Women leaders are expected to perform flawlessly under pressure, and that pressure only increases when a microphone is involved. In this hands-on media training, participants will learn how to stay composed, clear, and confident when the stakes are high. Led by PR professionals who’ve coached presidents, executives, and spokespeople through live interviews and breaking news moments, this session offers a behind-the-scenes look at how seasoned leaders prepare for public interviews.

Together, we’ll explore:

• What reporters really want in interviews, and how to meet their needs while sticking to your message
• How to craft compelling talking points that stick
• The do’s and don’ts for interviews: on-camera, radio/podcast, print and online media publications
• How to bridge tough questions and give the answers you want
• Tips for navigating interviews and identifying spokespeople in the middle of a crisis or controversy

You’ll walk away with practical tools, personalized feedback, and a stronger sense of how to project authority without losing authenticity. Whether you’re speaking on behalf of a company, institution or leading through change, this training will help you be media ready. 
Women leaders are expected to perform flawlessly under pressure, especially when a microphone is involved. This hands-on media training will help you stay composed, clear, and confident in high-stakes interviews. Led by PR pros who’ve coached presidents and executives, the session covers what reporters want, how to stick to your message, and how to bridge tough questions. You’ll get practical tools, feedback, and techniques for on-camera, podcast, print, and online  interviews, so you can lead with confidence and communicate with impact.

Sponsored by: Fidelity Bank

About Cristal Steuer and Kristine Maloney

Cristal Steuer, APR, is the associate vice president of TVP Communications, a national communications and leadership agency solely focused on higher education. She leads the development and execution of TVP’s media strategy and spearheads its national and trade media relations outreach for its clients. Cristal brings more than 15 years of experience in higher education media and public relations, strategic communications, and storytelling to her campus clients. As one of the agency’s star pitchers, her tenacity and timeliness help her find success when sharing trend stories, research and scholarship of faculty and senior administrators with a wide range of journalists and editors across the country. Prior to joining the agency, she was in charge of national media relations at the College of the Holy Cross and worked in television newsrooms in both Boston and Springfield, MA. She is a founding member, president, and the APR chair of PRSA’s Greater Worcester Chapter.  Kristine Maloney is vice president at TVP Communications, where she brings over 20 years of experience navigating the evolving media and political landscapes to secure influential public scholarship and thought leadership placements for the agency’s partner colleges and universities. Known for her strategic insights and strong media connections, her work with college administrators and faculty has helped to establish them as leaders among their peers and in the media. In her role at TVP Communications, Kristine also serves as a co-editor and contributor for the Inside Higher Ed blog, Call to Action, which explores the marketing and communications of higher education. She is a founding board member, currently serving as immediate past president, of the PRSA Greater Worcester chapter. Prior to joining TVP Comms, Kristine developed a comprehensive, nationally-focused media relations program at the College of the Holy Cross. She earned her B.A. in English from Stonehill College and a master’s degree in professional communications from Clark University.

Many women hesitate to negotiate, worried about seeming ungrateful, uncertain about what’s fair, or anxious about being judged. Others may feel confident but lack the tools to clearly measure and communicate their true value in ways that resonate with employers. This session helps women move past common barriers to negotiation, like the fear of seeming ungrateful or uncertainty about what’s fair. Participants will explore a practical “Negotiation Menu” that goes beyond salary, learn how to measure their true value by capturing personal KPIs (what the organization was like before they joined, and what it’s like after), and discover cues that show when they’re indispensable or costly to replace. You’ll also learn that it’s okay to brag about your work and how to do it in a way that feels authentic and persuasive. Attendees will leave with strategies to negotiate confidently for salary, benefits, flexibility, and career growth.

