First-Ever Metrowest Conference for Women Scheduled for September

This fall, women throughout the Metrowest will have an opportunity to attend a conference focused on their own demographic. The Metrowest Conference for Women (MCW) aims to increase women’s opportunities in the region through networking, speeches from industry leaders, and other resources to help bolster their professional and personal goals.
Women Helping Women
Founder, President, and CEO Jen Maseda, is one of two Natick residents on the MCW board. Executive Committee member Deb Sayre, founder of Kids Connect and coordinator of the Natick Farmer’s Market, also represents the town.
The idea for the conference came to Maseda during her drive home from a conference in Boston in 2016. She added up the costs of transportation and parking, plus the unlikelihood that she would ever see her fellow attendees again, and imagined a more accessible and relevant event for the women in her community.
“Building a network of local women with whom you can bounce ideas off to drive innovation, empower one another through transitions, and encourage each other when things get tough, is the mission of our conference and my personal passion,” Maseda said.
As of December 2016, MCW became a nonprofit, and featured an all-volunteer board comprised of 27 women and one man, all who live and work throughout Metrowest. Together, they have decades of experience throughout local business, government, nonprofit and corporate sectors.
“With the network of women advocates I have met and worked with over the past 15 years, I was confident that we would have the most committed team ready to make this dream a reality,” Maseda continued. The conference has also been sponsored by more than 10 local businesses.
Natick Represented
Kelly MacFarland, Last Comic Standing comedian and Natick resident, praised MCW and its goals. “We can support the innovative women in our community better by sharing common goals and learning together,” she said. “I’m looking forward to kicking this event off at the pre-conference with an evening of cocktails, new friendships, and lots of laughter!”
Author, speaker, and PSDNetwork Co-Founder Dr. Patti Fletcher is also a Natick resident, and one of four keynote speakers at MCW. She has spoken to female leaders worldwide who have used their careers to create social change, but wants to connect more with her own community.
“Women make up just over half the population in Metrowest, and yet I have never had the opportunity to talk with the women who most impact the every day lives of my family,” Fletcher explained. “MCW comes at a time when we need a collective platform more than ever.”
Ashley Newhall, assistant store manager of American Girl at the Natick Mall and MCW board member, shared similar sentiments. “MCW is an organization that hit home to me,” she said. “I have worked in Natick for over 10 years, and the sense of community is overwhelming. I am proud to be a part of this organization which strengthens my ties to this community.”
Conference Details
MCW will take place at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel and Conference Center, located at 1657 Worcester Rd. in Framingham.
On Wednesday, Sept. 13, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., attendees can socialize and meet the speakers at the pre-conference event. The conference will take place the following day, Thursday, Sept. 14, with presentations and breakout sessions scheduled between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
“Conference-goers can expect to be inspired, to build a strong, local network of personal and professional support and be motivated to use the real-world takeaways from over 30 experienced speakers. There will be a welcoming environment with many fun surprises and gifts along the way,” Maseda described.
Tickets will be available until they are sold out, and 250 have already been purchased. Parking is included with the price of a ticket, which is $52 per person. There are also three spots left for businesses to exhibit as vendors at the conference.
To learn more about the Metrowest Conference for Women, and to register as an attendee or as a supporting business, visit www.metrowestconferenceforwomen.org.