Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce Announces sheLEADS 2026

EASTHAMPTON — The Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce will host sheLEADS on Thursday, Oct. 8. The full-day conference is designed to give women at every stage of their career the tools, connections, and confidence to reach their professional goals. This year’s theme, “Make the Room Bigger,” centers on a simple idea: leadership isn’t about holding power; it’s about opening doors, building community, and making sure more people have a seat at the table.

The conference will be held at the Boylston Rooms in Easthampton and is capped at 150 attendees. The day includes a keynote from Melissa Welch, senior director of Creative Marketing Services at Bay Path University and co-chair of the Women’s Leadership Conference, whose session, “Change the Room Before You Run It,” looks at how influence is built through communication, credibility, and collaboration rather than title alone.

The day closes with a keynote from Jonencia Wood, an organizational development consultant with UMass Memorial Health and founder of Mystic Willow, addressing why capable people often stay silent in high-pressure rooms and what leaders can do to change that.

“One meaningful conversation can change the trajectory of a business or a career. sheLEADS is more than a conference — it’s a place where women build relationships, discover new ideas, and find the community that helps them thrive,” said Colleen DelVecchio, sheLEADS committee chair.

Between the two keynotes, attendees will choose from breakout sessions and panel discussions built around six themes drawn from conversations with past attendees and regional business leaders: ensuring everyone has a voice in the room, influence without authority, community over competition, mentors and sponsors and door openers, finding your leadership voice, and getting into the right rooms.

This year’s conference is presented by TruNorth Bank. “As bankESB prepares to become TruNorth Bank, our commitment to unlocking potential remains unchanged,” President and CEO Matthew Sosik said. “We know that, when women are empowered to lead, businesses, organizations, and entire communities thrive. We are proud to support the Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce’s sheLEADS conference because it provides a meaningful opportunity for women to connect, learn from one another, and develop the skills and confidence to lead with purpose. By helping unlock the potential of women leaders, we are investing in stronger businesses, more vibrant communities, and a brighter future for our region. We’re honored to be part of that mission today, and we’re looking forward to continuing that commitment as TruNorth Bank.”

Registration is open now. Click here to register. Conference tickets for the Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce are $97; standard pricing is $114. With capacity capped at 150, early registration is encouraged. Organizations interested in sponsorship opportunities can contact Jon Kostek at [email protected].