Women's Leadership Conference Agenda

7:15 a.m.

Breakfast & Check-in

7:55 a.m.

Conference Opens

8:00 a.m.

1- OtherA “How to Guide” for Retaining and Advancing Women

• Learn why growing the pipeline is important.
• Discuss the benefits of visibility and sponsorship.
• Explore what you can change now to be more visible to your senior leaders.
• Learn how to ask someone to be your sponsor and how to use this to build a sponsorship program at your company.

1- OtherDiverse Groups within the Profession

• Unconscious bias within the profession.
• How having coaches, mentors, and sponsors can help us grow.
• Leadership styles and how these might affect the way we work and act professionally.
• Intersectionality vs. authentic self.

9:45 a.m. 

Morning Break

10:00 a.m.

1-OtherFeatured Session with the CEO of Philadelphia’s Chamber of Commerce 

• Dive into Chellie Cameron’s nontraditional career journey - from serving in the military, to running one of the largest commercial service airports in the country, to leading the chamber of commerce for a top-10 metropolitan region.
• Chellie shares how, although she didn’t start work as an accountant, she found her way there through a series of opportunities that showed her the value of telling an organization’s story through its numbers.
• Learn how her experiences in accounting opened doors and provided opportunities to foster profound connections.

1-OtherUsing a CPA Background in a Nontraditional Setting Panel

Award Presentation: Women to Watch

Recognition of the 2023 Women to Watch Award winners. The Women to Watch Award honors women who have enhanced the profession through personal growth and the leadership development of colleagues.

Lunch Break

1-Other Skills for Serving on a Board and Why CPAs Are Sought After for Service

• Review the basic fiduciary oversight responsibilities of nonprofit boards.
• Learn financial management best practices for nonprofit boards.
• Dive into the signs that indicate financial trouble for a nonprofit organization.

1-OtherInnovation Training

We are told we must innovate or risk becoming obsolete. But what exactly does this mean for you, for me, and for our firms and organizations? What exactly qualifies as innovative these days? Join us for a discussion to learn more about:

• The meaning behind common innovation buzzwords in our profession.
• How to identify your strengths and appetite for innovation.
• Innovating where you are, with what you have.
• Measuring success and building a system of ongoing growth.
• Knowing when you’ve made it.

Afternoon Break

2:50 p.m.

1-OtherThe Future of Recruiting in the Profession

• Recruiting
  • Day in the life of a recruiter, including internal recruiter vs. agency
• Hiring trends in accounting
  • Outsourcing, H1Bs
• Career tracts in accounting
  • Public vs. private - pros and cons of client service
• Is there a shortage of accountants and students going into accounting?
  • Is there enough diversity within the accounting industry?
  • Is the profession appealing relative to other professions?
• Future of the industry
  • Consolidation within public accounting
• Tips from a recruiter on how to job hunt

3:45 p.m.

1-OtherWork-Life Balance Session

• Work-life balance is not a one-size-fits-all.
• As your career develops and your priorities change in your personal life, the idea of work-life balance will constantly change.
• It is OK to take a break when you need it!
• Tackle your time management effectively.