Trio of speakers to headline Women’s Leadership Conference

Professional speakers Courtney Clark, Stephanie Perkins and Lena Scullard will be featured at the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Leadership Conference to be held on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Central Wisconsin Convention + Expo Center in Rothschild. The conference is titled Power to Pivot: Navigating Change with Purpose and will feature a pair of breakout sessions.

Professional speakers Courtney Clark, left, Lena Scullard, center, and Stephanie Perkins, right, will be the featured presenters at the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Women’s Leadership Conference to be held at the Central Wisconsin Convention + Expo Center in Rothschild on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

The Conference, celebrating its eleventh anniversary in 2026, is designed to inspire and encourage women of all ages and career levels. This event offers an opportunity for women to develop skills that will carry through to both their work and personal lives. As many as 700 attendees from around the state have participated in previous conferences.

Returning this year, the conference includes an associated VIP Networking Event on the evening of Tuesday, January 20. This networking event will feature Stephanie Perkins and will focus on understanding change resistance. The event will be held at 5 p.m. at the newly remodeled Wausau Club in downtown Wausau. Members of the Chamber can attend for $55 (non-member cost is $75).

The conference is developed by a committee of women with the intention of energizing, supporting, developing and educating women leaders and those who desire to become leaders.

“Helping plan the Women’s Leadership Conference is something I truly look forward to,” said Kelly Winchell, a member of the event’s planning committee. “It’s an opportunity to create a space where women can grow, connect and lead with purpose. This year’s theme speaks directly to my own journey of navigating unexpected challenges with resilience and clarity.”

The featured speakers at this year’s event each bring a wide range of leadership experiences.

• Courtney Clark is a resilience researcher, speaker and author who helps people adapt faster and achieve more when life changes unexpectedly. After surviving both the 9/11 attacks and cancer, she turned her experiences into a mission to teach practical strategies for navigating adversity.
• Lena Scullard is a keynote speaker and facilitator who empowers people to embrace emotional intelligence and take ownership of their mindset to drive meaningful results. Drawing on more than 20 years in leadership, hospitality and corporate training, she blends relatable stories and interactive learning to inspire personal accountability and growth.
• Stephanie Perkins is a brain-based leadership coach and people development strategist known for transforming how organizations approach leadership and culture. With a background in human resources and career coaching, she led impactful development programs as VP of People Development at IncredibleBank before launching her own consulting work.