Dear friend, 

We just wrapped up our 2024 #WPLNSummit... and I'm still buzzing!

Last week, WPLN brought together passionate women (and a few men!) from all over the U.S. to meet in Denver, Colorado, for 3 days to learn, share leadership journeys, and connect.

It was energizing and motivating to meet such inspiring leaders and hear insightful discussions. There were panel discussions, one-on-one Q&As, and workshops, as well as free professional headshots and childcare — and a photobooth!

We design the #WPLNSummit to support women at every stage of their leadership journeys in recognition of the many diverse ways to serve and lead.

Thank you to all the speakers, attendees, and sponsors who made the weekend such a resounding success. I've loved following the #WPLNSummit hashtag to see everyone's photos and comments, and it's the perfect way to stay connected with each other. And if you'd like to bring WPLN to your local area, don't hesitate to reach out.

Lastly, we also announced the location for our next national summit, in 2025... keep reading to find out where!

Onward,

Larissa

WPLN Founder and President

For 3 days last week, we convened women from across the country in Denver for our 2024 annual national #WPLNSummit, as part of our mission to empower women to become more effective leaders in their communities and at every level of government.

We were joined by U.S. Representative Kat Cammack (FL-03); former Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch; New Mexico State Senator Crystal Brantley; Colorado State Representative Rose Pugliese, and Montana State Representative Courtenay Sprunger — and former U.S. Representative and inaugural WPLN honorary Co-Chair Mimi Walters!

And there were so many others who shared their experiences and insights: We also held panel discussions on getting your agenda over the finish line, balancing priorities, women on the trail, and reaching diverse audiences, as well as workshops on media training, building your brand, fundraising, messaging, and technology.

In case you missed it:

• Photos are coming! Professional photos will be available to attendees via email in the next 2 weeks. In the meantime, join our Facebook Group to view the photos as we post them!
• Announcing our 2025 #WPLNSummit! We're beyond thrilled to announce our 2025 #WPLNSummit will be in Orlando next June! And past attendees will receive a special early-bird discount code. Stay tuned for more details!

And we're working on blog posts recapping the event, but in the meantime, you can visit our Twitter account to see quotes from each session!

Lastly, thank you to our incredible sponsors. We are so thankful for your generosity — we could not have done this without you!

Crystal Diamond Brantley

New Mexico State Senator

Senator Crystal Diamond Brantley was elected in 2020 and represents New Mexico Senate District 35. She is the first woman and the first Republican in history to be elected to the seat! We interviewed Senator Brantley last year for our #MomsOnTheTrail series, and this year she joined our #WPLNSummit as a speaker on our "Balancing Priorities" panel!

... Opal Lee received a Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of her efforts to establish Juneteenth as a national holiday! 

97-year-old Opal Lee is known as the "Grandmother of Juneteenth" because she spent years campaigning to make Juneteenth a national holiday — including a 1,400-mile walk to Washington, D.C., to argue her case before the federal government in 2016.

In 2021, when President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, she said, "It's not a Texas thing or a Black thing. It's an American thing."

That's because Independence Day is the promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all, and Juneteenth is one fulfillment of that promise. 

And since we know you're busy, here are our top picks for other "must reads" this month!

• For the woman who loves to see glass ceilings shatter, women are making historic "firsts" across the nation: This year, Suzanne LaFrance became the first woman elected mayor of Anchorage, Alaska; North Dakota is poised to elect a woman to the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time; and a record number of women are nominated for seats in the Texas House.
• For the woman who knows local pipelines are critical for political talent development, the recent primary elections in South Carolina mean there are no longer any Republican women in the South Carolina Senate and only two women senators total.
• For the woman who wants to Remember the Ladies, check out our monthly feature on key moments in women's representation and rights during the month of June in the past.

If you have a good recommendation for next month,

let us know!

JUNE 27 | California Women's Leadership Association Presidential Debate Watch Party: Join our California training partner California Women's Leadership Association (CWLA) to watch the first presidential debate of the year with the Orange County Young Republicans. Learn more.

Support WPLN programs and resources by making a contribution today!

Women’s Public Leadership Network (WPLN) is a non-profit organization organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent provided by law.