Women’s Empowerment Conference

On April 2, Middle and Upper School students, plus Steward faculty, were invited to the Women’s Empowerment Conference, which was organized by Gracie Hayden ’27, Ellie Kersey ’27, and Claire Stuckey ’27. The students, all members of Steward’s three-year Leadership Program, created and facilitated the conference as their Year 2 Leadership project. In his role supporting student-led symposia, Humanities Teacher Trevor Smith helped the students organize the conference, as did Upper School Social Studies Teacher Eliza McGehee, who serves as coordinator of the Leadership Program. 

The conference, held after school in Steeber Commons, kicked off with a panel of four speakers who shared their experiences as women in their respective professional environments: Guenet Beshah (executive coach, consultant, attorney, and founder of the Beshah Collective), Dr. Julie Kerr (ear, nose, and throat specialist, Army veteran, and Steward parent), Dr. Yaa Agyekum (assistant director of Lower School and the director of the Center for the Advancement of Learning, and Steward parent), and Katherine Wintsch (founder and CEO of the Mom Complex and author of “Slay Like a Mother”).

The panelists shared their career paths and spoke about the challenges they have faced as professional women. They also shared the importance of mentorship and networking and gave tips on effective leadership. 

“Each panelist gave very insightful, thoughtful answers,” said Gracie. “One of my biggest takeaways was how the speakers had to overcome different struggles in their careers. They all spoke about the importance of fighting for your seat at the table.”

Following the panel discussion, attendees could choose from three workshops that explored aspects of gender inequality: “Identifying Gender-Related Stereotypes,” facilitated by Claire, “Accessible Gender Equality,” led by Gracie, and “Gender Equality Advocacy,” facilitated by Ellie. 

Ms. McGehee said, “I am exceedingly proud of Gracie, Ellie, and Claire. From brainstorming months ago to implementing a well-attended conference, they researched, collaborated, and thoughtfully planned each aspect of the conference. Their commitment to this topic helped them plan a very successful event. It was wonderful to see so many Steward students and faculty participate in their conference.”

“The most rewarding aspect of planning and facilitating the conference was witnessing how everything came together,” said Ellie. “During the preparation, it felt like there were countless tasks to complete, and we worried that it wouldn't all get done in time. This made the outcome even more gratifying when we managed to complete everything and saw how well it turned out!”

The hands-on Leadership Program is tailor-made for select Upper Schoolers who want to be top-notch leaders. Participants explore their leadership styles and discover the importance of ethical, empathetic leadership. Focus areas include group dynamics and conflict resolution, global engagement, and social justice. The program aligns with Steward’s Strategic Plan and core values (innovation, inspiration, care & respect, individuality, academic achievement, and civil discourse).

“Through the Leadership Program, I've learned the importance of preparation, communication, and collaboration,” said Claire. “The three of us learned to work well together and talk to each other, which I believe made our conference successful.” She added, “When I looked out at the audience, I felt proud. We spent months planning, so when I saw over 50 people engaged and participating, it was incredibly gratifying to see all of our hard work come together.”