2025 MT WIB SUMMIT WELCOME RECEPTION @ AC HOTEL BENCHMARK RESTAURANT & BAR (rooftop)

4:00 – 6:00 PM – REGISTRATION OPEN (AC Lobby, lower level)

5:30 – 7:30 PM – 2025 MT WIB SUMMIT WELCOME RECEPTION Sponsored by Mountain Health CO-OP

5:30 PM  Reception Begins for Summit Attendees, Event Speakers and Sponsors, Invited Guests, Montana Chamber Board and Staff

6:00 PM   Brief remarks from the Montana Chamber & Reception Sponsor Mountain Health Co-Op

7:30 PM   Event Concludes

“BLAZING TRAILS” – 2025 MT WIB SUMMIT KICKS OFF

7:30 – 9:00 AM – REGISTRATION OPEN; Breakfast on your own. Fieldings in the Kimpton opens at 7:00 a.m.

8:00 AM                    FOR SPONSORS & SPEAKERS:  SADDLE CLUB VIP Opens Sponsored by Montana Media Coalition

8:30 AM                    Kimpton Armory Doors Open

OPENING SESSION @ KIMPTON ARMORY MUSIC HALL

9:00 – 9:10 AM – WELCOME REMARKS from the Montana Chamber of Commerce; Sponsor Recognition

9:10 – 9:40 AM FIRESIDE CHAT with First Lady Susan Gianforte and Nancy Schlepp, VP – Communications & Government Relations, Sandfire Resources America and FY25 Montana Chamber Board Chair

9:45 – 10:15 AM – OPENING KEYNOTE: “Empowering Women in Business” Laura Higgins, Head of Diverse Businesses – JPMorgan Chase Pacific

PLEASE NOTE MEETING ROOMS ARE IN THE AC HOTEL, ELEMENT & KIMPTON ARMORY MOVING FORWARD

10:15 AM – 1:15 PM – NATIVE WOMEN LAUNCH ART WALK @ ETHA MEZZANINE (Above Kimpton Armory Music Hall)
Sponsored by Yellowstone Club Community Foundation
View & purchase items made by the Indigenous women speaking on the “Artists & Visionaries: Native Women Leading through Creativity & Entrepreneurship” panel in the Armory at 1:30 PM.

10:30 – 11:15 AM – MORNING BREAKOUTS – Session 1

“Beyond Strategy: Why Corporate Culture is the Real Breakfast of Champions”
AC HOTEL BRIDGER BALLROOM

• Michelle Huie, Founder – ShopDot and Vim&Vigr
• Stephanie Pimmel, SVP & Chief People Officer – PacificSource
• Stacy Maloney, Founder & CEO – Elevate11 Consulting
• Moderator: Dr. Suzanne Tilleman, Dean – University of Montana College of Business

“The Future of Work: Unleashing Women’s Potential with AI”
KIMPTON ARMORY MUSIC HALL

• Lisa DeLuca, Sr. Director Product & Engineers – Unstoppable Domains (formerly AI at IBM, Wayfair)
• Heidi Johnson, President – OpenBB
• Kirsten Schaub, Chief Revenue Officer – mpathic and others
• Moderator: Lumay Murphy, VP of Finance – mpathic

“The Impact of Millennials on the Workplace”
TRUE NORTH @ KIMPTON (Upstairs)

• Catherine Bernhardt, GM Western Montana – Republic Services
• Kallie Kujawa, MSN, RN, Chief Operating Officer – Bozeman Health
• Shaye Metcalf, BillingsWorks Manager – Big Sky Economic Development
• Moderator: Brianne Rogers, Owner – Bird Dog Strategies

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM – MORNING BREAKOUTS – Session II

“Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Women Succeeding in Male-Dominated Industries”
AC HOTEL BRIDGER BALLROOM

• Jacyln Marin Liebscher, Project Manager for One&Only – Golden Eagle
• Heather McDowell, VP Legal & External Affairs, Americas – Sibanye-Stillwater
• Kali Ryti, President – First Security Bank, Bozeman

Moderator: Suzi Berget White, AVP/Commercial Lender – First Security Bank, Bozeman

“Breaking Barriers: Photonics & Quantum from a Female Perspective”
KIMPTON ARMORY MUSIC HALL

–      Dana Cuccia, CEO – HealthGuard Systems
–      Mary Johnson, CEO – Wavelength Electronics
–      Sarah Lukes, CEO – Agile Focus Designs
–      Lisa Wood, CEO – Analog Physics
–      Moderator: Elle Gahl, Shadow Ridge Analytics (photonics); Board Member Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance

“Innovative Paths to Impact: Models for Social Good”
TRUE NORTH @ KIMPTON (Upstairs)

• Chelsea Bodnar, Founder & CEO – Montana Pediatrics
• Lyndsay Gutierrez, Cooperative Specialist – Montana Women’s Finance Cooperative – Montana Cooperative Development Center (MCDC)
• Kelly Schwager, VP Global Communications – Oracle; MHTBA Board Chair
• Christine Tennyson, VP Business Development – Meaningful Ventures 2.0
• Moderator: Candace Carr Strauss, VP Marketing & Communications – Montana Chamber of Commerce

