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VIP NETWORKING EVENT

Sponsored by

THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2026

5:30 - 7PM

DESIGN1 Showroom

10800 Colonel Glenn Rd, Little Rock, AR 72204

VIP Registrants and Sponsors are invited to attend a private networking event. Enjoy food and beverages and pop-up shops from Parker Post, H Jane and House of Beauty.

Join Us!

SOIREE WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM - MAIN EVENT

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2026

7:30 AM - 2PM

(workshops 2:15-3:45 PM)

Statehouse Convention Center - Wally Allen Ballroom

Presented by

Register Here

2026 Schedule

7:30-9:00 a.m.

  • No physical tickets required. Just check in with your name or company in the Statehouse atrium.

  • Network with other attendees and interact with our event partners.

  • Light breakfast including coffee, tea and juice

Registration & Networking Breakfast

in Statehouse Atrium

9:00 a.m.

  • Opening remarks and introductions from the WLS team and presenting sponsors, Delta Dental of Arkansas & The Hatcher Agency

Welcome

in Wally Allen Ballroom

  • The 2026 opening keynote features Cindy Jones-Nyland, a former C-suite executive and Georgetown-trained coach who helps leaders navigate high-stakes transitions with clarity and confidence. Drawing on her executive experience, she equips leaders with practical tools to build “agency over self” and lead through uncertainty while staying grounded and intentional.

9:20 a.m.

Opening Keynote

in Wally Allen Ballroom

  • visit our activation booths & grab a snack

10:10 a.m.

Break #1

in Pre-function Area

10:30-11:00 a.m.

  • "Mind the Gap: Communicating Effectively Across Generations"

    Presented by: Melissa Bandy and Robbi Riggs of Mitchell Williams and Anna Grace Mills and Dana Silaski of Stephens

    Five generations are now working side by side, each with different expectations for communication, feedback, and what “professional” looks like at work. In this session, panelists will share strategies for giving feedback that lands across generations, and receiving it with an open mind. Whether you are managing a multigenerational team or navigating feedback dynamics with colleagues and clients, you will leave with actionable insights to strengthen relationships and drive results in your organization.

    Sponsored by: Stephens, Inc.

  • “Personal Branding for Executives”

    Presented by: Lauren McKinnon, Founder & CEO - Project Mockingbird

    This session helps leaders build a personal brand rooted in authenticity, clarity and confidence. Participants learn how to align their values, strengths and professional story into a cohesive narrative that elevates their visibility and positions them as trusted voices in their field. Through guided exercises and real-time feedback, participants walk away with a clearer sense of who they are as leaders and how to show up consistently across digital and in-person spaces. Lauren will guide leaders to define personal brand pillars, craft a compelling leadership narrative and discuss how to show up on LinkedIn and other platforms with confidence. Leaders will walk away with strategies for thought leadership visibility and the ability to translate values into consistent messaging.

    Sponsored by: US Bank

  • “Social Media for Small Businesses”

    Presented by: Aly LaBanca, FLEX360

    Social media has moved beyond “nice to have” into a core growth channel for established small businesses—but most teams are too busy running the business to keep up with every new trend. In this entrepreneur‑track session, FLEX360 Digital Marketing Director Aly LaBanca will break down what actually works now on social for growing visibility, driving leads, and nurturing loyal customers—without requiring a full‑time content team. You’ll walk away with a simple, repeatable framework you can plug into your existing marketing to get more return from the time and money you’re already investing online.

    Sponsored by: Wright, Lindsey, Jennings (WLJ)

Session One in Breakout Rooms

in Ballrooms A, B & C

11:05 - 11:35 a.m.

  • “Beyond Your Day Job: Becoming a High‑Impact Board Member”

    Presented by: Kandi Hughes, JD, MBA, Managing Senior Corporate Counsel, MISO

    Serving on boards is one of the most powerful ways women can expand their influence, grow as leaders, and shape the future of their communities and industries. In this session, Kandi Hughes, JD/MBA—Managing Senior Corporate Counsel at Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) and an experienced board leader—will demystify what boards are really looking for and how to position yourself as a high‑value candidate, whether you’re an employee, entrepreneur, or executive. You’ll walk away with practical guidance on identifying the right boards for your goals, articulating your unique value, and taking concrete next steps to get “board‑ready” and into the rooms where decisions are made.

    Sponsored by: Stephens

  • “Creating Family Friendly Workplaces”

    - A Panel Discussion with Sheridan Richards - City of Little Rock, Angela Duran - Excel by 8, Anna Koelsch - Ingeborg Initiatives and moderated by Sarah Riffle - Women’s Foundation of Arkansas

    Recently, and with funding support from Ingeborg Investments, the Women's Foundation of Arkansas commissioned a collaborative, narrative-centered research initiative that explores the intersection of maternal economic security and early childhood access in Arkansas, building on the Foundation's work to advocate for and support working moms. This latest research will be framed up for an interactive session where business executives can share and generate actionable items that can and should be taken into consideration to create family-friendly workplaces. Leaders will leave this session with creative ideas, policies and benefits that can be implemented as well as discussion points to take back to the table within their respective organizations.

    Sponsored by: US Bank

  • "What Businesses Need to be Thinking About in 2026"

    - A Panel Discussion with Jasmine Hudson - Black Paper Party, Christine Scarlett & Lauren Weaver, The Patient Whisperers & Founders of upSKILLery and moderated by Meredith Lowry - WLJ

    In a year of rapid change, even established small businesses can’t afford to “set it and forget it” when it comes to their business model, relationships and use of technology. This entrepreneur‑track session will explore what smart owners should be thinking about in 2026, from diversifying income streams and integrating AI in practical, human‑centered ways to setting boundaries that protect your time and energy. You’ll also learn how to have better, more strategic conversations with your attorney, accountant, and banker so your advisory team is aligned with where you want your business to go next.

