Women’s Symposium

The Executive Education Women’s Symposium is designed for anyone interested in furthering women’s leadership and fostering growth for women in the workplace. The event will feature interactive speeches and thoughtful panel discussions. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to energize your career and learn from inspirational women who are making a difference and shaping Utah’s business landscape.

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Logistics

Date
March 25, 2026

In-Person Time
9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. MT

Livestream Time
10 a.m. – 3 p.m. MT

Price
$99-299

Event Location: Robert H. and Katharine B. Garff Executive Education Building, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Presentations

Fully Found: Owning Your Purpose, Passion, and Potential

What if the life you’ve been searching for has been within you all along? This is your invitation to reconnect with who you truly are—to uncover what lights you up, embrace your natural strengths, and step confidently into your calling. Through stories, insights, and honest conversation, we’ll explore how to live more authentically and create a life that’s aligned, energized, and uniquely yours. You’re not lost—you’re just being found. Fully.

Sheridan Mordue

Founder and CEO @ Hip & Humble

Sheridan Mordue is the founder and CEO of Hip & Humble, a leading women’s lifestyle and gift retailer known for its distinctive curation and experiential approach to shopping. Sheridan launched the brand more than 25 years ago with her sister after graduating from the University of Utah, transforming a single boutique in Salt Lake City’s vibrant 9th & 9th district into a nationally recognized retail concept.

Under Sheridan’s leadership, Hip & Humble has evolved into a multi-channel brand with a strong presence in diverse, high-traffic retail environments. In 2021, she negotiated a North American licensing agreement that brought Hip & Humble stores into major airports across the U.S. and Canada—an expansion that now includes ten contracts in premier international hubs such as Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Charlotte, Salt Lake City, and Toronto.

In 2025, Sheridan further extended the brand by launching Hip & Humble’s first proprietary product line: a collection of high-end, travel-ready scents and thoughtfully designed gifts that blend luxury with everyday utility. This exclusive line is now featured across all Hip & Humble retail locations.

A committed champion of independent business and gender equity, Sheridan has shaped Hip & Humble into a platform for community impact. The company’s annual women-centered advocacy initiative, Kind Women for Women Kind, has become a meaningful point of connection with women’s organizations near each store location. Sheridan’s civic engagement currently, includes serving as Chair of the Mayor’s Business Advisory Board and Co-Chair of the Urban Core Business Safety Committee, where she works to strengthen the vitality and economic resilience of local business districts.

Outside of her work as CEO, Sheridan enjoys traveling, cooking, and hiking with her husband, her five children, and her dog, Maeby.

Let’s Talk Story: The Three Stories That Build Trust, Belonging, and Influence

Women are often advised to advance by speaking up more, promoting themselves more directly, and leading with facts, credentials, and confidence. Yet research and lived experience reveal a frustrating truth: when women follow this advice, it often backfires. Direct self-promotion can trigger social backlash, diminish likability, and undermine perceived credibility.

The conventional solution? More proof. More polish. More assertiveness.

But this advice fails to account for how influence actually works. What if the problem isn’t that women aren’t doing enough of the “right” things—but that credibility and influence are still being communicated in ways that work against how women are socialized to lead?

Humans are wired to be persuaded by stories, not statements. Stories create trust faster than credentials, convey competence without triggering resistance, and influence decisions without demanding agreement. Yet most women have never been taught how to use stories intentionally—how to distinguish between stories that create connection, stories that establish credibility, and stories that move people to action. As a result, their stories may resonate emotionally but fail to translate into visibility, authority, or advancement.

In this session, participants will learn a practical framework for the three types of stories every leader needs to master: stories that create connection, stories that build credibility, and stories that influence action. Rather than asking women to speak against their natural leadership style, this framework shows how to leverage storytelling as a strategic advantage—allowing women to lead with both empathy and impact, authenticity and authority.

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Intentionally choose and tell the right story to achieve a desired outcome—whether earning a promotion or raise, selling an idea, gaining buy-in, or influencing decisions without resistance.
Leverage storytelling as a distinct human advantage in an AI-driven workplace, using narrative to create clarity, trust, and meaning where facts, data, and credentials alone fall short.
Apply a proven five-part storytelling framework to create and deliver stories that increase influence in high-stakes professional situations.
Build a personal mini story bank of connection, credibility, and influence stories to draw from at the right moment.
Reframe internal narratives that shape presence, confidence, and authority, enabling participants to lead and speak from clarity rather than self-censorship.

Shari Levitin

CEO @ Shari Levitin Group

Shari Levitin is a dynamic catalyst for change. As a sales expert, she inspires teams to reach unparalleled growth by balancing the efficiency of AI with deepening human connection.

Before becoming a global sales leader, Shari built her career in hospitality, earning the distinction of the number one salesperson in all of Marriott. As the founder of the Shari Levitin Group, she has grown from a one-person operation to a multi-million-dollar firm with Fortune 500 clients in 40 countries, helping clients achieve over $1 billion in increased profit.

Shari’s bestselling book, Heart and Sell: 10 Universal Truths Every Salesperson Needs to Know, is the official textbook for Harvard University’s Strategic Selling course.

Recognized as one of the most influential leaders on social media, Shari was named a Top Ten Voice in Sales on LinkedIn. Her viral videos have reached over 500 million views across multiple platforms in recent years.

Shari has received numerous accolades for her contributions to sales, including:

Top 50 Keynote Speakers by Top Sales World
50 Most Influential Women in Sales by Demandbase
One of 10 sales experts featured in the Salesforce documentary film The Story of Sales

Shari frequently contributes to top publications like Forbes, CEO Magazine, and Huffington Post, and has appeared on Fox News and the reality show America’s Real Deal.

