Days

Hours

Minutes

Seconds

8th Annual Women in Leadership Event

Bringing together women in business and leadership roles from across the region for a day of connection, inspiration and professional growth on March 23, 2027.

Register early to keep the same rate as 2026.

JOIN US

Our 8th Annual Women in Leadership Event will take place Tuesday, March 23, 2027.

Did you take your headshot at the 2026 event?

Attendees can download their headshots using the link in the email sent on March 31 or contact us to receive the download link.

Stay Tuned For Details for 2027's Event

Pricing

Members: $65 | Nonmembers: $85*

Register early to lock in this price.

Location

Bayfront Convention Center
1 Sassafras Pier
Erie, PA 16507

The Agenda

Meet the Keynote Speaker

Christy Uffelman, MHCS, BCC

Christy Uffelman, MHCS, BCC challenges the status quo. A 25-year veteran Mindset Coach, she is the chief executive officer and founder of EDGE Leadership, a boutique leadership development firm that builds cultures of psychological safety inside companies and across industries through Third Places: peer mentoring and group coaching circles.

She believes growth mindsets are not born. They are built.

And she knows that sustainable culture change happens one person at a time.

A storyteller and lifelong learner, Uffelman has authored four books on leadership and development, including the Amazon No. 1 bestseller The PEER Revolution and her newest release Wayfinding, a guide for navigating uncertainty with clarity and courage. She is a pioneer in the group coaching space and was one of only 50 coaches globally selected by Dr. Brené Brown in 2018 to bring her courage-building work into organizations.

Uffelman believes courage is not the absence of fear but the willingness to feel fear and move forward anyway. Her greatest fear is heights. And, yet, she still hiked the Snæfellsjökull glacier in Iceland, nearly 5,000 feet above sea level, with her husband, Kevin, and their son, Eli.

A Conversation Powered by the Voices in the Room!

Christy’s keynote, Getting Unstuck: Navigating Your Personal and Professional Growth Mountains, is powered by YOU, the voices in the room! Prior to the event, please share a way you’re feeling stuck (use an example from either your work or home life). That collective input will shape the direction of the keynote, creating a dynamic, interactive experience that offers insight and tools women can apply at work, at home and everywhere leadership shows up.

Meet the Panelists

Meet Andrea Bierer, our panel moderator and speaker. Andrea brings vibrant energy to her role as a marketing strategist and leadership trainer. With more than two decades of experience, her marketing mind has helped grow DBC Remodeling from a startup into a leading remodeling business in Northwest PA. Additionally, she is energized by sharing her knowledge and experience as a frequent training instructor at The MBA. Outside of work, Bierer enjoys the serene sunsets of Presque Isle with her family, and delves into Erie’s rich arts and culinary scene. A certified Working Genius Facilitator and Full-Stack Facilitator, she’s committed to making leadership development and learning exciting and impactful.

Drive Your Growth, Draw Your People The best connections form where everyone is hungry to improve

We’ve made networking weird. It often feels transactional — more about exchanging cards than exchanging ideas. Andrea will offer a different perspective: the most meaningful connections don’t come from a quick exchange at a “networking event” — they grow out of the places and conversations where everyone is learning and developing together. By intentionally seeking out spaces that stretch and challenge us, we connect with people who elevate our thinking and help us grow — while allowing us to do the same for others. When we take ownership of our own development, we stop chasing connections and start attracting them — and that changes everything.

Following her remarks, Andrea will facilitate a dynamic panel discussion with these five women business leaders, exploring how intentional growth and meaningful connection have shaped their careers and leadership journeys.

Rachel Artise is an entrepreneur, CEO, and business coach focused on helping people and organizations lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose. As the owner of six The UPS Store locations across Pennsylvania and the founder of Boss Up Inc., she builds high-performing teams and coaches women to scale their businesses through practical strategy and strong leadership. A sought-after speaker, Rachel brings an authentic, no-nonsense approach to entrepreneurship, leadership, and owning your power at work and in life.

Christine Blashock, Esq. is Chief Diversity and Community Development Officer at Erie Insurance, where she leads efforts focused on community impact, inclusion, and long-term economic development. An Erie native and former corporate attorney with ERIE, she brings deep experience across legal strategy, investments, governance, and community initiatives. Christine is an active civic leader, serving on multiple regional boards and organizations dedicated to strengthening the Erie community.

Janel Bonsell is a Partner at Schaffner Knight Minnaugh CPAs and a trusted advisor to closely held businesses, manufacturers, and nonprofit organizations. She leads the firm’s Client Accounting Services and outsourced Controller/CFO initiatives, helping leaders use financial insight to make smarter, more strategic decisions. A strong advocate for women in leadership, Janel brings a practical, real-world perspective shaped by years of guiding organizations through growth and change.

Amy Bridger, Ed.D., is Assistant Dean and Senior Director of Innovation and Corporate Strategy at Penn State Behrend, where she leads industry engagement, workforce development, and applied research that supports regional economic growth. With nearly two decades of experience advising entrepreneurs and innovators, she has played a key role in developing Knowledge Park, one of the region’s most successful university and industry partnership initiatives. Amy also co-founded a woman-led small business and brings a community-centered, hands-on approach to leadership and innovation.

Elisabeth Smith is President and CEO of Acutec Precision Aerospace, a woman and LGBT owned small business supplying critical machined components to the aerospace and defense sector, with more than 500 employees across four facilities in Pennsylvania and South Carolina. She leads Acutec’s focus on teamwork, technology, and Industry 4.0 innovation, including advanced automation, data analytics, and employee ownership through an ESOP established in 2022. With a background in aerospace consulting and operations leadership, Elisabeth is an active industry and community leader who brings a people-first approach to manufacturing excellence.

Book Nook
Sponsored By E.E. Austin & Son

Give a Book. Take a Book. Share the Inspiration.

The book nook is a way for you to share a business or motivational book that has made an impact on your personal or professional journey! Leave a short note inside with a few words of encouragement for the next guest, then choose a new book to take home and enjoy.

What kind of books can you give?

Bring a book that has inspired you and made you feel empowered, motivated or happy. It could be a leadership guide, a personal development read, a memoir or even a novel that lifted your spirits. Anything that sparked something in you and that you want to share belongs on the table.

Handbag & Jewelry Donation
Benefitting The Mercy Center for Women
Dress for Success Program

We’ll be hosting a donation drop-off for new or gently used handbags and jewelry benefiting the Mercy Center for Women – Dress for Success Program.

Your donation does more than fill a closet. It helps a woman walk into an interview with confidence, step into a new job feeling prepared and see herself in a new light. A handbag or piece of jewelry might seem simple, but it can be the finishing touch that helps someone feel polished, capable and ready for what’s next.

Past Events

Sponsorship

We would like to thank all our event sponsors for making the Women in Leadership Event possible and offering premium services to our attendees!

2026 sponsors include:

Silver Sponsors:

Additional Sponsors:

When you sponsor our annual Women in Leadership Event, you access unique, valuable opportunities interacting with key leaders from regional companies. Our popular event sponsor packages sell out every year!

Contact us now to learn more about being a sponsor.

Women in Leadership Event 2026

Can’t find what you’re looking for?

Fill out the form and one of our team members will reach out to you.