The 3rd Annual Women In Leadership Conference: A Celebration Of Local Talent And Empowerment

A conference gathering is often perceived as a crisp, efficient engine—but I prefer to think of it as a massive, beautifully chaotic, slightly stained patchwork quilt, lovingly spread across a huge lawn on a slightly breezy afternoon. Each square represents a specific industry, a distinct challenge, a unique perspective woven into the whole.

The 3rd Annual Women in Leadership Conference, held at the DECC in Duluth, was exactly this kind of immense, vibrant textile, and frankly, it was stunningly warm. Nearly 500 women across wildly varied professional landscapes came together not just to listen, but to actually *feel* the specific gravitational pull of shared ambition.

This year’s turnout established the event as the largest iteration yet. It was a visible proof of concept: Wisdom doesn't require a jet plane; sometimes, it just needs a generous, comfortable space right where you are.

The Geography of Genius

The most delightfully specific element of this burgeoning gathering is its stubborn, delightful refusal to chase distant stardom.

Event organizer Aubrey Hagen articulated a refreshing philosophy—that local talent deserves the spotlight. While securing a notable national keynote speaker provides a vital anchor, Hagen insisted on a deliberately cultivated balance. Over 20 speakers delivered workshops and breakout sessions, and the vast majority were proudly Minnesotan, rooted specifically in the Duluth and surrounding areas.

This is not mere regional pride; this is an astute acknowledgment that expertise, brilliance, and hard-won professional insights are often hiding in plain sight, perhaps managing the local bakery’s supply chain or navigating municipal contracts just a few blocks away. We often overlook the incredible architecture of achievement right down the street, assuming the best secrets are imported.

They are not.

Assertiveness and the Art of Being Seen

The conference centered on the necessary mechanisms of professional growth: learning to navigate change (a perennial challenge, like attempting to fold a fitted sheet), mastering assertiveness (which is often just knowing how to articulate a simple, unyielding "yes" or "no"), and embodying leadership.

One high-profile attendee, Haley Hedstrom, the Executive Director of Visit Duluth, brought up a universally relatable, yet acutely challenging, hurdle: being underestimated. That quiet friction—the knowledge that your capabilities exceed the limiting assumptions others carry—is profoundly frustrating. It's like having a top-of-the-line espresso machine but only being asked to fetch instant coffee.

Hedstrom’s expressed hope resonated deeply.

The true measure of a successful gathering is not the quality of the catered lunch, but the immediate, enthusiastic translation of energy into action. She urged attendees to internalize the varied perspectives shared and bring that momentum—that specific energy—back into their professional and personal environments.

Key Takeaways and Momentum:
• Attendance Milestone The 3rd annual conference was the largest yet, drawing nearly 500 women.
• Localized Talent Focus Organizer Aubrey Hagen prioritizes Minnesota and Duluth-based speakers for the majority of the 20+ sessions.
• Thematic Focus Workshops concentrated on mastering assertiveness, navigating change, and embodying leadership qualities.
• Specific Challenges Highlighted Business leaders, including Haley Hedstrom, discussed the specific challenge of being underestimated in professional roles.

The desire to keep this positive forward motion is already manifesting in the planning for next year. While we often measure success in retrospective data, the most hopeful metric is the immediate establishment of the next goal. The planning for the 4th Annual Women in Leadership Conference is well underway, with registration anticipated to open in December. The energy is not dissipating; it's simply gathering steam, ready to weave a bigger, brighter quilt next year.