DATE: October 4, 2022

TIME: 8:30am - 5:00pm

LOCATION: DoubleTree Resort

COST: $125 Member; $150 Future Member

We have a lot of amazing content, so make sure you read the whole way through!

What is Women in Business?

Women in Business is designed to equip professional women with the knowledge, strategies, and resources needed to navigate challenges and achieve success in the workplace as well as to provide opportunities to connect with businesswomen across Lancaster County. 

What is the Professional Women's Forum?

Every year, we host the Professional Women’s Forum as part of our Women in Business program. The Professional Women’s Forum is a full-day conference filled with inspiring and energizing sessions designed to foster connections with women across Lancaster County, cultivate professional and personal growth, and celebrate the impact of women in our community. 2022’s Professional Women’s Forum: Thriving will equip you with the insight, relationships, and practices you need to flourish. Hear from local female professionals as they share about:

• Navigating career opportunities and overcoming leadership challenges;
• Setting healthy boundaries and practicing self-care;
• Pursuing your passions and discovering your purpose;
• Rallying “your people” for support; and
• Building an equitable community for all of us to thrive!

Agenda:

8:30 am - Doors open

9:00 am - Plenary Session: Heather Valudes, President & CEO of the Lancaster Chamber

10:15 am - Breakout Session #1

11:30 am - Lunch

1:00 pm - Breakout Session #2

2:15 pm - Keynote Session: Vanessa Philbert, CEO of CAP and 2022 ATHENA Award Winner

3:30 pm - Happy Hour

5:00 pm - Wrap up

*IMPORTANT - Registration*

Please ensure you pick TWO breakout sessions before checking out. Each breakout session is offered during the two timeslots. Please ensure you choose two different ones. 

Questions? Email [email protected].

Keynote Session with Vanessa Philbert, CEO of Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County:

"One day, you will look back and see that all along, you were blooming." -  Morgan Harper Nichols

We are flowing in and out of seasons, our life and leadership in constant motion. How do we ensure we thrive in each season of our lives? Vanessa's keynote session will explore the ways to recognize the season you're in, understand how to care for yourself in the transitions, and discern what thriving means in each season. 

Plenary Session with Heather Valudes, President & CEO of the Lancaster Chamber: 

Vulnerability belongs in the workplace. It comes in many forms – from making a risky decision to showing up authentically – and it is a critical component of change. In this session, we will explore how vulnerability plays a role in the workplace, how it enhances change behaviors, and how it helps create  trust in the workplace. Heather will share how vulnerability has played a role in her career and lead a discussion on how to navigate vulnerability and authenticity in the workplace.

Breakout Sessions:

Healthy Boundaries in the Workplace - Beth Rosborough, Leadership and Organization Development Specialist at WellSpan

Attendees of this session will be able to identify the types of boundaries as well as recognize signs of unhealthy boundaries in their everyday lives. The presentation will also discuss the importance of setting boundaries, barriers in doing so, and how to develop strategies to adopt healthy boundaries.  Attendees will learn how to advocate for themselves and/or their team members in the workplace if and when those boundaries are crossed.  

Creating a Career Out of Passion - Judelyne Bataille, Founder and Owner of Beauty by Judelyne

Through Judelyne’s entrepreneurship journey, learn how you can pursue your passions in your career, whether you are working in a company or considering the launch of your own business. Judelyne will share about key moments in her life that encouraged her to start her own business. Hear about the early days of Beauty by Judelyne and the strategies Judelyne used to propel her passion forward. Walk away from the session feeling inspired by Judelyne’s story and confident in your ability to incorporate your own passions into your career – whether you’re considering entrepreneurship or continuing your corporate journey!

Overcoming Barriers to Effective Leadership - Melisa Baez, CEO of ELUME

Becoming a leader is much more than carrying a title or holding a position of power. Hear the story of one’s journey to self-exploration and identity shift in becoming a systems-change leader. Melisa Baez will offer insight and guidance for both executive-level and emerging female leaders. You will be challenged through an interactive session to reflect on and discuss the strategies and solutions to the barriers of women in leadership.

A Life More Enriched: Filling Your Personal Advisory Board - Holly P. White, Marketing and Communications Manager at Domani Wealth

In the hustle of life, living a life that is “thriving” instead of “surviving” seems….unreachable. Or at least untenable, if you are able to reach a state of thriving for a few moments, days, or weeks. What if you could build the kind of support network around you that as you encounter challenges, setbacks, and celebrations, they would be in lockstep with you? People you can ask the hard questions of, have the deep conversations with, laugh the most with, and generally, feel buoyed by and have more confidence in the direction you are steering because you know them. Who collectively: help you thrive. This session will explore what a personal advisory board IS (a title that’s possibly more formal than it needs to be), how it can help you navigate your life, and how you go about putting one together.

