WOMEN'S SUMMIT FL program

February 2-3 | Fort Lauderdale, FL

Women’s Summit

SPEAKERS SHANNON LITTON Shannon Litton is the CEO of 3LS Professional Services (100% Employee Owned), where she drives growth for change makers leading exceptional, integrated service companies. In her 25-plus-year career, Shannon founded multiple companies, including the award-winning 5by5 Agency, which earned five spots on the Inc 5000 list while helping 500+ organizations amplify their impact. A passionate advocate for employee ownership, she serves as board chair of the TNCEO, championing ESOP expansion across the country.

LINSHUANG LU

Linshuang Lu is a Managing Principal at Praxis Consulting Group, providing organization development, strategic planning, leadership development, and culture change services to employee-owned companies and nonprofits. She helps organizations develop leaders and foster engagement to create better workplaces and achieve greater impact. Linshuang serves on the NCEO Board and is Core Faculty for the ESOP CEO Program at the University of Pennsylvania Center for Social Impact Strategy.

ELLE CARNE Elle Carne is an operational generalist with extensive experience in progressive organizational leadership specializing in team and policy change management and organizational growth through a lens of equity and efficiency. She is the Deputy Director of Employee Ownership Expansion Network where she manages internal operations. Elle holds a BA in history and a master's in public administration from the University of Washington.

KAREN NG Karen D. Ng is a shareholder of N&G Legal Group in San Francisco, California. She concentrates her practice in ERISA & employee benefits, with an emphasis on ESOPs. She has extensive experience with design, implementation, administration of ESOPs, pension plans, profit sharing plans,401(k) plans, and advises companies, shareholders, & fiduciaries on structuring ESOP transactions. Prior to founding N&G Legal Group, she was managing partner of an international law firm's San Francisco office.

MEREDITH FIOCCHI Meredith is an educational resource for leveraged ESOP transactions, working with internal and external partners to help clients, prospects, and employee owners understand the ESOP opportunity.

She assists clients with structuring Section 1042 portfolios and securing qualified replacement properties. A Certified Exit Planning Advisor and member of the NCEO and the ESOP Association, she has spoken at both associations' national conferences.

EVENT SPONSORS THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS FOR MAKING THIS EVENT POSSIBLE!

MEMBER RESOURCES Communications Committee Crash Course Celebrating employee ownership means recognizing the value that every team member brings to the table & creating a workplace where collaboration thrives, contributions are valued, and everyone shares in the rewards of success.

The NCEO's flagship communications committee training and networking program returns February 10 - March 3, 2026! This course will prepare both seasoned & novice communications committees to thrive in their employee-owned companies. Each session will feature 45 minutes of facilitator-led learning, a 30-minute peer breakout session, and 15 minutes of wrap-up discussion/Q&A.

Peer Networking Learning from and with other employee-owned companies is one of the most effective ways to supercharge your employee ownership practices and performance. Meet your NCEO company peers to discuss everything from leadership and succession, to communication and engagement, to ESOP valuation and transaction issues.

Live Webinars & Replays Stay up to date on ESOPs and equity compensation with online presentations on legal, governance, HR, communications, and financial topics from our Compass online learning series. Both live and recorded webinars are free for NCEO members.

We offer approximately 45 live ESOP webinars every year. Each webinar is recorded and then placed into our Replay Library for you to re-watch at your convenience. NCEO live webinars offer continuing education credit for CPE and SHRM. Find out more information about webinars at www.nceo.org/live-webinars.

Additional Resources & Upcoming Events Beyond Engagement by Corey Rosen: This book shows you how to actively engaged your employees in structured opportunities to identify problems & generate new ideas.

2026 ANNUAL Milwaukee, WI Baird Center CONFERENCE April 6-9, 2026

AZ 2026 FORUM Phoenix, Sheraton Phoenix Downtown August 26 - 28, 2026

AGENDA: FEBRUARY 2 TIME

TOPIC

8:00-8:55AM Welcome Refreshments & Networking Welcome & Community Kick-off : Connecting 9:00-9:30 AM Our Stories in EO Kimberly McCourtney | NCEO

9:30-10:45 AM The Power of Good News: Purpose & Profit in Action Shannon Litton | 3LS

10:45-11:15 AM Coffee Break 11:15-12:15 PM Leading Where You Are : Influence Without Authority Linshuang Lu & Marsha Wesley Coleman | Praxis

12:15-1:15 PM Lunch Roundtables 1:15-2:15 PM Panel : Beyond Burnout: Building Cultures of Care for Women in the Workplace Panelists: Elle Carne, Karen Ng, Beth Krieck, Kimberly Sosko

