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Summit 2025: Rising Together

Thursday, May 1, 2025
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM (CDT)
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Join AWIN for the highlight of our year and experience a day of leadership development, inspiration, and peer interaction! Register for AWIN's seventh annual Summit, scheduled for Thursday, May 1. The main program runs from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel. 

Click the tabs above to view the full agenda and breakout session options. This exclusive event is available to AWIN members only. Member tickets this year are $250 per person.


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Before the Summit program begins, join us for an early morning wellness session! Select ONE of the following options during online registration.  Important: Please bring your own mats! Yoga attire is recommended. There will be space available to change afterwards. Session capacity is limited, so make sure to reserve your spot! 

Option 1: Sound Bath 

Experience sound meditation from quartz crystal bowls, chimes, and other healing sounds to elevate and heal your body and mind with Ally LaForest of Yoga & Sound. Get ready to relax, restore, and realign. Ally will guide you through gentle warmups for the first 10 minutes to prepare your body for a comfortable, relaxed 40 minutes of well-deserved stillness and rest. This class is open to all experience levels. 

Option 2: The Pow{h}er Method: Bodyweight Barre 

Join Amy Jones, Skanska, and Amy Weber, Founder of The Pow{h}er Method, for an energizing and targeted workout. You’ll use bodyweight exercises to sculpt and stretch your entire body using classic barre exercises on yoga mats. This class is designed to fit all levels of experience and will not require a bar. Enjoy choreographed movements to motivating music designed to build muscle strength, tone, flexibility, balance, and alignment. 

Michelle Kennedy serves as the President, COO & Alternate Governor of the Nashville Predators. From her roots in a small town in Kentucky to becoming a top leader in professional sports, Michelle will discuss her journey navigating the world of sports, entertainment, law, and business and offer inspiring lessons for all leaders. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from one of the high-ranking women in professional sports and a leadership icon! 

Michelle began with the Nashville Predators in 2008 as In-House Counsel, rising through the organization to Chief Operating Officer. In 2023, she assumed her current role. 

Break out at Summit! Learn about each session below. You will decide which to attend on-site. No pre-registration required.

1. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle TN: The Power of Mentorship   

Join our May community partner, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, for an inspiring session highlighting the transformative power of mentorship on professional growth, mental health, and well-being. This session will feature a distinguished panel of Nashville leaders, all experienced mentors and mentees, who will share their insights and strategies for cultivating meaningful mentoring relationships. Learn how you can make a direct impact through mentorship while writing cards to the next generation of leaders, the BBBS 2025 graduating class! 

2. Ecocycle Planning for Seasonal Sanity

Connect with your peers and experience the shared wisdom of the seasons together. In this breakout session participants will be able to learn from and support one another on a meaningful level, based on a simple assessment of what “season” they might be in (hint: this has NOTHING to do with age!). Theresa Ward, Founder and Chief Momentum Officer of The Fiery Feather, will introduce and help participants explore the innovative yet practical Ecocycle Framework, to uncover if they are in Winter, Spring, Summer, or Autumn - and how to move through any season with more ease and intentionality. 

3. Leverage AI for Leadership 

Learn how to utilize AI technology to enhance your personal and professional skillsets. This facilitated session will provide an overview of AI tools and discuss best practices for using AI to advance personal organization, time management, and various professional skills. 

Hear from an all-star panel of AWIN member female CEOs as they discuss their leadership experience. Panelists will include:

  • Teresa Broyles-Aplin, President and CEO, Nashville Electric Service
  • Stephanie Coleman, President and CEO, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Carrie Stokes, CEO / President, Barge Design Solutions
  • Amanda Weeks-Geveden (Moderator), Senior Wealth Advisor, SVP, 1834, a division of Old National Bank 

Breakout at Summit! Learn about each session below. You will decide which to attend on-site. No pre-registration required.

1. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle TN: The Power of Mentorship   

Join our May community partner, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, for an inspiring session highlighting the transformative power of mentorship on professional growth, mental health, and well-being. This session will feature a distinguished panel of Nashville leaders, all experienced mentors and mentees, who will share their personal journeys, insights, and strategies for cultivating meaningful mentoring relationships. Conclude the session by learning how you can make a direct impact through mentorship while writing cards to the next generation of leaders, the BBBS 2025 graduating class! 

2. Connection Depot

Visit a multi-station mock community designed to help you build meaningful alliances and relational intelligence skills, while having fun! Theresa Ward, Founder and Chief Momentum Officer of The Fiery Feather, will facilitate an innovative and memorable breakout where participants can dive into their favorite superhero film, share stories around a bonfire, or even board an imaginary pirate ship … you’ll walk away with new friends and refreshing insights. 

