Join Us for MASA’s 2023 Women in Leadership Conference!
Join MASA for the annual Women in Leadership Conference – an event for current and aspiring female and female-identifying leaders in Michigan’s school districts.
Attendees will hear from female leaders in education and other career fields, discuss hot topics in education, and network with like-minded women from school districts throughout the state.
When: April 13-14, 2023 (please note the updated dates from previous publications)
Where: Delamar Traverse City
Cost: $400 MASA members/$450 Non-Members
This event is sold out.
Hotel Information
This event will be held at the Delamar Traverse City.
To make a reservation, please reserve your room online or call the Reservations Department at (231) 947-3700 and identify yourself as part of 2023 MASA Women in Leadership Conference. You will provide a credit card number to guarantee your reservation.
Rate: $220
Check-in: 4 p.m.
Check-out: 11 a.m.
Reserve your room online
Overflow Hotel
838 Front Street
Traverse City, MI 49686
231-935-4400
Rate: $99/night
Cut-off: March 12, 2023
Ask for MASA Overflow Block
Conference Agenda
Thursday, April 13
| 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM | Breakfast |
| 8:45 AM – 9:00 AM | Welcome |
| 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM | Promoting STEM with Girls: How are we Exposing Females for a Long-Term Career in the STEM Fields? Kelly DeLosSantos, MACUL Board and Member, Jackson ISD; Ann Smart, MACUL Board Member, Lenawee ISD |
| 10:15 AM – 10:30 AM | Break |
| 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Women in Politics – The Changing Landscape in Michigan Hannah Sweeney, Legislative Policy Analyst, MASA |
| 11:00 AM – Noon | From Cofident Girls to Competent Women: New Research & Insights for Leaders Dr. Lisa Hinkelman, Founder/CEO, Ruling Our eXperiences, Inc. (ROX) |
| Noon – 12:45 PM | Lunch |
| 12:45 PM – 1:00 PM | Post-Lunch Icebreaker |
| 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM | Ingenuity, Innovation and Sustainability: Forging a Path for Success – A Tale on How a Pioneering Approach to Technology Has Ripple Effects for Schools and Students for Years to Come Diamond McKenna, Chief Executive Officer, Diamond Assets |
| 1:45 PM – 2:30 PM | Facilitated Discussion: Unlocking Our Potential as We Activate and Pursue Our Dreams Dr. Sarena Shivers, Deputy Executive Director, MASA |
| 2:30 PM – 2:45 PM | Break |
| 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM | “Construct” Like a Girl Gwen Pettit, Comprehensive Energy Solutions Partner, Trane; Becky Timberlake, Clark Construction; and Penny Morgan, Business Manager, Crestwood Public Schools |
| 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM | Leading with Confidence, Competence, and Comfort Michele Lemire, Retired Superintendent and MASA Past President; Lisa Truscott, Marketing Director, Kingscott |
| 4:15 PM | Day 1 Wrap Up Dr. Tina Kerr, MASA Executive Director |
| 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM | Dinner Sponsored by Diamond Assets and Michigan Virtual |
| 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM | Entertainment – DJ & Glow Party Sponsored by Performance Services |
Friday, April 14
| 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM | Breakfast |
| 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM | Leading While Female: Join the Circle of Sister Leaders Shanna Spickard, Superintendent, DeWitt Public Schools; Jennifer Wonnell, Ed.S., Superintendent, Dansville Community Schools |
| 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Who are YOU in the Marketplace? Nancy Anne Colflesh, Ph.D., Leadership Coach & Activist for Women Leaders |
| 10:00 AM – 10:15 AM | Break |
| 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM | Building Resilient Schools: Investing in Our Power to Be Transformative Leaders for Change Rebekah Schipper, Executive Director, Opportunity Thrive |
| 11:15 AM – Noon | TBD Attorney General Dana Nessel |
| Noon | Closing Comments |
Session Descriptions
Promoting STEM with Girls: How Are We Exposing Females for a Long-Term Career in the STEM Fields?
Kelly DeLosSantos, MACUL Board and Member, Jackson ISD and Ann Smart, MACUL Board Member, Lenawee ISD
Join us as we explore ways to promote STEM in schools and generate an interest amongst girls in the STEM fields.
Women in Politics – The Changing Landscape in Michigan
Hannah Sweeney, Legislative Policy Analyst, MASA
This session will explore a new landscape of women’s voices being lifted to key political leadership positions in Michigan and what it means for policy development in the future. We will also discuss best practices to form relationships with legislators and the role of women in Michigan politics.
