WLS Speakers

Annabel’s career expands both disciplines and continents. She is a recognized expert in Leadership and Change Management and in consulting to ethical issues across a range of professions. In this capacity she has assisted senior management leaders in becoming more astute decision makers and in leading their organizations through change. She is a highly experienced executive coach who assists her clients in making progress on complex issues. She also started and ran a highly successful international business in Artificial Intelligence.

From an educational perspective Annabel holds a Ph.D in Comparative Religion and Ethics from Boston University and a Masters Degree in Theology for the Weston Jesuit School of Theology (now part of Boston College). She has trained at the J.F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in the discipline of Leadership along with being a qualified accountant (South Africa) and holding an MBA with a focus on Corporate Finance and Strategic Management (United Kingdom).

A dynamic and entertaining presenter, accomplished panel host, and facilitator, Annabel travels to present and pursue her interest in world religions and cultures. Her most recent book is titled Leadership and Change Management by Sage Publications.

Entrepreneur Catherine Blake, founder of Sales Protocol International has a passion for sales, marketing, business development and a heart for encouraging others to be their personal best.

Her professional expertise includes creating corporate identity, branding, sales, public relations, and business strategy.

Blake has over twenty years of sales and marketing experience with FORTUNE 500 corporate giants, start-ups and private ventures. She has worked with renowned marketing guru, Jack Trout, author of “Marketing Warfare”. Her assignments have taken her outside the United States to Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa.

Ms. Blake has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and an Executive MBA from Harvard University. Catherine is currently an adjunct professor at the University of New Hampshire’s Whittemore School of Business & Economics.

Seminar Title: Born to Lead:The Womans Inherent Advantage

Speaker Names: C. Blake, Hyde, L. Rothery

Summary: New studies indicate that women’s emotional natures make us inherently strong leaders, making us inspirational, capable of motivating others, and moving people toward an envisioned outcome. Women are actually hard-wired to excel in the global environment. Join this eye-opening conversation!

Take Aways:

Seminar Title: Strategically Managing Your Career

Speaker Name(s): N. Bush, M. Coffin, P. Money, D. Vanderzanden

Summary: This panel of highly experienced professionals associated with the field of Human Resources and Career Development will discuss the importance of strategically planning and formulating your career moves. Brining different perspectives to the table they will highlight why and how women can position themselves so as to maximize their carreer opportunities.

The take-aways from this session include:

• How career planning differs between men and women

• The strategic moves women need to make in planning their careers

• How to overcome career planning obstacles

Speaker Name(s): N. Bush, M. Coffin, P. Money, D. Vanderzanden

Seminar Title: Women as Health Visionarie

Speaker Name: S. Crawford, B.Robertss

Summary: Women approach health through a distinctive lens. Their extraordinary capacity to focus on team-based, interconnected and holistic approaches to health is a powerful asset that offers unique benefits to their families, their workplaces and their larger communities. The panelists will focus on this feminine vision and approach to keeping healthy.

Summary: This panel of highly experienced professionals associated with the field of Human Resources and Career Development will discuss the importance of strategically planning and formulating your career moves. Brining different perspectives to the table they will highlight why and how women can position themselves so as to maximize their carreer opportunities.

The take-aways from this session include:

• How career planning differs between men and women

• The strategic moves women need to make in planning their careers

• How to overcome career planning obstacles

Speaker Name(s): N. Bush, M. Coffin, P. Money, D. Vanderzanden

Seminar Title: Are you Ready? Leading in Nontraditional Roles.

Summary: Despite the fact that Louise Blanchard Bethune, the first female architect, set up her practice in Buffalo, New York in 1881 and in 1903 Mignon Nicholson became the first woman veterinarian, we are still talking about women in nontraditional careers. The U.S. Department of Labor defines a non-traditional occupation for women as one in which less than 25% of those employed in the field are women. Women are under-represented in many occupations, including those in the trades, technology and science fields, which typically pay well. This panel will discuss the benefits of entering a nontraditional career, reference programs and support systems for women interested in "male dominated fields" and why young women should consider professional options that are typically pursued by their male counterparts.

