Session Descriptions

#WEareStrong Speakers

You are STRONG (Session 4--Room 101) - Cassandra Sewell

Description: There is saying: ‘What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger!” It means that when you go through the challenges in life, you come out stronger and more able to handle the future.  Being a young girl from the South I have had my share of “strength builders” and have learned to look back at each as a gift and the opportunity that they turned out to be. It is how you handle those challenging times that you set the course for the person that you will be come.  It is in those times that you discover who you are and who you will be. It is those times that will determine your character. Where do we as women and humans draw our strength? How do we utilize the strength that exists in each of us? Let’s talk about just how STRONG you really are!

Yoga with Brittni Staufer & Olivia Regan (Session 3&4--Fellowship Hall)

Description: Vinyasa yoga takes takes conscious effort to build, expand, and link breaths to movements—creating the flow within the sequence of postures. Focusing on the proper alignment within each physical posture is a fun way to build strength and tone muscles in your body. Yoga is a personal journey and is not a competition. Modifications will be offered as listening to your body is key to safe practice.

Redefining Strong (Sessions 3&4--Room 104) - Jennifer Staufer

Description: Jennifer Staufer has always been strong, but the meaning of “strong” has changed for her throughout the years. In this session, Jen will recount how she has worked to redefine “strong” as she put herself through college as a first-generation college student, played on a hockey team where the majority of her teammates and coaches were men, worked her way up in the male-dominated tech industry, and finally recovered from a 200-foot fall while mountain climbing. Jen’s story will challenge how we define “strong” and encourage participants to be open to allowing that definition to change as they change.

#WEareCapable Speakers

You'll Get a Kick Out of This (Sessions 1&2--Fellowship Hall)  - Kristine Ferraro & Pam Neidig

Description: Self-defense teaches women to be strong and confident, and it gives women the necessary skills to protect themselves from physical attacks. Learn how to defend against attacks and protect yourself with two accomplished women in self-defense. 

Surviving and Thriving (Session 2--Chapel) - Camryn Woodworth

Description: Camryn Woodworth is going to be speaking about her experience with being assaulted on campus, overcoming that trauma, and learning how to survive and thrive in an environment that tested her to her limits- both personally and academically.

Dare to Live (Session 4--Chapel)- Fay Matsukage

Description: The only thing holding you back is YOU.  Dare to live your life knowing that you are indeed “good enough”.  Be inspired to believe in yourself – you got this!

The Distance Between Two Points (Session 1--Room 102) - Lucia Cisneros

Description: Always remember how fortunate you are to be in front of such broad horizons of possibilities, shining seas of options, and majestic mountain ranges to climb. The possibilities are limitless. She will briefly talk about wonderful girls and women that, even without having that in mind, shed a light on other women’s lives.

How to Find and Pursue Your Passions (Session 1-- Chapel) - Rachel Kois

Description: After a trip to South Africa, 22-year-old Broomfield High School Grad Rachel Kois was inspired to find a company Simple Switch which offers the opportunity to purchase clothing and other everyday goods that were produced fairly and justly to promote responsible consumerism. Items purchased through Simple Switch have reduced the likelihood of a child dying from preventable disease, provided employment for a woman recently freed from secual slavery, or helped a company use innovative techniques to reduce waste and pollution. Rachel will speak about her own passions, and encourage you to find and pursue your own.

Tibia Woman in Medicine (Session 1--Room 106) - Jillyan McKinney

Description: Jillyan McKinney is the CEO of Avista Hospitals. In the male-dominated medical field, Jillyan has learned how to be capable and exceptional in her work. She will be discussing how to be a successful woman in medicine. 

#WEareSmart Speakers

You Grow Girl (Session 3&4--Room 102) - Patricia Zornio

Description: For many women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), it is easy to feel isolated in this male-dominated field. Patricia Zornio has worked to overcome this and not only survive but thrive as a Biomedical Researcher. She will be talking about her journey and how she has become successful as a woman in a top STEM job. 

The College Life(Session 4--Sanctuary)  - Eva Thoresen, Hayley Parnell, & Chloe Malecha

Description: College students Eva Thoresen, Hayley Parnell, and Chloe Malecha will be talking about what life is like on campus, from academics to campus culture. What has been the most challenging? The most exciting? The most unexpected? What do they wish they had known when they were in high school? They will share all of this and more. 

Women in Medicine (Session 2--Sanctuary) - Carol Travis, Nicole Milo, Jillyan McKinney, Amy Randle, and Shannon Hill

Description: Join Carol Travis (CFO), Nicole Milo (CDO), Jillyan McKinney (CEO), Amy Randle, and Shannon Hill will be discussing life in the medical field. If you’re curious about what life is like in medicine or are considering a career in medicine, this is the session for you. 

#WEareConfident Speakers

The Confidence Gap. Is it Holding Women Back? (Sessions 2&3--Room 106) - Jennifer Hoffman

Description: Jennifer encourages young women to remember not to take themselves out of the running for top jobs because they think they’re not ready. She reminds young women to be confident in their ability and not let competition scare them. Instead, she urges them to let it inspire them!

Get Off the Sidelines and Get in the Game (Sessions 1&2--Room 101) - Guyleen Castriotta

Description: Step outside of your comfort zone and take risks. Keep track of the risks that tested your courage to find strength. Find your reset button because you were born perfect. 

#WEareBeautiful Speakers

We're Beautiful, So What? (Session 3--Chapel) - Hailey Morton

Description: It's true, you really are, you are beautiful inside and out. Before you put makeup on or force yourself into some spandex, you are exactly what you are supposed to be and that in and of itself is beautiful. So you're beautiful, now what? We chase beauty for so long and so often, that once we reach it and realize we have had it all along we look back and wonder, what has the rest of our life been devoted to? When we look back on our lives, will we tell our stories of how beautiful we were and how we finally achieved it? Maybe, but I can't help but think that we would rather tell stories of the people that we met, the lives that were changed, the food that we've tasted, the lessons we have learned, and the lessons we have taught.

The Beauty in Your Personal Brand (Session 4--Room 106) - Donna Keeler

Description: Your personal brand is the collection of values you stand for and the offerings you consistently deliver. Your brand is like your trademark, which is why it must be carefully managed and protected. Join this fun and interactive session to explore your core values, strengths and personality.  Understand your personal brand today and refine how you would like to develop it further.

Keynote Speakers-#WEareRemarkable

Have Confidence and Be United (Afternoon Keynote) - Kristen Aguirre

Description:  Having confidence, being strong, and having unity.

The Muslim on a Plane (Morning Keynote) - Amal Kassir

Description: Amal Kassir is a Syrian-American Muslim Spoken Word Poet. She has performed in 10 different countries in venues such as churches, orphanages, refugee camps, and youth prisons. Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, she is a proponent for education, especially in underrepresented Communities. She created her own degree entitled Community Programming in Social Psychology.