Visible, Valuable, and Rising Together at Igniting Excellence 2026

This March, The WIT Network brings its 8th Annual International Women’s Day Conference — Igniting Excellence: Rising Together, Leading Forward — to San Diego, California, gathering women and allies for a powerful, purpose‑driven, three‑day experience, March 8-10.

Hosted at the retro‑chic Town & Country Resort, Igniting Excellence 2026 blends modern leadership with meaningful connection. Across keynotes, mentoring circles, movement sessions, and interactive breakout tracks, the conference is intentionally designed to ignite transformation, champion inclusive leadership, and build lasting community.

Whether attending in person or via livestream, participants can expect real conversations, practical insight, and an energy that carries well beyond the final session.

I’m honored to be part of this year’s experience in two ways — as a speaker and as a DJ, contributing both to the conversations on stage and the embodied energy that moves through the event.

My Session

Visible & Valuable: Overcoming the Fear of Being “Too Much”

Many women learn early to carefully manage their visibility — to be confident but not intimidating, capable but not “too much.” That unspoken pressure often shapes how we show up in meetings, leadership roles, and moments that matter most.

In this session, we’ll explore where the fear of being “too much” comes from, how it subtly shapes leadership behavior and self‑expression, and what it truly takes to show up fully without apology. This is not about becoming louder or more performative — it’s about becoming more aligned, more intentional, and more rooted in your value.

 

Igniting Excellence 2026 is guided by the vision of long time friend and colleague, Christine Bongard, Co‑Founder and CEO of The WIT Network, and brings together an extraordinary group of leaders, founders, executives, and change‑makers from across industries — all united by a shared commitment to rising together and leading forward.

I’m thrilled to be speaking along with so many colleagues that I have known for along time and many that I have been looking forward to connecting with. I’m excited to bring my decks and spin some inspiring music for all.

I hope you join us for this wonderful event and to celebrate International Women’s Day with us.

It’s not just a conference — it’s a vibe. Hope to see you there or on the live stream.

Whether you identify as a leader, emerging professional, or advocate for change, join me in San Diego. Let’s spark honest conversations about visibility, courage, and belonging.

📍 Town & Country Resort
🗓️ March 10–12, 2026
🎟️ Register

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on 8 March, commemorating women’s fight for equality and liberation along with the women’s rights movement. International Women’s Day gives focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women. Spurred by the universal female suffrage movement, International Women’s Day originated from labor movements in Europe and North America during the early 20th century.

International Women’s Day is a public holiday in several countries. The UN observes the holiday in connection with a particular issue, campaign, or theme in women’s rights.

#IWD2026 #IgnitingExcellence #TheWITNetwork #SanDiego #WomenInTech #Leadership

Speaker Lineup — Igniting Excellence 2026

• Thomas Ajspur — Chief Executive Officer, ENAVATE

• Nwando Anayou — Founder, Kunehealth

• Kate Baldwin — Director of Strategy & …, Cisco

• Kate Bergsma — Speaker, Microsoft Partner

• Bill Brandel — EVP and President, North America, Ingram Micro

• Karen Chastain — VP Global Partnerships, Enable

• Christine Bongard — CEO, The WIT Network

• Tiffani Bova — Chief Strategy and Research Officer, Futurum

• Cherilynn Castleman — Sales Coach / Keynote, CGI / Harvard

• Cass Cooper — Chief Strategy & Learning Officer, Know Better, Do Better Consulting

• Traci Costa — President & CEO, ATHENA International

• Maryleen Emeric — Senior Director of Copilot…, Microsoft

• Gloria Feldt — Cofounder and President, Take The Lead

• Mike Flanagan — Global CIO, Compucom

• Shannon Fitzpatrick — Microsoft Americas Disability…, Microsoft

• Ashley Goodwin‑Love — HR Advisor, Belonging &…, Ingram Micro

• Sharan Hildebrand — Founder and CEO, Fearless Sisters LLC

• Kate Isler — CEO, The Marketplace Inc

• Sona Jepsen — Founder & CEO, Pink Dragon

• Divya Jhunjhunwala — Sales Lead, Microsoft

• Heather Lacy — Chief of Staff, Global Engineering, Blackbaud

• Rachel B. Lee — Founder and Co‑Owner, StandOut Authority

• Jessie Mancuso — Yoga and Personal Transformation…, Uniquely You

• Renee Marchak — Founder & Principal Coach, All Things Career & Culture

• Gail Mercer‑MacKay — CEO, Mercer‑MacKay Digital Storytelling

• Vince Menzione — CEO, Ultimate Partner

• Kelly Nagel — Strategic Advisor, The WIT Network

• Brian Papay — CEO, Anglepoint

• Kimberly Perez — Strategic Communications…, Thanawala Digital

• Kati Quigley — BMC Software

• Michelle Ragusa‑McBain — Global Vice President of…, Corero

• Melissa Ruth — Senior Manager, Advisory Services, Bentley Systems

• Christine Sandman Stone — Principal Author, Deliver At Scale

• Gavriella Schuster — Board Director, Ontinue

• Liz Schweigert — Senior Director, Partnerships &…, Oracle

• Stacy Starling — Director, Software Development, Blackbaud

• Cheryl Stokes — Strategic Advisor, The WIT Network

• Ashleigh Vogstad — CEO, Transcend

• Iva Wasinsky — GTM Content Strategist, Narrative Communications

• Tiffany Wallace — Senior Vice President of…, Educate 360

• Jen Waltz — Chief Revenue Officer / Chief…, ZALOW, ISSI, IMAGINiT

• Jennifer Weis — Board President, Mission Save a Life

• Polina Yordanova — President, IAMCP Bulgaria / UniverseFlow

Thank you for reading. I believe that:

Empathy makes us human; actions make us warriors.

I post about business stuff in a newsletter on Linkedin twice a month, sign up here for that one: Maven Musings.

Follow all of my social media work, travels, and writing at my Linktree: https://linktr.ee/heddamaven