Connect & Thrive Women’s Conference
We are seeking accomplished entrepreneurs, executives, professionals, subject-matter experts, and credentialed specialists who can contribute meaningful expertise, practical insight, and engaging conversation to the Connect & Thrive Women’s Conference.
All keynote, moderator, and panel speaker positions are volunteer speaking opportunities.
Keynote Speaker Opportunities
Connect & Thrive will feature two keynote speakers, each bringing practical expertise to a distinct area of women’s growth and success.
From Start to Scale: Building a Business That Grows
Connect & Thrive is seeking an accomplished founder or entrepreneur with firsthand experience building a business from the ground up and successfully growing it through multiple stages of development.
The ideal speaker will draw from her own entrepreneurial journey to give attendees an inside look at the real decisions, challenges, setbacks, opportunities, and turning points involved in building and growing a business—from attracting early clients and accessing funding to increasing revenue, strengthening operations, overcoming growth barriers, expanding the business, and preparing for sustainable growth.
Keynote Focus Areas
This keynote is grounded in firsthand entrepreneurial experience. Speakers should be prepared to share practical lessons, decisions, challenges, and strategies drawn from building and growing their own business.
Leadership & Career Growth
Connect & Thrive is also seeking an accomplished professional or business leader who can draw from firsthand experience navigating career growth, increasing levels of responsibility, leadership, professional transitions, greater visibility, and pivotal career decisions.
This keynote should speak to women at different stages of their professional journeys—including those pursuing advancement, stepping into or expanding leadership roles, repositioning themselves professionally, navigating career transitions, or determining what comes next.
Keynote Focus Areas
This keynote should be grounded in the speaker’s own professional and leadership experience, with practical insight drawn from the decisions, challenges, transitions, and opportunities she has personally navigated.
Panel Speaker & Moderator Opportunities
We welcome experienced professionals, subject-matter experts, entrepreneurs, executives, and credentialed specialists who can contribute informed perspectives, practical guidance, and real-world expertise to moderated conference conversations.
Funding Your Future
A practical conversation about building financial strength both in business and in your personal life. The panel will explore how women can access capital to support business growth while also making informed decisions about investing, wealth building, retirement, and long-term financial security.
- Business Loans & Alternative Funding
- Grants & Access to Capital
- Preparing a Business for Funding
- Investor Readiness
- Cash Flow & Financial Preparedness
- Personal Investing
- Retirement Planning
- Building Long-Term Wealth
- Protecting Personal Financial Stability
- Making Confident Financial Decisions
We are specifically seeking two complementary perspectives: one professional with business-funding expertise and one professional with personal financial planning or investing expertise.
AI & the Future of Business
A practical conversation about how artificial intelligence is changing the way women work, lead, build businesses, and compete. Panelists will explore real-world AI applications, business strategy, productivity, marketing, responsible use, privacy and risk, and the role of human judgment in an increasingly AI-driven environment.
- AI for Productivity & Workflow
- Business Operations & Automation
- AI in Marketing & Customer Growth
- AI-Assisted Research & Decision-Making
- Privacy, Confidentiality & Intellectual Property
- Responsible AI Use & Human Judgment
- Understanding AI Limitations & Risk
- Preparing Businesses for an AI-Driven Marketplace
We are particularly interested in professionals with demonstrated experience in AI implementation, business operations, marketing and customer strategy, AI governance or risk, and executives or business owners who are actively integrating AI into their organizations.
Women’s Health, Wellness & Resilience
A multidisciplinary conversation led by licensed and credentialed health professionals focused on the physical, mental, and emotional health considerations women may face while managing demanding careers, businesses, leadership responsibilities, and life.
- Women’s Health & Preventive Care
- Mental Health, Stress & Burnout Prevention
- Nutrition & Sustainable Healthy Habits
- Physical Health, Strength, Movement & Mobility
- Resilience & Recovery
- Energy & Sleep
- Hormonal Health Across Different Stages of Life
- Sustaining long-term health and well-being
All applicants for the Health, Wellness & Resilience Panel must hold a current, verifiable professional license or recognized clinical credential directly related to their proposed area of expertise.
Eligible applicants include licensed physicians, nurses, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, psychologists, licensed mental-health professionals, registered dietitians, physical therapists, and other appropriately licensed or clinically credentialed healthcare professionals.
Applicants must have relevant professional experience within their licensed or credentialed scope of practice. General wellness coaches, life coaches, motivational speakers, and individuals whose qualifications consist solely of personal experience or nonclinical training do not meet the eligibility requirements for this panel.
Next Generation Female Entrepreneurs
In partnership with Camp S.W.A.G., Connect & Thrive will feature two high school female entrepreneurs who are already building businesses, demonstrating leadership, and turning their ideas into action.
Each selected young entrepreneur will receive a 15-minute featured speaking opportunity to share her business, entrepreneurial journey, lessons learned, goals, and vision for the future.
