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New MassWomen App Now Available!

Download the NEW official Massachusetts Conference for Women app. You requested better features, and we listened! You’re going to love it—just search “MassWomen” in your app store!

WHY DOWNLOAD? 

  • Full AGENDA, SPEAKER & EXHIBITOR listings
  • MAPS to help you get around
  • ALERTS to keep you in the loop on last minute changes
  • Access to past and current session podcasts, teleclasses
  • Social wall to keep you posted on all of the amazing things happening – and share your own!

BENEFITS OF CREATING A LOGIN

  • Ability to build a custom schedule
  • Save session, speaker, sponsor, and exhibitor favorites for quick access
  • Take & save notes on individual sessions – and export post conference
  • Search attendees and send private and group messages

If you have last year’s app, please delete and download the new one:

Download now on the App Store

Get it now on Google Play

Special thanks to Cisco for underwriting this year’s conference app!
Cisco

Posted in Blog, Latest News

BIG NEWS: The Power of Us, Quantified in HBR

We’re proud to have made it into the Harvard Business Review today, in an article by happiness researcher and Conference for Women veteran Shawn Achor.

You can read the full article here, but here are our main takeaways:

  • People can be cynical about the utility of women’s professional conferences. Achor’s [male] seatmate on a recent flight said “I’m all for equality, but I’m not sure what good it will do.”
  • What good CAN it do? Achor spoke with fellow happiness researcher Michelle Gielan, and the two decided to survey attendees in advance of the 2017 Conferences for Women in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Texas.
  • They wanted to know what, if any, financial or intellectual impacts could be measured among attendees.
  • They surveyed 2,600 women, using prior attendees to study outcomes and first-time attendees as a control group.
  • Among attendees who had never attended the Conference, 18% had received a promotion over the past year. During the same economic period, 42% of women who had attended the Conference received a promotion.  
  • The likelihood of receiving a promotion doubled after attending the Conference for Women.

  • 5% of women in the control group received a pay increase of more than 10% compared to 15% of women who had attended the Conference.  
  • Attendees of the Conference for Women had triple the likelihood of a 10%+ pay increase.
  • 71% of prior attendees reported that they “feel more connected to others.” Achor’s book Big Happiness argues that social connection is the greatest predictor of success and happiness, and tangentially leads to longer, healthier lives.
  • 29% of prior attendees reported that they “agree a lot” with the statement “I feel happier.” 78% of prior attendees reported feeling “more optimistic about the future” than before the Conference. 25% of prior attendees reported that they “agree a lot” with the statement “I feel more capable of handling stress in a positive way.”

“Laurie Dalton White, founder of the Conferences for Women, adds ‘Something special happens when you see that you are not alone. Making connections and building relationships with other attendees and speakers helps women form an understanding of their worth, and then they learn strategies to ask for promotions, seek fair pay, and even become a mentor to others. 

Shawn Achor and Michelle Gielan

Shawn Achor and Michelle Gielan

‘We invite women like Michelle Obama and Sheryl Sandberg to speak at our conferences not just because of their own personal success stories, but because they are role models who inspire women in both big and small ways.'”

Achor and Gielan’s findings suggest that business leaders ought to encourage employees to find social connections in a professional context.

The result may be a happier and healthier workforce.

Posted in Blog, Latest News Tagged , |

Barbara Lynch’s Recipe for Shellfish and Saffron Stew

(Photo courtesy of Chris Court)

Ingredients for stew (serves 4 – 6):

2 1.5 pound lobsters, meat removed
12ea U20 scallops, muscle removed
12 U15 shrimp
24 countneck clams, cleaned
24 mussels, cleaned, beards removed
1 Spanish onion, diced
3 ribs of celery, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T saffron
2 t red chili flake
1 cup dry white wine
1 16 oz can lavall cherry tomatoes, including liquid
2 16 oz cans white beans such as cannellini, drained and rinsed
1 T extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 bunch chives, cut into batons as garnish

Ingredients for black olive croutons:

1 baguette or day old bread, small dice
2 T black olive paste or tapenade

To build the stew:

In a large rondo, sauté onion, celery, carrots and garlic until softened, about 7 minutes. Add saffron, chili flakes and toast, about 2 minutes. Add clams, cook till they are about to open. Add mussels, wine and tomatoes. Stir to incorporate. Bring to a simmer and cook until mussels are opened, covering if necessary. Add shrimp and scallops, gently mix, being sure not to break them, poach until just through. Add lobster meat and white beans, gently warm. Season with salt and pepper.

