The Women in Wellness Leadership Conference, set to take place on 12 March in New York City, has announced a host of speakers designed to motivate attendees and galvanise them to take charge of their careers and lead with confidence.

The event is hosted by American Spa magazine, and will take place at The Edison Ballroom.

The day will kick off with a keynote by Jean Chatzky, the financial editor of NBC’s “Today Show” and founder of HerMoney, a new digital media company focused on improving the relationship women have with money.

In a session titled, “Women with Money: Create the Joyful, Less Stressed, Purposeful (and Rich) Life You’ve Always Wanted,” Chatzky will provide information on creating the life you desire.

Carrie Kerpen, cofounder and CEO of Likable Media and host of the popular podcast, “All the Social Ladies,” will close the education part of the day with a keynote titled, “Work It: Secrets for Success from the Boldest Women in Business.” As author of a similarly titled book, she will provide lessons on how to make smarter decisions faster, how to tap into your network to help you avoid blindspots, and how to make your weaknesses work for, not against you.

The lineup will also include:

• Dolores Barclay, an award-winning journalist, author, producer, and professor at Columbia University, who will share the importance of navigating business with honesty in a session titled, “Leading with Integrity and Purpose to Create a Culture that Inspires a Commitment to Doing the Right Thing.”

• Diane Harris, editorial director of Considerable, a new financial and lifestyle website for people redefining what it means to grow older, and the former editor-in-chief of Money magazine, will reveal the steps you can take now to help you save more, invest smarter, and put an end to financial stress for good with “Three Simple, Smart Money Moves that Will Change Your Life Forever.”

• Betty Ng, founder and CEO of Inspiring Diversity, a collaborative community of members from all backgrounds who inspires, empowers, and elevates each other to achieve, will provide attendees with ideas for fostering a more productive workplace in a session titled, “Creating Inclusive and Diverse Workplaces to Help Improve Innovation, Customer Relationships, and Employee Retention.” Co-author of Po-ling Power: Propelling Yourself and Others to Success, Ng works with organizations to drive profitability through increased employee inclusion, engagement, and performance.

• Elizabeth Scherle, cofounder and president of Influenster, a digital destination where millions of consumers research and review products and where brands can target and connect with highly engaged shoppers, is a pioneer in understanding the power of consumer influence. In “Work Your Mission, Think Like an Innovator, and Win with Advocacy,” she will share what she has learned from launching her own company, building a connected community, and staying ahead of the trends.

• And because women still make only $0.80 on the dollar compared to their male counterparts (according to the Institute for Women’s Policy and Research), Claire Wasserman, founder of Ladies Get Paid, an organisation that seeks to close the wage and leadership gap through career development, will address the topic in a talk titled, “Protect Your Energy, and Let Go of Perfectionism.”

Other conference highlights include expanded breaks for networking, a day-long photo booth and headshot station, and an inspiration wall where attendees can share their favorite thoughts, and quotes. There will also be a networking lunch where attendees can participate in a themed discussion. The day will conclude with a cocktail party, during which time attendees can take advantage of mini spa services in an experiential area.

“I am so proud of how this event evolved,” said Julie Keller Callaghan, editor-in-chief and publisher of American Spa and event founder. “The first event was even better than I imagined it would be, and we are continuing that amazing momentum into the next one. The speakers are incredible, and we have taken the lessons learned to create an even more amazing experience for everyone involved.”

American Spa and The Spa Mart recently awarded the 2019 New York City Women in Wellness Leadership Conference Scholarship to Pamela Dunklin, a former homicide detective turned aesthetician from Tyler, Texas.

As part of the scholarship, Dunklin will receive a pass to the conference, airfare, two nights of hotel accommodation, and US$1,000 to be used towards continuing education.

American Spa has announced the dates and venue for its debut West Coast edition of the Women in Wellness Leadership Conference, which will take place 28 October, 2019 at The Waterfront Beach Resort in Huntington Beach, California.