Lisa Tanzer, President of Life is Good, Speaks at Third Annual Changemakers Conference
The third annual Changemakers Conference at Endicott College brought together inspiring and courageous professionals and student leaders for an evening of networking, connection, and empowerment. Sponsored by the Endicott’s Women in LEADership organization, and in conjunction with the Endicott Alumni Association, the event’s goal is to influence the next generation to lead with confidence.
Women in LEADership was created to inspire and empower students to grow within their chosen industries and to help students develop leadership skills beyond the classroom. Kim Valentine ’18, director of fundraising and sponsorship for the club, said their mission is to “encourage young women to lead, empower, aspire and to discover their true potential in their professional and personal pursuits during and beyond their time at Endicott.”
Brianna Meagher ’18, vice president of Women in LEADership, said that the empowerment that is created from this event is incredible and motivates women to put their future into their own hands.
The evening’s Keynote speaker was President of Life is Good, Lisa Tanzer who spoke on the topic of The Power of Optimism and Preparing for the Future. Much like the sentiment of her brand, Tanzer encouraged participants to, “Do what you love. Love what you do.”
Valentine shared, “I feel empowered because, as Lisa Tanzer said, you should change your outlook towards tasks to be ‘I get to....’ rather than, ‘have to...’ Hearing this reminds us how privileged we are and makes me motivated to accomplish some pretty amazing things with a little tenacity, effort, talent, and perseverance.”
In addition to an inspiring keynote, the event featured a guided panel discussion featuring executives from a wide range of industries and professionals. Featured Panelists were Elysa Walk, General Manager of Burton Snowboards, alumna Holly Nichols, Fashion Illustrator and Owner of H. Nichols Illustration, and alum Oscar Moore, Account Executive at Scalr.
There was one lesson from the panelist talks that Valentine thought was surprising, “The panelists said that the further you get in your professional career, the less important a resume becomes. Recruiters care more about your personality, your level of grit and emotional intelligence,” she said.
The event aims to foster new connections among students, faculty and staff, and a variety of industry professionals. And that it does. Meagher noted, “This conference promotes networking because it puts students in a room with alumni, professors, and industry leaders that they might not otherwise meet.”
Alexa Beatrice, president and co-founder of the club, said, “It is empowering to hear from diverse leaders about how they found their passion, took strategic risks, and grew within their careers.” She added, “To me, a changemaker is someone who has set themselves apart and added value to our society.”