    Sponsored by: Wright, Lindsey, Jennings (WLJ)

Session Two in Breakout Rooms

in Ballrooms A, B & C

  • Visit our activation booths, grab a snack, take a break!

11:35 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Break #2

in Pre-function Area

Noon

  • Attendees will come back together in the main ballroom for lunch, our wellness panel and luncheon keynote speaker.

Lunch

in Wally Allen Ballroom

12:15 p.m.

Wellness Panel Discussion

in Wally Allen Ballroom

12:50 p.m.

  • The Community Quotient: Designing Workplaces for Connection & Impact

    The focus on creating connected workplace cultures has been building momentum over the past few years, and now is the time to create a fusion between why it is important and how to do it, and that is at the heart of this energizing and soulful presentation from Liz Bohannon.

in Wally Allen Ballroom

Luncheon Keynote

1:45 p.m.

Dismiss

2:15 - 3:45p

  • The Rehearsal Lab: Practical Tools for Training Your Brain Toward Possibility

    Led by: Cindy Jones-Nyland, CJN Consulting Group

    Workshop Overview: The keynote introduced a powerful question: How often do you rehearse the best-case scenario? This workshop is where you build the skills to change that pattern. We will explore the neuroscience behind why worst-case thinking dominates, then practice research-backed techniques to systematically retrain your brain. Through a three-scenario exercise, you will give best-case outcomes the detailed rehearsal time they deserve. Through language reframing, you will learn to shift how your body experiences challenges and uncertainty. And through embodied practice, you can rehearse showing up calm and confident. This is an interactive session. Consider it your research lab. You will leave with a personalized rehearsal protocol for your next high-stakes moment, specific language reframes for your actual challenges, and the muscle memory of what confidence feels like in your body.

    Ideal for: Any level employee or executive

  • Media & Presentation Training 101 Workshop 

    Led by: Susanne Williams, Media Relations Strategist, Project Mockingbird

    Workshop Overview: A practical session designed to help leaders communicate clearly, confidently and effectively with the media. Participants learn how to stay on message, handle difficult questions and represent their organization with professionalism and ease. 

    What Participants Will Learn: 

    • Understanding the media interview process 

    • How to prepare key messages and talking points 

    • Techniques for staying calm and confident 

    • Bridging, blocking, and staying on message 

    • Common pitfalls and how to navigate challenging questions 

    What Participants Will Walk Away With: 

    • A clear set of talking points 

    • Tools for handling tough questions 

    • Increased confidence speaking on behalf of their organization 

    Ideal for: Executives, communications leads, program spokespeople and small-business owners

  • PR & Social Media for Nonprofit Communicators 

    Workshop led by: Lauren McKinnon + Jillian Bowman, Project Mockingbird 

    Workshop Overview: This two-for-one session gives nonprofit leaders a foundational understanding of public relations and social media and how to leverage both to elevate their mission. Through a fun, mission-centered workshop, nonprofit leaders will learn to build a PR and social media strategy rooted in clarity, dignity and storytelling. Participants learn what makes a story newsworthy, how to develop relationships with the media, and how to craft pitches that resonate with reporters and editors. 

    What Participants Will Learn: 

    • What PR is and why it matters for nonprofits 

    • How to identify what is truly newsworthy 

    • How to craft clear, compelling pitches 

    • Building and maintaining media relationships 

    • Practical tips to gain traction with local media outlets 

    • How to turn mission statements into clear messaging 

    • Identifying content pillars that reflect impact 

    • Aligning social media content with development and program goals 

    • A simple month-by-month content approach 

    • How social and PR work together for brand awareness

    What Participants Will Walk Away With: 

    • A simple pitch template 

    • A list of newsworthy angles for their organization 

    • Three to five content pillars 

    • A refreshed, mission-driven social bio

    • Tools for sustainable social engagement

    Ideal for: Nonprofit communications teams, executive directors & leaders, program leaders, development teams

  • Learn more about workshops here.

Post Event Workshops

2026 Sponsors

  • DELTA DENTAL OF ARKANSAS

    CO-PRESENTING SPONSOR

  • THE HATCHER AGENCY

    CO-PRESENTING SPONSOR

  • BAPTIST HEALTH

    WELLNESS SPONSOR

  • SIMMONS BANK

    LUNCHEON KEYNOTE SPONSOR

  • STEPHENS

    LEADING LADIES TRACK SPONSOR

  • DESIGN1

    VIP SPONSOR

  • U.S. BANK

    EXECUTIVE TRACK SPONSOR

  • UAMS HEALTH

    OPENING KEYNOTE SPONSOR

  • WOMAN RUN (WLJ)

    ENTREPRENEUR TRACK SPONSOR

  • WOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF ARKANSAS

    SUPPORTING SPONSOR

  • LITTLE ROCK MARRIOTT

    HOSPITALITY PARTNER

  • LRCVB

    PRODUCTION PARTNER

CORPORATE TABLE SPONSORS

The Arkansas Financial Group

Arvest Bank

CARTI

Connect Service Solutions

First National Bank

IQonic Wealth Management

Mitchell Williams Law Firm

Meridian Investment Advisors

Lexicon

Project Mockingbird

Stone Bank