GLOW Career & Empowerment Conference: Full Schedule

The Boston GLOW Career and Empowerment Conference is a day of community building and skill sharing among women and their allies. We seek to uplift and validate the characteristics that make us great employees, entrepreneurs, and leaders.

Due to the evolving risks associated with COVID-19, the 5th Annual #BostonGLOWcon will be a virtual event.

For an easy access to all links, we’ve created this Session Link Overview.

Please review this #BostonGLOWcon Participant Guide that contains details about how to access conference Zoom sessions, how to use the technology, and tips for a successful day. We recommend reading the guide before Saturday to make sure you are prepared. At any time, please feel free to send along questions to join@bostonglow.org or text 917-291-6666.

9:00am EDT

Welcome from Boston GLOW and Opening Keynote: Cultivating Creativity for Women in the Workplace

Conversations about women in the workplace espouse a number of values that women should be cultivating to craft their own success: confidence, grit, resilience, and the like. But I would argue that as workplaces adapt to shifting trends, women can make themselves invaluable by developing and regularly exercising a creativity practice. This keynote seeks to espouse the benefits of creativity as a practice, share some key traits and skills that women can develop to get in touch with their creative side, and why they matter so much - not just for the success of their businesses or organizations, but for their own personal affirmation.

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://zoom.us/j/911306156

Speakers

Amma Marfo

Author

Amma Marfo is a thoughtful yet incurably silly independent higher education professional, writer, and editor based in Boston, MA. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from the University of Rhode Island, and a Master of Education from the University of South Florida... Read More →

Saturday March 21, 2020 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
https://zoom.us/j/911306156

Gender and Leadership, Keynote

10:15am EDT

Change Your Mind and Change Your Life: Negotiation and Influence

Have you ever looked around your workplace and asked yourself: Why I am always a worker bee? Why are others getting promoted to manager? Why do they receive a bigger raises? I was just like you after my first performance review. But I didn’t accept this as my destiny, I decided to learn from others and developed a strategy to ask for a raise. The next year, I received a 15% raise and the second-highest bonus in my company. In this negotiation workshop you will learn: Three reasons people fail in negotiations Change your mind, change your life What can be negotiated?

Speakers

Nancy Li

Group Product Manager of Edge Computing, Verizon

Nancy Li is a technology leader, a negotiation expert, and a first-generation immigrant. She is currently the Group Product Manager of Edge Computing at Verizon. She is one of the youngest engineering Ph.D. at Boston University. She is also an alumnus of MIT Sloan School of Management... Read More →

Saturday March 21, 2020 10:15am - 11:15am EDT
https://zoom.us/j/905383483

Building Your Career, Breakout Session 1

10:15am EDT

Fearlessness as a Daily Practice

"Feel the fear and do it anyway" is an oft-quoted mantra, but anyone who's done this in practice finds that it takes quite a lot of energy to sustain. What if instead of "pushing" and "fighting" you were able to approach the challenges of business and life with ease? The practice of fearlessness allows you to instead use that energy to create forward action. Together, we will examine the role of fear in your life and explore the practices that will allow you to move toward being truly fearless.

Speakers

Devon Grilly

Career Pivot Coach, Rock the Pivot

Devon Grilly is a Certified COR.E Energy Coach, speaker, and blogger who is dedicated to creating ways for women to thrive in science and technology. As a career transition coach, she helps women make confident decisions about how and when to pivot while side-stepping the burnout... Read More →

Fearlessness pdf

Saturday March 21, 2020 10:15am - 11:15am EDT
https://zoom.us/j/970773535

Building Your Career, Breakout Session 1

10:15am EDT

The 5 Rules of Improv That Will Transform How You Build & Lead

The best professional improv comedians don’t “wing it.” They practice a highly-refined system of observing, connecting and responding.It’s how they swiftly and seamlessly work with their team to engage audiences.With only seconds to prepare, they use these skills to create an environment where everyone is welcome and valued.This system can be your best advantage.Come ready to laugh and learn valuable leadership, communication and relationship building tools in this fun & interactive workshop taught by CSz Boston owner and 18-year professional improviser and teacher, Courtney Pong. Get ready to elevate how you impact a room, from speeches to storytelling, and all of the unexpected in-between.

