2026 WLC LIVE PROGRAM
MAIN STAGE PRESENTATIONS & EDUCATION SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
MAIN STAGE PRESENTATIONS
MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2026
Opening Keynote Address
To Be Announced
Monday, August 31, 2026 9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
The System Beneath Leadership:Why Sustainable Performance Starts Within”
Alison Conigliaro-Hubbard
Monday, August 31, 2026 11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Keynote Address
To Be Announced
Monday, August 31, 2026 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
MAIN STAGE PRESENTATIONS
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2026
Ask the Coach
Tuesday, September 01, 2026 8:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
MODERATOR: Dethra U. Giles, CEO, ExecuPrep
The M.I.N.D.S.E.T. Framework: A Leader’s Mental Toolkit
Sally Allen
Tuesday, September 01, 2026 10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Closing Keynote Address
To Be Announced
Tuesday, September 01, 2026 3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
LIVE CONFERENCE TRACKS & EDUCATION SESSIONS
EMERGING LEADER TRACK
Typically has less than 10 years of career experience; may aspire to become a leader; may already be a project or team leader or an entry- to mid-level supervisor, manager, or administrator
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An Emerging Leader typically has less than 10 years of career experience. They may be an individual contributor who aspires to be in a leadership position but hasn’t quite achieved that level yet; or they may already supervise individual projects and/or people as a Team Leader, or as an entry-level to mid-level Supervisor, Manager, or Administrator.
Emerging Leaders are typically in the foundational stages of building their leadership capacity and confidence, credibility, visibility, career path, and 360° sustainability, with a focus on developing all aspects of their leadership skills in preparation for advancement.
The critical leadership capabilities and responsibilities for Emerging Leaders encompass:
Self-leadership: including self-awareness; understanding emotional intelligence; and personal accountability.
Operational leadership: including supervising a team or department and fostering a positive work environment on a daily basis – ensuring effective work delegation and management of workflows; process control; project and time management; problem-solving; and guidance and feedback to team members to promote a healthy team dynamic; and dependability in achievement of specified goals and outcomes.
Strategic alignment of the team’s work with the mission, vision, and strategic goals of the organization: including how the team fits into the organization’s structure, functions, and mission; and articulating the same to the team.
Interpersonal leadership: including effective communication skills; team motivation; collaboration and teamwork; team accountability; relationship building; and conflict management.
Practicing inclusive leadership: including fostering a respectful and inclusive team environment; valuing diverse perspectives; ensuring that all team members feel heard and able to contribute; and modeling inclusive behaviors at all times.
Strategic communication with higher management: serves as the primary point of contact between the team and higher-level managers – often mid-level managers ‒ to whom they communicate progress updates, team issues or concerns, and with whom they collaborate on problem resolution, process improvements, and operational efficiency; bridges the gap between frontline operations and high-level goals.
Building trust and influence: including building credibility with team members, peers, and higher-level managers.
Understanding the fundamentals of change management and resilience: including adaptability to changing circumstances and disruption; leading your team through change.
Building technology savvy: including understanding the role of technology and data analysis in your immediate teamwork and your sector of the organization.
Career planning: including serious thought about career trajectory and career pathing.
Personal leadership & resilience: including through personal wellness and resilience; continuous, strategic self-development; refining emotional intelligence; navigating disruption and pressure with self-regulation and empathy toward others; evolving leadership presentation as responsibilities grow; and sustaining peak performance.
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Select this track if most of the following statements resonate with you:
I am early in my leadership journey or am preparing to step into a leadership role.
My primary responsibility is to deliver results through my own work and/or a small team.
I am learning how to manage people, projects, or processes effectively.
I am building confidence in my communication, leadership presence, and decision-making.
My influence is primarily within my immediate team or function.
I am focused on understanding how my work connects to the broader organization.
If you find that your responsibilities regularly extend beyond your team or function, or that you are accountable for broader business outcomes, you may want to consider the Emerging Executive Track.
TRACK LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Examine the fundamental, universal, and enduring traits of effective leadership ‒ focusing on how leaders use their knowledge and skills to engage the strengths of team members to achieve successful business outcomes for their organizations.
a. Strengthen your interpersonal leadership capabilities, such as communication skills; collaboration and teamwork; team motivation; team accountability; relationship building; and conflict management.
b. Strengthen your operational leadership capabilities, such as delegation; performance management of team members; project and time management; and change management.
Develop the foundation for enterprise thinking, including an understanding of how your role and your team fit into your organization’s structure and how the business works.
Learn how to formulate and convey your individual business value, your leadership brand, and your visibility.
Understand the meaning of strategic career navigation and its importance to your long-term success goals.
Expand your network through colleagues, such as team leaders, supervisors, and managers.
FWLE’s LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: All courses in this Emerging Leader track support one or more of FWLE’s identified core leadership competencies:
Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation
Builds Relationships & Coalitions
Business Acumen & Business Judgment
Continuous Learning & Development
Develops Others to Build Talent
Effective Communication with All Levels
Excellence in Results Through Others
Integrity
Promotes Wellness
Sets Vision & Direction
Social Responsibility
DAY 1 EDUCATION SESSION 1
OPTION 1: What’s Behind the Business: Gain the Business Acumen and Expand Enterprise Focus to Build Credibility and Impact
Monday, August 31, 2026 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
SPEAKER: Dr. Anita Polite-Wilson, The Leets Consortium
DESCRIPTION:
Many Emerging Leaders excel technically and are promoted because they are strong performers – but continued growth requires understanding how the business works beyond their own and their team’s individual roles. As leaders grow, they are expected to understand their organization’s priorities, budgets, competing demands, and how their team’s work supports overall success. This session will help participants build foundational business acumen by learning how departments in organizations connect, how decisions impact results, and how to think beyond day-to-day tasks. Leaders should leave with a stronger understanding of how the business functions as a whole; practical ways to think beyond their own team; better decision-making awareness; and increased confidence in conversations with higher leadership.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Contribute to the participant’s understanding of what business acumen means for Emerging Leaders, including the relationship of strategy, priorities, resources, and business results.
Understand how the participant’s team connects to other departments and functions in the broader organizational context and, together with other business units, achieves the organization’s business goals.
Examine how everyday team leader decisions impact other teams and the organization’s overall business outcomes.
Differentiate between task thinking and leadership thinking, and organizational awareness that enhances decision-making, judgment, and confidence.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Business Acumen & Business Judgment; Excellence in Results Through Others; Sets Vision & Direction; Effective Communication with All Levels
OPTION 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: AI Is My New Best Friend….and I Love Her! From Curiosity to Capability to Confidence with AI at Work
Monday, August 31, 2026 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
SPEAKER: Dr. Sherrie Tennessee, The Leets Consortium
DESCRIPTION:
This interactive session equips leaders to move from curiosity to capability and confidence in using generative AI at work. Grounded in practical application, participants learn how AI tools – when used responsibly and ethically ‒ can enhance productivity, strengthen decision-making, and accelerate problem-solving while preserving critical human judgment. Through hands-on exercises, real-world use cases, and guided reflection, the session demystifies AI, builds core AI literacy, and enables participants to identify immediate, high-value applications in their roles. Leaders leave with both the mindset and skillset to leverage AI as a strategic partner that supports smarter, more informed leadership choices.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Build confidence and practical fluency using generative AI tools at work.
Apply AI tools to improve productivity, communication, analysis, and decision-making.
