14th Annual Young Women LEAD Brings 500 High School Girls to Jasper

About 500 high school girls from across southern Indiana will gather at the Jasper Arts Center and the Vincennes University Jasper Campus on Wednesday, March 11 for the 14th annual Young Women LEAD Indiana Conference, a free day of leadership development, career exploration, and mentorship. The conference organizers say the event aims to help students "meet mentors, explore new possibilities, practice hope, and leave knowing their voice matters."

The conference is produced by Young Women LEAD and is chaired for the Indiana event by SOAR, a local leadership development program for young professionals; SOAR participants organize and produce the conference as a capstone project. SOAR member Tasha Reese of MasterBrand said, "The Young Women Lead Conference is a testament to the power of community collaboration, where local businesses, volunteers, and our dedicated advisory council join forces to inspire and empower the next generation of young women leaders."

Program organizers list interactive keynotes and multiple breakout sessions across the day. Young Women LEAD publicity names Dr. Julia Garcia as "This year’s conference features keynote presenter Dr. Julia Garcia." Dr. Garcia is described as "Doctor of Psychology, TEDx speaker, and author of The Five Habits of Hope (HarperCollins, 2025)." The Young Women LEAD materials add that "Her sessions aren’t lectures. They are experiences—trauma-informed, highly engaging, and rooted in belonging. Whether she’s speaking to high school students, educators, or college leaders, Dr. Julia meets people where they are and helps them move forward, together."

Students will choose two breakout session topics during the day; the conference page states, "Each attendee will select two of the following breakout session topics," although the public materials do not list the session titles. The day's program will conclude with a closing keynote by Sue Ellspermann, identified as "Indiana’s 50th Lieutenant Governor and former President of Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana," whose "career reflects visionary leadership in education, workforce development, and innovation."

Local sponsorship and volunteer support underpin the event. Organizers say the conference "is made possible through community support, grants, donations, and volunteers." Local businesses and institutions supporting the conference include Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana, Kimball International and Kimball Electronics, Memorial Hospital, Indiana Furniture, Jasper Engines, Master Brand, Hoosier Hills Credit Union, German American Bank, Dubois Pike Federal Credit Union, Farbest Foods, and others. Organizations or businesses interested in sponsoring were directed to contact kimberly@youngwomenlead.com.

Young Women LEAD reports a national footprint of 16 years nationwide, saying the organization has served 49,700 students across 74 conferences and has held events in Jasper for more than a decade. Registration for the March 11 conference is now closed, and organizers note explicitly: "Registration is now closed. All students who attend the conference must have a signed waiver." Organizers expect the day in Jasper to combine practical workforce-readiness skills with mentoring and community connections, closing with Sue Ellspermann's keynote and the stated goal that attendees leave the event knowing their voice matters.