This feature gives emerging female entrepreneurs an opportunity to be heard, seen, and celebrated alongside accomplished women in business, leadership, and professional life.
Learn More About Next Generation Female Entrepreneurs
Participation in the Next Generation Female Entrepreneurs feature is coordinated separately through Camp S.W.A.G. and is not part of the general keynote, moderator, or panel speaker application process.
What We’re Looking For
We are looking for speakers who can contribute expertise, thoughtful perspective, and practical value to the Connect & Thrive audience.
Mission Alignment
Align with the mission, audience, and professional standards of the Connect & Thrive Women’s Conference.
Relevant Expertise
Bring demonstrated firsthand professional, entrepreneurial, leadership, clinical, or subject-matter experience directly relevant to the keynote or panel opportunity for which you are applying.
Practical Insight
Be prepared to contribute useful, actionable information and real-world perspective that is relevant to the audience.
Professional Conduct
Agree to the conference Code of Conduct, speaker terms, and participation requirements.
Speaker Preparation
Be available for required planning, preparation, moderator coordination, or speaker briefing sessions.
Conference Participation
Be prepared to participate in an in-person and livestream conference environment and engage professionally with attendees and fellow speakers.
Volunteer Speaking Opportunity
All Connect & Thrive keynote, moderator, and panel speaker positions are volunteer opportunities.
The conference does not provide airfare, hotel accommodations, transportation reimbursement, travel stipends, or other travel-related compensation.
Speakers traveling to New York City are responsible for their own travel and accommodations. Please consider these requirements before submitting an application.
What Happens After You Apply
Application Review
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis based on speaker qualifications, proposed topic alignment, programming needs, and available opportunities.
Virtual Conversation
Selected applicants will be invited to a virtual conversation with the Connect & Thrive team to discuss expertise, topic fit, presentation approach, and potential program placement.
Speaker Selection
Selected applicants will receive an official invitation identifying the proposed conference role, topic, and participation expectations.
Acceptance
Selected speakers must confirm participation and complete any required speaker documentation by the deadline provided in their invitation.
Official Application Required
All prospective speakers must complete the appropriate Official Connect & Thrive Speaker Application to be considered. Unsolicited speaker pitches submitted by email, publicists, agents, or representatives do not replace the required application.
Final speaker selections, topics, panel placement, and program assignments are determined by the Connect & Thrive Women’s Conference leadership team.
Your Connect & Thrive Experience
We value the expertise and time our speakers contribute. Benefits are structured to reflect each speaker’s role and level of participation in the conference.
Keynote Speakers
- Premium VIP conference access
- Two additional VIP guest tickets
- Access to the VIP Networking Lounge
- Enhanced conference dining experience
- Complimentary admission to the VIP Cocktail Reception
- Featured speaker placement on the conference website
- Dedicated keynote speaker spotlight in selected conference marketing and promotional campaigns
- Prominent recognition in selected conference materials and program communications
- Reserved VIP seating
- Priority access to designated speaker and networking experiences
- Professional event photography featuring the keynote presentation, when available
- Premium speaker gift or curated conference swag
- One Free Exhibitor Booth
Panel Moderator
- Premium VIP conference access
- One additional VIP guest ticket
- Access to the VIP Networking Lounge
- Enhanced conference dining experience
- Complimentary admission to the VIP Cocktail Reception
- Recognition on the conference website
- Inclusion in selected conference marketing and promotional materials
- Reserved VIP seating
- Access to designated speaker and networking experiences
- Premium speaker gift or conference swag
- 25% discount on one eligible exhibitor booth
Exhibitor discount is non-transferable and subject to the conference’s standard exhibitor approval requirements.
Panel Speaker
- Premium VIP conference access
- Access to the VIP Networking Lounge
- Enhanced conference dining experience
- Complimentary admission to the VIP Cocktail Reception
- Recognition on the conference website
- Inclusion in selected conference marketing and promotional materials
- Reserved VIP seating
- Access to designated speaker and networking experiences
- Speaker gift or conference swag
- 15% discount on one eligible exhibitor booth
Exhibitor discount is non-transferable and subject to the conference’s standard exhibitor approval requirements.
✨ The VIP Networking Experience
The VIP Networking Lounge is a designated space for VIP ticket holders, conference speakers, and invited guests to connect and network during the conference. The VIP experience will also include enhanced dining and access to the conference’s VIP Cocktail Reception.
VIP access creates opportunities for connection and networking but does not guarantee individual access to or meetings with any specific speaker or guest. Final reception details, lounge scheduling, and conference amenities will be provided as event arrangements are confirmed.
Ready to Join the Connect & Thrive Conversation?
We are looking for speakers who can contribute experience, expertise, practical insight, and meaningful conversation to a conference designed to help women grow businesses, advance professionally, lead with confidence, strengthen their financial futures, navigate emerging technology, protect their well-being, and build meaningful connections.
Speaker applications will remain open until available keynote, moderator, and panel positions have been filled.
