Description

DATE: March 26, 2024

TIME: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

LOCATION: DoubleTree Resort

COST: Full day - $125 Member / $150 Future Member

Morning without lunch: $50/$75

Morning with lunch: $75/$100

Afternoon with lunch: $75/$100

Afternoon without lunch: $50/$75

INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTERING YOUR BREAKOUT SESSIONS:

1. Select register. 

2. Enter your contact information.

3. Select your registration option (ticket type).

4. Under registration information, after entering attendee contact details (whether you are registering for yourself or others), select two breakouts from the list. You should have two breakout sessions selected: one for 10:15 am and one for 1:45 pm. 

5. Please reach out to register@lancasterchamber.com if you questions. 

What is the Professional Women(+)’s Forum?

Every year, we host the Professional Women(+)’s Forum as part of our Women(+) in Business program. The Professional Women’s Forum is a full-day conference filled with inspiring and energizing sessions designed to foster connections with women across Lancaster County, cultivate professional and personal growth, and celebrate the impact of women in our community.

At our 2024 Professional Women's Forum, we'll dive into sessions that focus on ways to enhance our clarity and build our confidence as we navigate our personal and professional journeys! Embracing clarity and confidence in our lives supports our pursuit of our goals, empowers us to make impactful decisions, and inspires us to overcome challenges with determination. 

You'll walk away with practical tools for gaining clarity on your life choices, whether you're navigating a career path or transition, managing family responsibilities, or pursuing personal goals. We hope that this year's conference creates a supportive environment for you to embrace your potential, overcome barriers to your success, and lead well within our community. 

Our Marketplace is new this year! During our Happy Hour from 4 pm to 5 pm, we'll be showcasing products and services offered in the Lancaster community by women-owned and women-led businesses. You'll have the opportunity to shop around, try a few samples, and enter into a raffle to win prizes!

We look forward to seeing you there!

AGENDA

8:30 am – Doors Open 

9:00 am – Welcome & Opening 

10:15 am – Breakout Rotation 1 

11:30 am – Lunch 

12:30 pm – Plenary 

1:45 pm – Breakout Rotation 2 

3:00 pm – Keynote 

4:00 pm – Happy Hour + Marketplace (NEW!)

5:00 pm – Program Concludes

KEYNOTE

The Reset Mindset with Penny Zenker, The Focusologist

If you struggle with finding clarity, maintaining the right focus, or failing to get meaningful results, the problem isn’t you. It’s your mindset. And the answer is simple yet profound—reset.

In The Reset Mindset, productivity expert Penny Zenker (aka The Focusologist) draws on more than two decades of experience founding, running, and scaling multimillion-dollar organizations to reveal a proven method that not only ensures that you never get stuck again but also allows you to unlock new levels of performance personally and collectively.

Regardless of your job title or situation, the simple three-step Reset Practice—1: Step Back; 2: Get Perspective; 3: Realign—can help you achieve remarkable results. You won’t just see or do things differently. You will reshape your entire approach to work, relationships, goals, and leadership.

You can take back control. You can make the complex simple. You can overcome personal and professional distractions.

All you need is The Reset Mindset. 

You will be able to:

• Pinpoint key moments that present opportunities for reflection and reassessment.
• Acquire practical tools for self-reflection to foster clarity and confidence personally and professionally.
• Apply methods to reduce complexity and simplify decision-making.
• Personal action plan to apply the Reset Mindset in your daily life, accelerating your progress towards your goals.

OPENING

The Search for Clarity & Confidence with Chris Drew, Founder, Christiane Drew

Transitions are an inevitable part of our journey. In the midst of the ambiguity and doubt that often accompany seasons of change, how do we find our paths forward? Transitions offer transformative moments of growth, learning, and opportunity, but we may often feel like we're floundering. 

With clarity of purpose and confidence in direction, we can embrace the full potential of change. In this powerful opening session with Chris Drew, feel inspired to seek clarity and build confidence throughout the ebbs and flows of life. 

PLENARY

The Tailored Leader: Executive Presence Looks Good on You with Julie Webb, Senior Vice President, Mid Penn Bank

You do the work.  You always say “yes”.  You never miss a deadline. You feel that your work is going unnoticed, your voice unheard, and your contributions unrecognized. 

