ABWA CONFERENCE EVENTS

Keynote

Choose to Rise:  5 Keys to Maintain Balance + Ignite Momentum During Times of Disruption

Disruption is the new normal. To thrive in constant change, we must foster resilience, purpose and agility to rise to every challenge.

In this high-impact 45-60 minute keynote, Janine shares her proven 5-step “Momentum Mindset” framework for staying focused and empowered during turbulence.

Attendees will discover how to:

• Reconnect with their unique talents and unshakeable purpose.

• Make courageous choices aligned with strategic priorities.

• Remove obstacles and accelerate growth.

• Rally their teams around an inspiring vision of the future.

• Transform adversity into their advantage.

Meet Janine Stange

Janine Stange is a motivational speaker, singer, and on-air personality. She is best known for her historic journey to sing the Star-Spangled Banner in all 50 states – a mission she embarked on to honor our brave. Her story is the subject of “National Anthem Girl” a documentary by Kelly’s Filmworks now streaming on Amazon Prime and Apple TV. 

Keynote

Digital Disruption: The Future of Work, Skills, Leadership and Careers in a Technology World

The world is in disruption! You are at the forefront of rapid change. The continued accelerated pace of technology, and competitive forces is causing workplace environments to become more volatile and in need of disruptive leaders, employees to challenge the status quo. This multimedia presentation focuses on key trends that impact jobs, new skills that are needed today to remain relevant, and how to manage your career in a digital world including:

• Societal Changes – How globalization and societal forces have created a new workplace.
• Technology Innovations – What technologies are changing work, skills and careers?
• The Future of Work – What will work look like in the future?
• Future Skills – What new skills are required in a digital world?
• The Evolution of Leadership –What new skills are required in a digital world?
• The Future of You – Is it time for a Career Selfie?

Meet Dr. Tracey Wilen

Dr. Tracey Wilen is a researcher, speaker, author on the impact of technology on society, work, and careers. A former visiting scholar at Stanford University, she has held leadership positions at Apple, HP, Cisco Systems, and the Apollo Group. She has been an adjunct professor for California colleges teaching classes in business, technology, and women’s workforce topics.

Dr. Wilen has authored or co-authored 13 books, including Career Confusion; 21st Century Career Management in a Disrupted World (named Bloomberg’s top business book, 2019), Digital Disruption; The Future of Work, Skills, Leadership, Education and Careers in a Digital World. Employed for Life, 21st. Century Career Trends, Women Lead: Career Perspectives from Workplace Leaders and Society 3.0: How Technology Is Reshaping Education, Work, and Society.

She has received numerous accolades:  San Francisco Woman of the Year (Business Times 2018), Most Influential Woman in Bay Area Business, Women Advocate of the Year by Women in Technology (WIT 2019), Most Influential Women’s Advocate in Business and Best Thought Leadership Business Consultancy awards by AI (Acquisition International 2019) Global Media, Corp Today Magazine (2020).

Keynote

Becoming a Woman of Impact; Strategic Positioning for Women in Business

The future is female.  And so is much of our past.  When we look at social change and the myriad of contributions women have made throughout history, it’s a woman’s social and emotional compass, that is often guiding us. There has truly never been a better time for women to take the lead in creating a massive professional impact than right at this moment.  

Being a Woman of Impact in business helps break down barriers and glass ceilings for future generations of women.  By demonstrating competence, resilience, and leadership skills, women challenge the notion that certain roles or industries are reserved for me.  

This inspiring and soul-stirring keynote will encourage conference attendees to take the lead, step into your power, and create a movement that will create a ripple effect around the world.  

Meet Jen Buck

Jen Buck began the first decade of her career in a startup helping to launch a billion-dollar global and award-winning brand while in a leadership development training role; she understands the demands of dynamic environments and the pressure it puts on people to be Impact Makers. Her keynotes are powerful, impactful, and jammed with practical, real-world takeaways that inspire peak performance and leadership that leaves a legacy. 

Jen has eight Master Trainer certifications and has been professionally certified to train over 100 courses. She also holds three professional coaching certifications, allowing for a Certified Professional Coach (CPC) designation.  

Professional Certifications:

• Zenger Miller 
• Wilson Learning
• Carlson Learning Company
• Total Quality Management
• Interact
• International Learning, Inc.
• Discovery Learning Services, Inc.
• Bob Pike’s Creative Training Techniques​

Entertainment

The Passing Zone

The Passing Zone is one of the most successful and sought-after comedy acts working today. This is their story.

Owen Morse and Jon Wee met in 1986 at a juggling convention and instantly knew they were destined to be a team. But they decided to graduate from college first. Which they both did. Rather than pursue careers in Economics and Psychology, they lit some torches, and started throwing stuff into the air. And things clicked. Two weeks after their first performance together they won the Silver Medal at the International Jugglers’ Association Teams Competition. The next year they won the Gold. That recognition earned an invitation to appear at the renowned Comedy and Magic Club in Los Angeles, where on their first night they were approached by the “Tonight Show” talent scout and booked for their first national television appearance in September 1990. Johnny Carson enjoyed them so much they were asked back less than a year later. ​

Pre-Conference Session

From Leads to Loyalty, Designing Effective Marketing Funnels

Session Speaker:  Elizabeth Hambleton

Join us for this interactive workshop where you will delve into the strategies behind every successful ABWA event. This session is designed for ABWA’s League Leaders (Officers and Committee Chairs). Using ABWA’s Fall Membership Recruitment Campaign as the case study, you’ll learn how to transform initial interest in becoming a member into lasting engagement, crafting a funnel that turns leads into loyal participants.  Don’t miss this chance to enhance your marketing skills with pratcal insights and hands-on activities!   

