Women in Leadership Summit
The Women In Leadership Summit focuses on diversifying the leadership capacity of women students and preparing them for success in the workplace and beyond. Presenters are students, alumnae, faculty, staff, and local leaders.
Saturday, November 14, 2026
Build Your Now: Develop Confidence Today & Hope for Tomorrow
Build Your Now invites participants to intentionally construct a meaningful future by strengthening their foundation today. Using a construction-theme, the 2026 Women in Leadership Summit will empower attendees through engaging conversations, personal reflection, and skill development. Breakout sessions will explore investing in mentorship, cultivating self-assurance, and preparing for successful careers in an ever-changing and uncertain professional landscape. Participants will leave with practical strategies, valuable connections, and renewed confidence to navigate challenges and opportunities. Build Your Now will inspire participants to invest in themselves today, trust their potential, and begin building their tomorrow.
Keynote
Keynote Speaker: Hana Scott
Hana Scott is Baltimore鈥檚 First Lady, a TEDx speaker, entrepreneur, and operations
strategist who can turn a big idea into a plan. As COO of the Association of Women鈥檚
Business Centers and founder of Pugh Insights, she helps women-led and mission-based
organizations grow without burning out. Hana also leveraged her undergraduate degree
in a delightfully unexpected direction as co-founder of thicc sticc, a personal care brand with products she formulated to combat thigh chafing and bust
sweat.
A proud Baltimore native, Hana is a graduate from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
and earned her degree in biology from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Her
love of arts and culture shapes her service on the board of Arts Every Day, which
works to bring arts education to every Baltimore City Public School student. Additionally,
as a member of the Baltimore Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated,
Hana is committed to providing service to the community that raised her.
In her free time, you can find Hana enjoying live music, collecting vintage vinyl
records, and looking for Facebook Marketplace deals. Together, she and her husband,
Mayor Brandon Scott, are devoted to raising three future changemakers, which gives
her plenty of daily practice building confidence for today and hope for tomorrow.
Please click the link below to register for the Fall 2026 Women in Leadership Summit. Students, choose "黑料吃瓜网 Student Registration" and verify your email for free admission! Remember to wear purple if you have it!
Agenda
| TIME | EVENT |
|---|---|
| 11 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. | Welcome & Opening |
| 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. | Lunch Pickup & Roundtable Discussion |
| 12:15 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Breakout Sessions |
| 1:00pm - 1:25pm | Activity of Choice - Networking - Mind Maps - Photo Spot - Quiet Time/Decompress |
| 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. | Keynote (Q&A immediately following) |
| 2:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. | Closing |
| 2:45pm - 3:00pm | Keynote Meet & Greet |
Roundtable Discussion
TOPIC 1
Who's Your Crew?
Roundtable Leaders:
Sequoia Richmond, Coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Life
Dr. Leticia Romo, Professor of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Dr. Ming Tomayko, Associate Dean for Teaching and Student Success
Suzanna Yaukey, Dean of University Libraries
Topic 2
Building Your Foundation
Roundtable Leaders:
Brittni Ballarad, Learning Technologies Librarian
Dr. Lindsay Gavin, Counseling Center Director
Carolyn Harris, Director of Student Activities
Michelle Rauch, Assistant Director of Student Accountability & Restorative Practices
Dr. Diana Saez, Director of Choral Activities in COFAC's Department of Music
Topic 3
Demolish Bad Advice
Roundtable Leaders:
Dr. Patricia Bradley, Vice President of Inclusion and Institutional Equity
ArenRenae Hamer, Assistant Director of Campus Programming
Dr. Kanika Jackson, Public Communication Center Director & Assistant Teaching Professor
Dr. Keiwana Perryman, Director of the Center for Student Diversity
Breakout Sessions
Session A
Creating Your Seat at the Table
Presenter: Jordan Gooden
Account Manager at Quizlet
Towson University Alumna, c/o 2022
Description: Join us for a candid conversation focused on building confidence, positioning yourself for opportunities, and advocating
for yourself as you navigate your career.
Session B
Ready Enough: Building Self Trust and Moving Forward Through Uncertainty
Presenter: Jordan Bramhall, MA, LCPC
Mental Health Therapist at LifeSpring Counseling Services
Towson University Alumna, c/o 2023
Description: Have you ever felt like you need to have everything figured out before you can move forward? But the more you think about it, the more overwhelmed you feel? From choosing a career path to navigating life after graduation, it can be hard to know what to do next when so much feels uncertain. In this interactive session, we鈥檒l talk about why uncertainty can be so uncomfortable and how it can lead us to overthink, second guess ourselves, or feel stuck waiting for the 鈥渞ight鈥� moment. You鈥檒l walk away with practical tools to focus on what you can control, make decisions based on what matters to you most, and build trust and confidence in your ability to handle whatever comes next. You don鈥檛 need a perfect plan or all the answers to move forward, you just need to be ready enough to take the next step.
Session C
Mentor-ish (heavy on the -ish)
Presenters: Mahielt Hailu, MA, MEd
Middle School Counselor
Towson University Alumna, c/o 2024
Description: Mentorship is never a one-size-fits-all formula. What matters most is finding what works best for both the mentor and the mentee. Here we will talk about the formal and informal ways to fulfill being a mentor, how to get one, and everything in between!