WeVENTURE 2020 IMPACT Summit Set for Aug. 28-31

MELBOURNE, FLA. — weVENTURE, the women’s business center in Florida Tech’s Bisk College of Business, will hold a virtual 2020 IMPACT Summit from Aug. 28-31.  The annual, conference-style event is designed to inspire and motivate professional women and small businesses interested in pursuing diversity in their leadership ranks.

The presenting sponsor is Bisk Ventures.

“While we are unable to gather in person this year, we believe that offering quality, pre-recorded content in a format designed for small groups to watch together, and facilitating live virtual discussion sessions for individual registrants, will be a powerful experience,” said weVENTURE Executive Director Kathryn Rudloff. “Shifting to a virtual event has also meant we are better able to engage speakers of national prominence, which is very exciting.”

The event’s theme is “The Relentless Pursuit.” It will frame topics in three categories: the relentless pursuit of diversity and female leadership in the workplace; the relentless pursuit of success necessary for entrepreneurs; and the relentless pursuit of thriving, touching on COVID-19 and how individuals and society can respond to the pandemic. 

The confirmed speakers at the 2020 IMPACT Summit are:

• Liz Sara, chairwoman of the National Women’s Business Council. NWBC is a non-presidential federal advisory committee serving as an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to the President, Congress and the administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration on issues of importance to women business owners and entrepreneurs. Sara will provide an overview of the growth of female entrepreneurship over the last 30 years and opportunities for women today.

• Gen. Ann Dunwoody (Ret.), a 1988 graduate of Florida Tech’s Fort Lee, Virginia, site, is the former commanding general of the U.S. Army Materiel Command and a member of the Florida Tech Board of Trustees. She is the first female four-star general in U.S. military history. Dunwoody led many divisions at home and abroad and commanded at every level, and she also supported the largest deployment and redeployment of U.S. forces since World War II. Dunwoody will participate in a fireside chat with former weVENTURE executive director and fellow veteran Beth Gitlin. They will discuss Dunwoody’s career and experience as a trailblazing woman leader.

• Monique Picou ’93 MBA, the senior vice president, chief strategy and supply chain officer, Sam’s Club. This Florida Tech alumna will talk about how one of the largest companies in America has made diversity a corporate-wide priority and pursued opportunities to support women throughout their ranks – and seen tangible results for their efforts.  

• Sandra Shpilberg, author of  New Startup Mindset. A woman, immigrant and non-programmer, Shpilberg shares her success story of starting, building and then exiting her tech startup, all while not following the Silicon Valley formula and not being the formula. Her story seeks to inspire female entrepreneurs to build the business they are best suited for and to pursue success in their own unique way.

• Lisa Dinhofer, MA, CT is known as the Crisis Tamer. Working with subject matters and circumstances most people turn away from, she mentors companies past traumatic events, workplace abuse and disastrous communications to regain stability, build resilience and establish a new normal. Her talk will provide tangible ways to help cope with the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and learn how best to guide business forward.

Starting at 9 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, a pre-recorded video presentation featuring two hours of inspiring stories and expert insights will be made available. It will remain available for viewing until noon Monday, Aug. 31.

Additionally, the Summit will feature two live Q&A webinar sessions, an online private discussion group, and support for private watch parties. 

“However you choose to watch, the 2020 IMPACT Summit will be a powerful experience that fosters important discussions and inspires us in this uncertain time,” Rudloff said.

Here is the schedule of events:

Friday, Aug. 28

• 9 a.m.: Link for viewing the summit goes live for all registered guests.
• 1 p.m.: IMPACT Summit opening session. Live Q&A webinar with speaker Sandra Shpilberg on the relentless pursuit of success for entrepreneurs.

Saturday – Monday, Aug. 29-31

• Private Watch Parties, hosted at time and place convenient to organizer, in person or virtually. Discussion questions provided. Online platform provided to host private watch party provided upon request. Registrants are not obligated to use this platform.
• Private Virtual Group open for all registrants to join in the conversation by participating in chat discussions, both facilitator-led and organic from the community.

Monday, Aug. 31    

• Noon: IMPACT Summit closing session. Live Q&A webinar with speaker Lisa Dinhofer on the relentless pursuit of thriving.

Tickets are $20 for students, $50 for individual registrants and $250 to host a private watch party of up to 10 registered guests. Event sponsorship are still available.

To learn more about weVENTURE’s 2020 Virtual IMPACT Summit presented by Bisk Ventures, explore helpful FAQs or register as an individual, watch party or sponsor, visit https://weventure.fit.edu/events/impact-summit/.