The speaker lineup for the 2025 Women Lead Change Conference: Quad Cities will include keynote speakers Lisa Bluder, Cy Wakeman, Ryan Dunlap, Paula Faris, Kate Gladdin and Sarah Stevens.
The event will be held Wednesday, Nov. 12, at the Waterfront Convention Center in downtown Bettendorf.
Tickets for the one-day, in-person conference are $250 per person and include access to six keynote speakers, breakfast, lunch and peer-to-peer networking. Team tables of eight are available for $1,800.
To register, visit WLC’s website here.
Slate of speakers
Here’s a look at the speakers:
- Ms. Bluder is the all-time winningest coach in Big Ten history. She coached for 40 years, including 24 seasons as head women’s basketball coach at the University of Iowa. Her teams competed in back-to-back National Championships in her last two years. She recruited and coached Iowa and WNBA star Caitlin Clark.
- Ms. Wakeman is a drama researcher, New York Times best-selling author, Hall of Fame Speaker and 2023 World’s No. 1 Leadership Guru, known for her Reality-Based approach to leadership.
- Mr. Dunlap is founder and chief conflict officer of Conflictish, a conflict strategy firm. He is a former hostage negotiator and author of “How to Untie a Balloon: A Negotiator’s Guide to Avoid Popping Under Pressure.”
- Ms. Faris is founder and leader of CARRY Media, an organization that champions working mothers. She is an Emmy-Award-winning journalist, speaker, bestselling author of “Called Out” and hosts Paula Faris Podcast.
- Ms. Gladdin is an international keynote speaker, best-selling author, podcast host and certified life coach. Named one of Australia’s 100 Women of Influence, she leads the Nicole and Julie Fitzsimons Foundation, honoring her mother and sister.
- Ms. Stevens is a former health care executive who became a writer, speaker and entrepreneur. After leaving corporate healthcare in 2016, the Quad Cities woman founded The Beautifull Project, a storytelling collective. She now focuses on Sanctuary Studios, a pay-what-you-can studio for movement and meditation.
A full agenda and additional information can be found here. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Becky Alpen at [email protected] or Dalena Schneider at [email protected]. More information is available at WLCglobal.org.
