Schedule of Events
The schedule of events is continually updated. All times are in PT.
All events will be held at the Caesars Forum unless otherwise noted.
*Additional fee and registration required
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
9:00 - 11:30 a.m.
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Women in Manufacturing National Board of Directors Meeting (invite only)
Exhibitor Set-up
Jumpstart: Pathfinders
Registration
WIM Past and Present Board of Directors Reception (invite only)
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
7:30 - 10:00 a.m.
7:30 - 10:00 a.m.
7:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Registration
WIM EXPO
dormakaba: Las Vegas Airport Plant Tour (Prior registeration required)
10:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Opening Remarks
Presented by: Allison Roberts Grealis, President and Founder, Women In Manufacturing Association (WIM)
10:30 - 11:15 a.m.
Keynote | Sustaining Momentum: The Energy to Keep Going
Presented by: Suneel Gupta, Connecting Personal Energy & Performance, Bestselling Author, Healthcare Entrepreneur
11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Keynote | Playing Your Hand: Mastering Manufacturing Agility through the Lens of Poker
Presented by: Kimberly Schneider, Vice President of Sales, Avery Dennison/Vestcom
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Lunch & WIM EXPO
1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Community Service Project | Packing Food at Three Square Food Bank
(Offsite - prior registration required)
Boxabl Plant Tour (Prior registration required)
PepsiCo Plant Tour (Prior registration required)
Shelby American Plant Tour (Prior registration required)
1:00 - 1:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Breakout session topics will include: Professional Development, Personal Development, Technical, Sustainability, Innovation and Transformation, Allyship, Manufacturing Business Trends, Strategic Leadership, Workforce Development
1. Your Story, Your Strength: A Practical Workshop to Unlock Your Leadership Advantage
Katie Henry, Vice President of Quality, Health, Safety, Environmental, and Change Management, dormakaba
Personal Leadership & Career Growth
2. From Breakdown to Breakthrough: What Happens When You Stop Waiting and Start Deciding
Georgia Vanderville, Chief Operations Officer, Shortie's Candle Company
Small & Mid-Size Manufacturing Leadership
3. Manufacturing Workforce: All In on Next-Generation Talent
Gretchen Moore, Executive Director, WIM Education Foundation
Hannah Bolte, Chair WIM Nebraska
Workforce & Professional Development
4. Leading Without a Manual: Using Maslow's Hierarchy to Build People Skills
Mandy Dalziel , Employee Development and Documentation Manager, Mission Design and Automation
Workforce & Professional Development
5. You Belong Here: Building Your Own ERG & Networking Community
Michele McGraw, Head of Service Administration, TRUMPF, Inc.
Emma Roski, Customer Experience Team Lead, TRUMPF, Inc.
Workplace Culture & Leadership
6. Digital Transformation Is Failing at the Handoffs: Why Big Tech Plans Collide with Real Work in the Plant
Kyler Cheatham, Partner, The Confluencial
Innovation & Transformation
7. The Right Fit: Advancing Safety for Women in Manufacturing
Michelle Glukowsky, Product Sales Manager, PIP Global Safety
Workplace Culture & Leadership
8. Beyond the Production Line: The Many Paths to Leadership in Manufacturing
Kayla Corriher, Quality Engineer, Henkel
Grisela Ixcoy, Sr. Manager Quality Assurance, Henkel
Mandy Brandel, Safety, Health & Environmental Engineer, Henkel
Alyson Carter, Production Manager, Henkel
2:00 - 2:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Breakout session topics will include: Professional Development, Personal Development, Technical, Sustainability, Innovation and Transformation, Allyship, Manufacturing Business Trends, Strategic Leadership, Workforce Development
1. Driving Growth and Value Creation in Manufacturing
Laura Crowley, Partner, Citrin Cooperman
Dena Wilson, Director, Citrin Cooperman
Manufacturing Business Trends
2. Shift Happens: Women Who Lead with Purpose on the Line
Clara Tarigan, Senior Project Analyst, Kohler Company
Personal Leadership & Career Growth
3. Forging Ahead: Leading Through Uncertainty in Manufacturing
Laurie Harbour, Partner, Wipfli
Strategic Leadership
4. Comms as a Superweapon: How We Built Culture, Talent and Community at a Brand-New Factory
Stephanie Graeber-Obrien, Director of Communications, Siemens Mobility Inc.