Identify responsible and ethical ways to integrate AI into daily leadership tasks.
Develop a personal action plan to leverage AI as a strategic thinking partner—not a replacement for judgment.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation; Business Acumen & Business Judgment; Integrity; Continuous Learning & Development
OPTION 3: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Make the Call: Using Financial Acumen to Drive Business Decisions
Monday, August 31, 2026 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
SPEAKER: Julia Lazzara, Spectrum Leadership Advisory LLC
DESCRIPTION:
This session is not a finance lecture for accountants. It is a practical, interactive dialogue on how to think like a business leader and use financial data to make decisions that matter.
Many leaders are told to “understand the business” but receive little guidance on fundamentals. As a result, they struggle to use financial insight to make decisions that contribute to business goals. This session closes that gap.
Financial basics are an essential part of business acumen – knowledge and skills that must start early in a leader’s journey and strengthen over time. Participants will learn how to interpret core financial reports, especially the P&L (Profit & Loss Statement), and apply them to make faster, higher-impact decisions. Through a hands-on exercise, they will step into the role of a business leader, analyzing business performance, evaluating trade-offs, and making decisions under realistic constraints. The session also builds the ability to ask better business questions and connect everyday decisions to outcomes such as growth, profitability, cash flow, ROI, and customer value.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Interpret financial performance and drivers with a decision-maker mindset, using the P&L to identify what is driving results.
Translate operational decisions into financial impact, understanding implications for revenue, cost, margin, cash flow, and enterprise outcomes.
Use financial data to ask sharper business questions and evaluate trade-offs, applying context, benchmarks, and sound judgment.
Apply a clear, repeatable approach to financially-grounded decision-making, and engage confidently in financial discussions across stakeholders.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Business Acumen & Business Judgment; Sets Vision & Direction; Effective Communication with All Levels
DAY 1 EDUCATION SESSION 2
OPTION 1: So Now You’re the Boss: Success Strategies for New Leaders and Mistakes to Avoid
Monday, August 31, 2026 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
SPEAKER: Jennifer Buck, The Leets Consortium
DESCRIPTION:
Stepping into a leadership role brings new rules and new authority—and new challenges, especially when you’re leading people who were once your peers. This session equips new leaders with practical strategies to navigate this critical transition with confidence by establishing credibility without overcompensating; clarifying the difference between being liked and being trusted; redefining relationships and setting boundaries while preserving mutual respect; and balancing empathy with accountability. Participants will leave with a clear roadmap for the peer-to-leader shift; strategies to avoid common early leadership pitfalls; and practical tools to build the leader’s credibility, trust, and influence.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Strengthen your ability to influence outcomes without relying on formal authority.
Apply practical strategies to build trust, credibility, and alignment across peers and leaders.
Identify and leverage informal influence networks to move work forward.
Increase confidence leading initiatives and conversations from any role or level.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Excellence in Results Through Others; Builds Relationships & Coalitions; Effective Communication with All Levels; Integrity
OPTION 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Holding Your Own™: Leading with Confidence, Clarity, and Influence in High-Visibility Roles
Monday, August 31, 2026 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
SPEAKER: Melissa Maher, Pinnacle Enterprises Group
DESCRIPTION:
Many leaders, especially women leaders, are delivering strong results – but still find themselves holding back or freezing during key moments and key discussions, second-guessing their contributions and voices, and not getting the recognition they deserve.
In this interactive session, participants will be introduced to the Holding Your Own™ framework, which through real-world examples and guided discussion shares practical techniques leaders can use to navigate complex leadership dynamics with greater confidence and credibility; communicate with clarity; and enhance their visibility and influence in situations and decisions that matter in their organizations.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Help participants recognize behaviors that build – or quietly undermine ‒ leadership credibility.
Apply a structured method and language for clear and confident executive communication.
Strengthen executive presence in leadership interactions.
Increase your visibility and influence without seeming arrogant or political in introducing yourself or sharing your accomplishments.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Effective Communication with All Levels; Builds Relationships & Coalitions
DAY 2 EDUCATION SESSION 3
OPTION 1: Is Your Work Visible – or Invisible? Get Noticed – and Regarded – for Work That Drives Decisions
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
SPEAKER: Julia Lazzara, Spectrum Leadership Advisory LLC
DESCRIPTION:
In today’s business environment credibility is often associated with visibility through networking and self-promotion. While those are important building blocks of the leadership pyramid, true credibility is rooted in your competence and the quality of your work – specifically, how it contributes to decisions about your organization’s business priorities, resources, and outcomes. This is often described as “decision contribution” – the extent to which your work informs business direction, clarifies risks and tradeoffs, and supports action.
Leaders who build credibility go beyond merely completing tasks. They demonstrate the meaning of their work in the context of the business – how their work connects to business goals; what strategic options it reveals; and what actions it supports.
While you may not control which assignments you receive, you can increase your visibility by positioning your work to better inform decisions. This session introduces a practical approach to decision contribution. Participants will learn to move beyond reporting factual updates by connecting their work to business outcomes, evaluating risks and tradeoffs, and offering clear, well-reasoned recommendations.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Understand how visibility works in organizations, including the role of work relevance, stakeholder exposure, and timing.
Determine who needs to see and understand your work, and how to engage the right stakeholders effectively.
Elevate and share your work in impactful ways, focusing on its contribution to driving business decisions essential to desired business outcomes.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Business Acumen & Business Judgment; Effective Communication with All Levels; Builds Relationships & Coalitions
OPTION 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Your Personal Brand + AI = Your Competitive Advantage
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
SPEAKER: Haydee Antezana, Haydee Antezana International
DESCRIPTION:
Your personal brand is more important than ever as the AI revolution reshapes work and competition intensifies. AI is now impacting how influence is built, how thought leadership is recognized, and how leadership narratives spread ‒ whether you control them or not. When your personal brand is intentional and AI-enabled, you don’t just lead well ‒ you own the narrative that determines trust, compensation, and legacy. AI doesn’t replace your expertise. AI scales it ‒ so that the right people see it, at the right time, for the right opportunities.
Move from hard-working to highly visible—without self-promotion that feels awkward or exhausting. Get ready to be captivated, motivated, and equipped with the tools to gain a competitive edge in your industry!
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Harness the power of AI to create a unique personal brand that gets you noticed and trusted.
Increase your influence, ensuring that your contributions are recognized by key decision-makers.
Leverage AI as a practical leadership tool to sharpen your communication.
Become a “Brand in Demand” by using AI strategically to scale your network and impact.
Obtain a clear roadmap to increase your personal visibility and advancement opportunities.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Builds Relationships & Coalitions; Effective Communication with All Levels; Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation; Continuous Learning & Development
OPTION 3: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Owning Your Leadership Trajectory: Visibility, Sponsorship, and Strategic Career Moves
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
SPEAKER: Nancy DeViney, Shambaugh Leadership
DESCRIPTION:
Strong performance alone is often not enough for recognition or higher-level opportunities in today’s complex organizations. Many highly accomplished leaders report: • a career plateau despite their strong results • limited access to enterprise-shaping decisions • being “well-regarded” but not “seen as next” • weak sponsorship at the highest levels • structural or cultural barriers to upward mobility.
Leaders can and must actively shape their visibility and communicate their impact over time, starting at early career levels – without arrogance or feeling self-promotional ‒ but with intentional, focused effort, strategy, grace, and confidence.
