Women Leading Ed. For a Change.

Welcome to the

2025 WLE Summit!

Dates April 24 - 26, 2025
City/State Charlotte, North Carolina
Location The Ballantyne Charlotte

See the Agenda

Uniting for Change

Our immersive 3-day, in-person Summit will welcome over 200 women leaders from SEAs and LEAs across the country, with over one third being sitting superintendents. Together, we'll engage in impactful dialogue and forge invaluable connections to support the education systems-leadership pipeline for women. This is where women shape the future of education leadership.

This page serves as your central hub throughout the Summit, providing seamless access to essential resources. Explore the agenda, meet the powerful attendees, dive into pre-read materials, and access our comprehensive resource repository.

JUMP TO: AGENDA | SPEAKERS | PARTICIPANTS | PRE-READS | RESOURCES

Summit Goals

Develop a dynamic, nationwide network for women leaders through hands-on learning, dialogue, and networking.

Foster an environment to grow in trust, deepen relationships, and elevate leadership.

Build participants' skills in spearheading initiatives that advance their communities' goals.

Agenda

VIEW IN PDF

Thursday, April 24: Women Leading Ed Summit Day 1

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM I Leadership Breakfast (Carolina)

10:00 AM - 3:15 PM I One-on-One Coaching Sessions* (Fairway)

11:00 AM - 3:00 PM I Relaxation Lounge (Carolina)

11:00 AM - 3:00 PM I Headshot Refresh (Overlook)

1:00 PM | Attendee Arrival and Registration (Great Room)

3:30 - 4:30 PM | Attendee Home Group Meetings (Fairway)

4:30 - 6:00 PM | Opening Reception and Programming (Atrium )

6:00 - 7:45 PM | Dinner & Fireside Chat (Ballantyne Ballroom)

7:45 - 9:20 PM | Programming: The Art of Negotiation (Atrium)

*Advanced registration required

Friday, April 25: Women Leading Ed Summit Day 2

6:30 - 7:30 AM | Wellness Session w/ Olympian Lara Dallman-Weiss** (Overlook)

8:00 - 8:45 AM | Breakfast and Networking (Atrium)

8:45 - 9:00 AM | Break (Pre-function)

9:00 - 9:30 AM | Welcome, Setting the Context, Goals, and Introduction Activity (Ballantyne Ballroom)

9:30 - 11:10 AM | Women Leading Ed Talks and Discussion (Ballantyne Ballroom)

11:10 - 11:30 AM | Break (Pre-function)

11:30 - 12:30 PM | Facilitated Discussion of Pre-Readings (Ballantyne Ballroom)

12:30 - 1:30 PM | Lunch (Atrium)

1:30- 3:05 PM | Network Agenda Discussion (Ballantyne Ballroom)

3:05 - 3:25 PM | Break (Pre-function)

3:25 - 4:10 PM | Reflections on Being in the Top Role (Ballantyne Ballroom)

4:10 - 4:30 PM | Final Reflections, Commitments, and Closing (Ballantyne Ballroom)

4:30 - 6:00 PM | Programming and Networking Reception (Rose Garden / Atrium)

6:00 - 6:15 PM | Transition to Dinner

6:15 - 8:30 PM | Small Group Dinners (Predetermined venues)

**Optional, with pre-sign up

Saturday, April 26: Women Leading Ed Summit Day 3

7:00 - 8:30 AM | One-on-One Coaching Sessions* (Ballantyne Ballroom)

7:15 - 7:45 AM | Wellness Session** (Fairway)

7:30 - 8:15 AM | Breakfast and Networking (Atrium)

8:15 - 8:30 AM | Break (Pre-function)

8:30 - 11:45 AM | Superintendent Breakout Group (Fairway Ballroom)

8:30 - 11:45 AM | Non-Superintendent Session (Ballantyne Ballroom)

11:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Closing Session (Ballantyne Ballroom)

*Advanced registration required

**Optional, with pre-sign up

Map Guide

Please refer to the agenda for specific meeting room assignments for each session. You can find the corresponding locations on the map.

Meet the Speakers ·

Summit 2025 offers an impressive lineup of speakers and facilitators, each bringing unique expertise and insights to the table. From seasoned district and state superintendents with decades of experience leading educational institutions and CEOs with proven track records of success, to world-class athletes who understand the pressures of top performance, our speakers embody the depth and breadth of perspectives crucial to transforming the education landscape.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Six-time Olympic Medalist, Track and Field World Champion
Dr. Julia Rafal-Baer

CEO, Women Leading Ed
CEO, ILO Group
Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell

Board Chair, Women Leading Ed Superintendent, Oakland Unified School District, CA
Kirsten Baesler

Superintendent of Public Instruction
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, ND
Dr. Susana Córdova

Commissioner,
Colorado Department of Education, CO
Dr. Margaret Crespo

Superintendent-in-Residence, ILO Group
Former Superintendent, Laramie County School District 1, WY
Dr. Mary Elizabeth Davis

Superintendent,
Cherokee County School District, GA
Dr. Susan Enfield

Superintendent-in-Residence, ILO Group
Former Superintendent Washoe County School District, NV
Angélica Infante-Green

Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, Rhode Island Department of Education, RI
Dr. Carol Kelley

Superintendent,
Salem City Public Schools, NJ
Dr. LaTanya McDade

Superintendent,
Prince William County Public Schools, VA
Dr. Denise Watts

Superintendent,
Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, GA
Page Fehling

Page Fehling,
Professional Development Facilitator
Dr. Carey Wright

State Superintendent of Schools, Maryland State Department of Education, MD
Sarah Maslin Nir

Journalist, New York Times
Two-time finalist, Pulitzer Prize
Shalinee Sharma

CEO & Co-Founder, Zearn

PARTICIPANTS

Who’s Who

The Who’s Who guide is a bio book showcasing all of the amazing women leaders attending this year’s Summit. Learn more about the WLE community!

Access the Who's Who Guide

Pre-Reads

Please review the required pre-read materials before attending the WLE Summit. These resources, which should take around 45 minutes to go through, will introduce key topics that will be discussed during the Summit session. Coming prepared with this background knowledge will ensure more substantive conversations at the Summit.