ALL for Women Conference slated for Aroostook
PRESQUE ISLE — On Thursday, March 24, Women, Work, and Community (WWC) will host ALL for Women: Aroostook Leadership and Learning for Women. The afternoon of networking, education and leadership development will take place at the Edmunds Conference Center at Northern Maine Community College.
Whether you think of yourself as a leader or would like to become one, this conference will light your creative spark, launch or develop your career with passion, and help you advocate for yourself and the issues that are important to you. WWC welcomes women from all walks of life and from all areas of Aroostook, and sponsored seats are available to ensure that cost is not a factor in your participation.
The ALL for Women conference will begin at 1 p.m. with a Women’s Leadership Panel moderated by Meredith Jones, president and CEO of the Maine Community Foundation. Panelists include: Sharon Barker, director of the University of Maine Women’s Resource Center; Cathy Beaulieu, owner of Wilder’s Jewelry; Kris Doody, RN, CEO of Cary Medical Center; Tessie Dubois, publisher of the St. John Valley Times; and Emily Smith, member of the Presque Isle City Council and sixth-generation farmer with Smith’s Farms.
Breakout sessions will follow from 2 to 4 p.m., and conference participants can choose two of the following four workshops to attend. In the session on “Expanding the Box: Creativity and Risk-taking,” Rowena Forbes, owner of Designed by Row and cofounder of HerResolution.com, will engage participants in hands-on discussion, brainstorming and problem-solving activities to get your creative juices flowing. In the “Pursuing Your Passion” session, Shawn Cunningham, anchor and reporter with WAGM-TV, will facilitate a conversation with a panel of professional women who pursued their career path and their dreams while rooting themselves and their families in Aroostook County. Panelists for the session include Pam Buck, computer aided drafting (CAD) instructor at NMCC; Lara Cannon, founder and director of the Wintergreen Arts Center; and Gretchen Morse, financial advisor at Edward Jones.
A session on “Personal Empowerment and Finding Your Voice” will address how to build self-awareness, self-acceptance and self-responsibility while developing the confidence to move in directions that will meet your needs. Facilitators for this session include: Suzanne Senechal-Jandreau, regional manager for WWC’s Aroostook Center; Sharon Barker, director of the University of Maine Women’s Resource Center; Christy Dingee, child protective services liaison with the Hope and Justice Project; and Angela Williams, founder and director of All About Me and Women of Worth.
Finally, a breakout session on “Political Advocacy and Civic Leadership: Making Your Mark” will engage participants in learning how to work with legislative and other leaders to make a difference in our community and our state. Participants in the session include: Gilda Nardone, executive director of Women, Work and Community; Muriel Mosher, vice president for government and public relations with Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP); and Sharon Campbell, regional representative to Sen. Olympia Snowe.
The ALL for Women conference will conclude with a NetWORK After Hours from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., offering conference participants and other members of the public the opportunity to connect in an informal setting over finger food. Members of the community — men and women alike — are invited to drop in to network with panelists and participants, support Women, Work and Community, and celebrate women’s leadership in Aroostook County. Fabulous door prizes contributed by Women, Work, and Community entrepreneurs will round out the afternoon, with winners drawn during the networking hour.
Registration for the ALL for Women conference is $20 per person or two registrations for $35 — bring a friend and save! Sponsored seats are also available, so don’t let cost be a factor in your decision to be a part of ALL for Women. Women of all ages, incomes, professions and walks of life are welcome and encouraged to attend. Major sponsors for the conference include: Life by Design, PA; Northern Maine Community College; Northern Maine Development Commission; and the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
To register for the conference or for more information, e-mail erica.quineaster@maine.edu, call 764-0050 or visit www.womenworkandcommunity.org. Pre-registration is required by March 21, so register soon to ensure your space at the table.