This interactive session outlines a practical, strategic approach to increasing visibility centered in • knowing your value and shaping your personal brand accordingly • taking greater ownership of your career direction and growth • building your reputation for accomplishing desired business outcomes and being open to tackle new opportunities. Participants will learn how to position themselves and their work so that they are visible, understood, and valued by the stakeholders who influence decisions and opportunities, including managers, project leads, and cross-functional partners.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Increase leadership visibility and position yourself near key decision-makers.
Communicate your value and impact in ways that resonate with higher-level and senior leaders.
Build and leverage sponsor relationships that accelerate career growth.
Take strategic career risks that expand your influence and potential opportunities.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation; Builds Relationships & Coalitions; Business Acumen & Business Judgment; Effective Communication with All Levels
DAY 2 EDUCATION SESSION 4
OPTION 1: Organizational Skills for the Overwhelmed: Chaos to Clarity ‒ An Organizational Skills & Time Management Reset for Today’s Leaders
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. [Session 4]
SPEAKER: Jennifer Buck, The Leets Consortium
DESCRIPTION:
Leaders are overwhelmed in today’s fast-moving, always-on work environments not because they lack capability ‒ but because they are subject to constant change and information overload, and their systems for managing time, attention, competing priorities, and energy are no longer working. Feeling overwhelmed is not personal failure; it simply indicates that it’s time for a reset adapting to today’s conditions. This session will help leaders recalibrate how they organize work, manage time, and regulate attention, so that they can reduce overload and chaos, regain control, think strategically, and lead with greater clarity, focus, and confidence.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Identify the root causes of overwhelm and distinguish between workload challenges and system breakdowns.
Apply practical tools to organize work, manage priorities, and protect attention more effectively.
Improve decision-making by allocating time and energy toward high-impact, strategic work.
Create a personalized action plan to reduce stress, increase clarity, and sustain leadership performance.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Promotes Wellness; Excellence in Results Through Others; Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation; Business Acumen & Business Judgment
OPTION 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Resilient Leadership: Sustaining Performance, Confidence, and Well-Being Under Pressure
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. [Session 4]
SPEAKER: Melissa Maher, Pinnacle Enterprises Group
DESCRIPTION:
Leaders in our highly volatile, uncertain business environment are operating in a relentless state of change – uncontrollable external forces, rapid technological advancements, fluctuating consumer and market behaviors, new competition, and moving work cultures and worker attitudes – all leading to constantly shifting business priorities and heightened expectations and pressure on leaders to perform. The more uncertain the situation, the greater the need for leadership. But for many leaders these conditions over time erode confidence, well-being, and long-term sustainability.
This session will share practical strategies and habits that help leaders manage today’s super-stressful operating conditions more effectively; maintain their own physical, mental and emotional wellness; reinforce emotional intelligence and show empathy toward others – and most of all, build resilience. Resilience – the ability to withstand and recover from shocks and setbacks – coupled with the agility to respond quickly to unexpected events and shifts in strategy – are crucial for leaders facing constant change. Leaders who model resilience inspire confidence, trust, and resilience in their teams, who in turn adapt to change and challenge as opportunities for growth.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Examine practical strategies and tools to manage stress and pressure more effectively in real time.
Recognize and interrupt burnout patterns before they escalate.
Maintain confidence and presence during periods of uncertainty.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Promotes Wellness; Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation
EMERGING EXECUTIVE TRACK
Typically has more than 10 years of career experience; executes strategy through oversight of teams within their department(s), sector(s) or function(s); may control budgets, business plans, and decision-making across a span of control of sizeable revenue, geography, or project scope.
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An Emerging Executive is a mid- to senior-level leader, typically with more than 10 years of career experience. Their primary focus is translating their organization’s strategies into actionable plans they execute through teams they lead within their specific department(s), sector(s), or function(s) to reach measurable outcomes and results. This role interfaces with other departments or units to ensure the smooth, efficient flow of functional or cross-functional operations within a specific domain. This role may also control budgets, develop business plans, and make decisions with a span of control reaching across specific but sizeable revenue, geography, or project scope. Titles may include Manager, Senior Manager, Regional Manager, or Director.
Emerging Executives have typically built a solid foundation of capability, credibility, visibility, and 360° sustainability, but are seeking growth opportunities to stretch their scope of responsibility, achieve high quality outcomes, enhance their business acumen, and expand their influence.
The critical leadership capabilities and responsibilities for Emerging Executives encompass:
Shifting from a specific department, sector, or functional mindset to developing an enterprise-wide mindset and skillset anchored in leading the entire business ‒ by mobilizing and leading multiple teams, divisions, or units, and guiding other leaders in problem-solving, shaping culture, and promoting long-term organizational value.
Refining and scaling operational execution to reach measurable outcomes: including prioritizing across initiatives and budgets; understanding and implementing the drivers of business performance; performance management of team/unit leaders and leveraging accountability across business units; and promoting the conditions for innovation.
Developing executive presence and influence: including strategic communication skills; aligning diverse groups around a shared direction; and political savvy.
Building trust, strategic relationships, and coalitions, both internally and externally.
Practicing inclusive leadership: including intentionally creating inclusive team and cross-functional environments; seeking out diverse perspectives in decision-making; and modeling inclusive behaviors across teams at all times.
Understanding decision-making and judgment: including developing an understanding of business risk assessment.
Understanding change leadership: including leading others through continuous change from internal initiatives and external forces.
Fluency with technology as an aid to strategy execution.
Career planning: including serious thought about career trajectory and career pathing.
Personal leadership & resilience: including through personal wellness and resilience; continuous, strategic self-development; refining emotional intelligence; navigating disruption and pressure with self-regulation and empathy toward others; evolving leadership presentation as responsibilities grow; and sustaining peak performance.
TRACK LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Explore advanced strategies for navigating complex organizational dynamics and high-pressured decision-making, influencing decisions and projecting executive presence in highly matrixed environments – with emphasis on strategic visibility, credibility, and relational influence.
Probe core leadership traits necessary to survive and grow in today’s volatile business environment, such as the often-overlooked dynamics of relationships, trust, and their impact on executive decision-making and career-building; sharpening savviness about organizational politics; and the heightened emotional intelligence requirements in senior leaders, especially self-awareness and self-regulation.
Examine the leadership behaviors that strengthen influence and trust while inspiring, empowering, and guiding organizational success.
Underscore the essentials of adaptability and resilience in leading organizations through constant disruption.
Grow your network of peer high-level leaders to help propel your career.
FWLE’s LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES:
All courses in this Executive & Officer track support one or more of FWLE’s identified core leadership competencies:
Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation
Builds Relationships & Coalitions
Business Acumen & Business Judgment
Continuous Learning & Development
Develops Others to Build Talent
Effective Communication with All Levels
Excellence in Results Through Others
Integrity
Promotes Wellness
Sets Vision & Direction
Social Responsibility
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Select this track if most of the following statements resonate with you:
I am responsible for leading teams and delivering results beyond a single team or function.
I regularly work across departments or functions to achieve business outcomes.
I am accountable for translating strategy into execution.
I make decisions that involve prioritization, trade-offs, and resource allocation.
I am expected to influence others beyond my direct authority.
I am working to strengthen my business acumen, strategic thinking, and executive presence.
If your primary focus is still on developing foundational leadership skills or managing your own work or a single team, the Emerging Leader Track may be a better fit. If you are already operating at an enterprise-wide level with responsibility for multiple functions or major organizational decisions, consider the Executive/Officer Track.
