Meet the Speakers

BARB LAMUE | BACKSTAGE KEYNOTE

President & CEO - New North, Inc., an 18-county regional economic development corporation in northeast Wisconsin whose mission is to be a catalyst for regional prosperity for all through collaborative action. This is done primarily through the creation, implementation, and marketing of regional strategies for business and talent development.

Prior to this role Barb served as Vice President of business and community development for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). In addition to working with companies and communities on growth strategies and investments, she directed Downtown and Minority Business Development and has over 27 years of senior leadership experience in economic development.

She serves on numerous state and regional boards, including the International Economic Development Council, and has been recognized as one of Wisconsin’s most influential leaders. Her accolades include the Women of Influence – Lifetime Achievement Award, Titan 100 CEO, and BizTimes Media’s Top 275 Leaders in Wisconsin for 2023 and 2024.

ALYSSA DVER | MORNING KEYNOTE

Alyssa’s mission is to bring more real confidence to the world, and she does it with both edge and empathy. As the founder and CEO of the American Confidence Institute and the ERG Leadership Alliance, she’s the go-to expert empowering people to lead stronger, coach better, and pitch smarter.

With her signature mix of brain science savvy and real-world insight, her high-energy keynotes and interactive workshops activate audiences—from Amazon to Unilever, The World Bank to Honda—sparking cultural transformation and deep employee engagement across industries and continents.

She’s the author of 8 books, with her latest two earning International Book Excellence Awards and endorsements from thought leaders at Harvard, Wharton, MIT, Yale, UC Berkeley, and more. She was named one of the Top 10 Pioneering Women Leaders in Business by Chief Navigators and honored as a Thought Leader by the Stevie Awards. She’s an advisor at several entrepreneurial centers and the Confidence Educator for L’Oréal’s IT Cosmetics brand. Catch her in action on her two TED talks or tune into her refreshingly honest podcast, Real Confidence.

KELLY JAHNER-BYRNE | AFTERNOON KEYNOTE

The HOW GAL™ - Kelly Jahner-Byrne is a dynamic speaker, executive coach, and business strategist who helps leaders take action and achieve real results. As The HOW Gal™, she is the founder of TheHOWConf™ and CEO of The HOW Companies, Inc., where she equips professionals with the tools to grow, scale, and succeed. With a background in sales, negotiation, and leadership, Kelly has built multiple seven-figure businesses and raised over $8 million for nonprofits.

A former Mrs. Minnesota, global speaker, and podcast host, Kelly blends humor, strategy, and straight talk to inspire high achievers. She has emceed over 100 events, coached executives to new heights, and continues to connect and empower professionals through TheHOWConf™, a premier event that has sold out eight times. Whether on stage or in the boardroom, Kelly is a force for action, accountability, and unstoppable momentum.

AMY CALDER | BREAKOUT SPEAKER

Amy Calder is the owner of Golden Innovation Group, a business optimization consultancy, and the author of The Evolution of Women in STEM Leadership: Catalyzing Change in Your Organization. With over two decades of corporate leadership experience in life sciences, she helps businesses and individuals grow with clarity and confidence.

She also founded Founders Sanctuary, a community for second-act entrepreneurs, and shares her passion for artificial intelligence to make work and life simpler and more impactful. Amy combines operational expertise, a love of science and technology, and a people-first approach to help others achieve their goals—without losing themselves in the process.

KELLY GROSSKREUTZ | BREAKOUT SPEAKER

Kelly Grosskreutz, Director – Modern Work / Data & AI, is a self-proclaimed Microsoft enthusiast, focused on end user adoption and organizational change management.

Kelly embraces her role as the worst end user on the team – which is how she has found the loopholes, hacks, and shortcuts that your average busy, clever, overstimulated, and somehow still quite lazy, end users will find.

MELISSA MCCORMICK | BREAKOUT SPEAKER

Melissa McCormick, Founder and CEO of the Grace & Salt Leadership Academy, leverages 30+ years of corporate experience, including as SVP of Global Sales & Marketing. Inspired by her book Grace & Salt: A Journey of Self-Discovery, Melissa empowers women to break barriers and thrive professionally. Her Academy, grounded in trust, ethics, and her five leadership pillars—Courage, Communication, Connections, Community, and Care—equips women to excel from entry-level roles to the boardroom.

DR. TRACY PAGE | BREAKOUT SPEAKER

Dr. Tracy Page is the founder & CEO of Wisconsin Institute of Functional Medicine in Appleton, Wisconsin. She is triple board-certified and fellowship trained. With over a decade of experience, Dr. Page specializes in functional medicine, medical weight loss, longevity, and hormone therapy. Her mission is to empower women of all ages to take control of their health through personalized, root-cause care helping them thrive to achieve lasting vitality for years to come.

JENNA PICHE | BREAKOUT SPEAKER

Jenna Piche is a time management expert and Full Focus Certified Pro, renowned for helping overwhelmed professionals regain control of their schedules and improve their productivity. With over 20 years of experience in corporate marketing and functional health, Jenna has a unique ability to blend practical strategies with deep mindset work. She doesn't just train teams—she transforms how they operate, making her the best in the world at empowering leaders to work smarter without sacrificing well-being.

SHELLEY SAEGER | BREAKOUT SPEAKER

Shelley is an entrepreneur, a certified leadership coach, a college professor, and an advocate to women leaders who are struggling with not feeling 'enough'. As someone who has been caught up in the pursuit of being 'more' and 'better', Shelley now focuses on helping others find clarity, confidence, and courage to lead authentically, be present, and make good choices.

JODI VANDENBERG-DAVES, PH.D. | BREAKOUT SPEAKER

Dr. Jodi Vandenberg-Daves is a coach, consultant, writer, professional development trainer, and former professor. Her past roles include: Chair of the Dept. of Race, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at UW-La Crosse and Executive Director of the Greater La Crosse Area Diversity Council. Jodi supports women in taking ownership of their career journeys. Author of Modern Motherhood: An American History, she is currently completing a book on women’s empowerment at work through leveraging core values.

CASSANDRA VOHS-DEMANN | BREAKOUT SPEAKER

Cassandra Vohs-Demann is a dynamic speaker, coach, and performer with over 30 years of experience captivating audiences and empowering others to find their voice. A professional vocalist, songwriter, coach, and producer, she has commanded stages, launched artistic careers, and built thriving creative communities. Cassandra helps women cultivate confidence and take bold action. Her powerful presentations and workshops blend storytelling, music, and strategy, leaving audiences inspired, motivated, and ready to shine.

TIFFANY ZOPF | BREAKOUT SPEAKER

Tiffany Zopf closes the courage gap by transforming hesitation into confident, decisive leadership through the power of intentional courage. As an executive leadership coach and founder of Zopf Leadership, her Intentional Courage Method helps leaders overcome seven action blockers limiting their extraordinary impact. When leaders face a courage gap, she bridges knowing and doing to reduce the resistance and increase leadership effectiveness, creating stable and profitable organizations.