Sound familiar?  

Julie Webb is on a personal mission to recognize, promote, and celebrate professional women. According to the 2023 Women in the Workplace report authored by McKinsey in collaboration with LeanIn.org, women are more ambitious than ever before. Yet despite some hard-fought gains, women’s representation is not keeping pace.  Hybrid work, “the great break-up,” and artificial intelligence present new challenges.

In this ever-changing business landscape, effective leadership has never been more important. Women are uniquely designed to possess the traits that businesses need in their leaders today – assertiveness, inclusiveness, and authenticity. These traits all show up in your executive presence.

It's time to get clear on your personal leadership style and confidently own it.

Don’t worry, just like your favorite pair of jeans, executive presence looks good on you!

BREAKOUTS

Harnessing Power in Vulnerability with Karen Snyder, Senior HR Consultant & Founder, Bloom Consultants

Offered at 10:15 am and 1:45 pm

In a world that often perceives vulnerability as weakness, join us in challenging this misconception. “Harnessing Power in Vulnerability” not only addresses the barriers to clarity and confidence but also embraces vulnerability as a potent catalyst for personal and professional growth.

By debunking the myth surrounding vulnerability, we pave the way for authentic leadership, genuine empathy, and profound trust-building. Through practical strategies and insightful discussions, participants will learn to harness vulnerability as a tool to cultivate confidence and clarity. Together, we'll explore how embracing vulnerability can lead to greater self-acceptance, effective leadership, and meaningful growth. In this session, we will redefine vulnerability and unlock its power in fostering confidence and clarity in ourselves and others.

Breaking Through Barriers with Nichole Mussa Sabil, Women's Business Center Manager, Lisa Weaver-Gonzalez, Director of Programs, and Chelsea Christmas, Community Engagement Coordinator, ASSETS

Offered at 10:15 am and 1:45 pm

In "Breaking Through Barriers", we will identify and strategize to overcome the obstacles that often impede our progress in business. Through candid discussions, we'll explore societal, organizational, and personal forces - such as imposter syndrome - that may be holding us back. Together, we'll determine ways to clarify your vision, invest in self-development, cultivate positivity, and expand your professional networks. Don’t let barriers hold you back any longer!

The Magnificent Power of Failing with Deb Ellenberg, Vice President of Business Development, Sandler Training

Offered at 10:15 am and 1:45 pm

We’ve all experienced those feelings of shame, disappointment, or despair when we failed to perform at the level we expected or achieve a desired goal. However, the time we spend holding on to those feelings and the actions we take in follow-up are dependent upon our mindset and beliefs. When we embrace beliefs that enable us to fail forward, we have clarity for creating unlimited opportunities for growth and magnificent success. This session will address the power of our beliefs, how our beliefs about failing impact our results, and define key strategies that enable us to FAIL-UP. You’ll discover why the “best losers” become the “biggest winners” with everything they do.

Discover the Voice of Clarity with Dr. Katie Sandoe, Founder & Chief Illumination Officer, Light Echo Co.

Offered at 10:15 am and 1:45 pm

Have you ever faced a challenging, complex, or scary situation and felt stuck?  Do you ever overthink your answers, options, or choices?  Does the voice of self-doubt sometimes speak too loudly?  Do you succumb to the "woulds" and "shoulds" instead of following the path you know to be true for you?

What if you could learn to quiet the voice of your inner critic and activate the wisdom within you?  This session will give you the tools to do both. You will walk away empowered to take charge of your thoughts and lean into your work and live with boldness and clarity.

Hitting the Pause Button with Denyse Kling, Founder & CEO, Banish the Burnout

Offered at 10:15 am

Burnout is real. Hitting the pause button is critical. Breath and movement are vital to our physical, emotional, and mental balance. In this session, participants will experience real time modalities to assist with decompressing, identifying, and managing stress triggers. We will discuss the importance of creating self-care habits and routines which help to release the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and tap into the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). We experience multisensory overload everyday... and we need to find balance through moments of pause!

