Campus Connection

The Women Moving Ahead 2016: Making It!” conference will empower women to enhance and energize their personal and professional lives. Women Moving Ahead, a La Crosse-based organization, is sponsoring the conference Saturday, April 2, at the Lunda Center, Western Technical College La Crosse campus. Women Moving Ahead 2016: Making It! offers sessions designed to give attendees practical information and networking opportunities to reach their personal and professional goals. Barbara Nick, chief executive officer of Dairyland Power Cooperative, is the keynote speaker. Four other sessions — Planning, Challenges, Growth and Onward — will be led by prominent, local women including: Lisa Herr, executive director of the 7 Rivers Alliance; Vicki Markussen, executive director of the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce; Nancy Flottmeyer, owner of Weddings by Nancy; and Eve Zellmer, owner of Fun Fur Pets. UWL student service coordinators Amanda Gasper, Financial Aid, and Karolyn Bald, Career Services, are among the speakers. "I look forward to focusing on the different ‘Lenses of Leadership’ that are unique to women, including the opportunities and challenges," says Nick. "Women can ‘Lean In’ through exhibiting their unique leadership approach." Herr says it is important for women to share their stories. “I have been fortunate to find mentors at each stage of my career who have shared their strategies for achieving their personal and professional goals,” she says. “I look forward to sharing what I have learned with other women.” Registration for the full-day conference is $20 for students and $40 for others. A limited number of scholarships are available. Lunch is included. To register or for more information, visit www.womenmovingahead.org. Dairyland Power Cooperative, La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce, La Crosse Community Foundation, UW-La Crosse, Western Technical College and the UWL Continuing Education and Extension Office have provided support and sponsorship for the conference. In addition, the conference continues to be supported by a donation made by UWL graduate Shelmina Babai Abji, a featured speaker at the conference in 2015. Women Moving Ahead was started in 2013 by Larry Sleznikow, father of three grown daughters all raised in La Crosse. After reading the book “Lean In” by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Sleznikow wanted to create opportunities to empower women of all ages to be successful. The first Women Moving Ahead event took place in April 2015 at UWL.