Lean In

Buy Tickets

Schedule

Lisa Mills

Topic: Living on Wheels: Wellness in Motion
Making the Most of Today to Create the Best of Tomorrow

After years of working in family and community partnerships through social service programs and nonprofit organizations, Lisa Mills sensed that something new was on her professional horizon. Not knowing what that could be she took some time away from her then current position in order to figure it out. It was during this time that Lisa had the accidental privilege of standing on stage at a women’s conference where she was given the last-minute charge to “make people fall out of their seats laughing.”

That event changed everything! For Lisa, it marked the beginning of being on the road and building a successful full-time comedy career and speaking business from the ground up. An accomplishment she credits to that one moment of insane courage years ago, while standing on that stage telling jokes and sharing hope with those amazing women.

Regularly asked how she comes up with laugh out loud material, Lisa responds, “Plain and simple, there is enough laughter in everyday life to keep us all in stitches if we will just look for it!” Lisa’s unique blend of slightly skewed, southern-spun humor appeals to a variety of audiences. Convinced that there are more things that unite us than separate us, she brings all types of people together through laughter. Lisa’s hilarious authenticity makes her a definite dynamo to any program.

Lisa is an award-winning comedian, motivational speaker, actor, and author. Her acting debut was working alongside network television’s favorite military gal, Catherine Bell on the Lifetime Channel’s hit show, Army Wives. As an in-demand keynote speaker, she is known for her message of Transforming Ordinary Into Extraordinary. Her always funny, laser-sharp wit has been featured on the Lifetime Network, NOW Network, Impact Network, Netflix, the Dove Channel, and iHeart Radio. She can be seen headlining venues around the country while touring and promoting her latest book, Lord Did I Really Shave My Legs For This?

Lisa Mills resides just outside the city of Atlanta with her awesome husband and two amazing sons.

Rachel Eslick

Topic: Living As Your Favorite Self

Forget chasing your “best self” - Rachel Eslick is here to help you live as your favorite self! As founder of Mae We All: Growth & Development, Rachel transforms “basic” training sessions into experiences that are energizing, educational, and empowering.

A former Director of National Team Development & Employee Engagement, Rachel blends practical tools with high energy and authentic storytelling so growth actually sticks. She’s also a marathon runner, new mom, and small-town Iowa girl who grew
up on a dairy farm. She knows life gets a lot better when you start living in alignment to YOU, and she’s here to help you do the same.

Her keynotes and workshops are never “one and done”... they’re one and RUN - sending people out fired up with new mindsets, simple strategies, and the confidence to take action.

“Do something today your future self will thank you for”

Starlet Smith

Topic: From Setbacks to Comebacks: How Trauma Transformed My Leadership

Life doesn’t always go as planned—and sometimes, it hits hard. In this breakout session, Starlet (Star) Smith shares her personal story of navigating a traumatic brain injury and how it became a turning point in how she leads, lives, and shows up. Through faith, self-awareness, and resilience, she found a way not just to recover—but to refocus, realign, and grow into the leader she is today.

Attendees will walk away with:
-A unique perspective on how adversity can shape leadership
-Tools to build self-awareness and emotional resilience
-Encouragement to embrace your story and lead from it

Starlet (Star) Smith is an Iowa native, community leader, and Lead Agile Coach at Alliant Energy. With a personal mission to be a light, Star has been passionate about telling stories and inspiring with her words since childhood. Whether she’s connecting with new people, sharing what she’s learning, or playing video games with her family, Star brings the energy – wrapped in positivity and purpose – to every room she’s in.

Dr. Kerry Petsinger

Topic: Mornings that Matter®: Start Each Day Feeling Unstoppable

Are you ready for intentional, purpose-driven mornings?

In a world that pulls women in every direction, your well-being begins by learning how to lean in to YOU first. In this energizing and practical session, high-performance coach Dr. Kerry Petsinger teaches you her proven Mornings that Matter® GETUP routine - a simple, research-based, 10-minute framework designed to help women start their day with clarity, confidence, and strength.

You'll learn how to intentionally - and rapidly - set the tone for your mind, energy, and focus within the first minutes of waking up. This session empowers women to stop operating on autopilot and begin each day grounded, steady, and ready to lean in to what matters most.

You'll walk away knowing the GETUP routine and how to immediately implement it into your days - so you can start each day feeling unstoppable.

Dr. Kerry Petsinger is a High-Performance Coach who helps ambitious people perform at their best. She is the creator of Mornings that Matter®, the research-based, 10-minute GETUP routine to start each day feeling unstoppable. She has taught her Mornings that Matter® routine to people from over 70 countries. Dr. Kerry teaches practical, actionable strategies to help people pursue their highest vision and achieve the success and fulfillment they desire.

???

Topic: Women’s Health: Real Conversations, Whole-Body Wellness

Women’s health is not one-size-fits-all—and it’s about more than checkups or numbers on a chart. This breakout session brings together trusted health experts for an open, honest conversation about caring for women’s bodies, minds, and long-term well-being.

Panelists will explore topics including hormonal health, mental wellness, stress, nutrition, heart health, and navigating the healthcare system, while addressing questions women often have but don’t always feel comfortable asking.

Designed to meet women where they are, this session offers practical insight and tools to better understand your body, advocate for your health, and make informed decisions at every stage of life—leaving you feeling empowered and supported.

Katie Stanley Keith

(details coming soon)

Megan Logan

Megan Logan is an At-Risk Family Service Coordinator for the Ottumwa Community School District and serves as Chair of the Wapello County Coalition Against Human Trafficking and Secretary for the Wapello County Children’s Alliance. With over 10 years of experience in human services and social work, Megan is dedicated to supporting individuals, families, and communities facing complex challenges. Her work centers on mental health, human trafficking, and homelessness, where she provides compassionate case management, crisis intervention, and advocacy. Megan is deeply committed to raising awareness of local issues and empowering students and families toward meaningful, lasting change.