Workplace Culture & Leadership
5. ALL IN on Problem Solving: Building the Next Generation of Thinkers, Doers, and Leaders
Sarah Tilkens, Chief Executive Officer, The KPI Lab
Leah Roe, Co-Founder & Partner, The KPI Lab | Founder, The Perk
Strategic Leadership
6. From Investment to Impact: Sustainability Embedded into Manufacturers’ Business Strategy
Moderator: Melissa Fifield, Managing Director, Head, BMO Climate Institute
Panelist: Nadine Vaughan, Director and Senior Relationship Manager, BMO Commercial Bank
Emma Patterson,Senior Director of Sustainability, Reliance Worldwide Corporation
Jon Dolan, Vice President of Operations for Siemens Electrical Products North America
Manufacturing Business Trends, Sustainability and Responsible Manufacturing
7. Jishuken for Lean Transformation and Leadership Development
Jennifer Bolton, Principal Lean Coach, GE Appliances, a Haier Company
Carolyn Berry, Principal Lean Coach, GE Appliances, a Haier Company
Personal Development & Leadership Mindset
8. Think Like an Investor: How Owners Can Build a Better, More Valuable Business Without Selling It
Mike de Windt, Managing Director, Carleton McKenna & Company
9. ALL IN on Manufacturing Growth — Cracking the Talent Code: How Ohio Manufacturers Are Building Real Talent Pipelines
Moderated by Molly Moses, Interim Managing Director of Talent, JobsOhio
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Executive Roundtable: Own the Room. Make the Ask.
Real Conversations About Value, Visibility & Advancement
Facilitated by Mary Elizabeth Sadd, Partner, Global Industrials Practice Leader, ECB STAR Group
3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
WIM EXPO
Community Service Project | Inspirational Messages for Girls on the Run
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Welcome Reception | ALL IN: Vegas Lights and Bold Nights
Show Up. Stand Out. Go ALL IN.
As the lights of Las Vegas set the stage, join us for an evening that celebrates bold leadership, bright futures, and the powerful connections driving manufacturing forward. This high-energy welcome reception brings together professionals from across the industry to network, celebrate, and kick off WIM SUMMIT in style.
Enjoy a night of Vegas-inspired glamour, engaging experiences, and meaningful conversations with fellow leaders, innovators, allies, and changemakers. Whether you're here to grow your network, spark new ideas, or strengthen existing relationships, this is your invitation to go ALL IN on the week ahead.
Expect bright lights, great conversations, and a few unforgettable Vegas-inspired surprises as we celebrate the people shaping the future of manufacturing.
Show up. Stand out. Go ALL IN.
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Young Professionals Reception (pre-registration required)
Rising young professionals are encouraged to attend this one-hour private reception designed to support networking, peer mentoring and growing industry connections.
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
VIP Reception (Invitation Only)
Thursday, October 8, 2026
6:30 - 7:30 a.m.
7:30 a.m.
Yoga (pre-registration required)
Registration Open
7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast
7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
WIM EXPO
9:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Opening Remarks and Hall of Fame Celebration
Presented by: Allison Roberts Grealis, President and Founder, Women In Manufacturing Association (WIM)
9:45 - 10:30 a.m.
Fireside Chat | ALL IN: Leading Through Transformation, Technology and the Future of Manufacturing
Ann Fairchild, President and CEO, Siemens USA and Allison Roberts Grealis, President and Founder, Women In Manufacturing (WIM)
11:00 - 11:45 a.m.
