Women Rising Event Connects and Inspires

Last month, CenterState CEO’s half-day Women Rising event brought together more than 100 attendees to celebrate women's strength, resilience and ingenuity. Empowering speakers included local and national women leaders who shared their experiences and wisdom for overcoming obstacles, achieving success, and leading in their industries and communities. 

“Following several successful virtual events focused on women leadership in recent years, Women Rising grew out of an interest in gathering to create a space to acknowledge that leading as a woman has a unique experience,” said Dr. Juhanna Rogers, senior vice president of CenterState CEO. “This event provided an opportunity to gather and discuss the ways the roles and responsibilities of women are shaped by climate and social conditions, and hear from powerful and inspiring women leaders.” 

The morning started with a networking reception sponsored by Mower and remarks from President & CEO Stephanie Crockett, as well as a yoga and wellness session led by Rhea Parks, owner of Mind, Body, & Spirit MFT PLLC. 

The event featured keynote remarks, “Courage Comes at Price,” from Dr. Daria Willis, president, Howard Community College, and an exclusive screening of Clusterluck, with filmmaker Dr. Candace Hall, of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. 

CenterState CEO VP of Marketing Brittni Smallwood moderated a panel following the Clusterluck screening with Dr. Hall; Meg Tidd, CEO of VIP Companies; and Rachel Pierce, executive director of the Workforce Development Board of Oswego County, focused on creating supportive and inclusive spaces within the workplace and beyond. 

Remarks and reflections were also shared by Dr. Rogers; Gwen Webber-McLeod, Gwen, Inc.; Angela Dixon, Berkshire Bank; Merike Treier, Downtown Committee of Syracuse; Kelly Fumarola, CenterState CEO Foundation; Me’Shae Rolling, Upstate Minority Economic Alliance; Vicki Brackens, Brackens Financial Solutions Network, and Jess Abbott, CenterState CEO. 

Special thanks to event sponsors: Breakfast Networking Presenting Sponsor Mower; Scholarship Sponsor VIP Companies; Supporting Sponsors Brackens Financial Solutions Network and Gwen Inc. Music provided by The Syracuse Orchestra. With special thanks to Syracuse University for their support. This event was funded in part by a generous grant from: Berkshire Bank.