Agenda

May 5, 2023

4:30 - 5:15 p.m.
Registration

5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
"Fiesta with Friends"
In the spirit of Cinco de Mayo and the vibrant Hispanic culture infused in the city of San Antonio, attendees can kick off their Professional Women’s Conference experience with a complimentary fiesta celebration at Casa Rio on the famed San Antonio Riverwalk. While enjoying delectable Tex-Mex heavy hors d'oeuvres and refreshing beverages, guests will experience a fun-filled opening event complete with music by an all-female mariachi band and a photobooth to capture memories with friends old and new.

May 6, 2023

8 – 8:30 a.m.
Registration & Breakfast

8:30 a.m.
Welcome & Opening Remarks

8:45 – 9:45 a.m.
"Girls Don't Whistle"
Vera Jones
Vera believes stimulating greater empathy and building trust are major keys for opening doors bolted by biases, fear, and ignorance. She examines the stages of distrust and how to communicate truth to dismantle it. This session is particularly relevant and empowering for women looking to overcome imposter syndrome and other limitations in leadership and in life.

Sponsored by:

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Lunch

12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m.
“Owning Your History. Cultivating Your Future.”
Erin Creger & Honnalora Hubbard
“Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience” ~Paulo Coelho
Your life has been full of experiences, some good, and some bad. What if we told you that you can weave them all together allowing you to own your history, and use it as a foundation to drive your life forward? Not just to move forward but to move upward towards the life and career that all of your experiences have been preparing you for. You’ve already done the hard part, living your history. Now it’s time to do the fun part, creating your future!

Sponsored by:

2 - 2:15 p.m.
Break

2:15 – 3:45 p.m.
“It’s Not a Competition!”
Jessica Koth
A “competition mentality” among colleagues inhibits opportunities to support and collaborate with one another. This is often the reality for female and nonbinary funeral service professionals. During this highly interactive session, with many opportunities for small group dialogue and sharing, attendees will uncover why this competition mentality exists and how they can break the cycle to improve communication and working relationships with fellow female and nonbinary colleagues.

3:45 - 4:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks

May 7, 2023

8 – 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast

8:30 – 10:00 a.m.
Concurrent Sessions

"The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: The Science Behind Embalming”
Autumn Cooper, The Dodge Co.
As embalmers we use the concepts of chemistry to help us better evaluate and understand the changes that take place in the human body as it transitions from life to death and throughout the embalming process. Chemistry has always been a fundamental concept when preparing a decedent. This 90-minute technical presentation will give seasoned and new embalmers alike a better understanding of the importance of chemistry and how it relates to our work in the prep room. Situations embalmers commonly face, from the importance of pH and the chemistry of decomposition to the effects of bacteria, nitrogen, and medications used today will be discussed in this session.

Sponsored by:

“You’ll Love It Here: How to Make Workplace Culture a Competitive Advantage”
Courtney Jackson & Megan Coyle
When a workplace is organized around a central purpose and employees know why their work matters, they are more engaged and committed, leading to more meaningful experiences for customers. In this session, learn how to create and support a purpose-driven workplace. After identifying several common misconceptions about company culture, learn the same tools Precoa used to be named a Top Workplace for 10 consecutive years. By creating a meaningful culture and connecting it to your employees’ day-to-day experiences, you can start attracting stronger job candidates and building a culture that customers love.

10:00 - 10:15 a.m.
Break

10:15 – 11:15 a.m.
“Live through Love”
Ruben Rojas
Every highway. Every radio station. Every social media platform. Every website. Everywhere you look, there are advertisements drawing attention to your personal problem or nagging insecurity. Every ad makes you think there’s something wrong with you and … the company just so happens to have the perfect solution. Ruben Rojas is on a mission to inspire your audience through the beautification of our landscape – one wall and one speech at a time. His work - and his keynotes - move people toward becoming the best versions of themselves, increased productivity, and instilled winning cultures within organizations all over the world. In this inspiring and motivational talk, Ruben shows how living through love can be a force for good in your life and in your business. Ruben demonstrates how you can activate true purpose within your culture so your organization can continue to thrive.

Sponsored by:

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11:15 – 11:30 a.m.
Closing Remarks

This conference provides licensed funeral directors/embalmers up to 8 CE hours and is approved by APFSP and most state licensing boards. CE hours vary by state. Schedule subject to change.