In 2008, Gannon University's Small Business Development Center founded the WILD Conference to
emphasize the concept of women helping women through knowledge, energy and passion.
Fourteen years later, it has become a signature event in the Erie region for women entrepreneurs, merging leaders, and executive leaders!
Mark your calendars!
15th Annual WILD Conference - September 15, 2022
2021 Proud Puma Sponsor
2021 Fierce Feline Sponsor
WILD 2021 Speakers
Dr. Janet Rose Wojtalik:
Closing Keynote and Messages To My Younger Self
Dr. Janet Rose Wojtalik is a Builder of Strength and Leadership . She is an author, motivational speaker, leadership mentor, artist, founder of ParentingGirls.com and the creator of the DRJR Leadership Retreat. Her research in the ecology of female leadership fueled her passion to work initially with young women, parents, schools, and universities to foster the development of strong girls and strong women who learn to appreciate their authentic value. Her recent endeavors include working with organizations seeking to develop or enhance the leadership skills of their administrative staff, both women and men.
Her books The Seven Secrets of Parenting Girls and Raising Successful Daughters from Childhood to Womanhood serve as valuable parent resources for nurturing female leadership. She is a co-author of the widely-acclaimed book Leading Women: 20 Influential Women Share Their Secrets to Leadership, Business, and Life which is a great motivational read and a must for every strong woman.
Dr. Janet also addresses many diverse audiences on individually tailored topics including: Leadership Lessons Learned From the Animal Kingdom, The Power of Gratitude, Learning to Lead With Integrity, Fostering Leadership Fitness and Raising Strong Girls and Compassionate Boys. Her upbeat, humorous and stimulating presentations have stirred women and men across the country.
Dr. Janet Rose earned her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Duquesne University. Her research in the area of women and leadership won her Clark Scholar Designation in the 2006 David L. Clark National Graduate Research Seminar in San Francisco, California. She is also the proud recipient of the 2018 WILD Conference Legacy Award presented by Gannon University’s Small Business Development Center. She has presented professional seminars, trainings, retreats, parenting workshops, and keynote presentations to a variety of audiences in a variety of venues.
Dr. Janet Rose’s career included school administration, mental health program director, special educator, and adjunct professor at four local universities. Her artistic endeavors are also a great passion and include driftwood painting, steam punk lamp making, beach glass designs and grapevine creations. These can be found at many local galleries and boutiques.
Information on her books, presentations and strategies for nurturing leadership can be found at www.drjanetrose.com. Contact Dr. Janet at 814-881-1727 or janet.rose.w@gmail.com.
Her books The Seven Secrets of Parenting Girls and Raising Successful Daughters from Childhood to Womanhood serve as valuable parent resources for nurturing female leadership. She is a co-author of the widely-acclaimed book Leading Women: 20 Influential Women Share Their Secrets to Leadership, Business, and Life which is a great motivational read and a must for every strong woman.
Dr. Janet also addresses many diverse audiences on individually tailored topics including: Leadership Lessons Learned From the Animal Kingdom, The Power of Gratitude, Learning to Lead With Integrity, Fostering Leadership Fitness and Raising Strong Girls and Compassionate Boys. Her upbeat, humorous and stimulating presentations have stirred women and men across the country.
Dr. Janet Rose earned her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Duquesne University. Her research in the area of women and leadership won her Clark Scholar Designation in the 2006 David L. Clark National Graduate Research Seminar in San Francisco, California. She is also the proud recipient of the 2018 WILD Conference Legacy Award presented by Gannon University’s Small Business Development Center. She has presented professional seminars, trainings, retreats, parenting workshops, and keynote presentations to a variety of audiences in a variety of venues.
Dr. Janet Rose’s career included school administration, mental health program director, special educator, and adjunct professor at four local universities. Her artistic endeavors are also a great passion and include driftwood painting, steam punk lamp making, beach glass designs and grapevine creations. These can be found at many local galleries and boutiques.
Information on her books, presentations and strategies for nurturing leadership can be found at www.drjanetrose.com. Contact Dr. Janet at 814-881-1727 or janet.rose.w@gmail.com.
Ashleigh Walters:
Turning Lemons Into Lemonade
Ashleigh Walters is the President of Onex, an employee-owned business operating for over 50 years in Erie, PA. Onex designs, services, and manufactures high-temperature industrial furnaces. When Ashleigh assumed the General Manager role in 2013, the company had lost sight of its mission and family-centric core values. Today, Onex’s mission is to Make Things Better: Empowered Employees, Happy Clients, Thriving Communities. Ashleigh holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Auburn University. She is Chairman of the Board of Directions for Northwest Industrial Resource Center (a Manufacturing Extension Partnership). Ashleigh is the author of Leading with Grit and Grace: A Journey of Organizational Culture Change. Ashleigh regularly shares her story with other leaders, encouraging them to “make things better” by improving processes and creating a people-centric organizational culture.
Joanne Conrad-Turner:
Personal Branding
Joanne Conrad Turner
Joanne Conrad-Turner serves as the advertising director at the Erie Times-News. The Times-News is a newspaper that is part of the USA Today Network of 260+ daily newspapers nationally. The USA Today Network has an extensive, full-service digital agency, also known as LocalIQ. Her career in marketing includes 25+ years of building out advertising campaigns and helping businesses thrive. Joanne’s career includes various organizations such as The Baltimore Sun, RedPlum/Valassis, Advo, and the Denver Post. She was recently recognized as a 2020 Diamond Elite Digital Professional as one of the top 1% of LocalIQ digital professionals for her knowledge and worked within the digital space with small to medium-sized local businesses. Joanne is the mother and stepmother to 7 wonderful grown and successful children – yes, that’s one more than the Brady Bunch. Before the pandemic, she was a local and nationally ranked racquetball player. Joanne currently lives in East Springfield, where she enjoys long walks with her dog Logan and riding mini-bikes with her husband in the woods around their home.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joconrad/
Joanne Conrad-Turner serves as the advertising director at the Erie Times-News. The Times-News is a newspaper that is part of the USA Today Network of 260+ daily newspapers nationally. The USA Today Network has an extensive, full-service digital agency, also known as LocalIQ. Her career in marketing includes 25+ years of building out advertising campaigns and helping businesses thrive. Joanne’s career includes various organizations such as The Baltimore Sun, RedPlum/Valassis, Advo, and the Denver Post. She was recently recognized as a 2020 Diamond Elite Digital Professional as one of the top 1% of LocalIQ digital professionals for her knowledge and worked within the digital space with small to medium-sized local businesses. Joanne is the mother and stepmother to 7 wonderful grown and successful children – yes, that’s one more than the Brady Bunch. Before the pandemic, she was a local and nationally ranked racquetball player. Joanne currently lives in East Springfield, where she enjoys long walks with her dog Logan and riding mini-bikes with her husband in the woods around their home.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joconrad/
Daniel Zerrillo:
Personal Branding
Dan Zerrillo is a digital marketing professional at LocalIQ, the digital marketing agency of the USAToday network. In his role as Regional Digital Director for the Northeast, Dan serves as a collaborative, client-facing resource for the region's strategic opportunities within various markets and verticals. Dan's experience in the digital advertising space spans almost 20 years and is perpetually curious, actively seeking relevant content to consume, teach and share. A team and relationship builder by nature, Dan has served in many sales leadership roles throughout his career in addition to sales training and leadership development. When not at work, Dan enjoys spending time with his active family with hobbies including travel, finding great food, sports tournaments with his children, and playing poker. Dan is based in Rochester, NY.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-j-zerrillo-6b75a711/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-j-zerrillo-6b75a711/
Generational Leadership:
Susan Hileman
Susan R Hileman is a certified speaker, trainer & coach as part of the John Maxwell Team, as well as a certified DDI Facilitator providing organizations with engaging and powerful messages for positive growth. She has degrees in Business Management and Speech Communications from Clarion University and is a Masters’ degree candidate in Organizational Leadership as well as a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Susan has been the CEO of RED Day Communications LLC since 2009 as well as a Strategic Business Advisor for the Northwest IRC for the last 15 years, directly assisting manufacturers with targeted business growth, customized training and, most recently, oversight of the region’s COVID Recovery Program. She has a passion for helping companies better understand how to attract, retain and engage employees of all ages in an impactful way!
Michael B. Ross: Leading Through Adversity
Michael Ross helps companies become more productive and profitable by creating
better cultures. He has worked with hundreds of business owners and executives, from
large corporation to small businesses, helping them become more effective leaders who
inspire their employees and grow their revenues. His dynamic leadership programs
have reshaped companies, from stagnation and paralysis to highly competitive and
successful organizations. Organizations that engage him and his dynamic leadership
programs become leaders in their fields.
