Over 300 attend HIA-LI women’s leadership conference

More than 300 business and community leaders attended the recent HIA-LI’s 15th Annual Women’s Leadership Conference at the Hilton Long Island in Melville.

Presented by the HIA-LI’s Women’s Collaborative, the Nov. 14 event brought together professionals at every career level, representing private industry, non-profits, government, and the next generation of business leaders.

“Women are a powerful economic force, fueling innovation, creating opportunity and shaping the future of Long Island’s workforce,” Terri Alessi-Miceli, president and CEO of HIA-LI, said in a news release about the event.

“This conference showcased the voices and vision of women who lead fearlessly and make our region stronger,” she added. “It’s an annual opportunity to learn, connect and be inspired by their journeys.”

Clare Cusack, president and CEO of the New York Bankers Association, the first woman to lead the organization in its 130-year history, delivered the event’s keynote.

“We each collectively make a better world when we all show up for it and embrace our uniqueness,” Cusack said.

“The world needs that one idea, that one product, that one leadership value that only you can give in your unique way. And perhaps most important: You showing up paves the way for the next generation to lead,” she added.

Breakout sessions explored strategies for leadership and professional growth.

“Over the past fifteen years, this event has evolved into so much more than a conference—it’s a movement,” Carol Allen, president and CEO of People’s Alliance Federal Credit Union, and an HIA-LI board member who chairs the Women’s Collaborative, said in the news release.

“The energy in the room each year reminds us that leadership and collaboration go hand in hand,” she added. “Our goal is to help every attendee leave with both the confidence and the community they need to keep moving forward.”

The morning included a discussion moderated by Domenique Camacho Moran, partner of Uniondale-based Farrell Fritz. It features executives and entrepreneurs including Dawn Cagliano, president of Hauppauge-based IVCi; Katherine Fritz, president and CEO of Long Island Cares, headquartered in Hauppauge; Teresa Ferraro, president and CEO of Ronkonkoma-based East/West Industries; Skye Ostreicher, founder of In the Room Media, in Manhattan; and Davi Tserpelis, senior vice president and regional business banking manager of City National Bank, with locations on Long Island.

Moran highlighted the benefits derived from shared learning.

“When women at different stages of their careers come together, something powerful happens,” she said in the news release. “Through honest dialogue, mentorship, and mutual support, we find the clarity and courage to lead with focus, and that’s what this annual event is all about.”