EmpowerHER - Speaker Series

This speaker series is targeted to women in BUSINESS and female ENTREPRENEURS.

However, ALL Edmonton community members are welcome to connect to a powerful network through the Newcomer Centre's EmpowerHER Speaker Series.

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As part of the Newcomer Centre's EmpowerHER program, this Speaker Series presents a diverse range of local women business leaders and entrepreuneurs in sharing:

• Challenges they've faced in their careers and businesses and how they overcame them
• How they defined their own paths
• How they developed best practices for others
• How their leadership and engagement have helped others

Themes include stories about social pressures to assume traditionally female roles, struggles in attaining higher positions in male-dominated work environments, impact of media stereotypes, difficulties balancing family and career life and other challenges unique to women.

The Newcomer Centre's EmpowerHER Speaker Series is designed to attract, develop, and support female leaders in their careers and in their new or growing businesses. The series will host monthly sessions each year and feature feature inspiring leaders and recognized experts discussing their accomplishments, challenges, and insights.

During each in-person session in the series, participants will hear from feature speakers and have time to ask the speaker questions and engage with the network of participants in attendance. This is a welcoming and respectful environment to host conversations about important topics with women leaders and promote action that strengthens the pipeline for women’s leadership in our community.

The series provides opportunities for all members of Edmonton's community to:

• Gain perspective and learn from the experiences of others
• Meet and network with female entrepreneurs and role models
• Expand your understanding of social issues
• Elevate your own personal and professional empowerment and self-awareness
• Connect to a welcoming and thriving entrepreneurial community

Each session has a maximum capacity of 50 people.

This series is accessible to all who are interested because of our generous donors:

Keynote Topic:

Featured Speakers:

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Rachel is an experienced project manager and urban planner with over 9 years of experience working in the public sector.

She is passionate about developing creative solutions for solving complex problems and integrating technology into urban planning practices.

Her recent project highlights include the implementation of an automated permit review system for single and semi-detached houses in developing areas, decks, and garages, and an interactive online residential permit guide.

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Marty Vasquez works as an Economic Development Specialist at the City of Edmonton, leading the delivery of our regulatory information and public education services to help business owners start and grow as they navigate through the City of Edmonton's permit and licence processes.
Marty completed his degree in Urban Planning at Concordia University in Montreal and has contributed to city building initiatives in many municipalities including Montreal and Las Vegas. Since joining the City of Edmonton in 2011, Marty has continued collaborating in city growth initiatives here in our beloved city; most recently as a Planner II leading complex land development approvals on the Planning Coordination team, and previously as the Senior Planner for Development Approvals.

Keynote Topic:

Featured Speaker: (photo below)

Jenny is a passionate business strategist with Business Link, dedicated to helping small businesses thrive. She provides personalized support with expertise in digital marketing, online presence, and a wealth of business resources.

Jenny believes in the power of meaningful connections. She takes pride in building strong relationships with everyone she meets, fostering a supportive and collaborative community.

Her approach is grounded in understanding each client's unique needs and goals, ensuring that her guidance is tailored and impactful. In addition to her digital marketing expertise, Jenny has a keen interest in real estate and extensive experience in the restaurant industry. This diverse background enables her to offer specialized insights and practical strategies to business owners across various sectors.

When she's not brainstorming new business ideas, Jenny is often working on creative projects, honing her design and coding skills, or experimenting with new recipes. Her wide-ranging interests make her a versatile mentor and an invaluable asset to any small business owner.

Host or Publisher Newcomer Centre