In building his firm and programs, he has parlayed two advanced degrees in leadership
culture and change behavior and two certifications with a rare skill in helping leaders
clarify their vision and effect real behavioral change in their organizations. His Dynamic
Leadership program trains executives to be real leaders, to grow their businesses by
creating and fostering a culture that puts employees in a position of strength and
power operating with the knowledge that they are contributing to a cause greater
than themselves.
Michael roots his Dynamic Leadership program in his knowledge of the sociology
and psychology of leadership. His holistic approach is founded on the principle that
companies will expand and grow if they build from their cultures out which he has
expounded upon in four highly praised books: Building You, Overcoming the Character
Deficit, A Clear View and Do It Anyway
better cultures. He has worked with hundreds of business owners and executives, from
large corporation to small businesses, helping them become more effective leaders who
inspire their employees and grow their revenues. His dynamic leadership programs
have reshaped companies, from stagnation and paralysis to highly competitive and
successful organizations. Organizations that engage him and his dynamic leadership
programs become leaders in their fields.
In building his firm and programs, he has parlayed two advanced degrees in leadership
culture and change behavior and two certifications with a rare skill in helping leaders
clarify their vision and effect real behavioral change in their organizations. His Dynamic
Leadership program trains executives to be real leaders, to grow their businesses by
creating and fostering a culture that puts employees in a position of strength and
power operating with the knowledge that they are contributing to a cause greater
than themselves.
Michael roots his Dynamic Leadership program in his knowledge of the sociology
and psychology of leadership. His holistic approach is founded on the principle that
companies will expand and grow if they build from their cultures out which he has
expounded upon in four highly praised books: Building You, Overcoming the Character
Deficit, A Clear View and Do It Anyway
Pam Parker: Gaining Mentors and Becoming One
Pam Parker is an award-winning reporter and editor from Gannett's Erie Times-News who recently retired and is now a project manager at the Erie County Historical Society - Hagen History Center in Erie. She has worked in marketing and publishing most of her life and had careers as an account executive and media director for multiple ad agencies. She has also been a freelance writer. As the former editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle Magazine, she has written about homes, women’s issues, hard news and in-depth features. She is a proud wife, mom/stepmom of six, GramPam to seven and a wicked-good tennis player.
Marybeth Smialek: Gaining Mentors and Becoming One
Marybeth Smialek is director of Regional External Affairs, Penelec
for FirstEnergy Service Company, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy
Corp. She is responsible for directing relationship strategies to
drive favorable outcomes for FirstEnergy’s strategic interests in
the Penelec region.
Smialek joined Penelec in 1984 and held various positions within
the Customer Service department. In 1995, she joined the Energy
Service group in the Met-Ed region and was promoted to area
manager in 2000, serving as a liasion between local communties
and government officials. Smialek returned to Customer Service in
2008 and was promoted to manager of Compliance and Human
Services. In 2013 she was promoted to manager, Supplier
Services and Power Billing. She was promoted to her current
position in August 2017.
Smialek graduated from Edinboro University with a bachelor’s
degree in business and received her master’s degree from Penn
State University-Behrend. She is the chairman of the MetEd/Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund and serves as a board
member of the Erie Airport Authority, American Heart Association
and Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park. She is an active
member of the Erie Woman’s Fund and FirstEnergy’s Helping
Women Grow and Women in Leadership employee groups.
for FirstEnergy Service Company, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy
Corp. She is responsible for directing relationship strategies to
drive favorable outcomes for FirstEnergy’s strategic interests in
the Penelec region.
Smialek joined Penelec in 1984 and held various positions within
the Customer Service department. In 1995, she joined the Energy
Service group in the Met-Ed region and was promoted to area
manager in 2000, serving as a liasion between local communties
and government officials. Smialek returned to Customer Service in
2008 and was promoted to manager of Compliance and Human
Services. In 2013 she was promoted to manager, Supplier
Services and Power Billing. She was promoted to her current
position in August 2017.
Smialek graduated from Edinboro University with a bachelor’s
degree in business and received her master’s degree from Penn
State University-Behrend. She is the chairman of the MetEd/Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund and serves as a board
member of the Erie Airport Authority, American Heart Association
and Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park. She is an active
member of the Erie Woman’s Fund and FirstEnergy’s Helping
Women Grow and Women in Leadership employee groups.
