From November 7th through November 9th, I attended the Women in Camp Summit in Chicago, which was hosted by the American Camp Association of Illinois. I was so lucky to be able to attend the first-ever Women in Camp Summit with two of my colleagues, Alexis and Justina.
This Women-Only Summit created a space where attendees could connect, share ideas, and support other women in the camping industry. The Summit was an amazing to place to make connections (and friends!) with other women who work in the same field.
At the Summit I attended some great workshops, with topics ranging from “Ethical Leadership in the Age of #Metoo,” “Smart Women Talk About Money: An Intro to Financial Planning,” “Negotiations 101: Claiming Your Seat At The Table,” and “Introverts & Extroverts…A Place for Everyone.” The workshops covered a range of topics that affect camp, but also general information on topics that affect any working female, regardless of what industry you work in. In these workshops we also discussed the things we love about this industry, the challenges we face, and those frustrating moments all women can relate to, like mansplaining!
The Women In Camp Summit presented an amazing opportunity to meet other women in the industry, learn about important issues facing the camp industry, improve on important skills and knowledge (like negotiating and finances!) and have FUN! Did I mention that there was a therapy dog, Spirit, on site for us to play with?!
Thank you to the special ladies who helped to organize this event- it’s so important to provide ladies a safe space to talk about these topics! It was truly so inspiring to meet so many amazing women and hear your stories! IENA is a proud sponsor of the Women in Camp Summit, and Alexis, Justina, and I are thrilled that we were able to be Pioneers at the first Women in Camp Summit. Ladies, we will see you next year! 😉 #WICSUMMIT2K18