Breakout Sessions
Breakout session topics will include: Professional Development, Personal Development, Technical, Sustainability, Innovation and Transformation, Allyship, Manufacturing Business Trends, Strategic Leadership, Workforce Development
1. Busy Woman's Guide to Everyday AI
Jessica Lagerhausen, Senior Manager AI and Innovation, Nestle Purina
Shelbi Margarida, Manager Business Intelligence, Nestle Purina
Personal Development, Caregiving & Life Integration in Manufacturing
2. Selling Sustainability: Turning Environmental, Social, and Governance into Growth
Joanna Perz, Global Director, Environmental, Social, Governance and Supplier Sustainability, Ingersoll Rand
Eric Herman, Tendering Leader, API & Process Gas, Ingersoll Rand
Michelle Lieberg, CPS Account Manager, Ingersoll Rand
Sustainability and Responsible Manufacturing
3. Putting the Human Back in Human Resources: How Toyo Tires Turned Employee Engagement Into a Production Advantage
Mia D. Williams, Human Resources Business Partner, Senior Manager/ People, Talent, & Culture, Toyo Tires
Sheila Stafford, CEO, TeamSense
Workforce & Professional Development
4. The Decision Behind the Decision: How Women in Manufacturing Lead with Authority When the Stakes Are High
Kasey D'amato, Business Strategist, Executive Coach & Keynote Speaker, Kasey D'Amato - Leadership
Strategic Leadership
5. From Icebreakers to Impact
Dr. Rachel Lindvall
Workplace Culture & Leadership
6. The 2-Minute Test: Speak with Impact, Own Every Moment
Colleen Hauk, Founder & CEO, The Corporate Refinery
Personal Leadership & Career Growth
7. When Production Is on the Line: Building a Workforce Strategy That Actually Holds Under Pressure
Victoria Zeppi, Senior Director, Client Services, AgileOne
Andrea Barre, Vice President, AgileOne
8. Where manufacturing AI actually stands today:Why most pilots stall, and the five stages plants go through.
Anita Vithayathil, Director of Product, Arch Systems
9. Nobody Raised Their Hand: Mentoring Is a Scheduling Problem
Robert Baxter, Plant Manager, Vitro
Mandy Rhinecker, Customer Success Manager, Wilya
11:00 am - 12:00 p.m.
Sales and Marketing Roundtable
Facilitated by: Angela Ferdinardo, Social Media & Brand Manager, Tower Metalworking Fluids
11:00 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.
WIM Owners Forum (by invite only)
Facilitated by CLA
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Lunch
1:00 - 1:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Breakout session topics will include: Professional Development, Personal Development, Technical, Sustainability, Innovation and Transformation, Allyship, Manufacturing Business Trends, Strategic Leadership, Workforce Development
1. Closing the Gap: How American Manufacturers Can Reclaim Their AI Advantage
Christina Barea, VP ERP Sales, Confianz Global
Smart Manufacturing, AI & Digital Transformation
2. The Vulnerability Advantage: How Human-Centered Leaders Build High-Trust Teams
Chelsea Husum, President, American GPR & Coring
Strategic Leadership
3. Optimizing HR Practices for Success
Andrea Rutherford, Director Compensation and HR Programs, HP Hood
Workforce & Professional Development
4. Safety Isn’t Plant‑Only: Reducing Downstream Risk Created by Upstream Urgency
Nicole Lewis, Vice President, Global Environmental, Health, and Safety, Orion Engineered Carbons
Workplace Culture & Leadership
5. Peer Coaching Circles - A Way to Build a Strong Culture and More Engaged Teams
Julie Miller, Director of Procurement, Trane Technologies
Jennifer Black, Strategic Opportunity Leader, Trane Technologies
Charlene Bitnar, Materials Leader, Trane Technologies
Valerie Salera, Quality Leader, Trane Technologies
Workplace Culture & Leadership
6. Leading Hourly Teams like a Talent Builder
Alli Copeland, Director - US Manufacturing, Amway
Workforce & Talent Development
7. Powering Smarter Manufacturing with AI-Ready Data
Amy Julian, Partner, Armanino
Smart Manufacturing, AI & Digital Transformation
8. From Metrics to Meaning: Communicating Product Carbon Footprint in Industrial Manufacturing
Susanna Formenti, Product Sustainability Manager, Donaldson Company
Sustainability & Responsible Manufacturing
9. Protect What You Built: Tax Strategies Every Manufacturing Leader Needs to Know
Katie Deutschler, Audit Partner, Aprio Advisory Group
Small & Mid-Size Manufacturing Leadership
2:00 - 2:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Breakout session topics will include: Professional Development, Personal Development, Technical, Sustainability, Innovation and Transformation, Allyship, Manufacturing Business Trends, Strategic Leadership, Workforce Development
1. Know Your Enemy: The 3 Types of Conflict & How to Use Them
Layci Nelson, Founder and President, Transcend Leadership Collective
Personal Leadership & Career Growth
2. 5 Coachable Mindsets That Transformed My Teams (and Can Transform Yours)
Lisa Mazzoni, Leadership Coach, Growth Collaborations LLC
Personal Leadership & Career Growth
3. Smashing Stereotypes: Creating a Culture Where Women Rise Together
Aleisha Jaeger, Sr. Global Director of Engineering, Kerry
Workplace Culture & Leadership
4. Why AI Fails Without Strong Process and Data Foundations
Sara Hanks, President and Chief Executive Officer, NWIRC
Smart Manufacturing, AI & Digitial Transformation
5. People, Process, and Passion. What Keeps Print Thriving
Rosemarie Breske Garvey, President, Blooming Color
Small & Mid-Size Manufacturing Leadership
6. Designing Engineering Teams Where Differences Drive Innovation
Kymberly Juettemeyer, Strategy Implementation Manager, Dow Inc.