12:15 PM – BUFFET LUNCH @ KIMPTON ARMORY MUSIC HALL

12:15 – 1:30 PM – LUNCH KEYNOTE: “The Future: It is Ours to Imagine” Lynn Casey, CEO/Founder – ShineScout Inc. @ Kimpton Armory Music Hall Sponsored by Clearwater Credit Union

1:45 – 2:30 PM – AFTERNOON BREAKOUTS – Session I 

“Women Entrepreneurs Rising: Securing Capital and Building Success in Montana”
AC HOTEL BRIDGER BALLROOM

• Sara Andrews, Founder – Bumbleroot Foods
• Tana Burke, Founder – Sky Cycle
• Avery Patrick, VP & Marketing Director – Showdown Montana
• Paige Williams, Founder – Aud Pop
• Moderator: Margaret Madrigal, Executive Director Commercial Banking MT/WY – JPMorgan Chase

“Artists & Visionaries: Native Women Leading through Creativity & Entrepreneurship”
KIMPTON ARMORY MUSIC HALL

• Brocade Stops Black Eagle (Crow-Mandan Hidatsa) – Brocade Designs
• Chelysa “Chief” Owens-Cyr (Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux, Pasqua First Nations Plains Cree and Saulteaux) – Chief’n Wear
• Moderators: Latisha Buck Elk Thunder, Executive Director – Native Women Launch Program and Ticia Cliff, Workforce Development Specialist, Accelerate MT

2:45 – 3:30 PM – AFTERNOON BREAKOUTS – Session II

“Boardroom Excellence: How Good Governance Fuels Growth”
AC HOTEL BRIDGER BALLROOM

• Sarah Blechta, Vice Chair, Big Sky Resort Area District Board; VP of Property Management Associations – Lone Mountain Land Company
• Melissa Matassa-Stone, CEO – WGM Group
• Sara Urbanik, Executive Director – O.P. & W.E. Edwards Foundation
• Moderator: Melanie Schwarz, CEO – UpStream Strategy Partners

“Health at Every Stage: Supporting Women’s Choices & Challenges”
KIMPTON ARMORY MUSIC HALL

• Heidi Duncan, FAAFP, MD – Billings Clinic
• Stephanie McDowell, Executive Director – BridgerCare
• Carrie Krepps, Executive Director – Florence Crittenton
• Moderator: Colee Wingo, Senior Community Advisor – Billings Clinic Bozeman

3:45 – 4:15 PM – CLOSING KEYNOTE:  “Svalinn:  A Legacy of Vigilance – Passion, Patience & Conviction” – Kim Greene, Founder – SVALINN
KIMPTON ARMORY MUSIC HALL

NETWORKING RECEPTION @ KIMPTON SKY SHED (Rooftop)

4:30 – 6:00 PM – MT WIB SUMMIT NETWORKING RECEPTION @ Kimpton Sky Shed (Rooftop) Sponsored by Rocky Mountain Women’s Business Center

6:00 PM – Dinner on your own in Downtown Bozeman

7:15 – 8:05 AM       “Rise & Thrive: Energize Your Morning with Pilates Plus” with Sam Schmidt, PT/Certified Master Pilates Instructor, Alpine Physical Therapy Missoula
ELEMENT HOTEL CONFERENCE ROOM

8:00 – 9:45 AM – BUFFET BREAKFAST @ AC HOTEL BRIDGER BALLROOM sponsored by Jackson Contracting Group – No formal program; network at your leisure

10:00 – 11:30 AM MORNING WORKSHOPS –  SELECT ONE TO ATTEND

“Story Sharing to Engage & Connect”
Sarah Elkins, Elkins Consulting, Author/Podcast Host
ELEMENT HOTEL CONFERENCE ROOM

“Quiet Leadership – You can change your world with a whisper.”
Karen Grosz, President – Canvas Creek Team
KIMPTON ARMORY MUSIC HALL
This high-energy session will help you figure out how – Both introverts & extroverts welcome!

“Better Together: Creating Win-Win Business Partnerships & Collaborations”
Kassi Strong, Program Director – Rocky Mountain Women’s Business Center
AC BRIDGER BALL ROOM

2025 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY POWER LUNCH @ KIMPTON ARMORY MUSIC HALL

12:00 PM – WELCOME by Montana Chamber followed by LUNCH / NETWORKING

12:15 PM – An Update from the 69^th Legislative Session on Childcare Policy

• Sheridan Johnson Hoyer, Government Affairs Specialist – Montana Chamber of Commerce
• Caitlin Jensen, Executive Director – Zero to Five Montana

12:30 – 1:45 PM     INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY LUNCHEON KEYNOTE with Consuls General – A celebration of IWD under the theme, “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” This year’s theme calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a future where no one is left behind. #ACCELERATEACTION

• Sophie Hattat – Consul General of Belgium
• Gry Rabe Henriksen – Consul General of Norway
• Paulina Kapuścińska – Consul General of the Republic of Poland
• Renee Pea – Consul General of Croatia
• Tammy Sandhu – Consul General of the United Kingdom
• Lucia Sava – Consul General of Romania
• Moderators: Candace Carr Strauss, VP of Marketing & Communications – Montana Chamber of Commerce & Nikki Geiszler, Executive Director – Montana World Affairs Council

1:45 PM – DRAWINGS for Raffle Prizes / Centerpieces 

2:00 PM – THANK YOU; LUNCH CONCLUDES