Women in Hospitality Conference Agenda

Monday, March 31st | Wynn Las Vegas

8:30am Welcome Coffee & Breakfast

9:00am Welcome & Introduction
Featuring: Joanna James, founder of MAPP and Filmmaker & Mary Choi Kelly, PHD, Co-Founder of Women’s Hospitality Initiative (WHI)

9:15am Power Talks

Get inspired for the day ahead with 2 brief, impactful 10-minute sessions featuring an industry expert sharing key insights followed by a guided Question & Answer session. Topics Include:

• 9:15-9:30: A Leader’s Role in Building Brands and Delivering Exceptional Experiences

  Featuring: Todd Lenahan, President Wynn Design & Development

• 9:30-9:45: The Power of Mitigating Stress as a Leader

• Featuring: Cipriana Quann and TK Quann, Founders, Chew On Something

9:45am Guided Q&A

• Featuring: Mary Choi Kelly, PHD, Co-Founder of Women’s Hospitality Initiative (WHI)

10:15am Coffee Break

10:30am Break-Out Sessions

Dive deep into topics that suit your career path and industry focus.

Topics Include:

• Building A Strong Brand Identity

  AM Session Featuring: Lin Jerome, Owner, Co-Founder Café Lola, Saint Honoré Doughnuts and Beignets, 3 Little Chicks, Pizza Anonymous and The Refined Agency; Monica Moradkhan, VP of Community Relations at Wynn Resorts

  PM Session Featuring: Kristina Unker, Founder & Creative Strategist at MA'AM Creative
  Discuss modern hospitality marketing strategies including digital marketing, social media engagement, influencer partnerships, and storytelling. Strategies for using customer insights to tailor marketing campaigns.

• The Power of the Pivot: Adapting to Market Dynamics

  AM Session Featuring: Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, award-winning chefs, cookbook authors, television personalities, entrepreneurs; Tracy Morris, Corporate Director of Dinex Group; Karla Hoyos, Chef & Founder, Tacotomia and Disaster Relief Chef at World Central Kitchen
  Learn how to make savvy financial choices for yourself and your staff, whether you're just starting out or preparing to exit the business. Gain strategies for managing finances at every stage of your career.

  PM Session Featuring: Tracy Morris, Corporate Director, Dinex Group (Daniel Boulud); Monique Boyd, General Manager, Legends Hospitality (The Star - Dallas Cowboys)

• Driving Profitability: Smart Financial Decisions

  AM Session Featuring: Lorena Garcia, Chef & Owner of CHICA, Esther Choi, Chef and Owner of Mokbar NYC;

  PM Session Featuring: Lorena Garcia, Chef & Owner of CHICA; Megan Sullivan, Director of Operations at Union Square Hospitality
  Understanding P&L statements, capital expenditures, revenue management, and leveraging financial data to make informed business decisions. Practical tips on budgeting, forecasting, and managing cash flow in a hospitality business.

• Leadership from the Inside Out

  AM Session Featuring: Erika Cospy Carr, Vice President, Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA); Opal Poullard, 2x Food Network Chopped champion, former Air Force member

  PM Session Featuring: Ivette Fernandez, VP Government Relations for TKO (UFC and WWE)
  Explore how building self-awareness and emotional intelligence (EQ) can empower you to lead yourself, your teams, and your organization. Learn practical tools to enhance your leadership skills and foster stronger, more effective relationships in the workplace. Creating a safe environment where employees feel heard, valued.

11:15am Coffee Break

11:30am KEYNOTE CONVERSATION: Inspired Leadership & Living: Merging Ambition, Well-Being and Purpose
Featuring: Exclusive conversation with Jan Jones Blackhurst, Political & Business Leader, Board Member, Executive Director, UNLV Black Fire Leadership Initiative; Diana Bennett, CEO and Co-Founder Paragon Gaming; and Elizabeth Blau, Founder of Women’s Hospitality Initiative (WHI) and Co-Owner of Blau & Associates. Moderated by Punam Mather, Executive Director Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation

12:15pm Interactive Lunch Session with MOMS F1RST

• Unlocking Creative Child Care Solutions for Employers & Employees

  Featuring: Meredith Lipnick, Director of Private Sector Strategy, Moms First and Molly Moon Neitzel, CEO & Founder of Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream

  This interactive lunch session is focused on actionable child care solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. Get to know the MOMS F1RST team and their work, followed by a spotlight conversation with a small business leader who has successfully implemented ground-breaking child care benefits for her employees. Attendees will have a chance to engage in a table discussion with fellow business leaders to explore challenges, share insights, and brainstorm practical solutions to support working parents while strengthening the workforce. Following the conference we will be launching a cohort of small and medium sized businesses looking to implement care solutions with the support of Moms First and MAPP.  

1:15pm Second Breakout Options

Second Choice Option from list of workshops above.

2pm Coffee Break

2:15pm Panel Discussion-Hospitality Mavericks: Shaping Tomorrow

Featuring: Alex Dixon, CEO of Resorts World; Angie Mar, Chef and Owner of Le B; Lorena Garcia, Chef and Owner of CHICA; Antonia Lofaso, Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur; Dominique Crenn, Owner and Chef of Atelier Crenn, Awarded 3 Michelin Stars; moderated by Debby Soo, CEO of OpenTable.

3pm Coffee Break

3:15pm Building A Life Brief

Featuring: Bonnie Wan, Author & Creator of The Life Brief, Partner and Head of Brand Strategy at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, one of Fast Company's 2021 Most Innovative Companies In The World.

4:00pm Cocktail Activation

Join top Vegas mixologists as they craft exclusive MAPP and WHI cocktails. Enjoy samples, learn the recipes, and vote for your favorite. Network and connect in a fun, interactive setting.

Featuring: Mariena Boarini, Visionary Mixologist at Wynn; Kate Gerwin, Owner of Happy Accidents