Speaker Name(s): G. Dreher, C. Desjardins, C. Lombard-Paradis

Gemma is Senior Counsel for the BAE Systems Electronics Solutions. Gemma joined BAE Systems in August 2002. Recently, she received an Engineering Collaboration award for her work in the area of open source software management. She counsels the business and speaks frequently on the subjects of intellectual property management, licensing technology to the federal government, and open source software licensing.

Prior to joining BAE Systems, Gemma was Vice President and General Counsel for Pragmatech Software, Inc.

Gemma is a member of the New Hampshire and Massachusetts Bar Associations. She is also member of the Association of Corporate Counsel, the Licensing Executives Society, the American Bar Association and the New Hampshire Women’s Bar Association.

Gemma is from Newport, Vermont and received her BA in Political Science from Regis College and a JD from Northeastern University School of Law. She lives in Francestown, New Hampshire with her husband Rhon and five children.

Seminar Title: Are you Ready? Leading in Nontraditional Roles.

Summary: Despite the fact that Louise Blanchard Bethune, the first female architect, set up her practice in Buffalo, New York in 1881 and in 1903 Mignon Nicholson became the first woman veterinarian, we are still talking about women in nontraditional careers. The U.S. Department of Labor defines a non-traditional occupation for women as one in which less than 25% of those employed in the field are women. Women are under-represented in many occupations, including those in the trades, technology and science fields, which typically pay well. This panel will discuss the benefits of entering a nontraditional career, reference programs and support systems for women interested in "male dominated fields" and why young women should consider professional options that are typically pursued by their male counterparts.

Speaker Name(s): G. Dreher, C. Desjardins, C. Lombard-Paradis

Seminar Title: Being an Authentic Leader

Speaker Name(s): S. Foster

Summary:

In this engaging presentation, Suzanne Foster reflects on her rapid and successful career path and the challenges on the way. As a Young Professional woman who has made her way through the legal profession and combined that with expertise in Healthcare she explains how the secret to her personal success has been in remaining authentic and true to herself.

In this discussion you will gain insights into

• The importance of remaining authentic no matter the context or challenge

• How to avoid being drawn into giving up your firmly held beliefs

• Ways in which to be strategic yet remain yourself

Seminar Title: Born to Lead:The Womans Inherent Advantage

Speaker Names: C. Blake, Hyde, L. Rothery

Summary: New studies indicate that women’s emotional natures make us inherently strong leaders, making us inspirational, capable of motivating others, and moving people toward an envisioned outcome. Women are actually hard-wired to excel in the global environment. Join this eye-opening conversation!

Take Aways:

Seminar Title: Women in Leadership Roles for the Nonprofit Sector

Speaker Name: K. Luczko, D. Miller, ME Jackson

Summary: Researchers state that 3 out of 4 nonprofit leaders will retire or transition out of their jobs over the next five years. Currently women hold the majority of leadership roles in the sector , with the exception of the very top, highest paying jobs. But that is changing. During this session Kate and Debby will facilitate a panel of women leaders for the sector and explore what skills, aptitudes and talents are needed to lead the sector into and what opportunities are unfolding.

Seminar Title: The Soul of Leadership

Speaker Name(s): L. Johnson,  C. Roy-Czyzowzki

Summary: Are you born to be a leader or do you develop into one? What are the essential ingredients to great leadership? Hear the journey of three women leaders and what they have to say about the roles genuine conviction, moral courage, and high ethical standards play in their personal leadership stories. And there's more to what makes great leaders -- come find out what, and share your own stories.

Seminar Title: Shaking the Money Tree

Speaker Name(s): M.Jones

Summary: Contributions from foundations, corporations, and government entities can provide significant financial support for nonprofit organizations--if you know how to tell the “story” in a powerful way. This fast-paced, informative workshop is designed to help you develop high-impact strategies that you can bring back to the Board table. Along with a broad overview of the grant writing process for nonprofit Board members and staff.

