This is a past event.

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IWIL symposium: Empowered Women Empower Women

When: Thu., Sept. 28 2023

The 11th annual Illinois Women in Leadership symposium, Empowered Women Empower Women, will be held on Thursday, Sept. 28, at the Crowne Plaza. The symposium is comprised of 10 sessions and promises a day of inspiration, motivation and actionable tips for both professional and personal fulfillment.

According to Desiree Logsdon, an IWIL member and symposium speaker who is also senior vice president of corporate citizenship at Bunn, the symposium planning committee has added a couple of new elements to the program this year. LaMyiah Pearlinia, lifestyle host and producer for WICS, will serve as emcee, and attendees will gain insights from three professional keynote speakers:

Nicole Bianchi, international speaker, author and award-winning entrepreneur will speak about Bravership — bravery plus leadership and how that mindset creates a competitive advantage in a world where change is a constant.
Mary Shores, award-winning author, speaker and entrepreneur, will speak about how to Dream with a Deadline which is an insightful and inspiring experience focused on igniting personal power to achieve your ultimate dreams.
Laurie Guest, member of the National Speakers Association and a certified speaking professional, board game enthusiast and self-proclaimed terrible cook, will speak about Life in the Espresso Lane: How to be smooth, bold and balanced in a fast-paced world.

Afternoon breakout sessions will feature a multitude of local speakers, followed by a networking reception and local exhibitors.

Logsdon said the major initiative of the symposium is to "take one day away from the business world and stress and work on you. It’s a great opportunity to get fresh thoughts and ideas." Logsdon said, “Sometimes you know what you need and sometimes you don’t know until you hear it.” The symposium will give everyone a little bit of both, along with some laughter. “It’s a day to take for yourself, and we all need to do that once in a while,” she said.

IWIL and the symposium are near and dear to Logsdon’s heart. She said she is “proud of what we have created that began with a group of professional women sitting around my dining room table.” Symposium attendance is anticipated to be over 400 people this year. Logsdon describes IWIL as “a wonderful, approachable, professional networking group that welcomes women from all levels of their career. It’s women supporting women.”

Current symposium sponsors are: