Upper Keys BPW Reveals EMPOWER YOU Speaker Lineup at REEF March 7

Olympic gold medalist Amanda Polk will deliver the keynote address for EMPOWER YOU, a full-day professional development conference organized by Upper Keys Business & Professional Women, on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the REEF Ocean Exploration Center & Campus in Key Largo. Polk, a five-time world champion rower and member of the U.S. Women’s Rowing Team that won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, will speak on themes of discipline and resilience under the title “Striving to Be the Best in a Competitive World.”

Upper Keys BPW expects the March 7 program to draw more than 100 women to the newly opened REEF campus, which opened in June 2025. The organization describes EMPOWER YOU as a full-day slate of presentations, breakout sessions and activities staged across the REEF Center’s gallery, classrooms, outdoor spaces and native plant trails, with seating limited in the REEF Ocean Exploration Center and reservations encouraged through the event pages.

Patricia Milian, president of Upper Keys BPW, framed the conference as broadly accessible to women across life stages and said the programming reflects that range. “Like BPW, Empower You offers something for every woman regardless of age, life stage, or personal priorities and interests. Women are not one-dimensional, and that’s reflected in the day’s programs and activities,” Milian said. In event materials Milian added, “We set out to create an event that rivals big-city women’s conferences. Securing an Olympic gold medalist as our keynote speaker has exceeded our hopes for our first year, and we look forward to announcing more exciting news soon.”

Organizers say breakout sessions will be led by prominent Upper Keys women from the business, nonprofit and public service sectors, and that several BPW members are among the speaker lineup. The full speaker list and breakout-session topics are linked on the Upper Keys BPW speaker page and event listing, which also include a program timeline and site map for attendees to review.

EMPOWER YOU will feature an onsite Women’s Business Expo and Spark Tank LIVE, a competitive showcase branded “IGNITE YOUR INNOVATION!” aimed at highlighting local entrepreneurs. WildApricot event copy promoting the expo notes businesses can “Promote your business to 100+ attendees at the onsite Business Expo and benefit from pre-and post-event marketing support.” The day will also include interactive health and wellness activities integrated into the campus program.

Ticketing information published by Upper Keys BPW includes calls to action such as “GET TICKETS >” and “SPACE IS LIMITED - RESERVE YOUR TICKET >.” An Instagram post from the organization lists advance pricing with the text, “Join us March 7 at EMPOWER YOU - just $89 in advance for the” (post text truncated in the supplied snippet). Net proceeds from EMPOWER YOU will support the Upper Keys BPW Adult Women’s Scholarship Program and other local BPW initiatives to empower working women.

As Upper Keys BPW stages its first EMPOWER YOU at the REEF campus, organizers are positioning the event as a regional women’s conference that leverages an Olympic speaker, local leadership in breakout sessions, and revenue directed to scholarship support. Patricia Milian indicated more announcements are forthcoming as the group finalizes logistics for March 7, 2026.