WNORTH Conference Recap

Guest post contributed and written by Jen Murtagh

From April 19-21 I had the privilege of attending WNORTH – a boutique-style conference focused on providing a forum for women who are aiming for, or already on, a senior executive leadership track. The conference is held at the incomparable and stunning Nita Lake Lodge, nestled on the shores of a stunning glacier-fed lake in Whistler. Nita is one of those resorts that you stay at and truly feel like you are away from everything. Its lakeside location makes it serene, beautiful and luxurious – my favourite resort in Whistler.

Image courtesy of Nita Lake Lodge

WNORTH gives women the opportunity to listen to dynamic speakers, both from Canada and the USA, attend workshops to hone your leadership skills and participate in connect dinners and the infamous Scandinave Spa Social sponsored by Veuve Cliquot.

My favourite moments from the conference include:

Heart Centered Leadership by Chastity Davis
Chastity’s perspective on heart-centered leadership is something I truly believe is missing in many of the boardrooms of our organizations. Her approach brought such warmth and compassion – fostering a deeper connection both with ourselves and those around us. She reminded us of the matrilineal lineage of the first peoples – where women were the natural leaders as life givers of the planet. She integrated a beautiful Indigenous perspective and way of knowing about women being the centre of our communities. Chastity also provided a small piece of rose quartz (the stone of the heart) to each attendee, reminding us in our daily lives of the power of our feminine energy and our ability to approach the world with compassion and strength.

Jenn Di Spirito Photography

The Rise of the New Heroine by Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin
Women are being called to a new level of leadership globally and Elizabeth’s talk approached the 12 challenges women face and our call to the rise of the new heroine. A few key points that stood out to me included: the courage we need to take ownership in what we believe in. To be brave, advocate for yourself and other women. To draw your line in the sand and to know what you are worthy of and when you won’t cross that line. To have vision around what you want to create – personally, professionally and globally. And above all to know your worth, eliminating self judgement and standing in your power. How can you be a new heroine in your life?

Jenn Di Spirito Photography

Remembering our Humanity in tough times by Jenn Martin
Jenn was a women on the front lines in Afghanistan and shared how remembering who she was and how she wanted to lead troops kept her in line with her core values and authentic self. She’s a self-confessed “non yeller” and described that by leading from a place of compassion and empathy, she had her team onside during those 18-24 hr work days in the uncertain times when the heat, enemy and exhaustion were on their doorstep. Her hilarious, humble and very human talk made her one of my highlights of the conference. I would always “have your six” Jenn. Thank you!

If you would like to get on the mailing list for the 2018 conference being held on April 18-20, 2018, please visit wnorthconference.com.