Lucille Jordan was appointed president of Nashua Community College in 1998. She has achieved national and state recognition for her commitment to community service, civic responsibility, developmental education, and business and industry partnerships with education. Most recently, she received the Dr. Carlene Riccelli Assembly Leadership Award from College Board New England.

Jordan has served as chair of Campus Compact for New Hampshire, a statewide association of four- and two-year college presidents and private sector partners who are committed to integrating service, leadership, and civic responsibility in higher education. She has also served as vice-chair of the national Campus Compact organization's board of directors. Jordan currently serves on the Greater United Way of Nashua board of directors, the New Hampshire College and University Council, the New Hampshire Postsecondary Commission, and the board of the Academy for Science and Design.

Jordan's personal and professional mission is to work toward a more civil society, one in which the worth of every person is recognized. As president of Nashua Community College, she creates an environment that not only develops academic skills, but also nurtures a sense of self-identity and acceptance. It is not unusual to see Jordan taking time from her duties as college president to help a student with a research paper or tutor an ESL student in English.

Seminar Title: Leadership In Education

Summary: In this panel three highly experienced and successful college presidents will tell their stories and describe the challenges related to being a leader in a highly male dominated domain.

Take-aways from this session include:

• Understanding the leadership challenges in education.

• Strategies for remaining in charge in the face of challenge and adversity.

• The benefits to having a female voice in the educational domain.

Speaker Name(s): Dr. H. F. Giles-Gee, L. Jordan, M.D. Perkins

(L1.) Leadership In Education

Seminar Title: Women in Leadership Roles for the Nonprofit Sector

Speaker Name: K. Luczko, D. Miller, D. Krinder

Summary: Researchers state that 3 out of 4 nonprofit leaders will retire or transition out of their jobs over the next five years. Currently women hold the majority of leadership roles in the sector , with the exception of the very top, highest paying jobs. But that is changing. During this session a Mary Ellen Jackson will facilitate a panel of women leaders for the sector and explore what skills, aptitudes and talents are needed to lead the sector into and what opportunities are unfolding.

Seminar Title: Are you Ready? Leading in Nontraditional Roles.

Summary: Despite the fact that Louise Blanchard Bethune, the first female architect, set up her practice in Buffalo, New York in 1881 and in 1903 Mignon Nicholson became the first woman veterinarian, we are still talking about women in nontraditional careers. The U.S. Department of Labor defines a non-traditional occupation for women as one in which less than 25% of those employed in the field are women. Women are under-represented in many occupations, including those in the trades, technology and science fields, which typically pay well. This panel will discuss the benefits of entering a nontraditional career, reference programs and support systems for women interested in "male dominated fields" and why young women should consider professional options that are typically pursued by their male counterparts.

Speaker Name(s): G. Dreher, C. Desjardins, C. Lombard-Paradis

(W1.) Are You Ready? Leading in Nontraditional Roles.

Seminar Title: Women in Leadership Roles for the Nonprofit Sector

Speaker Name: K. Luczko, D. Miller, ME Jackson

Summary: Researchers state that 3 out of 4 nonprofit leaders will retire or transition out of their jobs over the next five years. Currently women hold the majority of leadership roles in the sector , with the exception of the very top, highest paying jobs. But that is changing. During this session Kate and Debby will facilitate a panel of women leaders for the sector and explore what skills, aptitudes and talents are needed to lead the sector into and what opportunities are unfolding.

Seminar Title: A Cross-Cultural Leadership Approach That Ensures Women Their Place at The Table

Speaker Name: M.H. Martens

Summary: We tend to think of state of the art leadership training as a privilege for executives on their way up the career ladder. Now, after several years of testing an exciting new model throughout the Third World, a more democratic approach to leadership development is changing women’s lives in India, the Middle East and Africa. This year the program is being expanded in the US to empower victims of gender-based violence. What could the possibilities be for our own communities?

Three Takeaways:

• The impact on women in the Third World -- from the illiterate at the grass roots level to college-educated government officials

• The impact on those who most need help: victims of gender-based violence.

