Kansas Women's Leadership Conference

What do the three words leadership, women and determination all have in common? They are all words associated with the second annual Kansas Women’s Leadership Conference held in the Downtown Hays Chestnut Street District

As the glass ceiling in America begins to fall, the conference began with the idea of having women come together to encourage the development of leadership in women of all generations, as well as promote mentoring. Not only was this conference a great opportunity for great networking skills, but it was also a celebration of women’s diversity. The ‘walking’ conference featured many sessions which were all held in different downtown locations in the Downtown Hays Chestnut Street District.

Featured speakers included, Robin Gerber, author of Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way: Timeless Strategies from the First Lady of Courage (Penguin/Portfolio, 2002) and Katharine Graham: The Leadership Journey of an American Icon, Angela Bates, Executive Director of the Nicodemus Historical Society in Nicodemus, KS, Amy Blankenbiller, President and CEO of The Kansas Chamber of Commerce, as well as many others.

“Overall, the women really had a great time and gained a lot from the sessions,” said Stacy Ward, Center for Civic Leadership’s Assistant Director.

As the bar is set higher and higher for American women to push themselves to new limits, the conference provided insight, hope as well as inspiration to women across Kansas. Eleanor Rooselvelt once made a statement that strikes home for many women across the country. “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”