Women of Isenberg 2026: Attendees Learn How Their Careers Can Blossom
The 13th annual Women of Isenberg Conference was held March 28, 2026, in the Campus Center at UMass Amherst. This premier event, organized by students, brought together approximately 400 students, alumni, and industry leaders for a day of networking, professional development, and inspiring discussions.
Themed “Garden of Change: Blooming Alongside Innovation,” this year’s sold-out conference featured a distinguished lineup of alumni speakers, panel discussions, and interactive workshops aimed at empowering women in business. Attendees gained insights into leadership, career advancement, and industry trends while connecting with accomplished alumni and other professionals across various fields.
Keynote speaker Debbie Millin, CEO of UpperLevel Solutions, is a visionary leader and compelling storyteller who has built a career rooted in growth, courage, and meaningful change. Her journey reflected this year’s conference theme, and her keynote inspired attendees to confidently step into their next chapter.
“I’ve never had a traditional path … Being open to opportunities worked out pretty well for me,” she said. “You’ll have a lot of uncertainty in your career. No matter what you’re doing in your job, it’s what you’re doing for now—not what you’ll be doing forever. It’s also important to have a learning mindset. And no one’s career is a straight line. Keep having that learning mindset, move forward, and you’ll be fine.”
Millin stressed the importance of women having confidence in their careers and that it’s OK to not know everything.
“If there’s a job description with nine or ten requirements, women will apply for it if they have eight or nine of them,” she pointed out. “Men, on the other hand, will apply if they have only four. Four. I think we need to know that no one knows everything, but we have to have the confidence to take the leap and apply for the job we want.”
Some other pieces of advice Millin offered the audience included:
- Make space for yourself
- We all know more than we’re giving ourselves credit for
- Put your oxygen mask on first; take care of yourself before taking care of others
- Step away from things to reset
- Network outside your job because you will eventually move beyond it
- Give yourself time to breathe
Sophomore marketing major Emma Franzes Siegel noted that Millin’s work as a rapid-scale expert, AI strategist, and advisor to technology CEOs was nothing short of inspiring.
“Her stories about the role leadership have played throughout her life truly resonated with me,” said Siegel. “She spoke with honesty, insight, and intention as she reinforced the importance of leading with purpose and adaptability in an ever-evolving world. I left the conference feeling motivated, energized, and excited to continue growing and blooming where I am planted.”
Kathryn Kelley, co-president of this year’s conference planning committee and a senior operations and information management major, noted how the conference has been transformative for her and her peers.
“Through the last 10 months of preparation, every member of our planning committee has flourished, both personally and professionally,” she said. “Everyone can take something away from this conference—whether it’s a new connection, a piece of career advice, or an internship. Personally, I’m walking away from the 2026 WOI Conference with the confidence that my leadership played a driving role in our team’s success.”
Kelley said it was a pleasure to connect with this year’s speakers, sponsors, advisors, and student team members.
“Although we dedicate so much time and effort to this process, seeing attendees come down the escalators smiling with anticipation makes the long hours we worked to put the event together worth it,” she said. “I am so proud of our committee and what we have accomplished together.”
Participants had the chance to attend panel discussions on a variety of relevant topics, such as negotiating worth and confidence, managing unexpected career detours, networking, emerging technology and AI, how to navigate life after graduation, mentorship, thriving under pressure and preventing burnout, how women can find their space in male-dominated fields, and how to shift an internship into a full-time job.
Allison Werder, Isenberg’s assistant dean of marketing and communications and chief marketing officer, led a workshop called “AI and Branding: Building Your Brand Without Becoming a Robot.” She advised attendees: "Treat AI like your intern, not your boss. An intern does the groundwork, runs data, and creates drafts, but they don't take credit for the final thinking. As ‘the boss,’ you are responsible for the final output, the strategy, and the emotional intelligence that AI cannot replicate. Use it to amplify who you are, not to replace you.”
“The WOI Conference was the perfect reminder that while I’m preparing to be a small fish in a much larger pond in the coming months, the roots I’ve built here at Isenberg are what will allow me to bloom in a new environment,” said senior Grace Buehler, a hospitality and tourism management major. “I’m walking away ready to use new tools to amplify my work, but I’m also keeping the human connection and the ability to ‘slow down to go fast’ at the center of my professional superpower.”
Conference Inspires Students to Build Relationships, Network, Seek Career Advice
The Women of Isenberg conference was created in 2014 to connect current UMass Amherst students with alumni, faculty, and corporate sponsors in a full-day professional development event. It creates a welcoming community for attendees from diverse backgrounds and industries to share experiences, foster confidence, and discuss the challenges faced by women in the classroom as well as in the workplace. Its goal is to inspire students to build relationships, gain advice from professionals, and to provide an opportunity for alumni to become more involved with UMass Amherst.
“To ‘bloom’ means to flourish, to grow into one’s true self and reach one’s potential with authenticity and joy,” said Isenberg Dean Anne Massey, PhD, echoing the conference’s theme. “At Isenberg, we seek help in this process through an array of experiences that develop skills and competencies and, in turn, confidence. In doing so, we develop students and, ultimately, graduates who are resilient and can ‘bloom wherever they are planted.’”
In addressing the student attendees, Massey said, “You are an inspiration to all of us. You demonstrate the very best—a dedication to your studies and career goals alongside your passion for improving organizations. The Women of Isenberg Conference is one of the big moments every year where we—the administrators, faculty, and staff at Isenberg—are reminded of the amazing talents that our students possess. They have worked hard—while doing everything else they do—to put together an amazing program. Everyone here is inspiring, innovative, and influential in many varied ways. As I look out, I see a garden full of flowers in bloom.”
Isenberg Marketing and Communications interns Grace Buehler ’26 and Emma Franzes Siegel ’28 contributed to this report.
