BETHANY, W.Va. (March 28, 2025) – Bethany College will host its 10th annual Women & Leadership Symposium on April 4-5, featuring a keynote address from leadership and executive coach Beth Benatti Kennedy ‘88, a panel of accomplished alumnae, and breakout sessions focused on professional development. This year’s theme, “Networking in the 21st Century,” highlights the evolving landscape of professional connections and career growth. Register today!
Kennedy is a leadership and executive coach, resiliency-training expert, and speaker. Her Benatti Resiliency Model® has helped thousands of individuals adapt to career changes, enhance personal and professional growth, and maintain productivity and engagement. She has worked with companies such as Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA, The Gillette Co., Nautilus Biotechnology, and Amtrak. Kennedy is the author of “Career ReCharge: Five Strategies to Boost Resilience and Beat Burnout” and co-author of “ReThink Resilience: 99 Ways to ReCharge Your Career and Life.”
The symposium will also feature a panel discussion moderated by Evelyn del Cerro ’85, director of program operations for WABC-TV in New York City. Panelists include:
- Kaitlyn Kelly Black ’12 – Senior manager of digital marketing at TrueCar Marketing Solutions, with over 13 years of experience in e-commerce strategy, brand management, and performance marketing.
- Laurie Conway ’09 – Marketing manager at Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, a national law firm, with a background in television news and corporate communications.
- Janice Masters ’04 – Commissioner and general manager of the Women’s National Football Conference, former partner at C-leveled, and three-time national champion with the Pittsburgh Passion women’s football team.
- Bethany Stickradt ’11 – Partner at Reese Pyle Meyer PLL, specializing in elder law, estate planning, and domestic relations.
The event will also include professional development sessions led by Bethany alumnae:
- Beth Benatti Kennedy ‘88
- Sue Ryan ’89 – Vice president of strategic communications for the Allegheny County Airport Authority, will lead an elevator pitch breakout session.
- Ashley Subasic ’06 – Financial professional at McKinley Architecture and Engineering, will conduct a résumé workshop.
Sage Halbritter ‘24 will serve as emcee. A graduate student at Columbia University pursuing a master’s degree in social work, Halbritter was the 2024 recipient of the Scarlet Foster Women & Leadership Award, a scholarship is awarded annually in Scarlett Foster’s ‘79 name to a Bethany female upperclassman who has shown remarkable leadership during their time at Bethany. This award was created in 2023 to honor Foster’s contributions and dedication to empowering the women of Bethany College. The $1,000 scholarship will allow the students awarded to use it for their professional development.
The Women & Leadership Symposium promises to be an enriching and empowering event for all attendees, providing valuable networking opportunities and insights.
The Women & Leadership Symposium is named for distinguished Bethany alumna Ann Wilkin Trombadore, a native Wellsburg, W.Va. She graduated magna cum laude from Bethany with a degree in economics in 1951 and received her law degree from the University of Michigan in 1954. Trombadore was an active member of the Bethany College Board of Trustees for more than two decades, was the recipient of the Distinguished Service to Alma Mater award in 1996 and was made an Emeritus Life Trustee member following the 1998-99 school year.
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