Carmel’s inaugural She Leads conference draws 350; mayor, business and nonprofit leaders press pay equity, well‑being and workforce pathways

Carmel’s inaugural She Leads Conference drew a sold‑out crowd of about 350 women on a weekday afternoon, Mayor Sue Finkham announced, bringing together city leaders, business sponsors and nonprofit organizers for panels, a keynote address and networking aimed at promoting women’s leadership and creating pathways for the next generation.

The conference, hosted by the City of Carmel and introduced by a Fox 59 News presenter, included a lunchtime conversation with Mayor Sue Finkham, a moderated panel with local executives and nonprofit founders, a keynote by author Lisa Hendrickson and a closing raffle of leadership‑coaching sessions. Mayor Sue Finkham told the room, “We sold it out. 350 women here today.”

Why it matters: organizers said the event seeks to expand networks for women in Carmel and create concrete touchpoints — from mentoring middle school girls to business and workforce connections. The program included a materials drive for 75 middle‑school girls who were invited later in the day to receive postcards of encouragement written by attendees.

Topline details: The event’s presenting sponsor was Duke Energy; Mark LaBarr, speaking for the company, noted recent state giving and community programs including nearly $2.1 million in Duke Energy Foundation awards to Indiana nonprofits in 2024, roughly $650,000 dedicated to the company’s Share the Light customer assistance fund, about $274,000 in employee charitable giving and approximately 14,000 volunteer hours from employees and retirees. LaBarr also summarized Duke Energy’s economic development claims dating to 2015 (about 34,000 jobs and about $25 billion in capital investment, as stated by the speaker).

Panel takeaways: Nadine Dyer moderated a panel with Heather Haas (owner and CEO of Adviza), Consuela Lockhart (founder and executive director, Latinas Welding Guild) and Katie Lucas (president, Lucas Oil). Panelists emphasized different facets of leadership: Heather Haas urged intent and prioritization, advising attendees to “do less but more,” a formulation she said helps avoid overextension; Consuela Lockhart described trades training and representation as a route to new career options for women and noted national and state workforce gaps for welders; Katie Lucas told attendees to combine persistence with authenticity, and listed integrity, service and gratitude as core leadership values.

Keynote and historical context: Author Lisa Hendrickson delivered a keynote about three generations of women in the American West (her book Burning the Breeze), using historical examples to underline resilience, self‑reliance and the strategic work of attracting customers and financing in male‑dominated settings. Hendrickson quoted a period maxim she cited through Mary Baker Eddy—“If you wish to be happy, argue with yourself on the side of happiness”—to illustrate the speakers’ theme of personal agency.

Programs and next steps: organizers collected postcards from attendees to be shared with middle‑school girls at a later session of She Leads; Adviza (the leadership and culture development firm represented by Heather Haas) donated two 90‑minute executive coaching sessions that were raffled to attendees. The mayor invited follow‑up input on future programming and said the organizers intend She Leads to be a recurring event.

Context and limitations: Statistics and program details reported at the event were stated by speakers during their remarks and attributed in this article to those speakers; the city or sponsors were not asked for supplemental documentation of the figures during the session. The conference focused on soft skills, mentorship and local networks rather than proposing changes to city code or budgets.

Ending note: Organizers encouraged attendees to stay connected through follow‑up events and to submit feedback to the mayor’s office so the city can shape future programming for women in business, civic life and skilled trades.