DAY 1 EDUCATION SESSION 1
OPTION 1: Elevating Your Strategic Leadership
Monday, August 31, 2026 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
SPEAKER: Nancy DeViney, Shambaugh Leadership
DESCRIPTION:
As leaders progress through mid-level into early executive roles, expectations shift dramatically. Success is no longer defined by personal execution, functional or technical expertise, or problem-solving speed – but by the ability to think, act, and be perceived as “strategic.” A strategic leader is regarded as a forward-thinking decision-maker who can connect daily operations to the organization’s “big picture” long-term success; proactively manage change and disruption; and decisively maneuver complex, ambiguous situations to advance overarching business goals. This session equips participants with frameworks, language, and behavioral shifts that balance operational imperatives with the strategic perspective essential to lead at the enterprise level.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Define what “strategic” means at the executive level. Distinguish between tactical excellence and strategic leadership – and understand how executive teams evaluate strategic contribution.
Avoid common traps that undermine strategic credibility ‒ recognize behaviors such as over-executing, over-explaining, and staying too close to detail that can reinforce perceptions of being “tactical” rather than “strategic”.
Demonstrate strategic leadership visibility in meetings and discussions – especially in senior leadership forums – through executive-level language, questions, and positioning to signal strategic thinking.
Cultivate a broader business perspective through strategic relationships and “stretch experiences.”
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Sets Vision & Direction; Business Acumen & Business Judgment; Effective Communication with All Levels; Builds Relationships & Coalitions
OPTION 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: AI Is My New Best Friend….and I Love Her! From Curiosity to Capability to Confidence with AI at Work
Monday, August 31, 2026 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
SPEAKER: Dr. Sherrie Tennessee, The Leets Consortium
DESCRIPTION:
This interactive session equips leaders to move from curiosity to capability and confidence in using generative AI at work. Grounded in practical application, participants learn how AI tools – when used responsibly and ethically ‒ can enhance productivity, strengthen decision-making, and accelerate problem-solving while preserving critical human judgment. Through hands-on exercises, real-world use cases, and guided reflection, the session demystifies AI, builds core AI literacy, and enables participants to identify immediate, high-value applications in their roles. Leaders leave with both the mindset and skillset to leverage AI as a strategic partner that supports smarter, more informed leadership choices.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Build confidence and practical fluency using generative AI tools at work.
Apply AI tools to improve productivity, communication, analysis, and decision-making.
Identify responsible and ethical ways to integrate AI into daily leadership tasks.
Develop a personal action plan to leverage AI as a strategic thinking partner—not a replacement for judgment.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation; Business Acumen & Business Judgment; Integrity; Continuous Learning & Development
OPTION 3: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Make the Call: Using Financial Acumen to Drive Business Decisions
Monday, August 31, 2026 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
SPEAKER: Julia Lazzara, Spectrum Leadership Advisory LLC
DESCRIPTION:
This session is not a finance lecture for accountants. It is a practical, interactive dialogue on how to think like a business leader and use financial data to make decisions that matter.
Many leaders are told to “understand the business” but receive little guidance on fundamentals. As a result, they struggle to use financial insight to make decisions that contribute to business goals. This session closes that gap.
Financial basics are an essential part of business acumen – knowledge and skills that must start early in a leader’s journey and strengthen over time. Participants will learn how to interpret core financial reports, especially the P&L (Profit & Loss Statement), and apply them to make faster, higher-impact decisions. Through a hands-on exercise, they will step into the role of a business leader, analyzing business performance, evaluating trade-offs, and making decisions under realistic constraints. The session also builds the ability to ask better business questions and connect everyday decisions to outcomes such as growth, profitability, cash flow, ROI, and customer value.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Interpret financial performance and drivers with a decision-maker mindset, using the P&L to identify what is driving results.
Translate operational decisions into financial impact, understanding implications for revenue, cost, margin, cash flow, and enterprise outcomes.
Use financial data to ask sharper business questions and evaluate trade-offs, applying context, benchmarks, and sound judgment.
Apply a clear, repeatable approach to financially-grounded decision-making, and engage confidently in financial discussions across stakeholders.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Business Acumen & Business Judgment; Sets Vision & Direction; Effective Communication with All Levels
DAY 1 EDUCATION SESSION 2
OPTION 1: From Doing to Developing: Coaching Leaders to Expand Your Impact Through Others
Monday, August 31, 2026 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
SPEAKER: Dr. Anita Polite-Wilson, The Leets Consortium
DESCRIPTION:
The escalating financial pressures and fluctuating priorities of our turbulent business environment have placed a greater premium on mid-level leaders as key drivers of organizational stability and success – beyond translating strategy into action. As Emerging Executives assume greater scopes of responsibility – and as leadership development budgets shrink ‒ they are increasingly expected to build the organization’s leadership bench strength as a core responsibility.
This requires a shift in Emerging Executives’ focus from doing operational tasks themselves to strategic leadership that empowers others to develop, perform, and grow as effective leaders capable of achieving desired business results. Emerging Executives must now coach and mentor other leaders, model positive leadership behaviors, and serve as cultural stewards fostering inclusive, safe, collaborative environments conducive to long-term organizational sustainability.
This session will help Emerging Executives make the critical transition from being the problem-solver to becoming the developer and mentor of other leaders – which accelerates their mentees’ team leadership capability, ownership of business outcomes, and confidence. Participants will gain practical coaching skills that not only strengthen accountability and accelerate growth of other leaders, but also expand Emerging Executives’ leadership impact through others.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Shift from personal execution to a development-focused leadership model.
Apply practical coaching skills that improve accountability and ownership in other leaders.
Strengthen your ability to grow other leaders without micromanaging.
Expand your leadership impact by achieving results through others.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Develops Others to Build Talent; Excellence in Results Through Others; Builds Relationships & Coalitions; Effective Communication with All Levels
OPTION 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Holding Your Own™: Leading with Confidence, Clarity, and Influence in High-Visibility Roles
Monday, August 31, 2026 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
SPEAKER: Melissa Maher, Pinnacle Enterprises Group
DESCRIPTION:
Many leaders, especially women leaders, are delivering strong results – but still find themselves holding back or freezing during key moments and key discussions, second-guessing their contributions and voices, and not getting the recognition they deserve.
In this interactive session, participants will be introduced to the Holding Your Own™ framework, which through real-world examples and guided discussion shares practical techniques leaders can use to navigate complex leadership dynamics with greater confidence and credibility; communicate with clarity; and enhance their visibility and influence in situations and decisions that matter in their organizations.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Help participants recognize behaviors that build – or quietly undermine ‒ leadership credibility.
Apply a structured method and language for clear and confident executive communication.
Strengthen executive presence in leadership interactions.
Increase your visibility and influence without seeming arrogant or political in introducing yourself or sharing your accomplishments.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Effective Communication with All Levels; Builds Relationships & Coalitions
DAY 2 EDUCATION SESSION 3
OPTION 1: High Performance to High Influence: Building Strategic Relationships and Sponsorship
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
SPEAKER: Fasika Tefera, Shambaugh Leadership
DESCRIPTION:
Strong performance is expected, and it is not always enough to drive visibility, influence, or career advancement at more senior levels. What increasingly matters is how leaders build relationships that expand their visibility, trust, and impact across the organization. Yet many leaders receive little to no support on how to build and leverage these relationships as they progress in their careers.