Speakers

Courtney Pong

Owner, GM, CSz Boston

As a professional improviser for over 18 years, Courtney has designed and led team building workshops and provided entertainment for Fortune 500 companies such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, eBay, and Nike. Since 2001, she has been a performer and educator with CSz Worldwide, which is... Read More →

Saturday March 21, 2020 10:15am - 11:15am EDT
https://zoom.us/j/107427702

Diversity and Inclusion, Breakout Session 1

10:15am EDT

Building a Business: Done is Better than Perfect

Done is better than perfect. Getting started is often the hardest part, business is a “living” endeavor and you must always be learning and improving. Self-evaluation is key. We will talk about ways to build your support structure, find a mentor, and nurture the relationships that can help you fill in the gaps of creating your business or building your personal career.

Speakers

Allison Guido

General Manager, Owner, allison@almarbuilding.com

Allison is an award-winning small business owner who integrates networking and social media to continue to grow her family’s 3rd generation, residential general contracting firm. She focuses on the power of face to face networking to build a strong community and client base for... Read More →

Saturday March 21, 2020 10:15am - 11:15am EDT
https://zoom.us/j/747524413

Entrepreneurship, Breakout Session 1

10:30am EDT

All Day Networking Center

Join us all day for drop in chat and conversation. This is a space for attendees to connect with one another, ask questions, share ideas and resources as the day goes on.
This space will be informal, and folks are welcome to stay for as long as they like.

Speakers

Leah Moschella

Executive Director, Boston GLOW

In 2010, Leah founded Boston GLOW as an avenue to generate positive leadership opportunities for women and girls. In addition to her work at Boston GLOW, Leah develops innovative systems change to education policy to drive college and career access for all an Associate Director at... Read More →

Devon Grilly

Career Pivot Coach, Rock the Pivot

Saturday March 21, 2020 10:30am - 2:45pm EDT
https://zoom.us/j/149631822

11:30am EDT

Know Your Worth: Managing Your Transferable Skills

The workshop will address four components to managing your transferable skills. This workshop is provides encouragement, power, and determination in reaching goals that might appear unattainable. It is done through relating two very life changing stories that encouraged the speaker to "never give up" and embrace her power.

Speakers

Alina Lopez Thomas

Founder, Creative Director, Greater Resource of Women Networks

Alina founded the Greater Resource of Women Networks a business to help women between the ages of 35 and above to take their transferable skills to become entrepreneurs through business planning and marketing. Alina holds an undergraduate degree in Business Management. She also... Read More →

Saturday March 21, 2020 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT
https://zoom.us/j/390013534

Building Your Career, Breakout Session 2

11:30am EDT

Hair and Professionalism: How Hair Plays Into Work

Given a recent report that showed that black women are 80 percent more likely to change her natural hair to accommodate social norms rooted in white culture, and are 50 percent more likely to be sent home or know of a black woman sent home from the workplace because of her hair, this is a true game-changer. Currently only two states recognize and protect against hair discrimination, which is directly related to race. My presentation will focus on the recently passed laws, how hair plays into professionalism and affect diversity, retention, and inclusion. It will also highlight how other can help create a more diverse workplace and how to advocate for for others.

