Last Updated: 12/14/2011*

More than 7,000 women attended the seventh annual Massachusetts Conference for Women, a new attendance record for the conference, held Dec. 8, 2011, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, marking the highest attendance for the conference to date. For the seventh consecutive year, Raytheon served as a corporate sponsor of the event.

This year's theme, "Live Fearlessly," encouraged participants to make bold decisions in their personal and professional lives that would inspire change and transformation. The event included opportunities for women to network, learn about career opportunities, and exchange experiences.

Both Rebecca Rhoads, Raytheon vice president and chief information officer, and Pam Wickham, Raytheon vice president of Corporate Affairs & Communications, who is also a board member of the Massachusetts Conference for Women, hosted a company breakfast with more than 175 Raytheon women, 50 Young Women's participants and five women from the Wounded Warrior Project. Guest speaker Dr. Brené Brown, research professor at the University of Houston, urged the audience to live a truly authentic life by summoning the courage to be imperfect and vulnerable.

Joanne Bockmiller, vice president of Human Resources & Security at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, later introduced Dr. Brown at a conference breakout session entitled, "The Inspirational Leader: Harnessing the Power of Courage, Authenticity, and Vulnerability."

Additionally, Beth Carlson, vice president of learning at Raytheon, hosted an Expert Exchange at the conference entitled, "Your Authenticity and Company Norms: Where is the Line When Conflict Occurs?" Carlson facilitated a dynamic discussion among the women that drew many personal stories about overcoming obstacles in the workplace.

For the first time, Raytheon tweeted live from the event, keeping audiences up-to-date with the conference details via posts and photos.

Uplifting Speakers and Invaluable Resources
Headliners at this year's conference included Gretchen Rubin, bestselling author of The Happiness Project; Martha Beck, life coach and O, The Oprah Magazine columnist; Grace Kelly, award-winning musician; Angela Menino, First Lady of Boston; and Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, hosts of MSNBC'S Morning Joe.

In addition to the breakfast and luncheon keynote speakers, breakout sessions focused on topics such as: "The New Era of Networking: Innovative Ways to Engage and Mobilize," "Get Lucky! How Preparation Can Change the Course of Your Career" and "Cultivating Female Leaders." The breakout sessions were complemented by a health and wellness pavilion as well as a career pavilion that consisted of mentor matching, resume reviews, a local leaders "meet up" and social media mentoring.

This year, the conference expanded its Be the Change Award by honoring three non-profit organizations whose missions embody women and girls achieving their full potential and epitomize commitment to improving the lives of those in the community. The Science Club for Girls, St. Mary's Center for Women and Children and the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston were this year's winners.

Lessons From an Inspirational Day
As in prior years, the seventh annual Massachusetts Conference for Women had something for everyone, whether it was career development, health and wellness, finance, or personal growth. The speakers inspired and encouraged the attendees, leaving them with an arsenal of resources to begin, or continue, to live fearlessly.

SHARE CONTENT

| More Options

* The content on this page is classified as historical content. See this important information regarding such content.

Top of the Page