This session focuses on how leaders strengthen their influence and access to opportunities by building relationships up, across, and beyond the organization. It clarifies the distinction between mentors, advocates, and sponsors, and how sponsorship can play a critical role in career advancement and opening doors at the executive level.
Participants will gain practical tools to map their current networks and identify the relationships and informal influencers that most affect visibility, access, and advancement. They will examine where their influence network is strong, where it is limited, and which relationships are most important to prioritize going forward. The session also explores how leaders can more effectively communicate their leadership impact at an enterprise level to increase visibility with decision-makers and potential sponsors.
Throughout the session participants will explore how strategic relationships are built deliberately and anchored in authenticity, and how they shape the way leaders connect, contribute, and position their impact. They will also gain practical clarity on how to strengthen influence, prioritize key relationships, and take concrete steps to increase their visibility and leverage their network to support and amplify their impact and advancement within their organization.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Differentiate among mentors, advocates, and sponsors – and why sponsorship is critical at the executive level. Understand how sponsorship accelerates advancement, access, and influence beyond performance alone.
Assess the three types of networks: operational, strategic, and personal.
Recognize informal power and influence networks within your organization. Identify key decision-makers and influencers who shape opportunities and outcomes.
Position yourself strategically for sponsorship. Articulate your leadership value, enterprise impact, and readiness in ways that resonate with senior leaders.
Apply key dimensions of emotional intelligence for building collaborative and trusting relationships.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Integrity; Builds Relationships & Coalitions; Effective Communication with All Levels; Excellence in Results Through Others
OPTION 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Your Personal Brand + AI = Your Competitive Advantage
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
SPEAKER: Haydee Antezana, Haydee Antezana International
DESCRIPTION:
Your personal brand is more important than ever as the AI revolution reshapes work and competition intensifies. AI is now impacting how influence is built, how thought leadership is recognized, and how leadership narratives spread ‒ whether you control them or not. When your personal brand is intentional and AI-enabled, you don’t just lead well ‒ you own the narrative that determines trust, compensation, and legacy. AI doesn’t replace your expertise. AI scales it ‒ so that the right people see it, at the right time, for the right opportunities.
Move from hard-working to highly visible—without self-promotion that feels awkward or exhausting. Get ready to be captivated, motivated, and equipped with the tools to gain a competitive edge in your industry!
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Harness the power of AI to create a unique personal brand that gets you noticed and trusted.
Increase your influence, ensuring that your contributions are recognized by key decision-makers.
Leverage AI as a practical leadership tool to sharpen your communication.
Become a “Brand in Demand” by using AI strategically to scale your network and impact.
Obtain a clear roadmap to increase your personal visibility and advancement opportunities.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Builds Relationships & Coalitions; Effective Communication with All Levels; Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation; Continuous Learning & Development
OPTION 3: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Owning Your Leadership Trajectory: Visibility, Sponsorship, and Strategic Career Moves
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
SPEAKER: Nancy DeViney, Shambaugh Leadership
DESCRIPTION:
Strong performance alone is often not enough for recognition or higher-level opportunities in today’s complex organizations. Many highly accomplished leaders report: • a career plateau despite their strong results • limited access to enterprise-shaping decisions • being “well-regarded” but not “seen as next” • weak sponsorship at the highest levels • structural or cultural barriers to upward mobility.
Leaders can and must actively shape their visibility and communicate their impact over time, starting at early career levels – without arrogance or feeling self-promotional ‒ but with intentional, focused effort, strategy, grace, and confidence.
This interactive session outlines a practical, strategic approach to increasing visibility centered in • knowing your value and shaping your personal brand accordingly • taking greater ownership of your career direction and growth • building your reputation for accomplishing desired business outcomes and being open to tackle new opportunities. Participants will learn how to position themselves and their work so that they are visible, understood, and valued by the stakeholders who influence decisions and opportunities, including managers, project leads, and cross-functional partners.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Increase leadership visibility and position yourself near key decision-makers.
Communicate your value and impact in ways that resonate with higher-level and senior leaders.
Build and leverage sponsor relationships that accelerate career growth.
Take strategic career risks that expand influence and opportunities.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation; Builds Relationships & Coalitions; Business Acumen & Business Judgment; Effective Communication with All Levels
DAY 2 EDUCATION SESSION 4
OPTION 1: Mastering the Transition From High-Speed Execution to Intentional and Sustainable Executive Leadership
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
SPEAKER: Fasika Tefera / Rebecca Shambaugh, Shambaugh Leadership
DESCRIPTION:
Leaders are working under constant demand, limited time to recover, and growing complexity that hamper clear focus and impede good decisions. While expectations for strong performance remain high, it is not sustainable without an organized game plan. Many leaders experience periods of reduced capacity ‒ often described as “brownout,” or burnout ‒ where work continues but with less clarity, energy, and focus.
This session focuses on how leaders can sustain their effectiveness by actively managing their leadership energy. It treats sustainability as a core leadership capability, not just a wellness practice, and examines how energy, attention, and decision load shape capacity in real time.
Leaders will reflect on their own energy patterns and identify what strengthens or drains them across physical, mental, and emotional dimensions. The discussion will also bring forward common assumptions that drive unsustainable ways of working and will introduce more intentional ways to manage effort, presence, and recovery.
Through structured reflection and practical application, participants will develop a personalized, sustainable leadership plan. This includes boundary shifts, energy-supporting practices, and simple decision principles designed to help maintain clarity and effectiveness under sustained pressure.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Shift from managing time to managing energy, and identify simple ways to sustain effectiveness during periods of high demand, fatigue, or strain.
Recognize early signs of reduced energy and stress across physical, mental, and emotional dimensions before they affect clarity and decision-making.
Examine personal assumptions and habits (such as perfectionism or constant availability) that contribute to unsustainable ways of working.
Identify practical strategies to support energy, focus, and recovery across the workday.
Develop greater awareness of how personal energy levels affect leadership effectiveness during periods of change and pressure.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Promotes Wellness; Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation; Continuous Learning & Development
OPTION2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Resilient Leadership: Sustaining Performance, Confidence, and Well-Being Under Pressure
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
SPEAKER: Melissa Maher, Pinnacle Enterprises Group
DESCRIPTION:
Leaders in our highly volatile, uncertain business environment are operating in a relentless state of change – uncontrollable external forces, rapid technological advancements, fluctuating consumer and market behaviors, new competition, and moving work cultures and worker attitudes – all leading to constantly shifting business priorities and heightened expectations and pressure on leaders to perform. The more uncertain the situation, the greater the need for leadership. But for many leaders these conditions over time erode confidence, well-being, and long-term sustainability.
This session will share practical strategies and habits that help leaders manage today’s super-stressful operating conditions more effectively; maintain their own physical, mental and emotional wellness; reinforce emotional intelligence and show empathy toward others – and most of all, build resilience. Resilience – the ability to withstand and recover from shocks and setbacks – coupled with the agility to respond quickly to unexpected events and shifts in strategy – are crucial for leaders facing constant change. Leaders who model resilience inspire confidence, trust, and resilience in their teams, who in turn adapt to change and challenge as opportunities for growth.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Examine practical strategies and tools to manage stress and pressure more effectively in real time.
Recognize and interrupt burnout patterns before they escalate.
