SPRINGFIELD — The third annual Pioneer Valley Conference for Women will be held Thursday, May 9 at Marriott Springfield Downtown from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The conference will be held in person and virtually. This year’s theme is “Unleashed.”

Christina Royal will serve as emcee for the conference. The former president of Holyoke Community College, Royal is now president and CEO of Infinite Unlearning LLC, a woman-, BIPOC-, and queer-owned executive coaching and consultancy service supporting mid- to senior leaders and their organizations. Her goal is to educate leaders on a new paradigm of the future of work and help them shed their limiting beliefs and lead from a place of potential.

Keynote speakers are Meghan Rothschild, president and owner of the marketing and public-relations firm Chikmedia, and Jessika Rozki, founder of Rozki Rides, a transportation service focusing on children and seniors.

Rothschild is an award-winning business owner, public speaker, and social influencer. As a speaker, she is known for engaging audiences on topics such as social media, marketing strategy, public relations, women in business, melanoma survivorship, and living with endometriosis.

A regular contributor to The Rhode Show and WWLP’s Mass Appeal, Rothschild is the host of iHeart Radio’s Pioneer Valley Communities, where she shares professional tips from social branding to lifestyle marketing and public-relations strategies. She is also a professor of Social Media, Personal Branding, and PR Campaigns at Springfield College and Southern New Hampshire University.

Rozki’s career in transportation began 15 years ago as a school-bus driver in Chicopee. In 2019, with the resolve to balance her professional aspirations and family life, she launched Rozki Rides. Based in Greater Springfield, the company started as a professional transportation service catering primarily to families.

Rozki Rides differentiated itself by focusing on children and seniors, segments often overlooked by traditional transportation services. In its first year, the company served more than 100 families, a number that continued to grow as the company expanded its services to include daycares and summer camps.

The conference will also feature 10 different panels that women can choose to attend in the morning and afternoon. The 30 panelists are all local women. Dianne Fuller Doherty will be presented with the Goddess Award, recognizing her many years of volunteer work on behalf of women. A comedy kickoff reception the night before the conference will feature comedian Jess Miller.

Click here for more information or to purchase tickets. Event sponsors include M&T Bank, Westfield Bank, Liberty Bank, Country Bank, and USI.

SPRINGFIELD — The Pioneer Valley Conference for Women will host its first in-person event on Thursday, May 4 at the Marriott in downtown Springfield. Leading the speaker lineup are Paulette Piñero, social entrepreneur, writer, and leadership coach, and Yvonne Williams, author of Tested Faith and It’s All About the Shoes. Each will provide a keynote address to an expected audience of more than 300 attendees.

The conference highlights topics that were chosen by the women of Western Mass., based on current trends and interests. Alison Maloni, owner of Alison May Public Relations, news anchor for a national network, and bestselling author of Breaking in the News: Build Buzz for Your Brand, will emcee the conference. Local comedian Jess Miller will entertain attendees during a VIP Comedy Kick-off the evening before the conference; tickets cost $35.

The cost to attend the Pioneer Valley Conference is $52, which includes breakfast, lunch, a swag bag, and an afternoon celebration with a female DJ and complementary wine and hors d’oeuvres following the full-day conference. The lunch sponsor is M&T Bank. The panel sponsor is Westfield Bank. The network sponsors are Smith Executive Education and USI Insurance. The small-business sponsors are Lovelace Design and Rooted Flowers.

“Paulette Piñero and Yvonne Williams will grab the hearts and souls of attendees with their bravery and openness,” said Jen Maseda, founder and CEO, of She’s Local and the Pioneer Valley Conference for Women. “These women, along with the over 30 local experts on our panels, have inspirational and compelling stories to share that every woman and man in the room will be able to relate to. By providing this affordable opportunity, we are effectively eliminating the gap in access to inspiration and social currency, one local conference at a time.”

Keeping with the goal of accessibility, the conference will also be available virtually for those who are more comfortable watching through a screen. Sessions will be taped for future viewing.

“The theme for our second conference in Western Mass is ‘Let Go,’ and its message will be the power of letting go of what holds us back or what no longer serves us in our lives,” said Meghan Hibner, community board chairperson for the Pioneer Valley Conference for Women. “This conference is our way of saying that we are here for you, wherever you are in your life, and we believe in you. We have an amazing group of volunteers who are committed to making this an experience attendees will not soon forget.”

For more information on keynote speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and panelists, visit sheslocal.org/pioneer-valley-conference-for-women.