact in business because they are memorable and create an emotional connection with the listener. Stories for networking should communicate something about your character or capabilities. Stefanie Santos McLeese will show us how to build our own bank of stories ahead of any networking event and be ready to wow! Your stories should convey four simple elements, and we'll talk through exactly what they mean...

• What was the situation? (Content) 

• Who was involved? (Characters) 

• What was unique about it? (Conflict) 

• Why is this information valuable? (Moral)

Then, we’ll put your storytelling to the test in live breakout sessions so you can practice with other attendees and see these techniques in action. 

12-12:30pm - Lunch Break

12:30-1:30pm - Panel: Leading With Intersectionality 

• Angela Allen, Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager at COUNTRY Financial

• Hannah Mesouani, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Illinois Wesleyan University 

• Archana Shekara, Associate Professor at Illinois State University

• Moderator: Liz German, CEO/President at YWCA of McLean County

Join a panel of local professionals as they share their expertise, experiences, and action-oriented insight as it relates to leading with intersectionality. This discussion will cover how to advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in personal and professional settings. Key takeaways will include how to allow space for others to tell their own stories by practicing active listening, as well as how to communicate with people who hold different points of view.

1:45-2:45pm - Women & Money
Chelsea Williams - Chief Financial Architect, LP3 & Core Solutions Group, Inc.

Women often have a different relationship with money than men do. For centuries, women were conditioned to "stay out of it" and feel shame around making "too much" money. This has left us with residual mind blocks, which is why it's Chelsea Williams' mission to expose the history, shine a light on where we currently are, and help you to tap into your money-earning potential.  

3-4pm - The One Year from Now Workshop
Hailey Thomas - Mindset Coach, Brainspace Optimized

When you think about your life and work one year from now, what do you see? And what's the plan for getting there? In this workshop, you will build a practical action plan that inspires you and equips you to bring your vision into reality. Hailey Thomas is a mindset coach that specializes in helping entrepreneurs craft a clear vision for their work and then achieve that vision by cleaning up their thinking—specifically their clarity, confidence, and decision-making. Whether you’re running a household, a board room, or a business, having a vision makes all the difference.