Speakers

Laticia Walker-Simpson, Esq

Shelter Staff Attorney, Greater Boston Legal Services

Laticia is a graduate of New England Law Boston. She has been practicing for 5 years in various public interest law positions. She had worked for HomeStart and an eviction defense attorney and currently as an EA Shelter Staff Attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services. She is a lover... Read More →

LaticiaWalker1 mass school hair violation pdf

LaticiaWalker2 EEOC article pdf

LaticiaWalker3 racism on health article pdf

LaticiaWalker4 military code pdf

Saturday March 21, 2020 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT
https://zoom.us/j/252467499

Diversity and Inclusion, Breakout Session 2

11:30am EDT

Steps to Building a Stellar Personal and Professional Brand

To be seen both personally and professionally, you need a brand presence online. Google is the first place people go to learn about you. What does a search reveal about your story? Discover opportunities to enhance your online brand through thought leadership shared online, your profiles, connections, and more. Get a jump-start on building your brand through social media in this session

Speakers

Dahlia El Gazzar

Founder, DAHLIA+Agency

Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things tech and audience engagement solutions. With more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to... Read More →

Saturday March 21, 2020 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT
https://zoom.us/j/838681159

Entrepreneurship, Breakout Session 2

1:00pm EDT

Conversation Circle: Building Your Career

Conversation circles are your opportunity to connect with other conference attendees informally and with a theme expert to guide the conversation.
Our theme expert, Sankeetha, will lead us through the conversation. This is your chance to process learning, connect with other attendees who are interested in the topic of Building Your Career, and share ideas and resources during our virtual events.
We hope that you will join us as a chance to strengthen your network, share goals, and connect with a local expert. We also hope that these conversations will help us identify great ideas for future sessions with GLOW!

We encourage folks to share what they are hearing during the day, and folks are welcome to join to chat or listen.

Moderators

Sankeetha Selvarajah

Managing Attorney / Exit strategist, Selvarajah Law PC / Zensei LLC

Sankeetha Selvarajah is the Managing Attorney of Selvarajah Law P.C., a civil transactional firm located in Boston, Massachusetts with offices in New York, NY. Her clients include technology companies, real estate companies, various food industry companies, manufacturers and retailers... Read More →

Saturday March 21, 2020 1:00pm - 1:30pm EDT
https://zoom.us/j/435089983

Building Your Career

1:00pm EDT

Conversation Circle: Diversity and Inclusion

Conversation circles are your opportunity to connect with other conference attendees informally and with a theme expert to guide the conversation.
Our theme expert, Ankita, will lead us through the conversation. This is your chance to process learning, connect with other attendees who are interested in the topic of Diversity and Inclusion, and share ideas and resources during our virtual events.
We hope that you will join us as a chance to strengthen your network, share goals, and connect with a local expert. We also hope that these conversations will help us identify great ideas for future sessions with GLOW!

We encourage folks to share what they are hearing during the day, and folks are welcome to join to chat or listen.

Moderators

Ankita Jhaveri

Senior Program Manager, JFF

Ankita Jhaveri is a senior program manager with JFF’s Pathways to Prosperity initiative. In this role, she works with and supports multiple stakeholders and leaders to develop and implement college and career pathways that lead to high-wage, high-demand jobs and leave... Read More →

Saturday March 21, 2020 1:00pm - 1:30pm EDT
https://zoom.us/j/326622297

Diversity and Inclusion

1:00pm EDT

Conversation Circle: Gender & Leadership

Conversation circles are your opportunity to connect with other conference attendees informally and with a theme expert to guide the conversation.
Our theme expert, Catherine, will lead us through the conversation. This is your chance to process learning, connect with other attendees who are interested in the topic of Gender and Leadership, and share ideas and resources during our virtual events.
We hope that you will join us as a chance to strengthen your network, share goals, and connect with a local expert. We also hope that these conversations will help us identify great ideas for future sessions with GLOW!

We encourage folks to share what they are hearing during the day, and folks are welcome to join to chat or listen.