Maintain confidence and presence during periods of uncertainty.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Promotes Wellness; Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation
OPTION 3: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Define Success On Your Own Terms: Personal Brand, Courage, and Career Choice for Senior Leaders
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
SPEAKER: Dr. Anita Polite-Wilson, The Leets Consortium
DESCRIPTION:
Do you believe “you have done everything right” yet still grapple with underlying uncertainty about your career path ‒ such as, whether your current role aligns with your personal values and strengths, or whether your leadership path reflects who you want to be and the impact you want to make? Are you questioning whether you are pursuing “success” by default based on societal expectations, external measures of success and validation (such as money or position), or a narrow understanding of your strengths, at the expense of your personal values, aspirations, and fulfillment – rather than based on your intentional choices? Left unaddressed, anxiety and stress stemming from these types of concerns can drag your energy contributing to burnout; undermine your leadership confidence and effectiveness; and erode your teams’ trust and confidence in you.
This session invites leaders to pause, reflect, and take this opportunity to explore whether you are defining success for yourself – on your own terms, or someone else’s. Participants will explore the core themes of • achievement vs. fulfillment • personal brand – does it just have meaning as an external reputation, or can it serve as an internal compass for clarity about your leadership identity and your desired legacy? • assessment of your current role: does it align or misalign with your values and brand? • leadership courage – does it just relate to the next business decisions facing you, or does it include your ability to make intentional, confident choices about your career journey, even when outcomes feel uncertain?
“Success” can but doesn’t have to look the way it always has, and your reflection process can open new possibilities. While no one else can tell you what fulfillment or success means for you, this session will suggest considerations and strategies that can inform your reflection and ultimately enable more authentic leadership, greater influence, and sustainable well-being as you forge your career path forward.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Clarify a personal definition of success aligned with your values, your defined impact, and your leadership identity.
Develop a deeper understanding of how personal brand influences career decisions and leadership presence.
Use your personal brand to set a personal leadership vision that guides your future priorities and choices.
Strengthen your courage as a leadership capability in moments of choice and transition, particularly concerning career choices that prioritize sustainable wellness and success.
Identify one actionable step you can take to align your career decisions with your long-term fulfillment and impact.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Integrity; Sets Vision & Direction; Promotes Wellness
EXECUTIVE/OFFICER TRACK
Typically has more than 15 years of career experience; leads multiple functions or geographic regions of the organization; controls a large budget; and makes or influences decisions that affect the entire organization or a substantial part of it.
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An Executive/Officer typically has more than 15 years of career experience; leads multiple functions or geographic regions of the organization; controls a large budget; and makes or influences decisions that affect the entire enterprise or a substantial sector of it ‒ either interacting routinely with the organization’s C-Suite and Board of Directors (executive) or as a member of the organization’s C-Suite (officer). Their titles may include Senior Director, Vice President, Senior Vice President, Executive Vice President, Chief Officer (such as Chief Financial Officer), or President.
Executives/Officers have built significant capability, credibility, visibility, and 360° sustainability in their roles – demonstrating strategic, enterprise-wide vision focused on innovation, technology integration, and long-term growth; oversight of multiple business units if not the entire enterprise; expansive emotional intelligence and influence; wide-impact high-stakes decision-making; navigation of complex diverse internal and external stakeholders; as well as steering the enterprise through external pressures, volatility, and disruptions.
While already highly accomplished, executives maintain personal wellness and continuous self-development and foster a culture of organizational wellness and continuous growth and development.
The critical leadership capabilities and responsibilities for Executives/Officers encompass:
Leadership of enterprise-wide strategy and results at scale: including setting enterprise goals and metrics, and aligning resources with strategic objectives.
Executive influence and stakeholder leadership: including driving outcomes through influence at scale; executive presence; building trust enterprise-wide; strategic high-stakes communication; and organizational and political savvy.
Promoting operational excellence: including ensuring that enterprise structures, processes, and systems support strategy execution.
Promoting innovation: including fostering a mindset for continuous improvement and innovation, and creating conditions for innovation.
Decision-making rooted in business acumen under all conditions: including agility in making high-impact decisions often with incomplete information amid uncertain conditions and circumstances; managing different levels of enterprise risk (financial, operational, and reputational); ensuring that decisions are ethical and values-based in the best interests of the organization and its varied stakeholders.
Technology fluency: including understanding the value of technology in strategy planning and execution; fluency in data analysis; and translating data into action.
Guiding leadership through change: including exemplifying resilience and agility in confronting constant disruption; propelling organization-wide change with clarity and alignment; creating conditions for innovation; making informed, data-driven decisions; and making decisions about integration of technology into organizational systems and processes.
Shaping organizational culture and other leadership capabilities: such as building a culture of psychological safety, trust, inclusion and accountability; cultivating high-potential leaders and succession pipelines; and coaching and empowerment of other leaders.
Practicing inclusive leadership: including setting the tone for an inclusive culture; embedding inclusion into organizational systems and leadership expectations; ensuring that diverse perspectives are reflected in decision-making; and modeling inclusive behaviors at all times.
Career planning: including serious thought about career trajectory and career pathing.
Personal leadership & resilience: including through personal wellness and resilience; continuous, strategic self-development; refining emotional intelligence; navigating disruption and pressure with self-regulation and empathy toward others; evolving leadership presentation as responsibilities grow; and sustaining peak performance.
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Select this track if most of the following statements resonate with you:
I am responsible for enterprise-level outcomes or a significant portion of the business.
I lead multiple functions, regions, or large-scale initiatives.
I make or influence high-stakes decisions with broad organizational impact.
I regularly engage with senior executives, the C-Suite, or external stakeholders.
I lead through other leaders, rather than primarily managing individual contributors or emerging leaders.
I play a role in shaping my organization’s strategy, culture, and long-term direction.
If you are still building experience leading beyond your function or are not yet accountable for enterprise-level decisions and initiatives, the Emerging Executive Track may be a better fit.
Although the need for capable senior leaders never changes, the specific leadership skills essential for greatest success may fluctuate with the times. This year’s Executive/Officer track will:
Probe core leadership traits necessary to survive and grow in today’s volatile business environment, focusing on the often-overlooked dynamics of relationships, trust, and their impact on executive decision-making and career-building • sharpening your savviness about organizational politics • power negotiations with confidence • resiliency, adaptability, and the ability to thrive amid constant challenges and chaos • the heightened emotional intelligence requirements for senior leaders, especially self-awareness and self-regulation • the key role of leadership influence in inspiring, empowering, and navigating organizational change success.
Underscore the essential competencies for leading teams and organizations through change and disruption.
Examine the realities of service on boards of directors, including • the demands of board governance • group dynamics among board members • the experiences of women directors • the need for continuous director learning • the potential for director impact on and beyond her/his organization.
Grow your network of high-level leaders to help propel your career.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: All courses in this track support one or more of FWLE’s identified core leadership competencies:
Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation
Builds Relationships & Coalitions
Business Acumen & Business Judgment
Continuous Learning & Development
Develops Others to Build Talent
Effective Communication with All Levels
Excellence in Results Through Others
Integrity
Promotes Wellness
Sets Vision & Direction
Social Responsibility
DAY 1 EDUCATION SESSION 1
OPTION 1: Navigating Complexity, High-Stakes Decisions, and Resistance as an Executive
Monday, August 31, 2026 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
SPEAKER: Rebecca Shambaugh / Fasika Tefera, Shambaugh Leadership
DESCRIPTION:
This special peer-level roundtable forum will explore executive leaders’ cross-industry experiences and perspectives to formulate actionable approaches in three critical areas of challenge: • making high-stakes decisions in high-pressure VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) environments • leadership behaviors that can strengthen your influence and trust quotient during adversity or crisis • overcoming resistance to your leadership role; your ideas, opinions, or viewpoints; or your exercise of authority in various stakeholder situations. Through facilitated discussion, peer exchange, and expert insights, participants will engage in candid conversations, share real-world scenarios and lessons, and explore practical strategies for navigating these complex organizational dynamics.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Identify practical approaches for making high-stakes decisions in complex, high-pressure environments.
