Highlights from 2024 Women in Business Conference

On Thursday, June 13th, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce held its seventh annual Women in Business conference at the NIU Center in Naperville. The event saw a tremendous turnout, with over 150 attendees and multiple exhibitor booths for networking. Throughout the day, we were addressed by a variety of outstanding speakers, and each session was followed by a Q&A segment. The President and CEO of the Illinois Chamber, Lou Sandoval, opened the conference by warmly welcoming all attendees to the Conference.

Elaine Hand, owner of Innerview, Inc., was our first speaker of the day. Elaine had the attendees up and motivated with her interactive presentation on "Strike the Right Balance: Nature vs. Nurture." It's always an enjoyable start to the conference when Elaine takes the stage.

Following Elaine, we heard from a fantastic lineup of speakers sharing their personal experiences, both positive and negative, and perspectives on what they wish they could have done differently.. The women spoke about the things they would tell their younger selves if they could do it all over again.

On that panel was:

(Moderator) - Denise Schoenbachler, Ph.D., Interim Dean, Northern Illinois University College of Business

Panelist - Dr. Nakia Alexander-Hall, Leadership Coach & Owner, Next Level Core Solutions

Panelist - Anna Haghooie, Managing Director, Valtruis, Operating Partner, Welsh Carson, Anderson & Stow

Panelist - Sheri DeShazo, President, Advocate Sherman Hospital

Once the panel discussion concluded, the attendees took a short break to visit the exhibitor tables and connect with fellow conference attendees.

After the break, we heard from Andrea Beach, founder and chief executive officer of several companies, specializing in custom software and mobile app development. Andrea presented strategies for diffusing emotional confrontations and knowing when and what to communicate for the most impact in the workplace.

We heard from Ashley Davis, owner of Stronger Together Fitness Center on the three simple daily changes to improve longevity. Protein, Sleep, and Intentional Movement.

Illinois Chamber President and CEO Lou Sandoval took the stage once more for a fireside chat with fashion designer Maria Pinto. They discussed navigating the fashion industry before, during, and after the pandemic. The segment concluded with a Q&A session from the audience.

To conclude our seventh Women in Business Conference, we heard from Laura Barnard, Founder of BREAKTHRU Brands on "What is your leadership type?" Laura discussed the many ways to understand and think about diverse leadership styles, challenging stereotypes and biases in the workplace.

We want to express our gratitude to our attendees and sponsors for their continued support in making this event possible each year. We eagerly anticipate the upcoming eighth women in business event and all the success it will bring.

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