Stem-up Programs

2023 Success In STEM

Women’s Leadership Summit

Next Level Networking: Building and Maintaining Your Network for Success in the STEM World

Highlights from 2023 Summit

We are so excited to bring you a HYBRID Leadership Summit for 2023! Join us in person in Harrisburg at Harrisburg University’s 14th floor for a day pack filled with great workshops, speakers, and networking. Or be a part of our virtual community by joining the summit online!

Featuring industry and academic professionals ready to share their experience, practical advice, and strategies to expand and make the most of your network.

Overview of Friday, March 31st from 8am-3pm

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Registration – HU Lobby, Street Level
Networking & Refreshments – 14th Floor Auditorium
Resume Reviews – Room 1358

9:00 AM – 9:05 AM

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Welcome and Opening Remarks – 14th Floor Auditorium

Dr. Bilita “Bili” Mattes, Executive Director, STEM-UP Network
Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Harrisburg University of Science & Technology

9:05 AM – 10:10 AM

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STEM Panel Discussion – 14th Floor Auditorium

Moderator – Dr. Oralia Garcia Dominic, Medical Policy Research Analyst, Chief Medical Officer Organization, Highmark Inc.

Science Panelist – Dr. Akeisha Belgrave, Program Lead & Assistant Professor of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences,
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology

Technology Panelist – MAJ Christine M. Pierce, Cyber Defense Branch Chief and the Defensive Cyber Operations Element
(DCOE) Team Chief, PA Army National Guard

Engineering Panelist – Lesli Kunkle, Director of Food Safety and Quality, Wolfgang Confectioners

Mathematics Panelist – Anita McAllister, VP of Data and Analytics, Members 1st Federal Credit Union

10:10 AM – 10:30 AM

Break

Breakout Workshops

10:30 AM – 11:45 AM

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Breakout 1 - Your Brand, Your Voice - Become Your Own Agent - Room 1462

Presenter – Anupa Upadhyay, Strategy Managing Director, Accenture Strategy

Building your brand may seem daunting, but all of you already have one. The hard part is communicating your personal brand. Like anything else, it just takes time and effort to articulate your purpose, core values, strengths, skills, credibility, and most importantly what makes you, YOU. During this session, we will bring to life how you can think about your personal brand and how you can effectively become your own agent. We will learn about Performance, Image, and Exposure as a framework for how you can advance your career.

Breakout 2 - Ask for What You Want and Deserve - Room 1463

Presenter – Krista Beljan, Leadership Consultant, Dame Leadership

Come explore the impact of culture, gender and societal expectation on your self-image. Open your mind to consider your reality, reflect on your value and identify the barriers in the stories you tell yourself. Change the narrative with fresh self-awareness, perspective-taking, and practice.

Breakout 3 - Social Media Strategies for Success (LinkedIn) - Room 1412

Presenter – Ashley N. Lloyd, Social Media Strategist, PSECU

In this session, you will learn why to use LinkedIn, things to keep in mind, resources, some profile suggestions, and be able to ask your burning questions about LinkedIn usage.

11:45 AM to 12:15 PM

Lunch – 14th Floor Auditorium

12:15 AM to 12:45 PM

STEM-UP Network Program Review and Networking Activity – 14th Floor Auditorium

Breakout Workshops

12:50 AM to 1:50 PM

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Breakout 1 - Building Confidence - Finding and Using Your Voice - Room 1462

Presenter – Mary Angela Baker, M.A., Principal Consultant, Firm Fortitude

Confidence is a belief in oneself, the conviction that one has the ability to meet life’s challenges and to succeed—and the willingness to act accordingly. This workshop explores the practical skills to build confidence and strengthen trust in yourself to take calculated risks and create positive outcomes through your actions.

Breakout 2 - Navigating Bias and Hidden Rules - Room 1463

Presenter – Dr. Francia Doñe Henry, President, MION Consulting

In the session, we will discuss how culture and politics intertwine in the workplace and how culture and politics affect career growth.

Breakout 3 - Choosing Courage Over Confidence - Room 1412

Presenter – La-Kita Gilmore, Associate Director – Technology, IVR Strategy | Operations Transformation, AT&T Services, Inc.

Does your level of self-confidence guide and direct your decisions? Do you want to move forward in making decisions without being paralyzed by a lack of self-confidence? Join us as we discuss how you can leverage courage over confidence to make strategic decisions in your career, life, and community

1:50 PM to 2:00 PM

Break

2:00 PM to 2:50 PM

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STEM Panel Discussion – 14th Floor Auditorium

Moderator – Aaysha Noor, Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, The GIANT Company

Science Panelist – Dr. Christina Sax, Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, Maryland University of Integrative Health

Technology Panelist – Stacy Pagán, IT Project Manager, Central Pa., UPMC
Engineering Panelist – Jennifer Knox, PE, MBA, AE Advisory Consultant, Stambaugh Ness

Mathematics Panelist – Amy Castleberry, CFA, Managing Director, Ziegler

2:50 PM to  3:00 PM

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Reflection, Key Takeaways and Closing Remarks– 14th Floor Auditorium

Dr. Bili Mattes, Executive Director, STEM-UP Network, Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Harrisburg University of Science & Technology

Speakers

Dr. Akeisha Belgrave

Harrisburg University of Science & Technology

Krista Beljan, MS

Dame Leadership

Gilmore, La-Kita
La-Kita Gilmore

AT&T

Jennifer Knox, MBA, PE

Stambaugh Ness

Kunkle, Lesli
Lesli Kunkle

Wolfgang Confectioners

Stacy Pagán

UPMC

Sax, Christina
Dr. Christina Sax

Maryland University of Integrative Health

Amy Castleberry 
Ziegler

 

Mjr. Christine Pierce 

PA Army National Guard

Ashley Lloyd

 PSECU

Anita McAllister
Members 1st Federal Credit Union

 

Upadhyay, Anupa
Anupa Upadhyay
Accenture

 

Mary Angela Baker 

Firm Fortitude

Dr. Francia Doñe Henry

 MION Consulting

Moderators 

Beth Christian

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 

Dr. Oralia Dominic

Highmark

Sheri Collins 

McNees Wallace & Nurrick LLC

Aaysha Noor 

The GIANT Company