Movement For the Body and Mind with Juliane Flood, Business & Education Coordinator, Lancaster Chamber

Offered at 1:45 pm

A guided movement, stretch, and meditation practice is good for everybody. No experience necessary, just a willingness to try and experience the power of movement. Our bodies are made to move. In this session, we'll learn how movement inspires the mind and serves as medicine. Your mind is powerful in controlling your body and, in turn, your body is capable of more than you think. Through movement, you will ground yourself, focus your mind, and ease the tension in your body. 

If you plan to participate, we recommend preparing for the session by wearing clothing you'll be able to move around in to the conference (or layering). Nothing too challenging, you'll just want to avoid clothing that is overly restrictive! 

2024 Marketplace Vendors

Splints & Daisies Floral Design

Love, Libby Soaps LLC

Century 21 Home Advisors - Nicole Aquilini

KelSas Sweet Box

Ten Thousand Villages

Reimagine Beauty Med Spa

Makenna's Beads LLC

Freckled Feather

A. Calhoun Events

ELUME

Nikki's Custard

Revolution Lancaster

The Aesthetix Lounge

Lash Pray Love

Longbourn Blooms

Meet Our Speakers!

Keynote: Penny Zenker, The Focusologist

Penny Zenker is The Focusologist, a sought-after international speaker, and best-selling author of The Productivity Zone: Stop the Tug of War with Time. As a master NLP practitioner and neuro-strategist, she integrates the elements of thought, communication, and behavior to provide strategies for adapting to change and maximizing results. Penny expertise is derived from building and selling a multi-million-dollar business, managing strategic projects and business turnarounds as a senior executive at one of the World's leading Market Research firms and later working as a Tony Robbins strategic business coach for companies around the world. 

Opening: Chris Drew, Founder, Christiane Drew

Chris(tiane) Drew is a multifaceted individual with a passion for empowering others to live their best lives. As a devoted mother, wife, designer, teacher, and coach, her wealth of experience extends far beyond these roles. Chris radiates positivity, energy, and authenticity, inspiring those around her to take risks, pursue their passions, and prioritize their well-being. Having lived in four different countries, Chris is intimately familiar with life's transitions and challenges. As a certified life coach from the Life Coach Institute and a certified holistic life, career, and executive coach from Goal Imagery Institute, she leverages her diverse experience to help people design their ideal lives, achieve personal growth, and overcome obstacles.

Chris is also a certified NLP practitioner, a mental health coach with Lyra, and holds an ACC credential through ICF, International Coaching Federation. Chris's philosophy is that it's never too late to redesign your life and tap into your true power. She is committed to helping individuals unleash their full potential and live fulfilling lives.

Plenary: Julie Webb, CIC, CPCU, Senior Vice President, Mid Penn Bank

Julie Webb leads the MPB Insurance team at Mid Penn Bancorp and heads up the Women’s Leadership Network (one of three MPB employee resource groups). Julie has over 18 years of leadership experience holding various positions during that time. Most recently, she was the Regional Vice President for a large insurance agency network with responsibility for the Mid-Atlantic territory. Prior to that, she managed a regional sales and service location for GEICO.

A lifelong learner, Julie holds her Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designations. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and majors in finance and marketing. She serves as a board vice-chair for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region and enjoys volunteering as a Girl Scout Troop Leader and Classroom Teacher for Junior Achievement. She recently founded a local chapter of the Women’s Business League to provide a space for professional women to network and grow together.

Julie speaks to audiences on executive presence and restyling leadership to be both authentic and effective. She most recently delivered the Keynote Address at the Redefining Leadership Conference at the University of Pittsburgh. She lives in Hershey with her husband (Justin), 12-year-old son (Sam), 9-year-old daughter (Ros), and 5-year-old Goldendoodle (Lincoln). She loves traveling with her family, strength training, reading, and knitting anything that is a square or a rectangle.

Breakouts

Karen Snyder, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Senior HR Consultant & Founder, Bloom Consultants

Karen has spent her career in Human Resources and is well versed in leadership development and organizational design. She has been described as genuine and authentic, and takes pride in helping others find solutions to their most difficult challenges. 