2:15-3:30 PM Building a Resilient You : Navigating Challenges, Well-Being, & Conflict 3:30-4 PM

Rose Thompson | ButcherJoseph & Co

Spa Water & Refreshments Break 4:00-5:00 PM Mentorship & Community : Building Your Support Network for Growth 5-5:30 PM

Wendy Gugora & Meredith Fiocchi

Speed Dating Networking 5:30-6:30 PM Networking Cocktail Reception The Garden Patio

SPEAKERS KIMBERLY SOSKO Kim Sosko, CPA, is the Chief Administration Officer at Jones-Hamilton Co. (JH). She holds a BA in Accounting, MBA in Business Administration, and CPA certification. Kim's career began at Libbey Inc. in various financial roles before joining JH, a 40+ year ESOP, in 2005. There she developed expertise in ESOP administration, legal compliance, and valuation. As CAO, she leads financial operations, human resources, IT, and administrative functions, & serves on the Company's Board of Directors as Corporate Secretary.

BETH KRIECK Beth Krieck, MBA, Christine Hurt CPTD, is an ownership culture consultant at ESOP Partners and President of the Northeast Wisconsin Chapter of the Association for Talent Development. With nearly 20 years of experience in corporate training and culture development, she helps employee-owned companies create engagement programs that connect employee contributions to company success and financial rewards, empowering ESOPs to reach their full potential.

ROSE THOMPSON Christine Hurt

Rose Thompson is the Chief Operating Officer of ButcherJoseph & Co., a boutique investment bank specializing in advisory services for privately held and ESOP-owned companies. A trusted consultant and advisor, she guides leaders through growth, transition, and change with clarity and heart. Rose is also a contributing author to Resilience – Deconstructing Growth, Resilience, Intention, & Tenacity, a collection of stories by women who’ve transformed adversity into strength.

KIMBERLY MCCOURTNEY Kimberly brings diverse experience spanning non-profit organizations, manufacturing, distribution, sales, Christine Hurt retail, and business management to her role as peer network manager at the NCEO. Having spent over a decade in EO organizations, she is passionate about fostering collaboration and building relationships within the employee ownership community. She leverages her unique experiences to support the NCEO's mission and strengthen its peer network for employee-owned companies and their partners.

WENDY GUGORA Christine Hurt

Wendy Gugora joined Prairie Capital Advisors in 2013 and is a shareholder in the firm. She develops the firm's marketing strategy and budget, directs content creation across all channels including collateral, website, social media, and publications, and leads the marketing team in supporting conferences and speaking engagements. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Center for Employee Ownership.

BETSY BASSAN ChristineisHurt Betsy Bassan President and CEO of Panagora Group, a woman- and employee-owned social enterprise providing innovative solutions in health, development, and learning for foreign aid programs. Named USAID's Small Business of the Year in 2018, Panagora supports programs in 55 countries with over 500 employees and consultants. Betsy has over 40 years of experience in international development and was named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2021.

TRACY WOOLSEY

Christine Hurt Tracy Woolsey guides management teams through ESOP transactions and providing ongoing strategic support. She joined GreatBanc in 2023 after serving as Senior Vice President at Horizon Bank, where she led the ESOP team and launched the Corporate Customer Experience and Sales groups. With almost 30 years in ESOPs and retirement plan services, Tracy is active in The ESOP Association, serving on the Culture and Fiduciary Committee Chair and as Indiana Chapter President.

AGENDA: FEBRUARY 3 TIME 8:00-9:00 AM 9:00-9:30 AM 9:35-10:45 AM

TOPIC Breakfast Roundtables Welcome Day 2 From Financial Literacy to Lasting Impact Tracy Woolsey | GreatBanc

10:45-11:45 AM

Closing Keynote & Action Planning : Your Blueprint for Impact Betsy Bassan | Panagora Group

Learning Objectives: To cultivate the professional and leadership development of women in employee ownership, foster holistic personal growth, and build a vibrant, supportive community. This workshop aims to accelerate their individual contributions and maximize their collective impact within EO companies, providing actionable insights and tailored networking opportunities designed to help attendees excel in their careers and personal lives. While centered on women's experiences and contributions, this program welcomes all leaders committed to fostering inclusive and thriving employee-owned workplaces.

2026

Annual Conference

We invite you to join us in Milwaukee!

Use code ESOP to save $50 on your Annual Conference registration.

Learn more at annualconference.nceo.org.