The Evening Sun | Chenango Women’s Leadership Conference Shares And Celebrates Local Business Achievements
by
Sophia
Root,
Commerce
Chenango
NORWICH
–
Last
week,
Commerce
Chenango
and
the
Chenango
Foundation
hosted
the
second
annual
Chenango
Women’s
Leadership
Conference.
The
event,
held
at
the
Canasawacta
Country
Club,
boasted
245
attendees
of
all
ages
and
from
all
corners
of
the
county.
The
second
annual
conference
was
sponsored
by
Unison,
a
GE
Aerospace
Company,
Preferred
Mutual,
New
York
State
Women’s
Inc,
Heather
McShane
Events
&
Weddings,
and
the
Women’s
Fund
from
the
Community
Foundation
for
South
and
Central
New
York.
The
conference
consisted
of
three
educational
panels
with
guest
speakers
who
shared
their
experiences
in
leadership,
wealth,
and
health.
Barbara
Schindler,
Chief
Operating
Officer
of
Golden
Artist
Colors,
gave
a
keynote
address
regarding
the
turns
in
her
career,
and
the
women
who
inspired
her
along
the
way.
The
following
businesses
were
represented
by
the
women
in
Leadership
panelists:
Shannon
Slack
(Unison,
a
GE
Aerospace
Company),
Kecia
Burton
(Chobani),
Shauna
Hyle
(NBT
Bank),
Michelle
Raue
(Preferred
Mutual
Insurance
Company),
and
Dr.
Sheila
Marshman
(SUNY
Morrisville).
The
panel
discussion,
moderated
by
Amy
Howard,
former
panelist
(Achieve),
focused
on
challenges
women
may
face
in
the
workplace,
how
to
shape
a
career
path,
and
inspiring
stories
of
how
each
panelist
came
into
their
current
position.
After
a
brief
leadership
exercise
was
the
“Women
in
Wealth”
panel,
moderated
by
Jill
Eddy
of
NBT
Bank.
The
panel
included
Marci
Lauren
Riddell
(Norwich
Wealth
Management),
Beth
Westfall,
Esq.
and
Caroline
Guiles,
Esq.
(Coughlin
&
Gerhart),
and
Allison
Gunther,
CPA
(Piaker
&
Lyons).
Their
presentation
followed
steps
a
woman
should
follow
for
personal
financial
security,
such
as
signing
a
prenup,
adding
a
spouse
to
a
deed,
setting
up
a
will
and
planning
their
estate.
Students
from
nine
districts
were
present
at
the
event,
and
they
attended
a
breakout
session
during
lunch
where
they
could
network
among
each
other.
After
the
students
reconvened,
there
was
a
special
presentation
from
Martha
Ryan
(DCMO
BOCES).
Ryan
asked
the
audience
to
identify
their
superpower,
kryptonite,
and
encouraged
them
to
use
each
to
make
Chenango
County
a
better
place.
Following
Ryan’s
engaging
presentation
was
a
session
of
guided
movement
by
Allison
O’Neill,
PT
(UHS
Therapies
Norwich/SECO).
This
exercise
encouraged
all
attendees
to
rise
out
of
their
seats,
stretch
and
reenergize
before
sitting
for
the
rest
of
the
conference.
O’Neill
gave
some
examples
of
simple
changes
attendees
could
make
to
be
more
active,
such
as
stretches
to
do
at
their
desks
or
choosing
to
take
the
stairs.
The
Women
in
Health
panel
included
MaryLou
Stanton,
FNP-BC
(UHS
Chenango
Memorial),
Allison
O’Neill,
PT,
Amy
Rowe,
PA
(Community
Memorial
Hospital)
and
Amanda
Hoover,
Mental
Health
Coordinator
(DCMO
BOCES).
The
discussion,
moderated
by
Alexandra
Erath,
former
panelist,
(Hearth
Financial
Partners)
included
topics
such
as
common
issues
that
affect
Women’s
health,
mental
health,
and
comparison/contrast
between
eastern
and
western
medicine.
The
main
event
closed
with
remarks
from
Julia
Miller
(Blueox
Corporation)
and
Mellissa
Stagnaro
(UHS
Chenango
Memorial).
Miller
and
Stagnaro
thanked
the
sponsors
of
the
day,
as
well
as
the
organizing
committee:
Marci
Lauren
Riddell,
Jenifer
Telesky
(NBT
Bank),
Martha
Ryan,
Mary
Branham
(Pivotel),
Julia
Miller,
Melissa
Stagnaro,
Gina
Goldman
(Alvogen),
Sophia
Root
and
Barb
Knowles
(Commerce
Chenango).
After
the
presentations
ended,
attendees
received
a
free
drink
and
had
the
opportunity
to
network
among
themselves,
and
with
exhibitors
from
the
community
who
were
tabling
in
the
bar
area.
Want
to
stay
up
to
date
with
the
attendees
and
get
the
newest
information
about
the
2026
conference?
Follow
the
Chenango
Women’s
Leadership
Conference
on
Facebook.
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