12th Annual Women in Leadership Series

APPLICATIONS

Fill out the application below if you're insterested in participating in our upcoming program.

 Day 1 – June 10 

The Joy Center, 1351 St Joe St, Spearfish, SD 57783 

Delve into the motivations behind both our professional and personal development journeys, focusing on authenticity and harnessing our strengths to enhance our presence inside and out. 

8:30 a.m. – 9:00  a.m. – Registration 

9:00a.m. – 9:20 a.m.  – Introduction & Setting Expectations 

9:20 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – Break   

9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. – Strength Finders - Who you are, naturally.  

Michelle May, G.A.T.E. Consulting 

We will discover and delight in our personal top 5 Strengths via CliftonStrengths while also getting to know others and their Strengths. This session will focus interactively on how defining your story starts by knowing and owning your strengths. We will also take a collaborative look at our unique contribution to the team and what we can bring to the table for others in our spheres of influence. Ultimately, we will name, claim and aim your top 5 Strengths so that you can live them out with ease, enjoyment, excellence and energy.  

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. – Lunch 

The Hive on campus 

12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. - Strength Finders - Digging Deeper Into How You Intersect & Influence Others Michelle May, G.A.T.E. Consulting 

Discover our main domain and how we work with others while maximizing our CliftonStrengths. We will conclude our time together with some fun, engaging team presentations, and teach backs.  

2:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. - Break  

2:45 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.  – Gratitude Attitude 

Dr. Jane Klug, Dean of Students, Black Hills State University 

This session cultivates connections and mindfulness through embracing gratitude, practicing grounding techniques, discussing intentionality, and identifying joys in participants' lives. It encourages deliberate choices and the appreciation of positive moments to create a grounded and joyful mindset.  

3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. – Conversation Jar  

4:00 p.m. – Close 

Day 2 – June 11 

The Joy Center, 1351 St Joe St, Spearfish, SD 57783 

Explore your personal leadership style by building confidence in your skills, communications, and claiming your professional growth path.  

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Check-In/Welcome 

9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. – Strength Finders - Explore More Of Your Strengths 

Michelle May, G.A.T.E. Consulting 

Today, we will unpack our individual 34 Strengths in descending order by unpacking our Dominant, Supporting and Lesser themes. We do not focus on our weaknesses, but rather how we can manage our Strengths while being aware of our lesser talents. We will carefully consider how we can get the most out of our full 34 CliftonStrengths report while learning to leverage our natural power, and potential.  

10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. – Break 

10:15 a.m. - Strength Finders - Conflicting Strengths or Powerful Synergy? Develop a Diamond Discovery Statement 

Michelle May, G.A.T.E. Consulting 

What do we do when our strengths seemingly contradict each other, either in our own Top 5 or with others? (more plainly stated - with that "someone" who drives us batty.) In this session, you’ll learn how to handle conflict and contrast and deal with “different” people while maximizing our Strengths. This session will end with creating a custom Diamond Discovery Statement that will carry on the passion, purpose and essence of who you are!  

12:15 a.m. – Lunch 

The Hive on campus  

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Build Your Networking Strategy 

Michelle Kane, Sanford Underground Research Facility Foundation 

This session will cover how to network effectively and build a networking strategy. They will create a 10-second story that will be used to build a three part networking event strategy.  

2:00 – 2:15 p.m. – Conversation Jar  

2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. - Break  

2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Personal Budgeting 

Anita Carlson, Small Business Accounting Services 

This session dives into the essentials of personal budgeting and covers the definition and benefits of budgeting, steps to create a budget, tips and tools for effective management, and concludes with a Q&A and practical takeaways 

3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. – Workplace Perspectives 

Nicol Reiner, Sanford Underground Research Facility 

This session will teach you how to shift your perspective in the workplace for a more positive and realistic outlook.  

4:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. –  Close 

Day 3 – July 23 

Black Hills State University – Rapid City, 4300 Cheyenne Blvd., Box Elder 

Managing a team relies on leveraging your strengths and technical skills to build and guide effective teams. 