Shari lives in Park City with her husband. When not helping companies transform their sales performance, she can be found skiing, rock climbing, reading, or standing on her head.

Unapologetically You: Telling Your Story with Confidence

Confidence isn’t about having the perfect story; it’s about believing your story belongs in the room.

This session helps you own your narrative, speak with intention, and show up fully as yourself.

Rita Schwisow, MBA

Director of Professional Selling and Business Development Program @ University of Utah
Career Strategies Instructor @ Utah Valley University

Rita Schwisow is a storyteller, educator, and sales leader who believes confidence begins with owning your story. With over 20 years of experience in sales leadership, higher education, and career development, Rita helps individuals turn lived experience into clarity, credibility, and impact.

Currently an Associate Director of a university sales program and a PhD candidate in Management, Rita bridges industry and academia by teaching students and professionals how to communicate with confidence—whether in interviews, leadership moments, classrooms, or boardrooms. Her work focuses on storytelling as a practical skill: not oversharing, not self-promotion, but purposeful narrative that builds trust and influence.

Known for her engaging, real-world approach, Rita empowers women to stop apologizing for their experiences and start using them as a strength. Her workshops are equal parts insightful, actionable, and affirming, designed to help participants show up unapologetically and speak with confidence.

Beyond the Four Walls: Expanding Your Influence Beyond Your Role

Leadership doesn’t live inside a job description—and neither does growth. In this session, Telesa Via shares her personal journey of stepping beyond the four walls of her role by intentionally seeking both mentorship and sponsorship. She reflects on what she learned not only from those who offered guidance, but from those who were willing to open doors, advocate for her, and put their credibility on the line.
Telesa explores why meaningful leadership requires visibility, ownership, and strategic engagement beyond daily responsibilities—and why waiting to be noticed is rarely the path forward. Participants will gain practical insights on how to build authentic relationships, expand their influence, and position themselves for opportunities with clarity and confidence. This session invites professionals at every stage of their career to think bigger about how they show up, who they learn from, and how they lead—long before the title changes.

Telesa Via

VP, Luxury & Leisure Sales @ Associated Luxury Hotels International

Heartfelt connections have always been the hallmark of Telesa Via’s leadership journey. With more than two decades of experience in hospitality sales, marketing, and leadership, she has built a career that blends driving results with creating meaningful impact. Today, as Vice President of Luxury Leisure & Business Travel Sales at Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI), Telesa is spearheading the launch and growth of a new division focused on consortia, business travel, wholesale, and entertainment. In this role, she partners with independent and branded luxury hotels to expand market presence, build strategic alliances, and deliver measurable value across multiple travel segments.

Her professional journey includes senior leadership roles at some of the world’s most recognized hospitality brands. Prior to joining ALHI, she served as Head of Sales & Catering for IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Luxury & Lifestyle Division in the Americas, where she oversaw global strategies that drove revenue and client engagement. She spent more than a decade with Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, holding multiple leadership roles and ultimately serving as Vice President of Sales, where she led sales strategy and teams across North America. Earlier in her career, Telesa held leadership roles with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts and began her hospitality career with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, where she developed the foundation of her expertise in luxury service and client partnerships.

Beyond her professional role, Telesa is a passionate community builder and advocate. She is the Co-Founder of the MLC Cancer Foundation, which raises awareness and provides resources around breast and colon cancer, serving families through education, health initiatives, and direct financial support. She also serves on several boards and advisory councils, including the Cinderella Foundation, MPI Foundation (GBOT Board), AHLA ForWard Advisory Council, Virginia State University Hospitality Advisory Council, and AHEAD. Her board service reflects her commitment to advancing education, equity, and empowerment for future leaders.

Recognized for her leadership and service, Telesa has received the Bill Kimpton Award, the Top Minority Business Leaders Award from the Washington Business Journal, and completed the Leadership Greater Washington program. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and The Links, Incorporated (Arlington Chapter), and continues to mentor emerging professionals through industry organizations and educational programs.

Telesa earned her BA in Communications from the University of Virginia and has lived in Atlanta, Charlottesville VA, Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Martinsville VA, though her roots remain strongest in Washington, DC. Whether she is building sales strategies, mentoring rising leaders, or championing community wellness, Telesa embodies her guiding belief: success is not only about moving forward, but also about lifting others along the way.

Radical Authenticity in a World of AI: Leading with Wholeness, Impact, and Courage

Shawnna will share how her 25-year journey in technology — often as the only woman in the room — taught her resilience that goes beyond grit. She will explore how prioritizing mental health, asking the right questions, and leading inclusively can transform careers, organizations, and communities. This keynote is more than inspiration — it’s a call to action. Attendees will leave with practical tools, renewed conviction, and a deeper understanding of how authentic leadership builds trust, elevates others, and creates lasting impact.

Shawnna DelHierro

Chief Information Officer @ SoundHound AI

Shawnna DelHierro is the Chief Information Officer at SoundHound AI, where she shapes technology strategy and leads innovation across cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and scalable AI systems. Known for transforming complex environments into resilient, future-ready enterprises, she champions ethical tech, radical inclusion, and authentic leadership. Her expertise spans AI and cloud architecture, enterprise and government compliance, and executive communication, making her a trusted voice at the intersection of technology and governance. A dedicated mentor and advocate for women in tech, Shawnna emphasizes mental health, belonging, and courageous leadership. Her career reflects a belief that technology is most powerful when it amplifies human potential.