Recognize leadership behaviors that can strengthen your influence and build trust during times of uncertainty or crisis.
Examine strategies for addressing resistance to your leadership, authority, or key initiatives across diverse stakeholder contexts.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Builds Relationships & Coalitions; Business Acumen & Business Judgment; Effective Communication with All Levels
OPTION 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: AI Is My New Best Friend….and I Love Her! From Curiosity to Capability to Confidence with AI at Work
Monday, August 31, 2026 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
SPEAKER: Dr. Sherrie Tennessee, The Leets Consortium
DESCRIPTION:
This interactive session equips leaders to move from curiosity to capability and confidence in using generative AI at work. Grounded in practical application, participants learn how AI tools – when used responsibly and ethically ‒ can enhance productivity, strengthen decision-making, and accelerate problem-solving while preserving critical human judgment. Through hands-on exercises, real-world use cases, and guided reflection, the session demystifies AI, builds core AI literacy, and enables participants to identify immediate, high-value applications in their roles. Leaders leave with both the mindset and skillset to leverage AI as a strategic partner that supports smarter, more informed leadership choices.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Build confidence and practical fluency using generative AI tools at work.
Apply AI tools to improve productivity, communication, analysis, and decision-making.
Identify responsible and ethical ways to integrate AI into daily leadership tasks.
Develop a personal action plan to leverage AI as a strategic thinking partner—not a replacement for judgment.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation; Business Acumen & Business Judgment; Integrity; Continuous Learning & Development
DAY 1 EDUCATION SESSION 2
OPTION 1: Strategic Influence and Executive Presence for Executives and Officers
Monday, August 31, 2026 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
SPEAKER: Rebecca Shambaugh / Nancy DeViney, Shambaugh Leadership
DESCRIPTION:
Have you achieved the strategic visibility, credibility, and influence to which you aspire as an executive at your organization? Are you making the impact on the decisions and direction you wish for your enterprise, your career fulfillment, and your envisioned legacy? If not, you are not alone.
Modern matrixed organizational structures and operations ‒ compounded by hybrid work, geographic expanse, if not global reach, and unrelenting internal and external change ‒ make effective leadership far more complex than ever before. Success in the matrix places a premium on leadership collaboration across functions, teams, groups, geographic boundaries, and stakeholders with different interests and priorities – rendering top-down autocratic command-and-control an archaic leadership model.
This session will equip executives with practical frameworks and tools to assess ways to increase their strategic influence by enhancing executive presence, flexing essential leadership styles, strengthening selected emotional intelligence competencies, and inspiring others.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Define and embody executive presence strategically by understanding the elements of executive presence at the C-suite level and how to project them consistently in high-stakes situations.
Understand the power of body language and the silent signals critical to establishing confidence, credibility, and the ability to read others.
Leverage your strategic voice to communicate ideas in a compelling, concise, and memorable way that resonates with diverse executive audiences, including board members and peers.
Develop strategies to maintain authority, influence, and presence in virtual, hybrid, or cross-cultural environments.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Integrity; Effective Communication with All Levels; Builds Relationships & Coalitions; Excellence in Results Through Others
OPTION 2:CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Holding Your Own™: Leading with Confidence, Clarity, and Influence in High-Visibility Roles
Monday, August 31, 2026 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
SPEAKER: Melissa Maher, Pinnacle Enterprises Group
DESCRIPTION:
Many leaders, especially women leaders, are delivering strong results – but still find themselves holding back or freezing during key moments and key discussions, second-guessing their contributions and voices, and not getting the recognition they deserve.
In this interactive session, participants will be introduced to the Holding Your Own™ framework, which through real-world examples and guided discussion shares practical techniques leaders can use to navigate complex leadership dynamics with greater confidence and credibility; communicate with clarity; and enhance their visibility and influence in situations and decisions that matter in their organizations.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Help participants recognize behaviors that build – or quietly undermine ‒ leadership credibility.
Apply a structured method and language for clear and confident executive communication.
Strengthen executive presence in leadership interactions.
Increase your visibility and influence without seeming arrogant or political in introducing yourself or sharing your accomplishments.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES:Effective Communication with All Levels; Builds Relationships & Coalitions
OPTION 3: LEARNING LAB: Building Leadership Capacity at Enterprise Scale
Monday, August 31, 2026 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
SPEAKER: Dr. David Yudis, The Leets Consortium
DESCRIPTION:
LEARNING LAB: Leadership development is one of the most pressing issues facing organizations today. Great leaders do more than lead teams – they build future leaders for the long-term success of their organization’s bottom line, strategy execution, talent retention, and resilience and agility in the face of disruption. The strongest businesses do not rely on a few leaders at the top; they are excellent at developing leaders at all levels. This is not just HR’s problem — it is a vital strategic imperative for all leadership, especially Executives and Officers.
This session helps Executives and Officers probe the elements of a scalable enterprise-wide leadership development system that grows talent, increases readiness, and drives performance and accountability across levels, functions, and locations. Participants will examine and collaborate on barriers to and effective strategies, structures, and practices for shaping their next generation of leaders – including fostering a workplace culture conducive to leadership preparation; integration of development tools founded on real-world leadership learning experiences, such as coaching, feedback, and stretch assignments as growth accelerators; and building realistic succession planning that goes beyond names on a chart and aligns with the enterprise’s now and future goals.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Develop a clear strategy for building leadership capacity across the organization.
Specify actions to promote a leadership culture of continuous learning that scales leadership capacity.
Understand the use of scalable development practices including coaching, feedback, and stretch opportunities to multiply leadership capacity.
Improve the use of succession planning to build a more resilient talent pipeline.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Develops Others to Build Talent; Excellence in Results Through Others; Sets Vision & Direction; Builds Relationships & Coalitions
DAY 2 EDUCATION SESSION 3
OPTION 1:Navigating the Political and Organizational Landscape in the New Workplace
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
SPEAKER: Rebecca Shambaugh, Shambaugh Leadership
DESCRIPTION:
Leaders who ignore organizational politics – the web of relationships, power, and influence that drives how work actually gets done and decisions are made – do so at their own risk. As Harvard Business Review notes, “if you don’t do politics, politics will do you.” Whether it is potential impacts on your ability to deliver business results, build collaborative success and shape your business’ direction, or your credibility ‒ politics is an inescapable reality of organizations, even for executives who excel in their disciplines.
Rather than something to avoid, organizational politics is a critical leadership capability – one that can be practiced with integrity. This session helps executives build political intelligence to more effectively navigate complex and matrixed environments. Participants will learn to identify key decision-makers beyond the organization chart, understand how power operates, and leverage networks of influence to drive outcomes.
Premised on the theme “I Didn’t See It Coming,” the session will also focus on strengthening participants’ strategic foresight – equipping leaders to spot early warning signals such as misalignment, stakeholder resistance, shifting priorities, and hidden decision pathways before they derail execution.
