MISSION, Texas - The Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce held its 10th annual Latina Leadership Conference and Expo at the Mission Event Center with the theme “Con Fuerza y Corazón.”
The day-long event featured prominent Latinas in business and government leading sessions on various topics to embolden and uplift women in the workplace.
Keynote speakers included Kathy S. Mills, Clerk of the Texas 13th Court of Appeals, and Mindy Brissey, the Small Business Administration’s Regional Administrator for Region VII. Irma Chapa, former anchor of CBS 4 News and current senior vice president in marketing for Lone Star National Bank, served as the mistress of ceremonies.
Over 550 people attended the event, a far cry from the group of 75 attendees at the inaugural conference. RGVHCC President Cynthia Sakulenzki says she is pleased with the growth and that women are taking the opportunity to better their personal and professional lives.
“Women continue to want to be empowered, want to learn about things, want to learn how to improve their personal and business life,” said Sakulenzki. “So, we’re here to encourage that.”
The day’s agenda was comprised of four rounds of breakout sessions, each with three different discussion panels for participants to join.
The keynote speeches as well as a main panel covering artificial intelligence immediately followed lunch, which was provided. Local singers entertained guests during their meal. Attendees were also guided in short exercises designed to foster mingling and networking. To top it off, vendors of mostly Latina businesses were present for people to shop as they moved from panel to panel throughout the day.
Sakulenzski said that while she was happy with the turnout, it is the women themselves who are helping improve the conference year after year.
“The topics that are picked are all picked by committee members that come from the comments that we get after every conference as to what they feel is important and what they want to be educated on for the next session,” said Sakulenzki. “So, again, it’s all input.”
While the next conference will not be held for another year, Sakulenzki says that it’s already shaping up to be even bigger than this year’s.
“We are extremely pleased,” said Sakulenzki. “We have done such a good job – and I’m not saying that, you know, to give ourselves credit – but we have done such a good job that we’ve have had comments from people saying that they want a two-day conference. So, we’re going to be discussing that. We’ll see how that goes.”
Photos by Patrica Martinez, Rio Grande Guardian.
Photos: RGG/Patricia Martinez.
Photos: RGG/Patricia Martinez.
Photos: RGG/Patricia Martinez.
Photo: RGG/Patricia Martinez.
