The Four Corners Professional Women’s Summit returns for its fourth year with a new theme: Reinventing Yourself. The Summit, a conference for and by women in the four corners region, is a unique opportunity for professional networking and relationship-building. The theme for this year is purposefully open - allowing every attendee to choose their own definition of what it means to reinvent themselves. This story is sponsored by Ace Hardware of Farmington and Boon's Family Thai Barbecue
Reinvent. To change something so much, it appears entirely new. Or to take up a new job or a new way of life. The idea of reinventing yourself comes up in so many places in life, and every time means something a little different. At the Four Corners Professional Women Summit in Farmington this October, the theme Reinventing Yourself, we'll explore the different interpretations through speakers, networking events and more. You're watching the local news network brought to you by Ace Hardware of Farmington and Boone's family Thai barbecue. I'm Hayley Opsal.
The Professional Women Summit is an opportunity for women and men from around the area to come together for a day of engagement and education and networking and professional development. We started the summit in 2019, did a virtual summit in 2020, and then saw huge growth of the event in 2021 and continuing on now into 2022. Like so many things, it started over a cup of coffee with a group of chamber members and women at a networking event. And we just saw a gap. We realized that there wasn't a very dedicated event or summit retreat for women within the Four Corners region. So we saw that as something that the Farmington Chamber could step into that space and develop something. And we're finding there's been such a huge positive reaction to the summit that we just we expect it to continue to grow.
Featuring speakers from across the Four Corners region and beyond, the summit will explore what it means to reinvent yourself and the many different ways that might look like. Each speaker will discuss their personal experiences and how they interpret what it means to reinvent oneself.
I look at it as as developing your narrative and how your narrative has has shifted and changed because your story in the way from the time that you were born to the time that you're present, there are so many probably beautiful mountains and valleys and movement in that process from your parents and what they did and how have you learned from your community? So I look at reinventing as, as always, a new step on how you're learning, how you how you really understand your place in time and your impact to anyone that you come across. And so for mine is really through narrative and through story and understanding that you have the ability to turn the page, you have the ability to rewrite it, you have the ability to re-imagine and redefine. And that all comes from you, creating that narrative for yourself and that and for your children. And for those that you impact. And so that's kind of how I see it.
As in previous years, the summit is all contained in one day, but there will be an additional networking opportunity the evening before, on October 12th, a chance for attendees to meet with others before the conference itself. The networking event is especially valuable this year as there will be around 30 to 40 students from local high schools and San Juan College. October 13th, the day of the conference will have presentations split with breaks and other networking opportunities. Unlike other conferences, you don't have to pick which speaker event to attend. Everyone will get to hear everyone.
I'm just looking forward to hearing the beautiful stories. as I had stated earlier. I think that there is so much strength and knowledge within our own communities, and that's I can't wait to hear about.
We have such amazing people in our community that have such rich experience and knowledge that they're willing to share. And I don't know if we have really embraced the fact that we can do this right here in Farmington in the four corners. And I think there's something to be said for traveling and meeting people outside of your area. But I also think there's something in recognizing and valuing the people that we have here and hearing from them and their stories and what they have to share in our community as we reinvent our community and we move forward.
Summit registration is only open until September 30th, so make sure to sign up to attend before then. The summit is open to everyone, men and women. To register, contact the Chamber of Farmington at 505-325-0279 or visit the website at professionalwomenssummit.com. Thanks for watching this edition of Local News Network. I'm Hayley Opsal.