Workplace Culture & Leadership
7. Beyond Lean Basics: Operational Excellence for a Disrupted Manufacturing World
Beth Baas, Senior Vice President, AlixPartners
Anna Horton, Director, Manufacturing & Operations, AlixPartners
Kathy Miller, MAPP, MBA, ACC, Founder & CEO, MORE 4 Leaders
Bobbi Jo Raffetto, Chief Operating Officer, Maker's Pride
Karen Putterman, Managing Director, Blackstone
Technical & Operational Excellence
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Executive Roundtable - Momentum: How Leaders Remove the Barriers Between AI Ambition and Operational Reality (Invite Only)
Facilitated by Allison Roberts Grealis, President and Founder, Women in Manufacturing & Loopr
WIM EXPO
3:00 - 3:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Breakout session topics will include: Professional Development, Personal Development, Technical, Sustainability, Innovation and Transformation, Allyship, Manufacturing Business Trends, Strategic Leadership, Workforce Development
1. A 40-Year-Old Manufacturer's AI Playbook: Inspiration, Enablement, Builder Culture
Hannah Harper, Director of Global Marketing, Leatherman Tool Group
Melissa Lee, Director of Project Management, Leatherman Tool Group
Smart Manufacturing, AI & Digital Transformation
2. Doubling Capacity with the Team You Have
Alfonso Aramburo, Author and Speaker, Master of Ops
Strategic Leadership
3. From Shop Floor to C-Suite: Resilient Leadership in Action Through Crisis and Change
Jackie Peterson, Chief Executive Officer, Executive Advisor and Coach, Lift Bridge Leadership
Strategic Leadership
4. Diagnose Before You Digitize: Scaling AI & Robotics in Modern Food Manufacturing
Jessica Keske, Senior Regional Director of Operational Excellence, Factor, HelloFresh
Smart Manufacturing, AI & Digital Transformation
5. Delegation That Works: Building Ownership Without Burnout
Christina Jester, VP of Human Resources, Westfall Technik, LLC
Personal Development & Leadership Mindset
6. Culture in Action: How Gemba Walks Are Redefining Employee Voice in Manufacturing
Tami Hatfield, Executive Director, HR Supply Chain, GE Appliances, a Haier Company
Technical & Operational Excellence
7. Workplace Accountability & Culture in Manufacturing
Laurie Cradick, Talent Director, Lutz
Steph Hand,Chief Human Resources Officer/Shareholder, Lutz
Workforce & Professional Development
8. The Language of Leadership: Communicating with Clarity, Confidence, and Influence
Julie Holunga, Fractional Leadership & Culture Partner, Chinook Executive Solutions
Professional Development
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Hall of Fame Inductee Celebration Dinner
Want to attend the Hall of Fame Dinner?
Add it to your registration by selecting the "Already Registered' Button in the top right hand corner, and log in. You can add the Hall of Fame Dinner to your registration by adding it to your agenda on the sessions page.
Friday, October 9, 2026
7:30 - 8:15 a.m.
Breakfast
8:30 - 8:45 a.m.
Day Three Welcome
8:45 - 9:15 a.m.
ALL IN on What’s Next: Leading with Courage, Influence and Impact
Executive Conversation with Sonita Lontoh, Global Technology Expert and Board Leader
9:30 - 10:15 a.m.
Breakout Sessions
Breakout session topics will include: Professional Development, Personal Development, Technical, Sustainability, Innovation and Transformation, Allyship, Manufacturing Business Trends, Strategic Leadership, Workforce Development
1. Workplace 2030: Designing the Future of Work
Dana Scarcella, HR Consultant, Compass HR Consulting
Innovation & Transformation
2. Stepping Up: Choosing Courage When You're Not Quite Ready
Stephanie Peters, General Manager, Cargill, Inc
Personal Development & Leadership Mindset
3. Beyond Dashboards: Turning Data into Decisions on the Shop Floor
Zarnain Siddique, Production Engineer, INCOG Biopharma Services, Inc.
