5th Annual Women Leading Delaware Education Conference: She Leads

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Chase Center on the Riverfront, Wilmington, Delaware

The Women Leading Delaware Education Conference is a networking and professional learning event for all leaders in K-12 and higher education settings. The conference serves to address issues specific to women and leadership, as well as provide a powerful opportunity for leaders to convene for an impactful day of connection, introspection and inspiration. Hosted by the Delaware Academy for School Leadership, housed within the School Success Center in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Delaware, along with the Delaware Department of Education, the conference schedule features multiple breakout session options and networking opportunities.

This event is being hosted at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Delaware. The conference hotel is adjacent to the Chase Center. Details for booking hotel accommodations below.

Conference Details

The Women Leading Delaware Education Conference breakout sessions and panel discussions are facilitated by local leaders who will provide insight and thoughtful discussion on topics such as gender equality, diversity and inclusion, school and district leadership, education policy, and overcoming barriers specific to women.

The 2023 conference theme is She Leads: How women-in-leadership navigate the leadership journey and overcome barriers, while leading others.

Conference Keynote Speaker:

Gracie Branch, Ph.D.

Associate Executive Director, Professional Learning

National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP)

Conference Plenary Speakers:

Kendra Washington-Bass, Ed.D., and Kelly Peaks Horner

Founders, The Lucy Leadership Project

Authors, Unwrapped: The Pursuit of Justice for Women Educators

“A Conversation with the Authors”

Breakout Sessions details will be shared here soon.

Conference Schedule

8:00 a.m.                   Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m.                   Session 1

10:30 a.m.                 Vendor Break and Networking

11:00 a.m.                  Breakout Session 1

12:00 p.m.                  Lunch

1:00 p.m.                    Session 2

1:45 p.m.                     Vendor Break and Networking

2:00 p.m.                    Breakout Session 2

3:00 p.m                     Event ends

*Registration includes breakfast, lunch access to all sessions of choice, and a copy of Unwrapped book.

Registering for the Conference

Credit card payments are accepted on the registration website. Additionally, if approvals are needed within your organization, please register now using Promo Code “INVOICE” and the University of Delaware will invoice you for payment by card, check or purchase order.

You will find the information for your online reservation link below. If you have questions or need help with the link, please do not hesitate to call the hotel at (302)654-2900.
Special group rate available at The Westin Wilmington ($199.00 USD per night)

*Book by March 3, 2023 to take advantage of our group rate.

Book your group rate for Women Leading Delaware Education Conference

Questions about the registration, website or payment methods accepted for this event? Contact dasl-info@udel.edu.

History of the Conference

The Women Leading Delaware Education Conference is facilitated by the Delaware Academy for School Leadership, a department in the UD School Success Center at the University of Delaware. Our partner host is the Delaware Department of Education.

We launched the first annual conference in January 2019. The event was attended by approximately 250 education leaders and featured motivational, learning and networking sessions related to issues and opportunities for women in leadership. As a follow-up to this event, the Delaware Academy for School Leadership offered female education leaders the opportunity to participate in Executive Leadership Coaching in 2019. The event has grown each year in attendance as well as follow-up engagement of women in leadership.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Why are we hosting a Women Leading Delaware Education Conference?

A recent AASA survey found that women are leading only 25% of the nation’s public school districts, yet a 2016 US DOE survey found that 77% of teachers are female. Research indicates that it is more challenging for women to be promoted in their careers than men, for a variety of reasons. The University of Delaware and Delaware Department of Education host the Women Leading Delaware Education Conference to uncover existing issues and barriers and to provide an opportunity to discuss research-informed solutions.

Who is this event for?

All educators are encouraged to participate in this event to become knowledgeable about the conditions for women in leadership nationally and in Delaware. The Women Leading Delaware Education Conference is an opportunity for all educators to openly share their perspectives on these issues and to collaborate on solutions that will one day create more equitable gender representation at all levels of education leadership.