Moderators

Catherine Ternes

Institute for Healthcare Improvement

Catherine Ternes is a Senior Project & Operations Manager for theInstitute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in Boston, Massachusetts.She currently supports quality improvement projects across the LatinAmerica region as well as change management initiatives within theInstitute. Previously... Read More →

Saturday March 21, 2020 1:00pm - 1:30pm EDT
https://zoom.us/j/665343465

Gender and Leadership

about Catherine Ternes is a Senior Project & Operations Manager for the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in Boston, Massachusetts. She currently supports quality improvement projects across the Latin America region as well as change management initiatives within the Institute. Previously, she supported work in the United Kingdom, Qatar, Singapore, Nigeria, and Liberia. Ms. Ternes has a strong background in international nonprofit work, having previously volunteered with Selfless UK in Bangladesh, worked with Northeastern University in Costa Rica , and supported Defense for Children International in Argentina. She graduated magna cum laude from Northeastern University with a degree in International Affairs and Political Science and is currently pursuing her Master's in Business Administration at the Fletcher School for Law and Diplomacy. Ms. Ternes' personal passions include the study of memorialization, supporting the rights of immigrants and refugees, as well as empowering female leaders.

1:45pm EDT

Finding your Purpose, Fueling your Passion and Building an Inclusive Workplace to Thrive

I will share my personal journey in the corporate, higher education, technology and non-profit sectors and discuss the lack of diversity in these spaces inspired me to create an inclusive and empowering space for women of color to share knowledge, professional workshops and support -- Women With Purpose. I will provide resources on how to manage up, create and develop ERGs at the workplace, develop a business case for diversity as well as how to advocate for yourself if you face discrimination or harassment in the workplace. I will break the presentation up into groups and provide prompts for discussing unconscious biases, micro-aggressions and intersectionality in the workplace.

Speakers

Cristina Costa

Chief Marketing Officer, Women with Purpose

Saturday March 21, 2020 1:45pm - 3:00pm EDT
https://zoom.us/j/890505944

Diversity and Inclusion, Breakout Session 3

1:45pm EDT

Authentic Communication Strategies for Badass Women

"Women need to learn to speak with authority and to stop apologizing when they speak!" Are you exhausted from trying to keep all the advice on communication straight? Are you tired of hearing that your communication style isn’t good enough? Are you sick of the assumption that women need to fix the way they naturally communicate? ME TOO! Join this workshop to unlearn all the bad advice you’ve been given (which isn’t based on real data). Then you’ll learn how to hone in on and amplify your authentic communication style that is all your own! You’ll get real in-the-moment coaching & tips that will help you showcase your badass self at work, in front of a crowd, making sales pitches, and more.

Speakers

Judy Neufeld

Founder, Chief Change Officer, Spark Sisterhood

Judy Pineda Neufeld is the Fired up Founder of Spark Sisterhood. As a women’s leadership development coach, expert facilitator, avid runner, and Boston Marathoner, Judy is passionate about building authentic spaces for women to thrive. Judy has over 15 years’ experience in elevating... Read More →

Saturday March 21, 2020 1:45pm - 3:00pm EDT
https://zoom.us/j/758992692

Gender and Leadership, Breakout Session 3

1:45pm EDT

Everyone is Angry: Leadership Tools Learned from Conflict Resilience

In the current national environment, tensions are extremely high. Divisiveness and confrontation are the automatic reactions to many disagreements. As leaders, how do we ensure our relationships foster a collaborative, forward thinking posture? How do we lead with resilience and encouragement to promote sustainable working relationships? Many federal agencies have alternative dispute resolution programs to resolve workplace disputes. Similarly, community mediation works to solve disputes but among the various community stakeholders. This workshop will discuss the principles leaders can use to ensure organizational and community relationships persevere through the tensions.

Speakers

Rochelle Howard

Deputy Executive Director, DC Office of Police Complaints

Saturday March 21, 2020 1:45pm - 3:00pm EDT
https://zoom.us/j/489866246

Gender and Leadership, Breakout Session 3

3:15pm EDT

Closing: Sensemaking and GLOWing Forward

Speakers

Leah Moschella

Executive Director, Boston GLOW

Saturday March 21, 2020 3:15pm - 3:45pm EDT
https://zoom.us/j/178214669

Community Building, Keynote