Smart Maqnufacturing, AI & Digital Transformation
4. Designing Quality In: How to Build Manufacturing Systems That Reduce Cost and Drive Performance
Beka Mohilo, Senior Quality Engineer, NPD, Velosity
Technical & Operational Excellence
5. Why Mentoring Matters
Moderator: Dennis Miner, NP&LCM Portfolio Lead, Pfizer
Panelists: Lynn Bottone, SVP, Quality, Safety and Environmental Operations, Pfizer
Crystal Smethurst, Global Hospital & Biosimilars, Transformation Program Lead, Pfizer
Rachel Todd, Sr Manager Regulatory Affairs, Pfizer
Julianys Esperanza Phillips, Customer Experience & Capabilities Projects Team Lead, Pfizer
Workforce & Talent Development
6. Leading Through the AI Shift
Sara Hanks, President and Chief Executive Officer, NWIRC
Innovation, AI & Digital Transformation
7. Demonstrating Your Relevance with Effective Strategic Planning and Execution
Jd Marhevko, Vice President of Quality, ZF Group ADAS and Electronics Division
Strategic Leadership
8. The Missing Middle of Manufacturing Transformation: How People Leaders Activate AI and Strategy to Drive Results
Caitlin Corda, Principal, Management Consulting and People Strategy and Solutions, BDO
Innovation, AI & Digital Transformation
AI and Digital Transformation
9. Start With the Annoying Work: The First 10 Hours of Grassroots AI Adoption
Stephanie Drago, Vice President of Marketing, Ecommerce and Digital Transformation, Taylor Corporation
10:30 - 11:15 a.m.
Breakout Sessions
Breakout session topics will include: Professional Development, Personal Development, Technical, Sustainability, Innovation and Transformation, Allyship, Manufacturing Business Trends, Strategic Leadership, Workforce Development
1. Perimenopause and the Workplace- Success Strategies for Employees and Employers
Rebecca Wareing, Founder and Search Consultant, Minerva Enterprises, LLC
Caregiving & Life Integration in Manufacturing
2. De Risk the Bet: How Smart Manufacturing Creates Competitive Advantage
Angela Roberts, New Capacity Lead, Rockwell Automation
Innovation, AI & Digital Transformation
3. The Only Woman in the Room Who Understood Both the Machine and the Market
Prajakta Surve, Director, Digital Mergers and Acquisitions Integration, Trane Technologies
Strategic Leadership
4. From Strategy to the Shop Floor: Building Workforce Systems That Actually Stick
Jessica Nelson, Senior Process Manager, International Motors, LLC
Workforce & Talent Development
5. From Subject Matter Expert to Leader: Building the Leadership Layer That Drives Manufacturing Performance
Aujuree Forbes, Senior Operations Manager, Caterpillar
Workforce & Talent Development
6. AI Superpowers for Women in Manufacturing: Driving Strategy, Value, and Transformation
Amy Descombaz, GVP, Solution Engineering, Oracle
Jody Clayton, Group Vice President,
Advanced Technology Solution Engineering
Innovation, AI & Digital Transformation
7. More than a Benefit: Financial Wellness as a Workforce Strategy
Rosalyn Brown CFP®, CRPS®, Principal Financial Network program manager, Principal
Workforce & Talent Development
8. 2027 Manufacturing Outlook
Andrea Sohns, Principal, Manufacturing, CLA
Michelle Steck, Principal, Manufacturing & Distribution, CLA
Jennifer Clement, Industry Leader - Manufacturing, CLA
11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
ALL IN Together: Creating Industries Where Everyone Thrives
Sheronda Carr, CEO, National Association of Women in Construction
Nedra Dickson, Interim Chief Executive Officer, WBENC
Jennifer Scott, EVP of Strategic Partnerships, SWE
Allison Roberts Grealis, President and Founder, Women in Manufacturing (WIM)
12:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks
Announcement of SUMMIT 2027 Location
1:00- 5:00 p.m.
1:00- 6:30 p.m.
Allies in MFG
Additional fee required; limited capacity
Leadership Accelerator - Produced by the Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation
Additional fee required; limited capacity
Schedule subject to change