2012 Women & Business Speakers

OPENING SESSION

Mary Nickles, KUTV

Positivity Works!

Grand Ballroom - 8:30 - 9:45 a.m.

"Not many people can say their job saved their life!" says Mary Nickles, who was diagnosed with breast cancer after getting a mammogram for a KUTV feature story in October 2011. While it was a trying time for Nickles, she credits a positive attitude for helping her face cancer, chemotherapy, radiation, family and work. Now, a year later, Mary will join us to talk about how we can incorporate a positive attitude into our daily life. She will also share advice on how to take care of yourself. Let's face it, we can't take care of others all the time--we need to make sure we take the time for ourselves, to make sure we are both happy and healthy. 

 

Mary Nickles anchors 2-News This Morning, and 2-News at Noon, and has been with KUTV covering news, health and medicine for more than 20 years.  Mary and her husband Kent moved to Utah as newlyweds in 1991 and are raising their 15-year old twins in the south end of the valley.  They often coached the kids growing up, and Mary now coaches the sophomore volleyball team at their high school.  (Volleyball paid for Mary's college, and she later played on a professional volleyball team here in Utah.) In her spare time, Mary serves on several boards for non-profit organizations, hosts charity events, donates meals and time for fundraisers, and is now a de facto spokesperson for breast cancer awareness after her diagnosis in December.

MORNING BREAKOUT SESSION (pick one out of the three sessions to attend)
Bridget Cook, EMH Transportation / The Perfect Word

Creating Your UPside in a Downturn!
Sponsor TBA

Wyoming Room - 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Claim your power as a leader, and a woman, in turbulent times by turning your talents into transformation and creating your own economy.  Literally using your unique positions to get back into the driver’s seat of your own success!

 

M. Bridget Cook has authored two books, with a third arriving in 2013. She owns and operates a public relations and consulting firm, a trucking company, and a publishing company. This delighted mother of three creative children’s greatest passion lies in discovering and sharing the dynamic possibilities of each human soul.

Heather Laughter, HeatherLaughter.com

Fire Up Your MOJO
Sponsored by Questar

Arizona Room - 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Employing the principles she has developed for her exclusive CLARITY System (TM), Heather will guide participants through a step-by-step process to develop an inspired life and a fired up business. When you fully step into leadership using your unique gifts, you can’t help but stand out! Join Heather today as she skillfully demonstrates what it takes to get confident, clear and inspired!

Heather Laughter loves to help multi-talented "Renaissance" professionals combine all their gifts into one clear, confident path. As a speaker, co-author (with Dr. Stephen R. Covey) and both a Certified Life and Certified Business Coach, she is uniquely qualified to guide you to a better business and a better life!

 

Greg Summerhays & Rachel Lewis, WCF

What the Heck is Social Media?
Sponsor TBA  

Idaho Room - 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Discover what social media is and how you can evolve with it to benefit your company. We will highlight case studies of companies that have effectively used different forms of social media to attract new customers, promote products, and create brand awareness.

Greg is the Director of Public Relations and Community Outreach for Workers Compensation Fund, the largest workers compensation insurance company in the state of Utah. He oversees the company’s internal and external public relations activities including media relations, social media, written communications, and crisis management. As part of his responsibilities Greg provides strategic direction of philanthropy, volunteerism, and advocacy.   

AFTERNOON BREAKOUT SESSION (pick one out of the three sessions to attend)
Molly Mazzolini, Infinite Scale

Sponsor TBA

Wyoming Room - 1:45 - 3:15 p.m.

Fast Company editor-in-chief, Robert Safian, recently coined a new term called Generation Flux which explains "how the dizzying velocity of change in our economy has made chaos the defining feature of modern business."
 
