Women Overcoming Barriers

On International Women’s Day next week, the North Shore Women’s Connect (NSWC) is hosting a conference designed to help women overcome personal and professional barriers.
The conference will feature 19 speakers, women from different races, ethnicities, industries, ages and backgrounds, the youngest being 25 and the oldest in her 70s..
“We want every woman attending this conference to feel like they are represented and that they can relate to these incredible women who are choosing to share their stories of overcoming barriers,” the event website states.
Alysa Southall, a lifelong Rowley resident and president of the NSWC, said she was inspired to create this conference when she attended a similar conference and realized there was nothing like it on the North Shore.
The mission of the conference is for women to help empower other women.
Southall, who owns a human resources consulting firm, A People Partner, said, “Every single woman has overcome barriers just being a woman.”
“We are often taught to compete with other women rather than lift each other up and share joy in our mutual successes,” the web site states. “Together we can change the narrative!”
Southall said women do not have to make this journey alone.
The conference has been in the works since November, and Southall is excited to see a focus on diversity. “For me, it’s a dream come true,” Southhall said.
During the day-long program, there will be four different panels with four speakers each, a morning keynote speaker and an afternoon keynote speaker.
The conference will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., March 8, at Ferncroft Country Club, 10 Village Road, Middleton.
NSWC began as North Shore Women in Business, a premier women’s networking group, founded in 1984 by Linda Morkeski. The group rebranded itself last year because the term, in business, was proving to be a barrier for women, who thought they could not join the group if they were not in business, Southall said.
As of last week, 120 women, including 30 high school students, had signed up for the conference. That included four men, who are welcome, Southall said.
Ticket prices are $125 for members and $150 for non-members.
For more information and to buy tickets, visit https://nswib.org/Womens-Empowerment-Conference.