Summary - 2027 CTA Women's Leadership Conference

CTA is excited to announce we are seeking presenters for the 2027 CTA Women's Leadership Conference.

The 2027 Women’s Leadership Conference will center on uplifting, supporting, and empowering women leaders across CTA. With a focus on leadership development, combating gender bias and discrimination, and sustaining ourselves as caregivers and changemakers, this conference will provide tools, inspiration, and connection.

This is not just another conference. It is a gathering designed to empower, connect, and sustain women leaders—ensuring that every participant leaves with tools, support, and renewed confidence to lead with purpose. Participants will leave feeling recharged, confident, and ready to thrive in their roles, equipped with new strategies to bring back to their chapters and communities.

The workshops are 1 hour and 30 minutes long depending on the format and you may apply to present multiple sessions.

Although there is no monetary compensation for presenting, it is an opportunity to share your knowledge and network with colleagues. Please see below for further details on covered expenses.

Application Review Process

The deadline to apply is Monday, October 26, 2026. You will be notified by email if your presentation is accepted in December. The Conference Planning Committee will review all applications on a continuous basis and will convene as a group to make their selections based on the following criteria:

Relevance to conference charge and themes
Practical application for participants to take back to their locals
Evidence of expertise in subject matter
Commitment to uplifting and empowering women in our movement

We are looking for sessions that specifically address the following topics that fit into the following session themes:

Empowerment & Confidence
Mentoring & Networking
Wellness & Sustainability

1. Empowerment & Confidence (Saturday Session)

Combating imposter syndrome and affirming women’s leadership at every level.
Addressing internalized bias and fostering allyship across differences.
Building confidence to step into new roles and make an impact.
Sharing stories of perseverance and success that inspire women to lead.
Highlight and uplift your academic field or profession, with an emphasis on encouraging women's participation, leadership, and achievement in mathematics and the sciences.

2. Mentoring & Networking (Saturday Session)

Mentorship models that connect women across generations.
Facilitating meaningful networking opportunities within CTA.
Creating pathways for new and emerging leaders to enter leadership.
Building solidarity among women leaders across locals and chapters.

3. Wellness & Sustainability (Sunday Session)

Caring for ourselves as leaders and caregivers.
Embracing art, creativity, and reflection as sources of healing and renewal.
Wellness-centered practices: meditation, yoga, relaxation, and mindful self-care.
Structuring leadership in ways that balance professional, personal, and caregiving roles.
Creating inclusive spaces where families and children are welcomed into leadership journeys.

If you are submitting a session on Empowering & Confidence or Mentoring & Networking, you will be presenting on Saturday. If you are presenting on Wellness & Sustainability, you will be slotted on Sunday. If you have something that falls outside these themes, please feel free to submit an application; however, the Planning Committee will be prioritizing sessions that align with the themes outlined above.

Facilitation Approach

We encourage facilitators to think beyond the traditional lecture + PowerPoint. Consider creating sessions that open up new kinds of spaces, such as:

Networking activities that build relationships.
Wellness experiences like yoga, meditation, coloring, or puzzles.
Relaxation opportunities such as neck massages or other calming practices.
Interactive formats that prioritize connection, creativity, and renewal.

Our goal is for participants to leave not only with skills and strategies, but also with a sense of uplift, healing, and inspiration.

The below questions will be required for each workshop application you submit for review. CTA recommends that you write your session details for each question in a separate document and then copy and paste your responses when completing the online application.

There is a 20-minute limit per page in the online process, so typing out your responses beforehand will help avoid your application from timing out. We also recommend using any browser other than Internet Explorer.

New or Returning Presenter
Biography Statement & Headshot (Optional)
References: Including name, school or organization and phone
Session Title, Grade Level, Subject Area and Audience Skill Level
Co-Presenter Name & Email
Session Description (Used for the program and app.)
Session Activity (90 minute session timeline)

Travel and necessary lodging expenses are reimbursed as well as Saturday night dinner. For Saturday night dinner, you are allowed a $35.00 meal reimbursement. You must provide an itemized receipt to be reimbursed for dinner.

For housing, CTA will reimburse you for one night's stay if you are presenting on one day, even if you are presenting two sessions on Saturday. You will only be reimbursed for two nights if you are presenting on both Saturday and Sunday.

For travel, you will be reimbursed for the most economical coach airfare (booked at least 21 days in advance of the conference start date) or mileage at the IRS rate (currently 76 cents per mile). Mileage reimbursement cannot exceed the cost of the average coach airfare.
CTA will NOT reimburse for rental cars.
CTA will reimburse for self-parking at the conference hotel OR airport parking with a receipt. CTA will reimburse for shuttle/rideshare when not parking a car unless hotel provides a complimentary airport shuttle.

If you are selected, you will receive a presenter reimbursement form that you can complete and submit at the conference or send it to the Conference Coordination Center at the conclusion of the conference.