8:00 a.m. –  8:15 a.m. – Check-in  

8:15 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. – Welcome/Session 1 Recap  

8:30 a.m. –  10:00 a.m. – Crucial Conversations 

Leah Braun, City of Rapid City 

Provide guidelines for effective conversations with employees, leaders, and clients, emphasizing a safe environment, appropriate timing and tone, and the proper medium for feedback, supplemented with practical tools and activities to foster better communication.  

10:00 a.m. –  10:15 a.m. – Break 

10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. – Interviewing 

Steph McCoy & Delaney Beck, Ketel Thorstenson 

This session provides strategies for interviewing, both as the interviewer and interviewee. Tips on how to properly conduct interviews.  

11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Break  

11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. –  Career Development Planning 

Corinne Heiberger, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology 

The session will cover how to build a structured career trajectory that will outline your goals and the essential tools for your 5 to 10 year career plan.  

 12:15 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. – Lunch 

1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. – Panel 

1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Break  

2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. – Round Table 

2:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. – Break  

3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. –  Understanding Financial Statements 

Sara Pesek May, GenPro Energy Development 

This session will cover key financial statement documents that someone might come across in their job. It will breakdown the meaning of these documents and how they might impact the workplace or their job.  

4:00 p.m. - 4:30 – Depart & travel to Susie Cappa Art Center for social hour  

4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Social Hour at Susie Cappa Art Center 

722 St. Joseph St, Rapid City, SD 57701 

Day 4 – July 24 

Black Hills State University – Rapid City, 4300 Cheyenne Blvd., Box Elder 

Managing a team relies on leveraging your strengths and technical skills to build and guide effective teams. 

8:00 a.m. –  8:15 a.m. – Check-in 

8:15 a.m. – 8:20 a.m. – Welcome 

8:20 a.m. –  9:00 a.m. – Creating Culture, Leadership, & Building Your Team 

Kayla Klein, Klein Visioneering Group 

Attendees will learn how to build the right team through enhanced engagement, motivation, and creative incentives while living core values and establishing the tone of the team. They will also discover strategies to maximize team morale and effectiveness by fostering a strong team culture. 

9:00 a.m. –  10:30 a.m. – Facilitating a Meeting 

Shasta Moreno, Black Hills Business Results 

To learn how to use the Level 10 Meeting agenda to facilitate a meeting to create more efficiency in your team. 

10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. – Break 

10:45 a.m. - 11:30 – Online Presence 

Megan Batten, Midwest Marketing 

This session will focus on building an accurate, yet professional online image and presence. This will include how set up your LinkedIn profile, how to engage online and more.  

11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Public Speaking 

Jenn Landis, Jenn Landis, LLC 

This session will teach you skills to participate in public speaking engagements. You will learn techniques to calm nerves and present clearly and concisely. 

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Lunch  

1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. - Negotiation 

Shanna Hockert, Robert Sharp & Associates 

The session focused on job and client/sales negotiations, offering women in business practical strategies to secure better job offers and close deals more effectively. Participants practiced real-world scenarios to enhance their confidence and negotiation skills.  

1:45 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. – Leadership Communication 

Heidi Haro, Sturgis Motorcycle Museum 

A session on everyday communication skills and quick tips that will go beyond the basics to address real-world leadership challenges. Participants will explore essential writing techniques, effective language use, and practical communication strategies tailored for professional environments. A special focus will be placed on handling difficult workplace dynamics—specifically how to assert yourself with coworkers or employees who may be confrontational, dismissive, or reluctant to recognize your leadership. 

2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. –  Break  

2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. – Ethics in AI 

Sharon Kreitinger, AxysPoint Consulting 

AI is an emerging tool but is shrouded in ethics and questions. This session will cover broad guidelines on using AI in the workplace and the ethics that follow. 

3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Time Management 

Kristine Watts, Black Hills Energy 

This presentation provides a comprehensive overview of essential time management techniques designed to boost productivity and efficiency. Attendees will learn practical strategies for prioritizing tasks, managing emails and overcoming procrastination.  

4:00 p.m. – Close