Nexus Welcomes 3 Speakers for Fall Event, Centered on Intentional Leadership

Cranston, R.I. – Tuesday, July 23, 2019—For its fall chapter event, “Intentional Leadership: Own Your Potential,” the Women in Leadership Nexus will welcome three acclaimed speakers and facilitators who will walk attendees through an experiential workshop that leaves them empowered to have a greater sense of ownership over their personal and leadership potential. Katie McDonald, Jill Marinelli and Diane Wilbur will explore the concept of Intentional Leadership, specifically how women can be more deliberate around three core facets that shape potential: wellness, style and presence.

Attendees will walk away with actionable toolsets and frameworks to up-level their leadership presence by exploring, among other things: how to bring attention and intention to time management, how to dress for the life desired, and how to convey the “wow” factor and leverage strategies to maximize influence.

“Our Nexus members unite around the belief that each of us has a choice when it comes to our leadership journey; no matter our line of work or years of experience, our members believe there is always something considerably more profound ahead for them,” says Nexus Founder Carrie Majewski. “Our September speakers have built unbelievable careers around owning their potential by being intentional leaders and in helping other women do the same. It is a true honor to bring Katie, Jill and Diane to Nexus and to allow our community to be introduced to their philosophical and tactical concepts to increase their leadership potential.”

McDonald, a Self-Care Strategist and Speaker, founded bnourished in 2011, a fulfillment of her vision to transform people's lives one mindful habit at a time. She empowers her clients and audiences to claim their birthright of “exceptional wellbeing while cultivating nourishing self-care rituals.” In addition to having taught at Rhode Island School of Design and at Brown University's Center for Entrepreneurship, she is a graduate in the Leadership Rhode Island 2016 class and a Scholar at the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program. A corporate presenter for Alex and Ani, CVS, Eileen Fisher Leadership Institute, Swarovski, Hasbro, and more, she has also spoken at numerous events including the Women's Summit at Bryant University, the keynote at Providence Business News' Healthiest Employer awards event, and the Spirit of Change Natural Living Expo. Her work has been featured, among other publications, in The Huffington Post and Apartment Therapy.

“We are tired. We are simultaneously doing too much and often not feeling good enough. We give away our best to our careers, families, friends, and community and leave crumbs for ourselves. We mutter how we are no good at saying no, yet we have mastered saying no to ourselves over and over again, despite our best intentions,” says McDonald. “At the Nexus gathering, we will explore ways of disrupting our current reality and renegotiating the relationship we have with ourselves by reevaluating our relationship with time.”

Marinelli is a personal stylist, public speaker and style correspondent for CBS Providence’s The Rhode Show. Focusing on social science research and the power of personal style, she teaches her audiences and clients how to look great, project confidence, and ultimately change their lives through their appearance. Marinelli has spoken and created workshops for organizations including Swarovski, Lifespan, FM Global, General Growth Properties (Providence Place), the Bryant University Women’s Summit, FOX Boston, and CBS Providence. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Vogue, Psychology Today, Lucky, CBS Providence’s The Rhode Show and FOX Boston’s Morning News, among others.

“I look at personal style as one of the tools in our arsenal that can help us create the life we want,” says Marinelli. “Feeling good about our bodies and the way we look is just one piece of the empowerment puzzle, but it is a powerful one with the potential to be a springboard for change in other areas of our lives. I am excited to share the research that shows how clothing affects our job prospects, romantic life, income and even how we behave. Knowing all this, why wouldn’t we be intentional about creating a personal style that empowers us to be our best?"

Wilbur is the CEO of Soft Skills Training Group. For more than 20 years, Diane’s focus on Talent Development has helped hundreds of professionals thrive in the workplace and impact organizations in a powerful way. In addition to creating custom training solutions for organizations, she is an executive coach and teaches Leadership topics as an Adjunct Faculty member at Bryant University. She is also a Body Language Expert. Her clients range from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies including Fidelity Investments, American Century, Webster Bank, AIG, EMC/Dell, Charles Schwab, ING, FM Global, Voya, Selective Insurance, TJX, Women in Pensions Network, Bryant University, Nichols College, RISCPA, Massachusetts Society of CPAs and KLR CPA Firm.

“Most of my female clients have struggled with confidence at some point in their careers,” says Wilbur. “Playing it small when the stakes are high and dealing with the ‘Imposter Syndrome’ are a couple of self-sabotaging behaviors that can be easily fixed. I'm excited to share some simple body language strategies to boost your confidence and enhance your personal presence. These eye-opening skills will help you nail a first impression and elevate your daily interactions.”

The upcoming Nexus event will take place from 8 am to 12 pm on Friday, September 27, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick, Rhode Island. There are a select number of non-member tickets available. To learn more, and to register, click here.