The GenFlux environment takes a special breed to accept, adapt and recalibrate with speed and grace. Join 2012 Pathfinder Molly Mazzolini of Infinite Scale and Grete Eliassen, Olympic hopeful and X Games medalist as they discuss their respective GenFlux experiences. Unlike many generations' labels – like Baby Boomers or Millennials – Generation Flux isn't about age or industry. It's about modern business practices and you. Please join us for a real-time look at their sustainability and technology case studies.

Molly Mazzolini is Infinite Scale’s strategic branding expert, responsible for promoting not only the Infinite Scale brand, but also the multifaceted brands of its sports clients including Nascar, NHL, Pac-12, Utah Utes and Marlins Ballpark. She manages Infinite Scale's sustainability strategy – Rescale – which transforms event graphics from All-Star Games, Championship Bowl Games and Film Festivals into eco-savvy products.

Grete Eliassen is a professional skier who turned pro at 17-years old. She won back-to-back gold medals in the 2005 and 2006 X-Games in the women's superpipe competition. She has also won three straight U.S. Open slopestyle competitions. On top of her medal winnings, Grete appears in a number of extreme skiing films and is represented by some major brands including Oakley, Red Bull and BackCountry.com.

 

 

Lindsay Zizumbo, Hinckley Institute of Politics

Real Women Run Initiative
Sponsor TBA  

Arizona Room - 1:45 - 3:15 p.m.

Real Women Run is a collaborative nonpartisan effort to empower women to participate fully in public life and leadership through elected political office at all levels, political appointments, working on campaigns, or simply learning more about our political system. Headed by the YWCA Salt Lake City and The Hinckley Institute of Politics, the partnership includes Salt Lake Community College, Vision 2020, representatives from all political parties in Utah, League of Women Voters, AAUW, current and former elected female officials, and other community organizations who support women’s full participation in public life.

Lindsay Zizumbo is the Program Manager for Washington D.C., State and Local internships at the Hinckley Institute of Politics. Lindsay has worked extensively for Congressman Jim Matheson (D-UT), serving as the District Outreach Coordinator, Campaign Manager, and Field Director.  Lindsay was also the Field Director for Utahns for Public Education during the school voucher referendum campaign and a Legislative Organizer for the Utah Democratic Party.  Lindsay graduated from the University of Utah in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a minor in Economics.

Evin Catlett, Richter7

Building & Leading Your Social Community
Sponsor TBA  

Idaho Room - 1:45 - 3:15 p.m.

It seems like every business is uploading to YouTube, liking on Facebook, tweeting on Twitter and connecting on LinkedIn.  Are you "Building and Leading your Social Community?" Join us as we learn strategies designed to gain visibility, develop relationships and move the sales needle.

Evin Catlett is the Social Media Director at Richter7, a full-service advertising agency based in Salt Lake City. She is a transplant from New York City, where she worked as an associate publicist at Rubenstein Public Relations. Prior to that, Evin worked in the fashion industry. At Richter7, Evin focuses on providing clients with social media marketing campaigns designed to integrate closely with their PR, advertising and other marketing efforts. Evin graduated from New York University with a B.A. in Individualized Study, focusing on psychology and movement therapy.

 

CLOSING SESSION

Past ATHENA Closing Panel: The Evolution of Leadership

Learn, Grow, and Embrace the Spirit of ATHENA

Grand Ballroom - 3:30 - 4:45 p.m.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit down with some of Utah's most powerful women? Now you can now when you join us for the Women & Business Conference on November 15 at the Little America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City. The closing panel discussion will include past ATHENA International honorees, who will be sharing advice for how you can continue to learn, grow and embrace the spirit of ATHENA.

ATHENA Panel:
1997 ATHENA - Carol Carter, IC Products
1998 ATHENA - Deborah Bayle, United Way of Salt Lake
2003 ATHENA - Becky Potts, Frontier Communications Corporation
2008 ATHENA - Sen. Pat Jones, Dan Jones & Associates
2009 ATHENA - Chris Redgrave, Zions Bank
>>>past ATHENA website