Sponsored by: Saint Gobain

About Cindy Gray

Cynthia Hipona Gray is a transformational leader, consultant, and advocate for women in business. A Deming Scholar MBA and Certified Six Sigma Black Belt, she has over two decades of experience leading global process improvement, technology, and regulatory initiatives for companies including Regeneron, Lilly, Pfizer, Merck, Sanofi, Bioverativ, Biogen, Vertex, and Takeda. As President of Gray’s Analysis, Inc., Cynthia helps organizations achieve operational excellence and negotiate complex contracts with technology vendors. A first-generation Filipino American and mother of three, she also mentors women in negotiating their salaries and total compensation packages. Her seminar, “Knowing Your Worth and Negotiating for Impact,” empowers women to own their value and lead with confidence.

Women often face not just external barriers to advancement, but also subtle workplace communication patterns that erode confidence, credibility, and sustainability. Drawing on interviews with mid-career women across healthcare, tech, higher education, and nonprofits, this session reveals the hidden signals—mission-driven overwork, gaslighting, and value misalignment—that create career breaking points. Just as importantly, the session highlights that women experiencing these challenges are not alone. Through shared stories and interactive reflection, participants will connect their own experiences to broader patterns, recognize cultural barriers in their workplaces, and leave with practical strategies to protect their momentum and support other women.
Why do so many women reach a breaking point mid-career — and how can we stop it? This session uncovers how everyday communication patterns in the workplace can either sustain or disrupt women’s careers. Based on research with women across industries, participants will see that these challenges are not just personal struggles but shared experiences shaped by workplace culture. Together, we’ll explore how to recognize cultural barriers such as overwork, gaslighting, and value misalignment—and most importantly, how to respond with clarity and confidence. Attendees will leave with tools to strengthen their own careers and to support other women in theirs.

Sponsored by: Webster Five

About Dr. Laura Nicole Miller

Dr. Laura Nicole Miller is an Assistant Professor of Organizational Communication and the Director of Graduate Business Programs at Assumption University’s Grenon School of Business. Her research examines how workplace communication fosters — or undermines — inclusion, leadership, and long-term career success, with a particular focus on women’s experiences. Before academia, Dr. Miller spent more than a decade as a marketing and communications executive in the education technology sector, serving as Vice President of Marketing and Communication for three companies. A first-generation college graduate, she is dedicated to combining scholarly expertise with executive experience to help women professionals strengthen their voices, navigate challenges, and sustain meaningful, resilient careers.

We’re living through one of the most disruptive decades in history. In times like these, the most powerful leadership skill isn’t a strategy – it’s the ability to lead yourself.  In this engaging and research-informed session, Julie Jungalwala equips audiences with the tools to find clarity, reclaim courage, and move forward with intention, even when the path ahead is unclear. Blending insights from adult development theory, behavior change research, and over two decades of leadership work, Julie guides participants to reconnect with what truly matters and lead themselves into the future with purpose.

We’re living through one of the most disruptive decades in history, a time when constant change is the new normal. In this engaging, research-informed session, Julie Jungalwala invites you to explore the most vital leadership skill of our time: the ability to lead yourself first. You’ll learn how to navigate uncertainty with clarity, courage, and purpose, and discover a practical framework to keep growing no matter what the future holds. Grounded in research and real-world experience, Julie’s approach helps you move from reaction to intention, reconnect with what truly matters, and design your next chapter with confidence and adaptability.

Sponsored by: AHA Consulting

About Julie Jungalwala

Julie Jungalwala helps leaders and organizations thrive in times of disruption. She is a keynote speaker, author, and founder of Human Possibility and the Institute for the Future of Learning, with more than twenty years of experience guiding professionals through complex transitions.  A Harvard-trained expert in leadership and human development, Julie’s work centers on self-leadership and adaptability- the ability to stay grounded and effective amid uncertainty. She helps audiences transform change from something to survive into something they are uniquely equipped to navigate and shape.  Her flagship keynote, Lead Yourself First, offers a research-backed framework for navigating personal and professional turning points. Through memorable stories and actionable insights, Julie equips leaders to respond – not react – to disruption, and to move forward with courage, clarity, and renewed purpose.  Her forthcoming book, Lead Yourself First: How to Find Clarity, Courage, and Direction in an Unpredictable World (2026), expands on these themes—offering readers a field guide for leading themselves through change.