• Ideas on bringing leadership training to those most in need in our communities

Seminar Title: Finding Your Real Power

Speaker Name(s): D. Mercier

Summary:  This session will focus on the important issue of power and the need to understand the difference between positional and personal power.

Power is an ever present reality essential to all living things. We need power to be able to affirm ourselves in the world. Power makes us inter-personally significant. Power gives us the capacity to assert ourselves and to make meaning out of life.

Positional power is power that comes from the outside. It is assigned power and entitles the holder of the position to exercise power over others. It is never really ours and can always be taken away. Personal power, on the other hand, is the power that really counts. Personal power comes from the inside. It belongs to us. We can give it away, but it cannot be taken away.

At the end of this discussion you will

• Understand the distinction between positional and personal power

• Have ideas of how to strengthen your personal power and how not to give it away

• Recognize the importance of strategically managing your power to get you what you want

Seminar Title: Women in Leadership Roles for the Nonprofit Sector

Speaker Name: K. Luczko, D. Miller, ME Jackson

Summary: Researchers state that 3 out of 4 nonprofit leaders will retire or transition out of their jobs over the next five years. Currently women hold the majority of leadership roles in the sector , with the exception of the very top, highest paying jobs. But that is changing. During this session Kate and Debby will facilitate a panel of women leaders for the sector and explore what skills, aptitudes and talents are needed to lead the sector into and what opportunities are unfolding.

Seminar Title: Communicating Through Social Media

Speaker Name(s): S. Nickel, H. Wilkes

Summary: Social networks offer new methods and tools for individuals and organizations to communicate, connect, and build community. Explore potential uses for popular social media technologies.

Seminar Title: Leadership In Education

Summary: In this panel three highly experienced and successful college presidents will tell their stories and describe the challenges related to being a leader in a highly male dominated domain.

Take-aways from this session include:

• Understanding the leadership challenges in education.

• Strategies for remaining in charge in the face of challenge and adversity.

• The benefits to having a female voice in the educational domain.

Speaker Name(s): Dr. H. F. Giles-Gee, L. Jordan, M.D. Perkins

Seminar Title: Leadership Through Civility

Speaker Name(s): A.Post

Summary: As all successful women know, it’s not enough to work hard: we have to work smart. And working smart in today’s world isn’t just about time management and efficiency; it’s about building and maintaining professional relationships. Anna Post will talk about how to use the principles of etiquette – consideration, respect and honesty – to enhance business relationships. With an emphasis on incorporating these principles into everyday work and management styles, Anna will touch on business social etiquette, networking and communication etiquette.

Seminar Title: Leadership - The Art of Reinvention

Summary: In this fascinating session of developing their careers Cathy Provencher and Teresa Rosenberger will discuss how they reinvented themselves so as to take advantage of optimal career opportunities.

Teresa reinvention's efforts took her from being a speech writer in the White House to a law firm in NH and then onto State President at Fairpoint. While Cathy did not change careers as such she found ways to position herself until she was catapulted into the position of state treasurer.

The take-aways from this session include:

• How to be in touch with changing career realities and opportunities

• How to assess the risks of new opportunities

• How to position yourself to ensure those new opportunities are yours

Speaker Name(s): C. Provencher, T. Rosenberger

Seminar Title: Leadership - The Art of Reinvention

Summary: In this fascinating session of developing their careers Cathy Provencher and Teresa Rosenberger will discuss how they reinvented themselves so as to take advantage of optimal career opportunities.

Teresa reinvention's efforts took her from being a speech writer in the White House to a law firm in NH and then onto State President at Fairpoint. While Cathy did not change careers as such she found ways to position herself until she was catapulted into the position of state treasurer.