Maximizing Your Strengths and Purpose - Melissa Jeanes, Melissa Jeanes LLC and Certified Gallup Strengths Coach

Research shows that people who focus on developing their strengths benefit from increased workplace engagement and performance, greater well-being, and increased quality of life.  But how often do we spend time investing in what we do best?  This session creates space for you to identify and celebrate your natural way of thinking, feeling, and behaving.  Then, together, we will develop action plans for investing in our strengths. 

Building an Equitable Community - Dr. Kesha Morant Williams, Senior Advisor for College Diversity, Equity & Belonging, Elizabethtown College

This breakout session challenges audience members to consider their Center or what guides the way they show up and operate in the world. Through tangible examples participants are challenged to consider the impact of communication and culture in personal and professional interactions.  Participants are also challenged to consider non-dominant perspectives when making leadership decisions. 

Meet the speakers!

Plenary Session: Heather Valudes, President & CEO, Lancaster Chamber

Heather Valudes became the President & CEO of The Lancaster Chamber the end of June 2022. Heather recently served as the Vice President of the Lancaster Chamber.  She joined the Chamber in 2011 as the Advocacy Director with a focus on government affairs and community impact. Since that time, she has continued to advance that work while also leading events and programs strategy and engaging in the overall operations and strategic direction of the organization. 

Prior to joining the Chamber, Valudes was the Government Affairs Coordinator at the Building Industry Association where she represented them before all government bodies on issues related to the association’s mission. 

Valudes graduated from West Chester University in 2007 with a degree in Political Science and holds a Master’s in Public Administration from West Chester University. She earned her Certified Chamber Executive designation in 2021, was named a 40 Under 40 by the Central Penn Business Journal and the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, and is a 2010 graduate of Leadership Lancaster.  

As a lifelong Lancaster County resident, she is committed to her local community. Beyond her service on Chamber related boards, she is a member of the Paradise Township Lions Club and is involved with the Girl Scouts.

Keynote Speaker: Vanessa Philbert, Chief Executive Officer, Community Action Partnership

Vanessa Philbert, Chief Executive Officer for the Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County, has been engaged in community-building and non-profit work for the past 20 years. At CAP, she provides leadership, management and vision to the variety of CAP programs and community initiatives. Vanessa brings a unique perspective to community problem-solving based on her personal experiences and journey out of poverty. She is married with three daughters. She holds a Masters in Strategic Leadership and Organizational Development from Elizabethtown College and a Bachelors in Applied Psychology and Organizational Development from Albright College.

Breakout Speakers:

Holly P. White, Domani Wealth

Yes, her name is like Christmastime. Yes, she was born at Christmastime. No, her middle initial doesn’t stand for Poinsettia (or does it?). Holly is a transplant to Lancaster and has spent her career in communications for a variety of organizations, managing everything you can think of that requires crystalizing messaging for key audiences: public relations, media relations, marketing communications, advertising, internal communications, corporate communications, and crisis communications. She has worked in the B2B and B2C spaces in industries including healthcare, construction and engineering, finance, sales training, business coaching, insurance, media, and manufacturing. Her passion is to be a resource to others, and she is a volunteer and leader for local organizations including the Lancaster Public Library, School District of Lancaster, and Public Relations Society of America. As a mom of four, she is known for her exuberance, tenacity, and curiosity. In her spare time she can be found with a Dr. Pepper in her hand, surrounded by houseplants, and a pencil through her ponytail as she works on home improvement projects. 

Judelyne Bataille, Beauty by Judelyne

Judelyne is the Owner and CEO of Beauty by Judelyne, a wellness spa located just a few blocks away from Clipper Magazine Stadium. Judelyne grew from a New York Fashion Week makeup artist to a licensed aesthetician, licensed cosmetologist, and master makeup artist. She started her career as a freelance makeup artist in 2012, pursuing her passion for skincare in 2015, where she graduated top of her class. Her passion for healthy skin grew into a desire to help her work with clients to make them feel the most confident in themselves - one service at a time. 

Beauty by Judelyne is a holistic wellness spa with a scientific approach that specializes in corrective treatment like acne, rosacea, eczema, and anti-aging treatments. She is known for her lash craftmanship skills. Judelyne is proud to offer a no charge for cancer patient program that provides all services free of charge. In the past, Judelyne has worked with Advantage Lancaster, a  program designed to provide inner-city residents with a variety of choices intended to create a successful life plan. 

When Judelyne is not pampering clients, she spends her time with five amazing kids and her partner. She loves the outdoors, plants and flower, and crystals. 

