Power Your Potential
Save the Date! Saunders College of Business is pleased to host the 15th Annual Power Your Potential Women's Conference on Friday, February 28, 2025.
Power Your Potential (PYP) is a half-day women's leadership conference that celebrates the upcoming National Women's History Month in March. The event invites area businesswomen to gain insights from their peers and engage in educational activities geared at helping women succeed.
Across industries and communities, women are navigating monumental change to spark movements and opportunities for future generations. This event gathers communities of innovative and inspiring women who lead boldly, challenge norms, and change their organizations.
This program is open to all eligible individuals regardless of sex, gender, gender identity, race, color, and/or national origin. View RIT nondiscrimination statement.
Previous Event Information
2024 Power Your Potential: Embracing Innovation Across Today's Changing Workforce
Date: February 23, 2024
Time: 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Location: Susan R. Holliday Center, Max Lowenthal Hall - Rochester Institute of Technology
Ticket Cost: $75 - Faculty & Staff, $85 - Alumni, and $95 - General
Breakfast, Lunch, and a small gift from RIT Saunders College of Business are included in the ticket price.
Saunders College of Business is excited to celebrate its second annual Women's Leadership Weekend! Join us again on Saturday, February 24, 2024, for the fourth annual Women's Leadership Summit (WLS) hosted by the Leadership Academy @ Saunders, and the first annual AdvanceRIT Women's Faculty Leadership Summit.
PYP Agenda
| Time | Details |
|---|---|
| 7:30-8:15 a.m. | Registration and Breakfast Available |
| 8:15–8:30 a.m. | Welcome Remarks from Dean Mozrall |
| 8:30–9:30 a.m. | Stacey Wronkowski Keynote Speaker Soaring to New Heights: A United story |
| 9:30-9:45 a.m. | Mix & Mingle |
| 9:45-10:30 a.m. | Kim B Miller Workshop Presenter Power Your Potential By Letting Superwoman Syndrome Go |
| 10:30-10:45 a.m. | Mix & Mingle |
| 10:45-11:30 a.m. | Panel Discussion with Q&A Embracing Innovation Across Today's Changing Workforce |
| 11:30-11:45 a.m. | Mix & Mingle |
| 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Ushi Patel Workshop Presenter Make Your Mark: The 5 Habits of Confident, Visible, and Magnetic Brands |
| 12:30-1:30 p.m. | Networking Lunch – Power Bowls |
Mistress of Ceremonies
Darci Lane
During her nearly 15 years here at RIT, Darci Lane has served as a director, counselor, advocate, and administrator. As the 2020 Edwina Award recipient, Darci has always prioritized the need to embrace, recognize, and celebrate women and gender minorities.
Keynote Speaker
Stacey Wronkowski
Stacey Wronkowski ’03 (management info systems) serves as Vice President Digital Technology for United Airlines. In this role Stacey oversees the technology organizations for Flight Operations, Inflight Services, Network Operations and Technical Operations. She also leads the United Analytics and Employee User Experience organizations. Since starting her career at United 6 years ago, she has been a positive force for the organization in both her prior roles as the Director of Customer Contactor Center Technology and most recently the Managing Director of Contact Center, Crew, Catering and Loyalty technology. She is known at United as a customer and employee advocate – seeking changes that drive efficiency but also has a vision for how we can reuse solutions across workgroups.
Stacey obtained her bachelor’s degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York and an MBA from Xavier University in Ohio.
Workshop Speakers
Kim B Miller
Kim B Miller ’85 (business administration retail management) is Prince William County, Manassas & Manassas Park, Virginia Poet Laureate Emerita. She is the First African American Poet Laureate for that region. Her poems have been published in African Voices magazine, an international haiku anthology, a DC newspaper, and Prince George’s Community College Literary & Arts Magazine and several other anthologies and websites. Kim is the author of several books.
Kim is the 2023, 2022 and 2021 DMV Renaissance Awards Haikuist of the Year. Kim received the 2023 and 2021 DMV Best Business Award in the category of Arts & Entertainment. (DMV=DC, MD, VA) In 2023, Kim was awarded the Vivien H. Hansbury Award for: Trailblazing A Path For Women In The Field Of Creative Arts.
Kim facilitated a seminars at a Women’s Leadership Summit at Rochester Institute of Technology, the University of California, Berkeley, and online for Google. Voice of America (VOA), did a documentary on Kim. Voice of America is the largest and oldest US funded international broadcaster. Kim was also featured on WTOP, 103.5 FM.
Ushi Patel
Ushi Patel ’00 (graphic communications), ’01 (MBA) is a designer, speaker, and co-host of The Phoenix podcast who has earned the name "Brand Whisperer" from her clients and peers. For over two decades, her model has empowered thousands of people globally to build an authentic and effective brand presence that increases confidence, visibility, and magnetism. Her portfolio includes leaders in Fortune 500 companies and at the helm of social movements, as well as
Her multicultural approach and heartfelt visual storytelling have inspired clients to utilize her design talent and eye for their homes, events, and weddings, in addition to the creative direction and mentorship she provides for their brands. Never able to contain her creativity to just one avenue, Ushi wrote and published Benjamin Franklin award-winning poetry. In 2016, she gave a TEDx Talk about how to stay true to who you are. She was recently recognized by L.A. Style Magazine as part of their 2023 Most Influential lineup.
