The Women in Leadership Conference brings together professional women to discuss the challenges they face, exchange perspectives, and learn from peers and industry leaders.

The event provides an invaluable opportunity to hear industry leaders share best practices and insights to help women in leadership roles become more effective and stay at the top of their game.

Join us at this in-person event. Learn, connect & reconnect – and have fun!

Dr. JANET MORRISON – Keynote Speaker
President and Vice-Chancellor
Memorial University of Newfoundland

Embracing meaningful change

As an educator, researcher and senior leader in the post-secondary sector, Dr. Janet Morrison’s professional life has been singularly focused on cultivating and leveraging human potential. Her mission is to enable and empower people and organizations through transformative leadership. Drawing on her 35+ years of experience, Janet will speak about the moral and economic imperative to move individuals and communities from “floundering” to “flourishing”. Leaders will learn:

• • Strategies for defining, assessing, and effectively promoting ‘healthy’ communities 
• • Practical examples of engagement — how to do it, and why you should persist in the face of resistance
• • Tips and tricks for leaders committed to modelling self-care and a commitment to wellbeing 

JACLYN SULLIVAN
Director, External Relations, Atlantic Canada
Hope Air

Ability to influence

Influence is a critical leadership skill that enables individuals to inspire action and drive outcomes without relying on authority alone. In this session, participants will learn how to communicate persuasively and tailor their approach to different audiences and situations. By strengthening their ability to influence, leaders can create alignment and move initiatives forward with greater impact.

• • Communicating persuasively across diverse audiences 
• • Adapting your approach to different personalities and situations 
• • Driving outcomes through influence rather than authority

NANCY ANDREWS
Chief Engagement and Communications Officer
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

Communicating clearly in an age of information overload

In today’s fast-paced, information-saturated environment, clear communication is more critical than ever. Leaders must cut through the noise and deliver concise, relevant messages. This requires not only simplifying complex ideas but also tailoring communication to varied audiences and platforms. In this session, Nancy Andrews will discuss:

• • Ensuring communication supports strategic priorities
• • Calibrating communication style according to the audience
• • Prioritizing key messages to avoid overwhelming stakeholders 

DENISE RIGGS
Director of Human Resources
North Atlantic

Difficult conversations: Navigating those tough talks

Every leader faces moments when avoiding a conversation feels easier than having it — but real leadership requires stepping in with purpose and clarity. This session explores how to turn those uncomfortable moments into opportunities for progress. Participants will learn how to communicate openly while maintaining respect and professionalism.

• • Addressing challenging issues proactively rather than avoiding them
• • Communicating with clarity without compromising respect and professionalism
• • Managing tension and remaining composed during difficult discussions

HEATHER COMERFORD
Controller Churchill Falls
Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro

Leading in a hybrid world

The hybrid-working arrangements and models that many companies have adopted since the pandemic can be challenging for leaders. It isn’t quite as easy to maintain a close relationship with your team without extra effort. Heather Comerford will provide insight into her experience working hybrid, both pre and post-pandemic and share ways in which she helped herself and her team feel connected to their work and each other while maintaining their key deadlines and goals.

• • Hybrid work experience – pre-pandemic – staying connected across “The Pond”
• • Post-pandemic norms and realities
• • Communicating while apart – best practices for leaders and team members

DEBBIE MOLLOY
Vice President – Human Resources
NL Health Services

Decisiveness in uncertain times

In healthcare, decisiveness in uncertain times means acting when the stakes are high, and the information is incomplete — because waiting is often a decision in itself. Values‑based leaders anchor their choices in patient safety, staff wellbeing, and equity, using those principles as a compass when the path forward isn’t clear. By being decisive, transparent, and grounded in our values, we create trust and stability for our teams even amid constant change.

• • Values guide decisions when data is evolving — they help us choose what matters most when trade‑offs are unavoidable
• • Decisiveness in healthcare is about timely, principled action, not perfection or consensus
• • Clear decisions, rooted in compassion and accountability, reduce uncertainty for staff and ultimately improve patient care

JENNIFER REID
Lawyer
McInnes Cooper

Negotiating effectively

Negotiation is a part of our daily lives, even if we don’t always realize it. But it is important to understand that negotiation strategy is not a one-size-fits-all concept. Confidence in your “brand” and what you bring to the table will help make you an effective negotiator in any situation.

• • Negotiating to your strengths
• • Problem solving
• • Being comfortable in the pivot

KEALEY MARTIN
VP, Sustainability and Climate Strategy
Fortis Inc.

Execution: The art of getting things done

Execution isn’t just a skill — it’s a superpower that turns bold ideas into momentum and results. This session dives into how women leaders don’t wait for perfect conditions; they create them! This session explores practical strategies that help leaders close the gap between strategy and results — not by doing more, but by doing what matters most.

• • Creating a culture where follow‑through is fierce, fast, and contagious
• • Prioritizing with purpose to ensure energy goes toward high-value work
• • Turning plans into fast, measurable wins that keep people energized

SHERRY COLFORD – Morning Chair
Fire Chief
St. John’s Regional Fire Department

JANICE MULLINS – Afternoon Chair
Director, Corporate Services
City of Mount Pearl