The take-aways from this session include:

• How to be in touch with changing career realities and opportunities

• How to assess the risks of new opportunities

• How to position yourself to ensure those new opportunities are yours

Speaker Name(s): C. Provencher, T. Rosenberger

Seminar Title: Women as Health Visionarie

Speaker Name: S. Crawford, B.Robertss

Summary: Women approach health through a distinctive lens. Their extraordinary capacity to focus on team-based, interconnected and holistic approaches to health is a powerful asset that offers unique benefits to their families, their workplaces and their larger communities. The panelists will focus on this feminine vision and approach to keeping healthy.

Seminar Title: Communication Strategies for Success

Speaker Name: K. Rocheleau, E. Sarson

Summary: Effective communication is fundamental to success! After this seminar, you will have a greater appreciation of your own personal communication style. You will learn more about the impact you have on others, and how this affects your communication effectiveness. You will also learn how to read and respond to other people’s styles.

With a new appreciation for people-reading, you will build rapport more easily and interact more fluidly whether managing and motivating others; whether you wish to increase company sales, or develop more meaningful business relationships.

Seminar Title: Born to Lead:The Womans Inherent Advantage

Speaker Names: C. Blake, Hyde, L. Rothery

Summary: New studies indicate that women’s emotional natures make us inherently strong leaders, making us inspirational, capable of motivating others, and moving people toward an envisioned outcome. Women are actually hard-wired to excel in the global environment. Join this eye-opening conversation!

Take Aways:

Seminar Title: The Soul of Leadership

Speaker Name(s): L. Johnson,  C. Roy-Czyzowzki

Summary: Are you born to be a leader or do you develop into one? What are the essential ingredients to great leadership? Hear the journey of three women leaders and what they have to say about the roles genuine conviction, moral courage, and high ethical standards play in their personal leadership stories. And there's more to what makes great leaders -- come find out what, and share your own stories.

Seminar Title: Creative Entrepreneurship

Speaker Name(s): J Ruwart

Summary:  Women perform 66% of the world’s work, produce 50% of its food, earn 10% of the world’s income and own 1% of the world’s property. In the U.S., over half of the 37 million people living in poverty are women and the gap in poverty rates between men and women is wider in America than anywhere else in the Western World. Yet women reinvest 90% of their income back into their communities (men reinvest 30%). Therefore, the empowerment of women entrepreneurs is the key to meeting the challenges of a rapidly changing world in crisis. Jennifer Ruwart, founder of Moyo Jasiri, will discuss methods for brining business education and training to women entrepreneurs, connecting women-owned enterprises to capital and increasing access to new markets for women both domestically and internationally.

Take Away Points

· Understand how the principles of creative entrepreneurship help women create their own jobs, earn a thriving wage and provide access to capital and markets.

· Understand how enhancing women’s economic options will boost national economies.

· Learn how collaboration and networking is accelerating the number of businesses owned and led by women around the globe.

Seminar Title: Communication Strategies for Success

Speaker Name: K. Rocheleau, E. Sarson

Summary: Effective communication is fundamental to success! After this seminar, you will have a greater appreciation of your own personal communication style. You will learn more about the impact you have on others, and how this affects your communication effectiveness. You will also learn how to read and respond to other people’s styles.

With a new appreciation for people-reading, you will build rapport more easily and interact more fluidly whether managing and motivating others; whether you wish to increase company sales, or develop more meaningful business relationships.

Patricia M Sears is the first Executive Director of the Newport City Renaissance Corporation, a community and economic development corporation. The purpose of the nonprofit corporation is to enhance the quality of life for people who live, work and visit Newport City by helping the downtown develop into the 21st century as a vital and diverse community center for retailing, cultural and entertainment activities, education, recreation, business and professional services.

Patricia is the current president of Northeast Kingdom Travel Tourism Association (NEKTTA); she served as a past president of Northeast Kingdom Collaborative. She served as secretary of the Lowell Historical Society and led the reestablishment of Friends of Lowell’s Kids (FOLK) an organization serving the children of Lowell.

Before moving to Vermont, she worked for over a dozen years in international development, advocating for women’s health and political rights with the US Congress, Administration and at the United Nations. Patricia continues to accept international development assignments; in 2005 she spent three months in Aceh, Indonesia leading Save the Children’s media relations for the first year anniversary of the tsunami.