Karen is currently the Founder and Senior HR Consultant with Bloom Consultants. She has worked in a wide array of industries including defense. manufacturing, entertainment, and education. She has both international and domestic experience and has expertise in all facets of HR. Karen has spent many years developing her skills to integrate HR into the business in order to be a true business partner and agent of change.

Karen has worked with all levels of the organization and has designed and developed very effective leaders and leadership teams. She has developed and presented leadership trainings in several countries and integrated three businesses globally. Karen has spent several years in Talent Management and is experienced in selection and development assessments, team building programs, and organizational and individual succession and development strategies.  As an advocate of advancing women, her true passion is in coaching individuals through various stages of their careers and empowering them to find their strengths and true-life purpose. 

When not conjuring up her next adventure, Karen serves on the PDC committee for LSHRM, is on the HR Advisory Group and Women in Business Advisory Group for the Lancaster Chamber and is a certified yoga instructor.

Nichole Mussa Sabil, Women's Business Center Manager, ASSETS

Born and raised in West Philadelphia, I ventured to Lancaster in 2000 for a change of pace. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in Comparative Literature and a Master of Arts in Business Management and Executive Leadership. I have worked in nonprofit leadership since 2008. I have worked in roles that include management, adult education, advocacy, and community relations. My husband and I own a small logistics business in Mozambique and are in the process of pioneering the first House of Prayer in Pemba, Mozambique. 

My superpowers are perseverance and helping others see their true potential. I try to instill GRIT in the people I support because they need to know that they will face obstacles and failures, but only the successful see these obstacles as opportunities to reign victorious. My passion expands beyond the U.S. borders as I passionately pursue the advancement of people—throughout the world. I am passionate about seeing the marginalized flourish. 

I absolutely love to sit in a cafe with a warm cup of coffee to read or write. You can also catch me watching Wonder Woman or King Arthur Legend of the Sword.  I am a very spiritual person and feel most connected with heaven when my hands are running through blades of grass and my toes are sinking into particles of dirt. At that moment, I am swept away. 

Words that I live by is something I picked up from a woman that I admire “stop for the one” which means slow down for the person in front of me. 

Chelsea Christmas, Community Engagement Coordinator, ASSETS

My name is Chelsea Christmas and I am from Lancaster, PA born and raised. I come from a big family of strong men and women and I am 1 of 5 girls. My purpose and passion has always been to bring women together through health and wellness. I have seen firsthand through seasons of pain and uncertainty the importance of turning to health and wellness as a way to cope. I learned that caring for myself was not selfish, it is my responsibility. I learned that healing is available in healthy communities, that my body can do hard things, and that my mind can tell a new story that leads to hope. When I connect with the women of AHC I see myself in each of them and I am reminded that purpose can curate the space for other women to start their work toward being healthy, happy, and whole. I want for women to walk into spaces they know they will be accepted in. My expertise is in empowering and encouraging the sister next to me to be all that she can be. I believe that when SHE wins, we all WIN!

Lisa Weaver-Gonzalez, Director of Programs, ASSETS

Lisa is a life-long learner with international experience and 9 years of hands-on experience in nonprofit management, leadership, program development, and entrepreneurship. She is new to the A-Team as the Director of Programs, overseeing Community Lending and Entrepreneur Training for ASSETS.

Prior to ASSETS, Lisa worked for Penn State Berks & Penn State Health St. Joseph within the Berks LaunchBox partnership.  In her joint position, she supported student and community social enterprise start-ups, managed a fruit & vegetable prescription program (Veggie Rx) and corresponding weekly farm stand, and facilitated a variety of additional LaunchBox programming and strategic planning. Before that, Lisa worked in the microfinance industry, and served with MAP International, a health and development organization in Cochabamba, Bolivia. She holds a BA in Economic Development from Eastern University.

Lisa lives in Reading, PA, with her husband Miguel and is active in the local community. She serves as Vice President of the Board of Transformative Solutions Network; Board Member of the Social Enterprise Group; Secretary of the Berks County Planning Commission Board; and as an Advisory Council member of her church, Reading City Church. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing soccer, traveling with her hubby, and playing bluegrass music with her family.

