Local women gathered on Friday, Feb. 9 in the UC Ballroom for the 20th annual Working Women’s Conference sponsored by West Star Leadership program.
The theme for this year’s conference was “Cheers to 20 Years” and the speaker lineup kept audience members strapped in to an emotional roller-coaster from the start.
Keynote speaker was Lisa Smartt, a motivational speaker from the area with enough stories to keep the entire audience laughing. Smartt related to women in the room by being a ‘good-ole southern woman.’
During the conference women heard from Chad Davis, about managing finances and battling debt as a woman who does everything; Dr. Debbie Reynolds, of Veterinary Home Healthcare and The Blessed Pet Shop in Martin who spoke about how she came to practice home health and the holistic way of treating animals.
Katie Brush Nickey, of Pure Barre Jackson, spoke to the room about finding a balance in fitness and business; Caty Davis, Miss Tennessee 2017 talked about her personal struggles in loving someone with addiction and how recovery can rejuvenate families.
Donna Gaines, of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis talked about her mission field as a citizen-educator and how her work is done by gaining volunteers to help students who are below average reading levels.
Dr. Robbie Melton, a faculty member with Tennessee State University, gave a lively and fast-paced presentation on how technology is changing all over the world and can change the classroom too.
The conference was closed by Drs. Teresa Collard and Lisa LeBleu, putting on a rousing act that encouraged people to stand up and face the day, while never being afraid of the hard times that will inevitably come.
Joyanne Gansereit, UTM coordinator for the Ned Ray McWherter Institute and West Star Leadership Liaison said that the conference provides a unique opportunity for women all over,
“The collaboration of each part brings out what all of us, as women, need”
Next year’s conference will be themed around baseball and tickets average around $40 per person.
Teresa Collard and Lisa LeBleu lead the audience at the 20th Annual Working Women’s Conference in “One of These Things” from the PBS show Sesame Street. The conference was held in the Boling University Center Ballroom on Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (Photo Credit/ Rachel Moore)