Seminar Title: Women on the Move: Lessons Without Borders

Speaker Name(s): P. Sears

Summary: Women working together, using the power of group, make a difference every day in the situations and policies that affect them and their family’s lives. Learning from her work in international development, with a focus on community mobilization in remote rural areas in Nepal and Nigeria, Patricia M Sears is applying her experience to the community and economic development work in revitalizing downtown Newport, VT. From sharing stories and examples, take away strategies on how to develop relationships that turn into productive partnerships and how to deal with frustration by using an asset-based approach.

Seminar Title: Strategically Managing Your Career

Summary: This panel of highly experienced professionals associated with the field of Human Resources and Career Development will discuss the importance of strategically planning and formulating your career moves. Brining different perspectives to the table they will highlight why and how women can position themselves so as to maximize their carreer opportunities.

The take-aways from this session include:

• How career planning differs between men and women

• The strategic moves women need to make in planning their careers

• How to overcome career planning obstacles

Speaker Name(s): N. Bush, M. Coffin, P. Money, D. Vanderzanden

Liz Walker is an award-winning television journalist, a documentary film producer, an entrepreneur and a humanitarian currently working in the war-torn country of Sudan. A 2005 graduate of Harvard Divinity School and an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Liz has chosen to combine her communication skills with her passion for serving the world. To New Englanders she will always be known as Liz, after 32 years as a television news journalist, nearly 20 of those anchoring WBZ Television's evening newscasts in Boston.

In the summer of 2001, Liz traveled to war-torn Sudan on a fact-finding mission on the controversial slave trade in southern Sudan. The experience changed her life. She was so outraged by the human rights atrocities in Sudan she co-founded My Sister's Keeper, a grass roots initiative that advocates for women and children who are trying to rebuild their country and their lives. Liz returns to Sudan often, including the region of Darfur, the scene of the 21st century's first genocide. My Sister's Keeper has most recently completed the construction of a Girls' School for more than 500 girls in southern Sudan.

Liz shoots her own video during her trips to Sudan and has produced several documentaries on the troubled country, including the most recent called "A Glory from the God" profiling the work of My Sister's Keeper and its visionary, Boston humanitarian Dr. Gloria White-Hammond.

Liz began her broadcast career in her hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas. She has worked at television stations in Denver, Colorado, and San Francisco, California, before moving to Boston. In addition to her work on international education and women's issues, Liz advocates for the homeless and survivors of domestic violence. She is on the "kitchen cabinet" of One Family Incorporated, a non-profit organization to end family homelessness in Massachusetts. In 1992, Liz helped co-found the Jane Doe Safety Fund, a multi-million dollar advocacy group for survivors of domestic violence. Liz sits on numerous community boards and is a spokesperson for people living with HIV-aids, breast cancer survivors, and at-risk youth.

Liz is the recipient of two Emmys, an Edward R. Murrow Award and special recognition from the prestigious Gabriel Awards for her on-air and documentary work. She currently sits on the Board of Trustees for Andover Newton Theological School, the Regional Advisory Board of the United Nations International Children's Education Fund. She is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Tufts Health Foundation and the Board of Overseers for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Liz is on the ministerial staff of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Jamaica Plain, where she works with young people. She is the founder and principal of The Walker Group LLC,Communications Specialists, focused on corporate public engagement, non-profit capacity building and video production.

Seminar Title: Communicating Through Social Media

Speaker Name(s): S. Nickel, H. Wilkes

Summary: Social networks offer new methods and tools for individuals and organizations to communicate, connect, and build community. Explore potential uses for popular social media technologies.

Seminar Title: The Flexible Workplace

Summary:This workshop will be an interactive event on the "how and why" of creating a flexible workplace. With the changing workforce, changing families and changing communities, how does the workplace also need to change? After a BRIEF overview on flexible workplaces we will examine your specific workplace and policies. Please feel free to bring you polices and questions!

Speaker Name(s): M. Zulauf