Sarah Black

(details coming soon)

???

(details coming soon)

Sara Hellesso

Topic: 

In this session, Sarah Helleso shares an approach to wellness grounded in real-world work with students at Try Pie Bakery, a nonprofit teen employment program for high school girls. At Try Pie, wellness is practiced by meeting physical and financial needs through meaningful employment, supporting personal growth through work readiness and financial literacy, and building community through collaboration with a diverse team of peers.

Using this framework, participants will be invited to reflect on their own lives and work: how financial literacy can create freedom rather than stress, how identifying strengths can bring clarity and confidence to daily work, and how our beliefs about ourselves and others shape our sense of well-being. This session offers a practical, human-centered vision of wellness that supports growth, purpose, and connection.

Sarah Helleso is the Executive Director of Try Pie Bakery, a nonprofit teen employment program empowering high school girls in Waterloo, Iowa. A 2015 graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, Sarah has lived in the Cedar Valley ever since and is passionate about the intersection of business, nonprofit mission, and community development. She finds deep joy in watching young women grow in confidence, skills, and self-awareness as they prepare for what’s next.

Nate McClendon

Topic: How We See, How We Lead

We move through life constantly interpreting faces, gestures, and expressions of those around us. Our brains make rapid judgments that feel true, but are derived by instinct, bias, and the stories we carry. 

This presentation explores the neuropsychology behind those split-second perceptions that shape how we see others and ourselves. It’s an invitation to slow down and consider how meaning is created, to become aware of how the mind influences the way we lead and relate, both professionally and personally. 

By recognizing the mental habits that guide our interactions, participants will gain a renewed sense of curiosity and agency, discovering a more intentional way of leading and living.

Nate McClendon is an author, educator, musician, and speaker focused on social and community well-being and leadership. With over 20 years in public education and collaborations with organizations such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Grammy Foundation, and The Compassionate Friends, he brings a people-first approach to programming, often utilizing art and music. He sparks deep reflection and new perspectives through his work, believing that meaningful change begins with how we see ourselves and one another. As the Outreach Specialist at the Beach Museum of Art at Kansas State University, he creates programs that expand the experience of art and education for the university, with an additional focus on engaging the local and regional community.

Lynette Marling

Topic: Find Your Courage

Confidence and courage aren’t just personal traits—they’re lifelines for women striving to thrive in
today’s world. When we cultivate confidence and courage, we enable ourselves and others to take bold steps toward wellbeing, even in the face of uncertainty. Today, we will explore how these two forces—confidence and courage—can transform not only individual lives but families, work environments, and entire communities.

Lynette Marling has over 35 years of experience working for KPMG, ACT, Pearson, Rockwell Collins, and Alliant Energy. Her areas of expertise include leadership development and coaching, facilitation, change management, organizational culture, and employee engagement initiatives. Lynette focuses on the people side of business success.

Lynette also helps individuals develop personal strategies for success. Mid-career, Lynette found herself less confident, less passionate, less convinced that she was making a difference.  Through coaching, she discovered how to make work – work for her! In 2012, Lynette launched My Own Strategy, a coaching business designed to help others clarify their definition of success, clear the blocks that invite stress and distraction, and create a plan that works for them. 

Lynette has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration, both from the University of Iowa.  She holds her Professional Certified Coach designation from the International Coach Federation and is Change Management Certified.

Iyana Leach

Topic: 

(details coming soon)

Sara Kurovski

Topic: 

Sara is passionate about those that she serves. In 2013 she became the first female mayor for the city of Pleasant Hill, Iowa (currently in her 4th term). Sara’s story landed her in the second edition of Lean In: for Graduates by Sheryl Sandberg.  In Spring of 2021 she became the President and CEO for Make-A-Wish Iowa. She now leads the team to strengthen their statewide efforts and ensure that every eligible child fighting a critical illness receives a life changing wish. Sara has her undergrad in communication studies from Truman State and a MPA from Drake University.

Krista Tedrow

Topic: Curious You

As women, we often devote our time, energy, and leadership to supporting teams, families, and communities—but when was the last time you focused on YOU? Join Krista Tedrow of Curious You for an empowering session designed to help you reconnect with your purpose and lead with unshakable confidence and authenticity. Through reflective exercises, candid conversations, and actionable insights, you’ll explore how prioritizing your well-being, getting curious about yourself, and aligning with authenticity empowers your leadership and personal fulfillment. Join to explore how to:
   1. Prioritize You: Recognize that investing in yourself is the most powerful way to strengthen your leadership, relationships, and personal fulfillment.
   2. Lead Authentically: Embrace your unique strengths and values to lead with purpose, clarity, and confidence, creating a deeper impact in every aspect of life.
   3. Cultivate Resilience: Develop tools to maintain balance, navigate challenges, and show up as your best self—even when life feels overwhelming.

Krista Tedrow is a leader, advocate, and entrepreneur passionate about fostering community development, equity, and personal growth. Based in southern Iowa, she serves as the Director of Development at Pathfinders RC&D and is the founder of two innovative businesses: Curious You, offering spiritual development services, and No Opportunity Wasted, a consulting firm that partners with nonprofits and government agencies to co-design equitable programs and policies ensuring those directly receiving services are represented. A publisher, writer, and poet under the pseudonym K. Buehler, Krista blends creativity and advocacy to transform challenges into impactful solutions, championing authenticity, joy, and connection in her work and life.