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MARSHALL -- Showing leadership often means dealing with dealing with unexpected, and managing yourself as well as other people. But organizers of the SMSU Foundation Women's Leadership Conference say there's a lot that women can learn from each other about growth and building their skills.
"It's women lifting up other women," said Stacy Frost, senior director of alumni relations and outreach at Southwest Minnesota State University. Area residents can register to attend the conference Friday at SMSU.
This year's program features breakout sessions on developing leadership skills and overcoming burnout, combined with inspiring speakers.
"We feel like it's really something for women of all seasons to reflect and plan," Frost said.
More information on the conference, as well as online registration, is available at www.smsufoundation.org/events/annual/womensleadershipconference/index.html.
The Women's Leadership Conference is back in person this year, after holding a virtual conference in 2021, Frost said. Organizers hope to have around 200 attendees.
The original vision for the leadership conference came from Cindy Verschaetse around five years ago, organizers said. As a member of the SMSU Foundation Board of Directors, Verschaetse was interested in raising scholarship support for female student leaders, as well as providing an opportunity for women to come together for personal and professional development. The event established an endowment for female student leaders at SMSU.
Friday's conference lineup includes keynote speaker Jo Saxton, an author and entrepreneurial coach with a multicultural approach to leadership training.
"She's spectacular. She's really about women being at the table for the right reasons, and being heard," Frost said.
There will also be breakout sessions with Rana DeBoer, chief impact officer for Keystone Group International, and SMSU alumni Karla Munkel and Charli Gamber. Both Munkel and Gamber are authors with experience in business leadership.
Frost said the three breakout sessions are all on topics that complement each other, from fueling women's energy to preventing burnout and surviving life's curveballs.
The Women's Leadership Conference is open to attendees of all ages, including students, Frost said. SMSU students can attend the conference for free.