Deb Ellenberg, Vice President of Business Development, Sandler Training

Saleswoman, corporate sales trainer, business coach, public speaker, rock-climber, big-dog lover – no matter what role she plays, Deb Ellenberg is passionate about helping others to uncover the rock-star qualities and awesomeness within. Vice President of Business Development at Sandler Training in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Deb helps business owners and salespeople struggling to fill the pipeline, shorten the sales cycle, close more business, and increase margin by focusing on attitudes, behaviors and techniques for business growth. 

An avid rock climber, Deb finds many parallels in sales and climbing, and shares tips for business success on LinkedIn. It’s all about the “sales climb” and how we get from where we are to where we want to be. Deb has been a featured speaker for associations and groups throughout central Pennsylvania. 

Dr. Katie Sandoe, Founder & Chief Illumination Officer, Light Echo Co.

Dr. Katie Sandoe is an entrepreneur, educator, and taco lover. She believes we're all created for a purpose and that hers is to awaken the power of purpose in others and to help women live into their limitless potential. For nearly 25 years, Katie has pushed the limits and challenged expectations in the non-profit, for-profit, and government sectors. She’s built a reputation of excellence as a visionary leader and inspires others through her keynotes, workshops, and writing on purpose-driven leadership and empowering women in the workplace.

Katie founded Light Echo Co. to help leaders and organizations achieve greater success while transforming their workplaces, industries, and communities. She offers consulting, training, and coaching, along with powerful keynotes and workshops. She also teaches at Penn State Harrisburg in the Communications Department.

Katie loves her community and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Lancaster Chamber, the Board of Directors for the YWCA Lancaster, and the Advisory Board for Penn State Harrisburg’s School of Humanities.

Denyse Kling, Founder & CEO, Banish the Burnout

Denyse Kling is the Founder & Executive Director of The Holistic Center for Health & Wellbeing as well as Founder & CEO of Banish the Burnout. Denyse is the Owner/Studio Director, Yoga United at Brighton, and a Certified Life Transformation & Personal Development Coach. Denyse’s career path spans decades in the healthcare industry and health & well-being sector. 

She speaks at conferences, retreat centers, has worked with senior executives and corporations. Her passion is bringing people from that place of ‘dis-ease’ to that place/platform of ‘ease.’ 

Denyse's focus is to encourage the importance of pausing - to breathe, to ground, and to maintain perspective. Pausing provides space for an opportunity of evolution; where we let go of stress and prioritize self-care. Denyse helps to provide simple tools to reclaim being the captain of your proverbial ‘ship’ and motivate individuals to embrace their human self – flaws & imperfections included!

A Philly native, Denyse has lived in Lancaster County for over 35 years and considers Lancaster her home. She has served on numerous non–profit Boards & Committees. She has a daughter currently living in Houston, TX, two cats, Bailey & Bud and one dog, Opie.

Juliane Flood, Business & Education Coordinator, Lancaster Chamber

Juliane Flood is the Business & Education Coordinator for the Lancaster Chamber. In her role, she manages the Inspire Lancaster work-based learning platform and serves as the Marketing Co-Chair for Career Ready Lancaster! 

Outside of her role with the Chamber, Juliane has been a Dance Instructor with Dance Dynamix for 27 years as well as a personal trainer and nutritionist since 2010. Juliane works with clients of all ages and abilities in the fitness/dance space, from two-year-olds to silver sneakers classes. Juliane previously taught dance on the collegiate level. You may recognize Juliane from her time as an anchor and producer with WGAL8, Blue Ridge Communications, and WJET. 

Juliane lives in Lititz with her husband and two daughters. 

How are speakers selected?

Keynote: Information regarding the conference is shared through professional speaker channels. This year, we received several proposals from speakers that were then reviewed by the Women in Business Advisory Group and the Lancaster Chamber team.

Local: We opened a request for proposal (RFP) seeking submissions from local women and organizations relevant to the conference theme. Submissions were reviewed by the Women in Business Advisory Group and the Lancaster Chamber team. If are you interested in presenting next year, please keep an eye out for future requests. 

*Please note: Members of the Women in Business Advisory Group who submitted proposals were not part of the selection process. 

Thank you to our 

Professional Women's Forum Sponsors!

Breakout Sponsor

Hospitality Sponsor

Gold Sponsor

Silver Sponsors