From Confident Girls to Competent Women: New Research & Insights for Leaders
Dr. Lisa Hinkelman, Founder/CEO, Ruling Our eXperiences, Inc. (ROX)
Coming soon!
Ingenuity, Innovation and Sustainability: Forging a Path for Success – A Tale on How a Pioneering Approach to Technology Has Ripple Effects for Schools and Students for Years to Come
Diamond McKenna, Chief Executive Officer, Diamond Assets
The world we live in is rapidly evolving every single day. Awareness of that evolution – and our response to it – is critical to our ability to change, grow, and learn.
Diamond McKenna, CEO of Diamond Assets, will share how she and her husband saw a gap in technology funding sources and service providers for K-12 schools in the U.S., and found a way to offer schools and businesses a technology refresh and recycling solutions, so educators can focus on teaching and supporting students.
Diamond is an influential resource to help leaders be more forward-thinking and considerate on how they manage technology for generations to come.
Facilitated Discussion: Unlocking Our Potential as We Activate and Pursue Our Dreams
Dr. Sarena Shivers, Deputy Executive Director, MASA
Coming soon!
“Construct” Like a Girl!
Gwen Pettit, Comprehensive Energy Solutions Partner, Trane and Becky Timberlake, Clark Construction
Join Gwen Pettit, Trane Commercial HVAC Account Manager, Becky Timberlake, Clark Construction Senior Project Manager – Market Leader, and Katy Xenakis-Makowski, Johannesburg-Lewiston Superintendent who are truly paving the way. Gwen is one of the leading account managers in the division of Complex Energy Solutions, and the only saleswomen in Trane Michigan. Becky has over 17 years of experience in the construction industry, managing more than twenty K-12 clients with $500 Million of projects. She is currently overseeing 10 Districts bond programs and managing a team of 35. Katy has served as the first female superintendent in the two districts she served over the past 12 years. In that time, she has worked with a team to facilitate 11 years of sinking fund or bond projects, currently managing a $21.9 million dollar addition including an auditorium, field house, and fitness facility.
In this presentation, they will walk us through what it is like to be a woman in a male dominated industry, as well as things to know when working through a school construction project including bonds vs. sinking funds, contracts, and getting the work done. You won’t want to miss this presentation and the passion these ladies have in careers!
Leading with Confidence, Competence, and Comfort
Michele Lemire, and Lisa Truscott, Marketing Director, Kingscott
Consider the typical and historical portrayals of women leaders in the media. What are the beliefs and perceptions present in local communities for what a woman leader should look like, sound like, and act like? As cultural stereotypes tend to die slowly, women experience unconscious bias, which may impact hiring, promotions, andlivelihoods. This interactive session will engage participants to take stock of women in leadership today, and then to invite the MASA’s Women’s Leadership Network to commit to intentional steps to shatter the historical narrative for tomorrow.
Leading While Female: Joining the Circle of Sister Leaders
Shanna Spickard, Superintendent, DeWitt Public Schools & Jennifer Wonnell, Ed.S., Superintendent, Dansville Community Schools
Join the circle of sister leaders! In the world of education, women have disproportionately filled the role of classroom teacher while men have been the administrative decision-maker. Less than 30% of superintendents are female. Leave this session feeling empowered and connected to other sister leaders.
Who Are YOU in the Marketplace?
Nancy Anne Colflesh, Ph.D. Leadership Coach & Activist for Women Leaders
Talented women educational leaders are sometimes hesitant about applying for their first (or next) leadership position. This presenter will share some reasons why from the literature. She will also encourage participants to take inventory of their experiences, accomplishments, and skills to compete in the current and future marketplace. Last, advice about resume development will be shared.
Building Resilient Schools: Investing in Our Power to Be Transformative Leaders for Change
Rebekah Schipper, Executive Director, Opportunity Thrive
In 2022, 73% of teachers and 85% of principals self-reported frequent job-related stress compared to 35% of other working adults (RAND), and according to Opportunity Thrive’s Personal Wellness Inventory data from the fall of 2022, 24.5% of educators consider leaving the profession on a daily or weekly basis. With all of this stress and desire to leave the profession, how do you as leaders not just retain your staff but inspire them to be their best versions for the students they encounter every day? The answer lies in building resilient schools by investing in healthy staff cultures and resilient educators. During our time together, we will explore what it means to build strong staff cultures and what skills are necessary for our educators to truly be resilient in the midst of all of the stress. We will dig into systemic solutions for re-inspiring ourselves and the other adults we get the honor to lead.