Presenters Announced for YWL Conference
Presenters at the Young Women Lead (YWL) Conference at Ashland Community and Technical College in October will talk about the issues and opportunities facing teenage girls today, with the focus on all things that are possible.
Ten regional speakers will join keynote speaker Dominique Dawes at the conference held October 15 and 16 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at ACTCs Technology Drive Campus.
Dawes, the only American gymnast to medal at three different Olympic Games, is currently the co-chair of the Presidents Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. She will speak about success, leadership and self-esteem to motivate and empower the students to envision greatness in their own lives.
We are pleased to have so many presenters who are both experts in their fields and role models for success, said Karen Coburn, ACTC Manager of External Education Programs and YWL chair. They will conduct breakout sessions on a variety of important skills and life choices that can help young women develop their career and leadership potential.
The presenters will also share their insights on real life issues and how to overcome them to achieve success in life. The presenters and their session topics are listed below.
Ashley Akers
Ashley Akers works with Operation UNITE, an anti-drug community coalition serving all counties in the 5th congressional district. She supports community groups in nine counties as they develop and implement drug education and treatment programs in their communities.
Her topic, Operation U.N.I.T.E., will help students with the pressures they face as a result of the growing drug epidemic in Eastern Kentucky. Discussion will include signs and symptoms of drug abuse, available resources and opportunities to make a positive impact.
Oreatha Murray
Oreatha Claborn Murray is an Ashland area fitness instructor and certifiedPersonal Trainer. She conducts health and wellness sessions for area schools and businesses and has partnered with community organizations to help fight obesity in the tri-state.
Her topic, Build a Healthy Body and Mind, will show how mental fitness and physical fitness go hand-in-hand. The story of her journey to fitness will inspire participants to take positive steps to a healthier life.
Erica Myers
Erica Myers, a Greenup County resident, is the Director of Client Services at Safe Harbor Domestic Violence Shelter. She is a licensed Professional Clinical Counselor who works to promote healing in survivors and encourage positive relationships between women.
Her topic is Choose to be the Change: Standing Against Bullying. Technology and social media have provided more opportunities for bullying, and participants will learn to recognize bullying and effectively stand up for others.
Nandini Shastry
Nandini Shastry is the past CEO and Founder of Brainy Betty, Inc., a free graphics and business resource internet site that is rated one of the most popular services at Microsoft Office Marketplace and on Google. She is also CEO of Intellipodcast, Inc., a social networking and new media generation site, an author, speaker, and internet marketing and new media expert.
Her topic is Entrepreneurship amp; Creativity: Create Innovation. She will talk about how creativity in entrepreneurship is essentially "problem solving" and often leads to innovation and success,as opposed to simply copying existing ideas and getting mediocre results.
April Perry
April Russell Perry is the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Kentucky Farmers Bank in Boyd County, KY.In 2011/2012 she led the creation of BankOn Northeast Kentucky, a group committed to improving financial literacy in the FIVCO area.
Her topic, Money Matter$, will cover the basics of financial literacy. Participants will learn how money management skills can help them now as well as later in life.
Nikki Bryant
Nikki Bryant is Associate Professor and Director of the Health Professions Pathways (H2P) Project at ACTC. She was previously Coordinator of the Pharmacy Technology Program. A South Point, OH resident, she is an inspirational speaker for area organizations.
Her topic, Fighting to be Successful, is a message about how to deal with being knocked down and how to get back up. Her story about moving from poverty and abuse to professional boxing and college education shows that any unfortunate life circumstances can be overcome.
Julie Terry
Julie Terry is a marketing communications professional with 20 years of experience working in the non-profit, healthcare, education and small business sectors. She currently serves as Director of Marketing and Admissions at Rivers Bend Health Care.
Her topic, Marketing Yourself for Career and Life Success, will show how successful people market their unique capabilities and show what sets them apart from everyone else. Participants will learn how to use marketing and sales techniques to gain self-confidence, make connections with others, get a prized job and be a top performer.
Lucas-Adkins amp; Goble
Jessica Lucas-Adkins, Workforce Solutions Specialist for ACTC,was named one of The Daily Independents 30 Under 30 top community leaders. She is the former owner of Storage Unlimited (self-storage unit company) and The Zone, a Zumba fitness center. Allison LeAnn Goble is a Recruitment Specialist at ACTC and owner of Allison LeAnn Design, a graphic design company. She was recently recognized as one of The Daily Independents 30 Young Professionals under Age 30.
Their topic, Being Safe, Smart and Successful Using Social Media, will include tips for using social media responsibly while protecting yourself from those who could misuse your information.
Jennifer Carter
Jennifer Carter, a science teacher at Rowan County Senior High School, is a co-creator of SpaceTrek, a space science camp for girls. She was recently accepted into the NASA teacher liaison program, an international program to integrate space-based education into the classroom.
Her topic is Careers out of this World. Her story of a rural Kentucky girl who wanted to become an astronomer will encourage students to consider the many career opportunities available in astronomy and space science.
Conference Registration
Young Women LEAD is a leadership, education and leadership development conference for high school girls in Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Greenup and Lawrence counties in Kentucky.
The free conference is presented by Toyota in partnership with ACTC and SOAR, a professional development program for women. Sponsors include Big Sandy Superstores, Fannin Automotive Family, John W. Clark Oil Company, Inc., Kentucky Farmers Bank, Magnolia Manners and Etiquette, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Town Square Bank, and United Way of Northeast Kentucky.
Registration is required for students and chaperones, and registration is ongoing through October 4. Interested girls may contact their high school counselors for registration information.
For more information or registration for home schooled students, email Karen Coburn, ACTC Manager of External Education Programs and YLW conference chair at: karen.coburn@kctcs.edu.
The conference website is at: www.youngwomenlead.com/ashland/.