Kathryn Lima:
Messages To My Younger Self
Although trained as a teacher, Kathy left the classroom after six years and since has worked in all aspects of marketing, sales, media and fund raising for both not-for-profit and for-profit organizations in five different communities in four states. After years as a provider of business development and fundraising services, consulting, training, and workshops in marketing and fundraising, today she travels the world.
For nearly 14 years, Kathy owned Faro Enterprises providing marketing, public/media relations, fundraising consulting, training, and services, meeting facilitation and communications services. Throughout her successful entrepreneurial career, she was and continues to be a fierce advocate for the causes of women’s equality. She was recognized as one of PA's Best 50 Women in Business in 2006 and received the Lawrence Mercer County ATHENA International ATHENA Leadership Award in 2014. Kathy has served as a board member for ATHENA International and has participated in numerous women leadership initiatives and programs.
For nearly 14 years, Kathy owned Faro Enterprises providing marketing, public/media relations, fundraising consulting, training, and services, meeting facilitation and communications services. Throughout her successful entrepreneurial career, she was and continues to be a fierce advocate for the causes of women’s equality. She was recognized as one of PA's Best 50 Women in Business in 2006 and received the Lawrence Mercer County ATHENA International ATHENA Leadership Award in 2014. Kathy has served as a board member for ATHENA International and has participated in numerous women leadership initiatives and programs.
Dr. Karinna Vernaza:
Messages To My Younger Self
Dr. Karinna Vernaza is the Interim Dean of the College of Engineering and Business and a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Gannon University. Dr. Vernaza was born in Panama City, Panama. She attended the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering Systems. After graduating, she was employed as a Ship Manager in Braswell Shipyards in Panama. Dr Vernaza was awarded a Project Latin America 2000 Graduate Fellowship by the Kellogg Institute, the Coca-Cola Company and the University of Notre Dame to perform graduate studies. She earned a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2001 and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in 2003 from the University of Notre Dame. The title of her dissertation was “Thermal Measurements during High Speed Machining.”
In 2003, Dr. Vernaza joined Gannon University as an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering; in 2009, she was awarded tenure and advancement in rank to Associate Professor; and in 2014, she earned advancement in rank to Professor. Her primary teaching responsibilities are in the solid mechanics and materials areas. She conducts research in the area of alternative fuels (biodiesel), high strain deformation of materials and engineering education. Dr. Vernaza is the author of over 30 peer-reviewed publications. She is currently the Principal Investigator of a National Science Foundation S-STEM award for $1 million. She has served as the PI for two previous NSF S-STEM awards ($600,000 each) and one NSF ADVANCE-PAID Award ($385,919). Additionally, her projects have been funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Erie-Patterson Corporation, and the Gannon Center of Excellence in BioEnergy. Dr. Vernaza worked as a consultant for GE Transportation on different Off-Highway Vehicles projects as part of the GE/Gannon Master Program from 2006-2013.
Dr. Vernaza is active in the community, is an Erie Ambassador, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Non Profit Partnership. She volunteers on the Society of Women Engineers, serves as a mentor for young women in partnership with the North West Pennsylvania Girls Scout Council, and serves as a reviewer for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program and the American Society of Engineering Education Conference. Additionally, she organizes several yearly outreach activities at Gannon University where students from local schools participate in various engineering hands-on activities. She also serves in the Executive Board of the American Society for Engineering Education, North Central Section.
Dr. Vernaza's loves to travel; she has visited over 20 countries. She loves the outdoors and, since moving to Erie, she has become a cycling enthusiast. She is a Notre Dame, tennis and soccer fan.
In 2003, Dr. Vernaza joined Gannon University as an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering; in 2009, she was awarded tenure and advancement in rank to Associate Professor; and in 2014, she earned advancement in rank to Professor. Her primary teaching responsibilities are in the solid mechanics and materials areas. She conducts research in the area of alternative fuels (biodiesel), high strain deformation of materials and engineering education. Dr. Vernaza is the author of over 30 peer-reviewed publications. She is currently the Principal Investigator of a National Science Foundation S-STEM award for $1 million. She has served as the PI for two previous NSF S-STEM awards ($600,000 each) and one NSF ADVANCE-PAID Award ($385,919). Additionally, her projects have been funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Erie-Patterson Corporation, and the Gannon Center of Excellence in BioEnergy. Dr. Vernaza worked as a consultant for GE Transportation on different Off-Highway Vehicles projects as part of the GE/Gannon Master Program from 2006-2013.
