Meet the organizers behind the magic of the Women’s Leadership Conference at Bay Path U.

LONGMEADOW — Maya Angelou, Tyra Banks, Barbara Walters, Queen Latifah, Gloria Estefan, Robin Roberts.

Women of power, intelligence and prestige such as these add excitement and inspiration to every Women’s Leadership Conference at Bay Path University, said Melissa Welch, the school’s senior creative director.

“Some celebrities have the life afforded to them; others come from the same place as our attendees have come from. Who we invite as keynote, keeps true to who we are. It is someone who can relate, can share their story and have that resonate with our attendees, so they can say, ‘I can do that, too,’” said Karen Woods, the assistant vice president of brand strategy, marketing and integrated communications at the university.

This year’s speaker for the university’s 27th conference is “Shark Tank” panelist, real estate investor and author Barbara Corcoran; other key guests are Paralympic snowboarder Amy Purdy and Yvonne Camus of SPINCO, Canada’s largest indoor cycling company.

The conference will take place April 4 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

A lot of hustle

Putting together a multifaceted event with some 1,600 guests is no small feat for Woods and Welch, co-chairs of the conference since 2022. They work right up to the last-minute on all the details, even shuffling the table seating chart to make sure all attendees feel at home, said Welch.

“I’m like … ‘It’s happening,’” said Welch of what it feels like on launch day.

And, they said, as soon as one conference ends, the brainstorming and planning for the next begins. The co-chairs discuss all elements of the next conference, from colors to vendors, sponsors to featured nonprofit agency, in addition to themes and speakers.

The apparent magic behind pulling off a conference — to date, it’s had 175 prominent speakers, 200 vendors and over 30,000 attendees — stems from creativity and analysis, they said.

“It is a feeling when you walk in — the giant LED screens, the branding down to the food and vendors — we want all attendees to feel like they are up close and personal,” she said.

‘Break Through’

The theme of the 27th conference is “Break Through.” A breakthrough could mean a variety of things, the organizers said.

“We want attendees to be inspired to break through whatever is stopping them. … We hope they will gain some tools in their toolbox to break through and push forward through obstacles. We have four speakers and two breakout sessions, who will speak to breakthroughs topics from A to Z,” Welch said. “It does not have to be a huge breakthrough. It could be as simple as applying for a job. … Little breakthroughs build to the bigger breakthroughs.”

At the conference, attendees can come to learn, celebrate themselves in the moment, celebrate the accomplishments of others and discover what’s next, she added.

Got its start in 1995

The Women’s Leadership Conference started in 1995 under former university President Carol Leary as an event to bring women together to network with businesses, develop leadership skills and invest in themselves.

Fast forward to today, and the goal of the conference still remains true to its beginnings. That’s Bay Path’s mission of support, training, education and empowerment in action, Woods said.

Welch and Woods said local businesses believe in the Women’s Leadership Conference, too.

“They recognize there is great talent in Western Massachusetts,” Welch said.

Skill boosting is good for region

Woods said the annual Women’s Leadership Conference is a multi-industry event: Small businesses, nonprofit groups, higher education institutions and banks all support the conference, and many sponsors entire tables for their employees to attend.

“It is applicable to all industries and the whole person. They know they will walk away with something that they are able to apply in their daily life, no matter what stage of their career they are in,” Woods said.

The event also gives businesses the chance to meet with and invest in the next generation of women leaders. And for the attendees, it boosts their marketable skills and helps them feel more connected to the area, they said.

“Everyone comes out on top. It is a day to invest, and it pays dividends that attendees will bring back to their company.”

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