Pre-Conference Session

AI-PC Revolution

Session Speakers:

Robert Furrow – Dell Client Solutions Group

Abbey Hailey – Dell Client Solutions Group

We hear about AI every single day from many different sources. How does it affect the average PC user? Is your corporate IT environment ready for current and future workloads?  Join us in our conversation of how Dell is positioned to help organizations of any size AI PC implementation. Be ready for the AI Revolution! 

Build Your Entrepreneurial Brick Road

Session Presenter:  Charlotte Tritch, KU School of Business Faculty Since 2011

Discover the Five Bucket Principle:  A Workshop for Achieving Work/Life Balance

Session Speaker:  Sherry Darden

Hey Superstar!  Are you juggling the competing demands of finances, friends, family, work, health, and community? Wondering if it’s even possible to meet all these needs without losing your sanity? The answer is a resounding YES! Join us for a fun, interactive seminar where you’ll uncover the secrets of the 5 Buckets Principle™ for achieving work/life balance.

In this engaging session, you’ll gain practical tools to prioritize what truly matters to you. You’ll learn how to see the BIG PICTURE without ignoring the little things that make life sweet. We’ll guide you on how to carve out time for everything, including yourself and some much-needed fun. It’s all about identifying priorities, making smart choices, and managing expectations like a pro.

Here’s what you’ll get from this game-changing workshop:

• Explore from a Global Perspective: Understand work/life balance on a broader scale.
• Identify the 5 Buckets Principle: Learn the core elements of balancing your life.
• Discover What Fills Your Buckets: Dive into the key components that make up each bucket.
• Take Action: Determine actionable steps to implement what you’ve learned.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to transform your approach to work/life balance. It’s time to take control and start living your best life.

Embracing Change:  Keys to Being a Highly Effective and Agile Leader

Session Speaker:  Tneisha Brown, Franklin Covey Trainer

Franklin Covey is known for transforming organizations by building exceptional leaders, teams, and cultures  that get results. And again this year, we are excited to have Franklin Covey join our ranks of remarkable keynotes, presenters and trainers.  

In this 3-hour session, Franklin Covey Trainer Teneisha Brown will help you define where your goals and strategies when navigating the path of uncertainty.

By the end of this session, you will:

• Understand change and how to navigate it.
• Learn how to develop a proactive approach
• Learn to set clear goals and envision desired outcomes to guide your decision-making and actions.
• Master the skill of prioritizing and focussing on tasks and activities that align with your key goals and objectives.
• Learn techniques to manage your time and your resources effectively.

For IACET, this session is valued at 3 contact hours/.3 CEUs and for NASBA, 3.2 CEUs.  

Mastering Negotiation:  Empowering Women to Lead with Confidence

Session Speaker:  Dr. Stephanie Menefee

Mastering Negotiations is an interactive session designed to equip women with the skills and confidence needed to excel in negotiation settings. Participants will build (or add to) their toolbox of strategies for effective communication, conflict resolution, and assertiveness.

The session will focus on overcoming common challenges faced by women in leadership roles, enhancing their ability to advocate for themselves and their teams. Through interactive exercises and real-world examples, attendees will gain practical tools to lead with confidence and achieve successful outcomes in negotiations.

In this session participants will:

• Learn and practice key negotiation techniques and strategies tailored to enhance their ability to advocate effectively in various professional scenarios.
• Improve communication skills, focusing on active listening, clear articulation of needs, and conflict resolution methods to manage and resolve disputes confidently.
• Feel empowered to overcome common barriers to assertiveness, helping them lead negotiations with confidence and advocate for themselves and their teams effectively.

AI – What is AI?  How is it going to Change Your Business and Your Life

Session Speaker:  Ted Janusz

You probably have used Google for search for years, but you may be wondering, “What is artificial intelligence?”  The bottom line is that AI is the biggest technological advance since the internet itself. With AI you don’t need to enter keywords to get the information you want and the response you get back from your computer will not be a list of links you need to click on. With AI, you can converse with your computer as though it were human. 

In this session, you will learn how to:

• Write prompts to get better responses from A!
• Use artificial intelligence to help you with writing emails, sales and marketing, job postings and interviewing job candidates,
• Use AI tools, and why.

And we will do all of this in a fun, non-technical, interactive way, so when you leave this session, you will be confident to both discuss and use artificial intelligence!

Class of 2025, ABWA’s Top Ten Business Women

The Top Ten Business Woman Award is the most prestigious honor bestowed on an individual member  in the American Business Women’s Association.  

Since 1953, ABWA has celebrated women for their career and academic achievements, and contributions to their community and to the American Business Women’s Association. The nominees represent a wide range of business professions from academia, sales and medicine to entrepreneurs and small business owners, and are selected by their peers.  The nominees with the highest ranking are named the Top Ten Business Women for the following year.  

This year’s, celebratory champagne breakfast will be held in their honor on Saturday, September 28 at the National Women’s Leadership Conference at which time, the American Business Woman will also be named.

The Top Ten Business Women’s Celebratory Champagne Breakfast is sponsored by 2016-2017 National President, Vanessa Willis and National University.

Best Practices in League Management

The Best Practices model is built upon a set of core values respected and expected in business today. The model offers league leaders a structured approach that ensures each league delivers an experience that is reflective of ABWA’s brand promise and in compliance with the  Association’s Bylaws, Policies, Processes and Procedures.  Leagues participating in this award must meet the rigorous criteria in five different areas including:  Strategy, Operations Management, Annual Curriculum, Brand Compliance, and Strength and Vitality all while, learning new skills or enhancing existing knowledge. 

The KC All Stars will provide musical accompaniment during the Awards session after which, the attendees will be invited to kick-off their shoes and dance!