Dr. Vernaza is active in the community, is an Erie Ambassador, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Non Profit Partnership. She volunteers on the Society of Women Engineers, serves as a mentor for young women in partnership with the North West Pennsylvania Girls Scout Council, and serves as a reviewer for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program and the American Society of Engineering Education Conference. Additionally, she organizes several yearly outreach activities at Gannon University where students from local schools participate in various engineering hands-on activities. She also serves in the Executive Board of the American Society for Engineering Education, North Central Section.
Dr. Vernaza's loves to travel; she has visited over 20 countries. She loves the outdoors and, since moving to Erie, she has become a cycling enthusiast. She is a Notre Dame, tennis and soccer fan.
Margaret Horne:
Messages To My Younger Self
Margaret (Maggie) U. Horne, MBA, CVA is the Director of Gannon University Small Business Development Center. Maggie earned an associate’s and a bachelor’s degree in business administration with concentration in marketing and management from Penn State University, and her MBA from Point Park University. She is also an Certified Valuation Analyst. Her background includes experience in law, accounting, education and business valuation. Maggie co-launched the first independent valuation firm in Western Pennsylvania where she consulted with numerous clients, including Microsoft, UPS, Ford, Proctor & Gamble, and Caterpillar. She was involved in over 50 mergers and acquisitions. Maggie developed and conducted numerous presentations related to business valuation and competitive intelligence.
Linda Stevenson: Gaining Mentors and Becoming One
Linda L. Stevenson founder and chair for Erie ATHENA PowerLink/ATHENA Erie and retired, Senior Vice President, PNC’s Women’s Business Development Program. Prior to her position with PNC she was named director of National City Corporation initiative for Women Business Owners in 2002. Under her leadership National City was recognized in a national study funded by the prestigious Ewing Marion Foundation as one of three banks demonstrating “best practices” in providing access to capital to women-owned businesses.
Linda is known for work with women who own businesses and for her support of female entrepreneurs and professionals. She founded and trademarked the Women’s Economic Development Outreach Tour (WEDO); expanding it to nine states reaching over 11,000 professional women and women in business, to bring information and focused resources to them. Her greatest pride is the success of the ATHENA PowerLink program which she introduced and developed in 30 communities throughout the nation. She leveraged her position in banking to enable her to seek and establish relationships with organizations whose mission is to improve the economic status of women business owners. She is committed to bringing people together to mentor the next generation of women. Linda is dedicated to understanding the issues affecting women in business and forging partnerships with advocacy groups to bring women’s leadership to the forefront.
Linda is known for work with women who own businesses and for her support of female entrepreneurs and professionals. She founded and trademarked the Women’s Economic Development Outreach Tour (WEDO); expanding it to nine states reaching over 11,000 professional women and women in business, to bring information and focused resources to them. Her greatest pride is the success of the ATHENA PowerLink program which she introduced and developed in 30 communities throughout the nation. She leveraged her position in banking to enable her to seek and establish relationships with organizations whose mission is to improve the economic status of women business owners. She is committed to bringing people together to mentor the next generation of women. Linda is dedicated to understanding the issues affecting women in business and forging partnerships with advocacy groups to bring women’s leadership to the forefront.
Linda Holman: Gaining Mentors and Becoming One
Linda Holman has over 25 years of human resources, customer service and leadership experience and works as Erie Insurance and HealthAmerica. She earned her MBA at Gannon University and a Bachelor's degree in Management from Penn State Erie. Linda is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources through Society of Human Resource Management and a Registered Corporate Coach through WABC.
Linda has passion for helping others discover their full potential and opened her own coaching business, Root Discovery in 2017. She has volunteered for Erie ATHENAPowerLink® program for many years and serves on the Board of Northwest Institute of Research (NWIR).
Linda is a lifelong resident of Erie, Pennsylvania.
Linda has passion for helping others discover their full potential and opened her own coaching business, Root Discovery in 2017. She has volunteered for Erie ATHENAPowerLink® program for many years and serves on the Board of Northwest Institute of Research (NWIR).
Linda is a lifelong resident of Erie, Pennsylvania.
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