Ultimately, the session will reinforce the executive’s role in shaping a constructive political culture – one rooted in transparency, trust, and ethical influence to advance both organizational and business outcomes.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Understand why hierarchy matters less ‒ and influence and political intelligence matter more ‒ in AI-enabled, hybrid, and matrixed organizations.
Recognize political blind spots that can derail even high-performing executives.
Identify both visible and informal power structures that shape key decisions.
Strengthen the ability to interpret ambiguity and influence effectively across stakeholders.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Integrity; Builds Relationships & Coalitions; Effective Communication with All Levels
OPTION 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Your Personal Brand + AI = Your Competitive Advantage
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
SPEAKER: Haydee Antezana, Haydee Antezana International
DESCRIPTION:
Your personal brand is more important than ever as the AI revolution reshapes work and competition intensifies. AI is now impacting how influence is built, how thought leadership is recognized, and how leadership narratives spread ‒ whether you control them or not. When your personal brand is intentional and AI-enabled, you don’t just lead well ‒ you own the narrative that determines trust, compensation, and legacy. AI doesn’t replace your expertise. AI scales it ‒ so that the right people see it, at the right time, for the right opportunities.
Move from hard-working to highly visible—without self-promotion that feels awkward or exhausting. Get ready to be captivated, motivated, and equipped with the tools to gain a competitive edge in your industry!
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Harness the power of AI to create a unique personal brand that gets you noticed and trusted.
Increase your influence, ensuring that your contributions are recognized by key decision-makers.
Leverage AI as a practical leadership tool to sharpen your communication.
Become a “Brand in Demand” by using AI strategically to scale your network and impact.
Obtain a clear roadmap to increase your personal visibility and advancement opportunities.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Builds Relationships & Coalitions; Effective Communication with All Levels; Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation
OPTION 3: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Owning Your Leadership Trajectory: Visibility, Sponsorship, and Strategic Career Moves
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
SPEAKER: Nancy DeViney, Shambaugh Leadership
DESCRIPTION:
Strong performance alone is often not enough for recognition or higher-level opportunities in today’s complex organizations. Many highly accomplished leaders report: • a career plateau despite their strong results • limited access to enterprise-shaping decisions • being “well-regarded” but not “seen as next” • weak sponsorship at the highest levels • structural or cultural barriers to upward mobility.
Leaders can and must actively shape their visibility and communicate their impact over time, starting at early career levels – without arrogance or feeling self-promotional ‒ but with intentional, focused effort, strategy, grace, and confidence.
This interactive session outlines a practical, strategic approach to increasing visibility centered in • knowing your value and shaping your personal brand accordingly • taking greater ownership of your career direction and growth • building your reputation for accomplishing desired business outcomes and being open to tackle new opportunities. Participants will learn how to position themselves and their work so that they are visible, understood, and valued by the stakeholders who influence decisions and opportunities, including managers, project leads, and cross-functional partners.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Increase leadership visibility and position yourself near key decision-makers.
Communicate your value and impact in ways that resonate with higher-level and senior leaders.
Build and leverage sponsor relationships that accelerate career growth.
Take strategic career risks that expand influence and opportunities.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation; Builds Relationships & Coalitions; Business Acumen & Business Judgment; Effective Communication with All Levels
DAY 2 EDUCATION SESSION 4
OPTION 1: Crisis Management: Preparing Your Organization for the Unknown
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
SPEAKER: To Be Announced
DESCRIPTION:
In an era when the next crisis seems to be just around the corner, effective leadership can make the crucial difference between organizational failure and survival. This is a participatory session with an experienced crisis manager designed to equip senior leaders with a framework for immediate response and high-stakes decisions under pressure, multi-channel stakeholder communications with confidence, maintaining team morale through panic and stress, and recovery with lessons for future threat situations.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Define the behaviors and presence that effective leaders display at the helm of teams and organizations in a crisis situation.
Explore the strategies effective leaders use to steer their organizations through crisis.
Examine what leaders can do to prepare their organizations for the next crisis.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation; Business Acumen & Business Judgment; Effective Communication with All Levels
OPTION 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Resilient Leadership: Sustaining Performance, Confidence, and Well-Being Under Pressure
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
SPEAKER: Melissa Maher, Pinnacle Enterprises Group
DESCRIPTION:
Leaders in our highly volatile, uncertain business environment are operating in a relentless state of change – uncontrollable external forces, rapid technological advancements, fluctuating consumer and market behaviors, new competition, and moving work cultures and worker attitudes – all leading to constantly shifting business priorities and heightened expectations and pressure on leaders to perform. The more uncertain the situation, the greater the need for leadership. But for many leaders these conditions over time erode confidence, well-being, and long-term sustainability.
This session will share practical strategies and habits that help leaders manage today’s super-stressful operating conditions more effectively; maintain their own physical, mental and emotional wellness; reinforce emotional intelligence and show empathy toward others – and most of all, build resilience. Resilience – the ability to withstand and recover from shocks and setbacks – coupled with the agility to respond quickly to unexpected events and shifts in strategy – are crucial for leaders facing constant change. Leaders who model resilience inspire confidence, trust, and resilience in their teams, who in turn adapt to change and challenge as opportunities for growth.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Examine practical strategies and tools to manage stress and pressure more effectively in real time.
Recognize and interrupt burnout patterns before they escalate.
Maintain confidence and presence during periods of uncertainty.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Promotes Wellness; Adapts to Change & Drives Innovation
OPTION 3: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Define Success On Your Own Terms: Personal Brand, Courage, and Career Choice for Senior Leaders
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
SPEAKER: Dr. Anita Polite-Wilson, The Leets Consortium
DESCRIPTION:
Do you believe “you have done everything right” yet still grapple with underlying uncertainty about your career path ‒ such as, whether your current role aligns with your personal values and strengths, or whether your leadership path reflects who you want to be and the impact you want to make? Are you questioning whether you are pursuing “success” by default based on societal expectations, external measures of success and validation (such as money or position), or a narrow understanding of your strengths, at the expense of your personal values, aspirations, and fulfillment – rather than based on your intentional choices? Left unaddressed, anxiety and stress stemming from these types of concerns can drag your energy contributing to burnout; undermine your leadership confidence and effectiveness; and erode your teams’ trust and confidence in you.
This session invites leaders to pause, reflect, and take this opportunity to explore whether you are defining success for yourself – on your own terms, or someone else’s. Participants will explore the core themes of • achievement vs. fulfillment • personal brand – does it just have meaning as an external reputation, or can it serve as an internal compass for clarity about your leadership identity and your desired legacy? • assessment of your current role: does it align or misalign with your values and brand? • leadership courage – does it just relate to the next business decisions facing you, or does it include your ability to make intentional, confident choices about your career journey, even when outcomes feel uncertain?
“Success” can but doesn’t have to look the way it always has, and your reflection process can open new possibilities. While no one else can tell you what fulfillment or success means for you, this session will suggest considerations and strategies that can inform your reflection and ultimately enable more authentic leadership, greater influence, and sustainable well-being as you forge your career path forward.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Clarify a personal definition of success aligned with your values, your defined impact, and your leadership identity.
Develop a deeper understanding of how personal brand influences career decisions and leadership presence.
Use your personal brand to set a personal leadership vision that guides your future priorities and choices.
Strengthen your courage as a leadership capability in moments of choice and transition, particularly concerning career choices that prioritize sustainable wellness and success.
Identify one actionable step you can take to align your career decisions with your long-term fulfillment and impact.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES: Integrity; Sets Vision & Direction; Promotes Wellness