
WEDN Learn and Lead 2023
Thursday, February 23rd, 3:00pm – Friday, February 24th, 2:00pm
Join colleagues at WEDN 2023 for professional development, training, case studies, and lots of networking. The program will kick off with an engaging workshop on Handling Conflict. On day two, we will get tips from experts and hear industry forecasts. The program will include lots of fun networking-a hallmark of WEDN events. The 8th annual WEDN will be our best ever!
Scholarship Opportunities: SC Power Team (25) Currently Full, Sanford Holshouser (4) Full, and ECS Southeast (4) Full are offering scholarships that cover the cost of registration. Click the button below to fill out the application. You will be notified within a few business days if a scholarship is awarded and provided a link to register for the event. Do not purchase registration through Eventbrite if you will be applying for one of the scholarships.
Registration: Early Bird Registration $260 until January 12, 2023 @11:30pm
Regular Registration $340 January 13-February 10, 2023.
Venue: Embassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte/Concord Golf Resort & Spa Address: 5400 John Q. Hammons Drive NW Concord, NC 28027 Room block closes Tuesday, January 24, 2023.
Donate: Every year WEDN participants have donated career clothing items to the Dress for Success career closet in Winston-Salem, NC. We will be collecting donations this year, please drop off your donations upon check in at the WEDN registration desk.
Programs/Speakers
We are confirming more speakers so check this page often.
Handling Conflict Workshop
Mark Molitor with Lead Effectively will facilitate a very powerful and engaging workshop that identifies the various conflict modes, provides insight into why people choose a particular mode, and examines how that mode impacts others. Participants will practice the critical communication skill of Inquiry. This will be a dynamic workshop with a high level of participation.
Special Guest

NC Secretary of Commerce, Machelle Baker Sanders
Expert Tips
- Creative Talent Strategies and How Measure Them, Kristin Reese, Executive Director, Cleveland County Economic Development Partnership
- What’s Important to Know in Phase 1s and other Engineering Reports, Laura Hill, P.E., Geotechnical Group Manager, ECS Limited
- How To Vet a Project and Company, Taylor Kielty, EDPNC
- Building A Childcare Coalition, LeeAnn Nixon, Wilkes EDC and Cyndi Dancy, Dancy Research
Emerging Industry Outlooks
- Offshore Wind
- Hailey Deres, Program Associate, Southeastern Wind Coalition
- Ashley K. Mcleod, Lead OSW Public Affairs, Kitty Hawk Wind
- Susan Munroe, Community Engagement Manager, TotalEnergies Renewables USA, LLC
- Danielle Peoples, Director, Enterprise Infrastructure Engagement, Duke Energy
- Industrial Real Estate Forecast
- Natalie Ceva, Industrial Broker, Jones Lang La Salle
- Electric Vehicles
- David Clayton, Clemson University, International Center for Automotive Research
- Nicholette Ross, Senior Consultant, Global Location Strategies
- Lunch Keynote Presentation
- Equitable Economic Development, Zytha Kock, Senior Economic Development Associate, International Economic Development Council
The Women’s Economic Development Network and Leadership Forum was started in 2016. The forum is sponsored by Creative EDC as one of the nonprofit things we do to give back to the field of economic development. The Forum invites economic developers to come together to LEARN and return to the office prepared to LEAD. The Forum focuses on leadership development, professional and career development, current topics in economic development, and strategic networking.
Sponsors
Thanks to Brand Acceleration who has supported the marketing materials for WEDN since it started in 2016.