2026 WLC PROGRAM

DAY 1: Monday, August 31, 2026

7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Registration & Information Desk Open

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Breakfast

9:00 a.m. – 9:20 a.m. Main Stage Opening Remarks / Phyllis A. James

9:20 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Main Stage Emcee Introduction / Dethra U. Giles

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Main Stage Opening Keynote Address

10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Networking Break

11:15 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. Main Stage WLC Talk / Alison Conigliaro-Hubbard: “The System Beneath Leadership:Why Sustainable Performance Starts Within”

12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Empowerment Lunch

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EDUCATION SESSION 1

Education Session 1 - CAPABILITY & EXPERTISE

Emerging Leader Track

• Option 1: What’s Behind the Business: Gain the Business Acumen and Expand Enterprise Focus to Build Credibility and Impact

  Dr. Anita Polite Wilson, The Leets Consortium

• Option 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: AI Is My New Best Friend….and I Love Her! From Curiosity to Capability to Confidence with AI at Work

  Dr. Sherrie Tennessee,The Leets Consortium

• Option 3: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Make the Call: Using Financial Acumen to Drive Business Decisions

  Julia Lazzara, Spectrum Leadership Advisory

Emerging Executive Track

• Option 1: Elevating Your Strategic Leadership

  Nancy DeViney,Shambaugh Leadership  

• Option 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: AI Is My New Best Friend….and I Love Her! From Curiosity to Capability to Confidence with AI at Work

  Dr. Sherrie Tennessee, The Leets Consortium

• Option 3: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Make the Call: Using Financial Acumen to Drive Business Decisions

  Julia Lazzara,Spectrum Leadership Advisory

Executive/Officer Track

• Option 1: Navigating Complexity, High-Stakes Decisions, and Resistance as an Executive

  Rebecca Shambaugh / Fasika Tefera,Shambaugh Leadership

• Option 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: AI Is My New Best Friend….and I Love Her! From Curiosity to Capability to Confidence with AI at Work

  Dr. Sherrie Tennessee,The Leets Consortium

2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Networking Break

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. EDUCATION SESSION 2

Education Session 2 - CREDIBILITY & INFLUENCE

Emerging Leader Track

• Option 1: So Now You’re the Boss: Success Strategies for New Leaders and Mistakes to Avoid

  Jennifer Buck, The Leets Consortium  

  Option 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Holding Your Own™: Leading with Confidence, Clarity, and Influence in High-Visibility Roles

  Melissa Maher,Pinnacle Enterprises Group

Emerging Executive Track

• Option 1: From Doing to Developing: Coaching Leaders to Expand Your Impact Through Others

  Dr. Anita Polite Wilson,The Leets Consortium

• Option 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Holding Your Own™: Leading with Confidence, Clarity, and Influence in High-Visibility Roles

  Melissa Maher,Pinnacle Enterprises Group

Executive/Officer Track

• Option 1: Strategic Influence and Executive Presence for Executives and Officers

  Rebecca Shambaugh / Nancy DeViney,Shambaugh   Leadership

• Option 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Holding Your Own ™: Leading with Confidence, Clarity, and Influence in High-Visibility Roles

  Melissa Maher,Pinnacle Enterprises Group

• Option 3: LEARNING LAB: Building Leadership Capacity at Enterprise Scale

  David Yudis,The Leets Consortium

4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Networking Break

4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Main Stage Keynote Address

5:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Emcee’s Closing Remarks, Dethra U. Giles, CEO, ExecuPrep

5:45 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. VIP Networking Cocktail Reception (Open to All Attendees)

DAY 2: Tuesday, September 1, 2026

7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Registration & Information Desk Open

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Breakfast

8:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Opening Session / “Ask the Coach” Moderated by Dethra U. Giles, CEO, ExecuPrep

10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Networking Break

10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Main Stage WLC Talk / Sally Allen: “The M.I.N.D.S.E.T. Framework: A Leader’s Mental Toolkit”

11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Empowerment Lunch

12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Education Session 3

EDUCATION SESSION 3 - VISIBILITY

Emerging Leader Track

• Option 1: Is Your Work Visible – or Invisible? Get Noticed – and Regarded – for Work That Drives Decisions

  Julia Lazzara,Spectrum Leadership Advisory   

• Option 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Your Personal Brand + AI = Your Competitive Advantage

  Haydee Antezana, Haydee Antezana International

• Option 3: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Owning Your Leadership Trajectory: Visibility, Sponsorship, and Strategic Career Moves

  Nancy DeViney, Shambaugh Leadership

Emerging Executive Track

• Option 1: High Performance to High Influence: Building Strategic Relationships and Sponsorship

  Fasika Tefera,Shambaugh Leadership

• Option 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Your Personal Brand + AI = Your Competitive Advantage

  Haydee Antezana, Haydee Antezana International

• Option 3: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Owning Your Leadership Trajectory: Visibility, Sponsorship, and Strategic Career Moves

  Nancy DeViney, Shambaugh Leadership

Executive/Officer Track

• Option 1: Navigating the Political and Organizational Landscape in the New Workplace

  Rebecca Shambaugh,Shambaugh Leadership

• Option 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Your Personal Brand + AI = Your Competitive Advantage

  Haydee Antezana, Haydee Antezana International

• Option 3: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Owning Your Leadership Trajectory: Visibility, Sponsorship, and Strategic Career Moves

  Nancy DeViney, Shambaugh Leadership

1:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Networking Break  

2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Education Session 4

EDUCATION SESSION 4 - 360 DEGREE SUSTAINABILITY

Emerging Leader Track

• Option 1: Organizational Skills for the Overwhelmed: Chaos to Clarity – An Organizational Skills and Time Management Reset for Today’s Leaders

  Jennifer Buck, The Leets Consortium   

• Option 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Resilient Leadership: Sustaining Performance, Confidence and Well-Being Under Pressure

  Melissa Maher,Pinnacle Enterprises Group

Emerging Executive Track

• Option 1: Mastering the Transition from High-Speed Execution to Intentional & Sustainable Executive Leadership

  Fasika Tefera / Rebecca Shambaugh, Shambaugh Leadership  

• Option 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Resilient Leadership: Sustaining Performance, Confidence, and Well-Being Under Pressure

  Melissa Maher,Pinnacle Enterprises Group

• Option 3: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Define Success on Your Own Terms: Personal Brand, Courage, and Career Choice for Senior Leaders

  Dr. Anita Polite Wilson,The Leets Consortium

Executive/Officer Track

• Option 1: Crisis Management: Preparing Your Organization for the Unknown

  Speaker To-Be-Announced

• Option 2: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Resilient Leadership: Sustaining Performance, Confidence, and Well-Being Under Pressure

  Melissa Maher, Pinnacle Enterprises Group

• Option 3: CROSS-TRACK SESSION: Define Success on Your Own Terms: Personal Brand, Courage, and Career Choice for Senior Leaders

  Dr. Anita Polite Wilson,The Leets Consortium

3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Networking Break

3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Main Stage Closing Keynote Address

4:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Closing Remarks / Emcee, Dethra U. Giles, CEO, ExecuPrep

5:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Closing Remarks / Phyllis A. James