Ushi is a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology, where she received her MBA and was an NCAA All-American Volleyball Player and the 1999 NCAA Academic All-American national player of the year. You'll find Ushi, her husband John, and her little rascals, Rayam and Nikhil (Niko), in Austin, Texas, soaking up the sun and beautiful energy.
Embracing Innovation Across Today's Changing Workforce Panel
Lindsay Connelly
For over a decade, Lindsay Connelly ’11 (marketing), MBA ’18 has proven herself a successful digital marketer who enriches the Rochester community. It started at RIT in 2011 with a BA in Marketing, which continued into an MBA with a focus in MIS in 2018 from RIT. While obtaining her master’s, she decided to start her own business.
Linden Digital Marketing was founded in 2018 and the company is now a flourishing marketing firm supporting B2B and B2C companies in digital marketing strategy, tactics, website development, and much more. What began as a one-woman operation has quickly grown into an LLC that employs fourteen local marketing experts. Linden more than doubled in size in each of the last two years. Lindsay was named an RBJ 40 under 40 honoree in 2022 and Emerging Tech Woman of the Year by TechRochester in 2023.
When Lindsay isn’t working on her thriving business, she invests her time in raising her two young children, rock climbing at RIT’s Red Barn and volunteering as a board member for Journeys of Solutions Inc. St. Ann’s Foundation and Home Acres Brighton. Lindsay is a proud member of the Rochester community who gives back through her time, talent, and leadership
Tashanda Thomas
Tashanda Thomas is the Chief Human Resources Officer at WXXI Public Media, including The Little Theatre and CITY Magazine.
Tashanda has been in the Human Resources profession for several years. She has worked in non-profit and for-profit sectors, building relationships with employees and managers to support the business strategy, resolve communication issues, and motivate individuals for optimal performance. Tashanda is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion for all people and cares deeply about the needs of others.
Tashanda's desire to impact the lives of Rochester's citizens is evident in her past and current volunteer work and service. She is the Chair of the Willow Domestic Violence Center Board and sits on its HR Task Force and Governance committee. She is also a St. John Fisher University Alumni Board member and the YMCA HR Committee. Tashanda is a Commissioner for the City of Rochester's Civil Service Commission, a founding Member of 100 Women Who Care, Roc, and an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated member.
Tashanda has received recognition for her professional work and her community outreach. She is a 2023 OnCon Icon Top 50 Human Resources Professional Award Winner, 2023 NHRA HR Executive of the Year Finalist, 2022 Rochester Business Journal Women of Excellence Honoree, 2022 ATHENA Young Professional Award Finalist, 2021 Making an Impact Award winner from the Rochester Chapter of the National Human Resources Association, 2020 St. John Fisher College "Ten Under 10" Honoree, a 2019 Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce IGNITE Future Leaders Award Finalist, and a 2018 Rochester Business Journal "Forty under 40 Honoree."
Tashanda is a United Way African American Leadership Development Program Graduate with an Associate degree from Monroe Community College and a Bachelor's degree from St. John Fisher University. Tashanda has her PHR and SHRM-CP certifications and is a wife and mom.
Liz Vega
Liz Vega is an award-winning marketer and Emmy-nominated former television journalist, who uses her appreciation of storytelling to help teams research market needs, identify target audiences and competitors, and create marketing initiatives that generate revenue.
In her most recent role, Liz served as Vice President, Head of Americas Marketing, Xerox Corporation, leading a team of skilled marketers who support clients and channel partners in small, midmarket, and large businesses in 40 countries including the U.S., Canada, and Latin America.
In addition, she has held leadership roles in internal and external communications and public relations, developing compelling strategic plans and narratives for employees and external audiences working with senior leadership in 100+ countries.
Liz is the former national president of the Hispanic Association for Professional Advancement (HAPA), an employee resource group at Xerox dedicated to the support, development, and advancement of Hispanic employees.
She holds a BA in Telecommunications and Political Science from Michigan State University, a MS in Management from Nazareth University and was sponsored by Xerox to complete a post-graduate management program at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.
Previously, Liz taught undergraduate communications in RIT’s School of Communication as a distinguished Minett professor.
Liz serves the Rochester community on several boards of directors including the YWCA of Rochester and Monroe County where she is past chair of the board of directors and Lifespan of Greater Rochester where she currently serves as secretary of the board of directors. Liz and her husband reside in Pittsford, NY with their two daughters.
The Next Generation of Business
As part of our Women’s Leadership Weekend, Saunders is proud to be hosting this year's Power Your Potential in our new, state-of-the-art building expansion, highlighted by our featured event space, the Susan R. Holliday Center (in Max Lowenthal Hall). Learn more about the The Next Generation of Business at Rochester Institute of Technology.
Parking
Once entering campus at the main entrance (indicated with a VERY large sign: "Rochester Institute of Technology, Founded 1829"), follow the directional signs labeled “Power Your Potential”, towards the Susan R. Holliday Center.
Please park in Parking Lot S. Once registered, External guests will receive an e-permit. Please place the permit on your dash so you do not get ticketed.
Download Campus Maps: Interactive Campus Map.
Power Your Potential Map: Parking Lot S to Max Lowenthal Hall
Map/Directions
RIT’s campus is conveniently located five miles from the Greater Rochester International Airport and the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90). GPS Link to: Parking Lot S, Reynolds Dr, Rochester, NY 14623