3. Culture and Belonging: Meeting the Moment  

Hear from a panel of AWIN member organization executives on how culture and inclusion are evolving with the environment. Panelists will include:

    • Corliss Garner, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Old National Bank
    • Mekesha Montgomery, Labor & Employment Practice Group Leader, Frost Brown Todd 

4. Leverage AI for Leadership 

Learn how to utilize AI technology to enhance your personal and professional skillsets. This facilitated session will provide an overview of AI tools and discuss best practices for using AI to advance personal organization, time management, and various professional skills. 

Fawn Weaver is the Founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Inc., the fastest-growing American whiskey brand in the U.S. and the best-selling Black American-founded spirit brand of all time. Fawn is one of only five African American women to found and lead a $1B+ company in U.S. history. Weaver is a popular TED speaker and two-time New York Times best-selling author. Summit attendees will receive a copy of her most-recent best-selling book, Love and Whiskey, with the opportunity to have it signed. 
Attendees are invited to bring a guest “champion” (mentor, co-worker, partner, spouse, or friend) to celebrate with AWIN over wine and beer at the conclusion of Summit from 4-5 p.m.

Break out at Summit! Learn about each session below. You will decide which to attend on-site. No pre-registration required.

1. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle TN: The Power of Mentorship   

Join our May community partner, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, for an inspiring session highlighting the transformative power of mentorship on professional growth, mental health, and well-being. This session will feature a distinguished panel of Nashville leaders, all experienced mentors and mentees, who will share their insights and strategies for cultivating meaningful mentoring relationships. Learn how you can make a direct impact through mentorship while writing cards to the next generation of leaders, the BBBS 2025 graduating class! 

2. Ecocycle Planning for Seasonal Sanity

Connect with your peers and experience the shared wisdom of the seasons together. In this breakout session participants will be able to learn from and support one another on a meaningful level, based on a simple assessment of what “season” they might be in (hint: this has NOTHING to do with age!). Theresa Ward, Founder and Chief Momentum Officer of The Fiery Feather, will introduce and help participants explore the innovative yet practical Ecocycle Framework, to uncover if they are in Winter, Spring, Summer, or Autumn - and how to move through any season with more ease and intentionality. 

3. Leverage AI for Leadership 

Learn how to utilize AI technology to enhance your personal and professional skillsets. This facilitated session will provide an overview of AI tools and discuss best practices for using AI to advance personal organization, time management, and various professional skills. 

Break out at Summit! Learn about each session below. You will decide which to attend on-site. No pre-registration required.

1. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle TN: The Power of Mentorship   

Join our May community partner, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, for an inspiring session highlighting the transformative power of mentorship on professional growth, mental health, and well-being. This session will feature a distinguished panel of Nashville leaders, all experienced mentors and mentees, who will share their personal journeys, insights, and strategies for cultivating meaningful mentoring relationships. Conclude the session by learning how you can make a direct impact through mentorship while writing cards to the next generation of leaders, the BBBS 2025 graduating class! 

2. Connection Depot

Visit a multi-station mock community designed to help you build meaningful alliances and relational intelligence skills, while having fun! Theresa Ward, Founder and Chief Momentum Officer of The Fiery Feather, will facilitate an innovative and memorable breakout where participants can dive into their favorite superhero film, share stories around a bonfire, or even board an imaginary pirate ship … you’ll walk away with new friends and refreshing insights. 

3. Culture and Belonging: Meeting the Moment  

Hear from a panel of AWIN member organization executives on how culture and inclusion are evolving with the environment. Panelists will include:

    • Corliss Garner, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Old National Bank
    • Mekesha Montgomery, Labor & Employment Practice Group Leader, Frost Brown Todd 

4. Leverage AI for Leadership 

Learn how to utilize AI technology to enhance your personal and professional skillsets. This facilitated session will provide an overview of AI tools and discuss best practices for using AI to advance personal organization, time management, and various professional skills.
Arrival and Start Time

8:30 a.m. - Pre-conference wellness sessions

9:30 a.m. - Doors open for check-in and breakfast

10 a.m. - Main program begins

4 p.m. - Champions Hour (reception)

Registration Instructions

This event is open to current AWIN members only.

Please log in before registering. If you have not logged in before, follow these steps to create your account.

Once logged in, click the Register Now button above. This button is only visible for logged-in members.


Recommended Parking

The Library Garage (151 6th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37203) is located across the street from the hotel. Parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Daily rates apply ($20 daily max).

The Renaissance offers valet parking ($30) for AWIN attendees. Mention AWIN when dropping off your vehicle to receive this rate. Please be aware that valet may get backed up.

Other nearby parking options include (all managed by Metropolis; rates apply): 

Given that downtown parking can be unpredictable, consider ride sharing.