The Chamber of Greater Easthampton to Host Third Annual sheLEADS Women's Conference

EASTHAMPTON, Mass., October 3, 2024 – The Chamber of Greater Easthampton (Chamber) will host its third annual sheLEADS Women’s Conference November 15, 2024 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the PeoplesBank Conference at the Kittredge Center of Holyoke Community College, 303 Homestead Avenue, Holyoke MA. The event is sponsored by bankESB with support from Holyoke Community College and Reminder Publications and lunch hosted by Finck & Perras Insurance Agency, Inc. and Crooked Stick Pops.

The sheLEADS Women's Conference is designed to empower women in all stages of their careers by providing them with the tools, knowledge, and connections they need to achieve their professional goals. The experience offers numerous opportunities over the course of the day-long session to build networks and relationships and share insights with like-minded professionals from around the region.

“sheLEADS is an excellent opportunity for our female leaders to forge connections and glean insights from the tapestry of successful women within our region and create a roadmap for professional advancement, empowering professionals to thrive in every facet of their careers,” said Chamber Executive Director Moe Belliveau.

The conference will kick off with breakfast and relationship building followed by World Café, led by Dr. Tiffany Espinosa of Teal Executives. World Café is a global movement to support conversations that matter in corporate, government, and community settings around the world. The method makes use of an informal café setting for participants to explore an issue by discussing it in small table groups. Participants will discuss topics such as managing conflict during change, leading people/staff through change, managing burnout through change, vulnerability during change and authenticity during change.

Throughout the day, Belliveau will facilitate a one-on-one discussion with top female executives including Class A LPGA Professional Marissa Kulig Crow; Burns Maxey of BurnsMax Creative; Gen Brough, president of Finck & Perras Insurance Agency, Inc.; and Mary Hamel, owner of Glendale Ridge Vineyard.

In addition to being a Class A LPGA Professional, Kulig Crow is owner of Marissa Golf Movement and creator of the Golf Fore Women program, Kulig Crow’s accolades include the 2024-2025 LPGA Top 50 Best Teachers, 2022 Professional of the Year by the LPGA, 2021 LPGA National Teacher of the Year, and LPGA Northeast Teacher of the Year in both 2019 and 2021. She also received the 2021 Golf Range Association of America Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professionals and the 2021 Golf Fitness Association of America Award Winner.

Small business owner Maxey is also an artist, illustrator, designer and social entrepreneur. When she’s not making art or consulting with organizations on their strategies and design, Maxey serves as president of CitySpace, a nonprofit located in Easthampton MA, that restores and manages the historic Old Town Hall as a vital and affordable center for the arts. With CitySpace, she has managed capital projects, campaigns, grant development, strategic planning, and launched programs that give artists who most need it, access to space to create. In 2023, she was named a Difference Maker by Business West.

Brough began her career in the insurance industry in 1994 as a customer service representative for Gifford & Perras Insurance Agency, Inc. Just three years later, she was promoted to office manager and began handling all accounting, human resource management, operations, and IT services. Over the years, she has worked predominantly in the sales and servicing of personal insurance lines. In 2004, she became a partner of Finck & Perras and in 2015, she purchased the agency from the three other partners to become the sole owner of Finck & Perras Insurance Agency, Inc. with locations in both Easthampton, MA and Florence, MA. She was named the Business Person of the Year in 2016 by the Chamber of Greater Easthampton.

Hamel and her husband Ed started Glendale Ridge Vineyard in Southampton, MA in 1992 after purchasing the Sankey Farm. In 2017, the Glendale Ridge Vineyard brand was born, featuring a variety of estate wines including Cabernet Franc, Vidal, Traminette and Corot Noir, as well as producing unique wines using grapes that carefully sourced from the best vineyards on Long Island and in the Finger Lakes region.

Conference registration is $119 for members of the Chamber ($199 for future members) and includes all conference materials, breakfast and lunch.

For more information or to register, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org.