WEOC will feature remarks from stand-up comedian Tina Friml, Rep. Becca Balint, and Sen. Peter Welch, followed by interactive skills-building workshops
Vermont Business Magazine Saturday, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) will host the annual Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference, which includes interactive workshops on growing economic opportunity, cultivating new audiences, and improving skills. The conference will open with remarks from Vermont-born stand-up comedian Tina Friml, Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL) and Senator Welch. The conference will be held in Randolph on June 8th.
The Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference was created by Senator Patrick Leahy and his wife Marcelle and has been a Vermont tradition for decades. Senator Welch and his wife Margaret Cheney are pleased to continue this tradition of bringing Vermonters together to learn, network, and build economic opportunity for women in Vermont and across the country. This event is held in partnership with the Vermont Women’s Fund and the Vermont Community Foundation.
Registration is free, open to the public, and open now.
The full schedule for the Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference includes:
8:15 – 9:00 a.m. – Registration/Check-In
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. – Keynote Speakers: Tina Friml, Sen. Peter Welch, Rep. Becca Balint
10:15 – 11:45 a.m. – Morning Workshops
11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. – Lunch
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. – Afternoon Workshops
2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. – Full Group Panel: AI and The Future of Work
Workshops include: Building power skills for life, business and success; Managing bookkeeping and business finances; Cultivating new audiences; Improving digital marketing skills; Finding power with power tools; Levelling up on time and money management; Creating business resiliency plans; Implementing easy marketing plans; Negotiating fees and salaries; Fostering financial independence and resilience; Creating peer support groups and mentorships; Writing targeted resumes; and Starting a business. See the full list here.
Workshop leaders include: Ashley L. Arnold, Kaela Coble, Sara Munro, Nancy Shuttleworth, Andrea E. Bacchi, Missy Mackin, Tammy Ellis, Claire Wheeler, Gwen Pokalo Hart, Debra Boudrieau, Brittany Winfield, Kathleen Burns Kingsbury, Liz Scharf, Rosie Manning Gray, Dorien Morin van Dam, Lisa Danforth, Sue Schlom, Dr. Kylie King, Anne-Lena LaFountain, and Kayla Chabot. See detailed workshop descriptions here.
Tina Friml is a Vermont-born standup comedian who uses animated optimism to talk about living with cerebral palsy. Tina Friml’s sharp jokes and fearless honesty about the social assumptions that come with living with a disability has earned her a dedicated following on social media. Friml recently made her late-night debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and also be seen on the Comedy Central series Featuring. She was a 2019 New Face in the acclaimed Just For Laughs Festival. The one-day-only conference will also feature remarks from Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL) and Senator Welch.
The conference will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on June 8, 2024, at Vermont State University-Randolph in Randolph. Coffee and lunch are provided at no cost and dietary restrictions will be accommodated. Registration for this free event is now open, and interested participants are encouraged to sign up in advance. Registration will remain open through Saturday morning, but Vermonters are encouraged to register in advance as space is limited.
Please email [email protected] or call 802-863-2525 by Friday at 5:00 p.m. with any questions or accommodation requests.
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