Join us on Wednesday, August 12, 2026
PROGRAM AGENDA
8:30 AM 9:30 AM 9:45 AM
10:30 AM
10:50 AM
Registration & Vendor Showcase
Welcome Remarks
Building Without a Playbook: How to Lead, Decide, and Grow When there is No Clear Roadmap
Quick Break
Unlocking Feedback – Transform Critique Into Your Career Catalyst
Managing Up: How to Advocate for Yourself and Your Work
12:00 PM
1:30 PM 2:30 PM 1:00 PM 11:20 AM
Lunch
Say It Like a Leader: Navigating Tough Workplace Conversations
The Last Word: A Recipe for Meaningful Connections
Happy Hour & Vendor Showcase
Session One: Building Without a Playbook: How to Lead, Decide, and Grow When there is No Clear Roadmap
Presented by Maisha Beard-Johnson, Coordinator of Business Asset Development, Mayor’s Office of Financial Empowerment
What do you do when there’s no clear roadmap, and you’re still expected to figure it out? Whether you’re leading a team or simply navigating your own career, today’s workplace often requires you to make decisions, take initiative, and move forward without clear direction
This session will explore how to build confidence, create structure where none exists, and grow in your role, even if you don’t have a formal leadership title. You’ll walk away with practical ways to navigate ambiguity, make smart decisions, and turn uncertainty into momentum.
Key Takeaways:
Simple frameworks for making confident decisions, even without all the answers
How to take initiative and create clarity when expectations are unclear
Ways to build trust and influence, regardless of your title
Strategies to stay grounded, adaptable, and forward-moving in uncertain situations
Session Two: Unlocking Feedback –Transform Critique Into Your Career Catalyst
Presented by Dr. Joseph Stefko, President/CEO, OneROC
Feedback can be one of the most powerful tools for growth, if you know how to use it
Whether it’s formal reviews, offhand comments, or constructive criticism, this session will help you reframe feedback as a catalyst for your career Designed for professionals at any stage, you’ll learn how to confidently receive, interpret, and apply feedback in a way that builds your skills, strengthens relationships, and accelerates your development.
Key Takeaways:
How to receive feedback without getting defensive, and turn it into action
Techniques for askin lps you grow
Ways to identify pat rs most
Strategies to use fee career momentum
Session Three: Managing Up: Ho Advocate for You Your Work
Presented by Stephanie John Purpose, LLC
Your success isn’t just about doing grea right people see and understand it. Wh opportunities, clearer direction, or reco skill at any stage of your career. This se build strong relationships with manage proactively shape their growth, without promotional
Key Takeaways:
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Strategies to build trust and alignme early in your career
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Session Five: The Last Word: A Recipe for Meaningful Connections
Presented by Herb Escher, CEO, Dale Carnegie of Upstate NY
What do legendary networkers and unforgettable cocktails have in common? They aren't just thrown together, they’re intentional, perfectly balanced, and leave you wanting a second round
This high-spirited interactive session uses a cocktail-inspired 'recipe' to help you mix meaningful interactions into top-shelf connections.
The 3-Step Blend:
Step 1: Shake Up Your Comfort Zone - The best flavors happen when you break the ice. We’re pushing past the "safe" stuff to find the bold opportunities waiting on the other side of the room
Step 2: The "Show Up" Words - Showing up is just the base, it’s how you show up that provides the proof. Learn to bring a presence that’s smooth, potent, and impossible to ignore.
Step 3: The Conversation Stack - A great drink has layers; a great chat has depth Master the art of active listening and "stacking" your questions to create a conversation that actually sticks.
When the right ‘ingredients’ come together, the result isn't just a "nice to meet you" - it’s a lasting impression. Come for the cocktail-inspired vibes, stay for the career-changing spirit. Let’s make sure your professional reputation is the one everyone's talking about the next morning.