Dr. Kesha Morant Williams, Elizabethtown College

Dr. Kesha Morant Williams is the Senior Advisor for College Diversity Equity and Belonging at Elizabethtown College. In alignment with the Office of Diversity, Equity Belonging, she oversees Elizabethtown College's diversity, equity, and belonging efforts and goals. 
A firm believer in the power of words, Dr. Morant Williams desires to explore the impact of language and power in communication experiences. Her research interest focus on relational communication in personal and professional settings. Her professional interests include creating links between academic and more practical environments. Her relationship-centered teaching and research is recognized in higher education, community, and nationally. In 2018, she was awarded the Rex Crawley Service Award at the National Communication Association Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2022, she received a Presidential Citation for her work with the Western States Communication Association. 

Her research has been published in peer review journals, including Journal of Health Communication, Journal of Medical Humanities, Journal of Black Studies, Howard Journal of Communications, Journal of Media and Religion, Journal of Communication & Religion, Sexuality, and Culture, Journal of Contemporary Rhetoric and the books Inter/Cultural Communication: Representation and construction of culture in everyday interaction and Race, Gender & Identity. She is the editor of Reifying Women's Experiences with Invisible Illness and Contemporary Christian Culture: Messages, Missions & Dilemmas. In collaboration with Advantage Lancaster, she is the author of The Color of STEM, a magazine highlighting Black and Brown women from Lancaster PA interested in STEM disciplines. Currently, she is writing a single-authored book that blends the practical and the analytic, offering an autoethnographic depiction of the importance of purposeful relationships and intentional communication. In 2018, she delivered a TEDx Talk on a similar topic.

Before joining Elizabethtown College, Dr. Morant Williams was an Associate Professor of Communication Arts & Sciences at Penn State University, Berks. In addition, she was an Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Eastern University, a reporter at Lancaster Newspapers, and worked for various non-profit organizations in Lancaster, PA. 

Dr. Williams earned a Ph.D. from Howard University in Communication and Culture, a master's degree in Humanities from Penn State Harrisburg, and a baccalaureate degree in Communication Studies from West Chester University.

Melissa Jeanes, Melissa Jeanes LLC

Melissa is a coach and strengths-based consultant and owner of Melissa Jeanes LLC. Melissa’s strength-based approach helps individuals and teams maximize their potential and increase their influence. Leading with curiosity and empathy, Melissa helps her clients embrace the complex issues they face and serves as a guide to help them envision and achieve their desired future.  

Melissa is passionate about developing the next generation of leaders and leads strength discovery sessions for teens and young adults. She also serves as a mentor and advisory team member for the Lancaster Chamber’s Young Women Discovering Paths Program.  

Melissa holds a degree from Penn State University in Organizational Leadership and is a certified Gallup CliftonStrengths coach. Her ability to build relationships and her spirit of collaboration contribute to her success as a coach and business development professional.  

Beth Rosborough, WellSpan Health

Beth Rosborough serves as a member of WellSpan Health’s leadership development team. She engages in coaching, facilitates leadership development classes, and provides support to leaders across the organization. She has worked in healthcare for 14 years and enjoys partnering with leaders to develop an environment where they and their team members learn and thrive. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in social work from Millersville University and received a Master of Arts degree in leadership and management from Concordia University in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She enjoys spending time with her family, engaging in wellness related activities, connecting with others, and lending a helping hand whenever possible.

Melisa Baez

Melisa has long known that her passion lies in creating social change through business and education. In the past ten years, she has focused on growing her professional experience and passion by engaging in entrepreneurial ventures, partnerships, and educational platforms. She served as the director of programs for a college access program designing and cultivating programs whose mission was to motivate first generation college bound students on a path toward attaining a degree in higher education. While serving as the Chief Program Officer at ASSETS, Melisa launched its first Women’s Business Center and Entrepreneurial Service department. A heavy focus was placed on equitable entrepreneurial services that broke barriers in starting and growing businesses for women and people of color; which included training and lending services. As a business owner and CEO of ELUME, she leads innovative work in the space of sustainable consulting and creating products for entrepreneurs transitioning from existing business models to impact driven business models.

Beyond her professional experience, she continues to expand her personal network within the local and global communities. Not only does she volunteer her services in the greater Lancaster County as a guest educator, she is also a Global Shaper Alum for the Lancaster Hub, and a Cordes Fellow focusing on tackling global social issues. Melisa sits on the Board of Directors for Lancaster County Community Foundation and Un-Tours, one of the first registered Bcorps in the world. Melisa holds an MBA in Sustainability from Bard, and is happily married with two beautiful children.

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