MBA Banking on Women Conference August 2025

Schedule

The Banking on Women Conference begins at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, and concludes at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 22.

Thursday, Aug. 21

7 - 7:45 a.m. 

Yoga Class 

   
8:30 a.m.

Registration

   
9:30 a.m. 

Welcome & Opening Keynote Speaker  

The Power of Audacious Optimism: Ignite Your “I Will” Power

Shanna Adamic, Executive Director and Director of Social Impact | Oracle Health Foundation
In the face of uncertainty, adversity, and monumental change, Shanna Adamic stands as a beacon of audacious optimism. When faced with life’s toughest battles, Shanna’s unyielding belief became her secret weapon. She draws from her victorious fight against a life-threatening brain tumor — a battle that left her with a mere 4% chance of regaining her facial function. Shanna shares practical tools to practice optimism daily, to replace fear with bold confidence and to ignite your “I will” power. Discover how to let adversity fuel your resilience.
   
10:45 a.m. 

Networking Break 

   
11 a.m. 

Enhancing Efficiency and Fostering Innovation Through AI 

Jason Rincker, Chief Revenue Officer | Stronghold Data 
AI plays a significant role in empowering today’s leaders with knowledge and resources to leverage technology to enhance efficiency, support strategic decision-making and foster innovation for their organizations. As AI continues to evolve, it promises transformative potential in banking that will influence operations and customer relationships. Jason Rincker explores the benefits and challenges of AI in banking, implementation steps and future trends. 

   
Noon

Lunch and Vendor Prize Drawings

   
1 p.m. 

Beyond Compensation, Keeping Employees Retained & Engaged 

Sara Choate, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Chief People Officer | KPM CPAs & Advisors
“Quiet quitting” and “lazy girls jobs” have been popularized by social media and the news cycle. Regardless of what it’s called, more workers are pushing back against cultures that glorify overworking. Now more than ever, leaders need to establish the right mix of work-life integration to achieve strategic objectives. Sara Choate offers insights and actionable tips to foster employee retention, engagement and a thriving organizational culture.
   
2 p.m.

Networking Refreshment Break  

   
2:15 p.m. 

Unlock Trust: The Winning Combination to Retain and Energize Teams

Kathy Parry, Corporate Energy Expert
Trust needs to be the foundation of all interactions to build culture and retain great people. With the rise of retention issues, many team leaders have not had the opportunity to learn the skill set that instills trust on a team. Although issues surrounding retention are not easily resolved, building trust within an organization is a key component to increasing an individual’s contribution to a team. Kathy Parry outlines five ways to build trust and how to apply them for teams as she reveals best practices for consistency, transparency, listening, empathy and civility/respect. Learn strategies to conduct trust audits to assess the needs of your teams and address the skills needed to build trust. 
   
3:15 p.m. 

Networking Break 

   
3:30 p.m. 

Living Well with GRIT: A Masterclass in Intentional Success

Jennifer K. Bardot, MA, MS, CEO & Founder | G.R.I.T. LLC
Kristen Ziegler, SHRM-SCP, Chief Human Resources Officer | The Bank of Missouri
Crystal Officer, MPA, CEO | Beverly Farm Foundation
In a world of constant change, the key to thriving isn’t just talent or luck, it’s GRIT — growth, resilience, intention and tenacity. This powerful keynote brings together three international bestselling authors who have not only written about transformation but lived it. Jennifer Bardot, Kristen Ziegler and Crystal Officer will share their unique journey of how they’ve navigated personal and professional challenges, sustained growth through uncertainty and chosen to live well by design, not default. Reimagine your own relationship with success — not as hustle but as a deeply grounded, values-driven life that inspires you to lead with heart, adapt with strength and grow with purpose.
   
7-9 p.m. 

Dinner on Your Own 

Reception and Networking Event 

 

Friday, Aug. 22

7:30 a.m.

Buffet Breakfast

   
8:15 a.m. 

The Creator Mindset: How To Be More Creative at Work

Nir Bashan, Founder and CEO | The Creator Mindset 

According to a recent study by the World Economic Forum, the No. 1 in-demand skill at work today is creativity and innovation. Yet there are so few places where people can learn actual creativity and innovation that they can use at work immediately. Nir Bashan helps attendees who think they are not creative or innovative to learn how to be innovative. It turns out that creativity is a skill that anyone can learn — you just need to learn how to become more creative. Discover fresh new ways creativity can boost performance and help manage change. Learn strategies to develop an actionable plans for effective growth and to implement innovation at work.

   
9:15 a.m. 

Break

   
9:30 a.m. 

Targeted Kinetics™ — Realistic Self-Protection Anyone Can Learn

Tim Keck, Vice President | SafeHaven

How do you physically defend yourself from an attacker who is bigger, stronger and faster than you are? Pepper spray? Karate class? Watch John Wick one more time? Probably not. However, there is a way, and it’s simpler than you think. In fact, you can learn effective lifesaving principles in a couple of hours and put them to work the moment you walk out the door.

Targeted Kinetics™ comes from a medical study of the human body that determined its critical systems and where the “switch” that accesses each system can be found. Researchers then discovered how to predictably disable each system, rendering the assailant unable to continue.

Tim Keck leads participants in demonstrates to protect themselves from an attacker. Learn to do things you never imagined you could do! The experienced instructors will build your confidence and have you laughing while you learn. This is a fun, lively session — don’t miss out!

   
11:30 a.m.  Adjournment