To make black olive croutons:

In a large mixing bowl toss diced bread and black olive paste, till croutons are well coated. Toast on a sheet tray in a 375 oven until toasted and crunchy.

To serve the stew:

Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with black olive croutons and chive batons. Serve with an empty bowl on the side to place shells in.

 

Barbara Lynch will be speaking at Opening Night and on a panel at the 2017 MA Conference for Women.

newsletter-icon  Read more from the August 2017 newsletter

Posted in Blog, Speaker Articles Tagged , |

2016 Speaker Highlights

best-of-200We went through 2016 attendee evaluations and our own web metrics to compile this list of 2016’s most-loved speakers, sessions and teleclasses (posted online as podcasts).

We hope you find some downtime as 2016 rolls into 2017 to watch, listen and enjoy! Read More →

Posted in Blog, Latest News Tagged |

Looking for Your Headshot?

Free headshots were a big hit at the 2016 Conference! If you need to locate yours, please use the links below.

If you were photographed in the…

State Street Social Hub, you can find and download your headshot here.

Liberty Mutual booth, go here.

Luna booth, go here and enter password LunaLove to download.

Thermo Fisher booth on Dec. 7 (Opening Night), go here.

on Dec. 8 (Conference Day), go here.

 

 

 

Posted in Blog, Latest News

2017 Conference Logistics

This year promises to be a big one, so we want you to be as prepared as we are. Read on for important logistical information, and stay tuned for one more email from us to help you plan your day at the Conference.

We’re Starting Earlier This Year

Please begin to arrive as early as 6:30 am to pass through security and begin enjoying all the Exhibit Hall has to offer starting at 7:00 am. Arriving early will also guarantee you a great seat at the 8:15 am Opening Keynote! (Unlike the luncheon, the morning keynote session is open seating—early birds will get the best seats.)

Some tips to get you through security faster.

Don’t Forget Your Badge!

PRINT & CUT OUT your badge before you arrive. This is your ticket in to the event, and you’ll find instructions for printing and emailing badges in your confirmation letter. Only the main registrant can log in to the registration and email badges. For questions about your registration please contact [email protected]

Seating Assignments. You’ll find your table assignment for the keynote luncheon on your printed badge. Seat assignments are strictly enforced.

Special Meal Requests

Although the date has passed to guarantee a gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan meal, we can accommodate a few more requests, while quantities last. Please have the main registrant for your group log in and select the appropriate meal choice for you no later than Friday, December 1.  Click here for a description of the meals.

Parking Particulars

We encourage you to think about your travel plan—and back-up plan—in advance. The best way to get to the Boston Convention Center on December 7th is to take public transit, a taxi, or to carpool.

If you must drive (or have organized a carpool, you go-getter!), please carefully study the parking options and advice on our Travel page. You’ll find maps, prices and even an option to reserve discounted parking in advance. Remember, there will be many more attendees than available parking spaces at the Convention Center, so pay attention to the free shuttles from nearby Channel Center Garage and consider other off-site lots (shuttle service only available from Channel Center).

Feel free to use the Conference Community feature of the MassWomen app to coordinate travel with fellow attendees!

A Note for Newcomers

We’ll be seeing a lot of new faces this year, so we asked our staff and conference veterans for their advice on making the most of a day at the Massachusetts Conference for Women. We think Conference pros will find it helpful, too.

Check out our Newcomer’s Guide here.

Update Your Résumé

And bring a printed copy (or have one handy on your phone). You’ll definitely want to take advantage of free career coaching and résumé review sessions in the Liberty Mutual Career Pavilion throughout the day. Plus, many of our sponsors (including Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany & others) will have talent acquisition teams on site. Don’t be caught empty-handed!

Download the App

This year’s app, sponsored by Cisco, is better than ever. Not only can you build your own custom agenda and find maps, speaker bios and exhibitor information, but now you can easily connect with fellow attendees before, during and after the conference!

Search “MassWomen” to download the latest version of the app, create your profile and tap “Conference Community” to hook in. Set up ride shares, ask for help, discuss the speakers and even post job openings! Visit our app page for more information.

Warm Hands Drive

We’re proud to once again partner with local charity Cradles to Crayons to collect new hats and gloves for children in need this winter.

You can drop your donations off during the Conference at booth #233 in the Exhibit Hall. Thank you for your constant generosity!

A Note for New Moms

Nursing mother’s rooms can be found on levels 1 & 2 of the Convention Center—MR 158 & MR 208. You’ll find privacy screens, outlets and a refrigerator for your pumping convenience.

Please plan ahead for the possibility of a crowd at popular break times and bring a battery-operated or manual pump if you have one.

Posted in Blog, Latest News