Planning to Stay Over? Conference Lodging Link or Call directly at 1-800-282-9955 and be sure to reference the VPA/VSA event for the group rate.
Who: Vermont Leaders & Aspiring LeadersWhen: September 12th, 2025Where: Killington Grand Hotel and ResortCost: $315 per participant
Speaker Bios
Welcome to the 3rd Annual Women in Leadership Conference, co-hosted by the Vermont Superintendents Association and the Vermont Principals’ Association. We look forward to your participation as we celebrate Women in Leadership and build strength going forward, together.
Dr. Lakshmin currently maintains a virtual private practice where she applies integrative approach to taking care of women suffering from maternal mental health conditions like postpartum depression and anxiety, as well as non-moms who are dealing with depression, anxiety, burnout and identity loss. As a board-certified psychiatrist, she takes care of her patients with psychotherapy and medication, when needed. She has been on the clinical faculty in the Psychiatry Department at George Washington University School of Medicine since 2016.
Dr. Lakshmin’s first book, Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included), was a national bestseller and a 2023 NPR Best Book pick. It’s being translated into 10 languages, and was featured on a Billboard in Times Square (!).
She also writes regularly for the The New York Times and is an advisor to Peloton. She is frequently invited by companies and organizations to give keynotes and workshops on mental health and well-being to their leadership or employees. Dr. Lakshmin live in Austin Texas with my partner Justin, our son K, and our two cats, Kitty and Fifi.
Caitlin Canty is a singer/songwriter whose songs harness “the grit and spark at the heart of American music, tempered with a voice both haunting and distinct.” Since the release of her critically-acclaimed Reckless Skyline in 2015, Canty has put thousands of miles on her songs, touring throughout the U.S. and Europe. Rolling Stone called her music, “dreamy and daring.” She is a constant collaborator, both as a cowriter with Jamey Johnson and Peter Bradley Adams among others, and appears on albums by Darlingside and Joy Williams. She has released five full length albums independently under her own name, as well as in the band Down Like Silver.
Raised in Proctor, VT, the daughter of school teachers and house painters, Canty earned her degree in biology at Williams College and subsequently moved to New York City. She spent her days in the city working at a startup live music venture, and later as an environmental sustainability consultant. She spent her nights making music at Lower East Side music halls and bars. In 2009, she quit her day job and set out to pursue music full time. In 2015, she moved to Nashville, TN where she lived for nearly a decade; touring, making records, and starting a young family. She spearheaded the successful fundraising for the Lockeland Springs Park Expansion in collaboration with The Trust for Public Land, which permanently preserved 5 acres of urban forest in East Nashville, TN . She is currently a member of the board of directors at Smokey House Center in Danby, VT where she and her growing family currently reside.
Each participant will have the chance to self-select two of the following options during the event:
Led by Robin Fawcett: Of all leadership objectives, there’s none more valuable than igniting the potential of those we lead. When this potential is lit, everyone’s work is lightened – in weight and brightness. Connection and belonging, risk and reward, hope and purpose awaken. Among the tools for animating this wealth of possibility, nothing unleashes it more swiftly than play. In this workshop, participants will experience the vitalizing power of play and gain strategies for putting it to use. Through a scaffold of activities that can be used in your organization and beyond, we’ll explore ways to embolden participation, dissolve barriers, build community, and remind us of the truth in this statement by American author, Diane Ackerman: “Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning.”
Led by Lucinda Garthwaite: Efforts to date to drive equity in organizations, including schools, have been effective to some extent, though arguably not nearly enough, and ample evidence suggests some have inadvertently contributed to deepened resistance. The need for change is too urgent to accept these outcomes. This workshop will introduce a new approach that anticipates and responds to fear, limited perspective, and uneven emotional resilience. Drawing a line at bigoted behavior and intentional harm, it leaves room for honest mistakes. It invites people with divergent beliefs to embrace the goal of a system in which all people can thrive as who they understand themselves to be. Then they learn personal practices, and systems-tending habits that promote that change. The workshop will begin with a brief presentation on the background of this new approach. We’ll devote the rest of the session to learning and trying out liberatory personal practices, and systems tending habits.
Led by Dr. Jennifer Norrell “Trust transforms a group of people into a team,” Stephen Covey. In this presentation, leaders will have an opportunity to examine the true definition of trust, how to build trust, and explore the drivers of trust– based on research. The topic will directly relate to leading teams and supporting growth of leaders across educational systems. This session will review and discuss research and the key elements that most influence trust. Participants will have an opportunity to share challenges and successes on navigating the trust factor through their own journey of building and leading teams. Concepts shared will allow leaders to transform their teams with new efforts at improving trust and ultimately increasing mere coordination and cooperation into true collaboration.
Workshop 5: Nourish, Connect, Reflect
We invite you to step away from the hustle and bustle of your everyday life and immerse yourself in a reflection experience to rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit. You often prioritize everyone else , so we wanted to offer you the opportunity to prioritize your well-being. This can be done by fostering collaborative connections with colleagues here today, finding quiet time for introspection or just by taking a walk around the pond to process new learning from today.
Should I stay overnight? You are welcome to make your own reservations with Killington as desired. Conference Lodging Link or Call directly at 1-800-282-9955 and be sure to reference the VPA/VSA event for the group rate.
What if I am going with a group from the same district/school? Please register as individuals. You will receive individual invoices. Payments can be made in bulk via district upon request.
Who should attend? Any current or aspiring leader in Vermont is encouraged to attend. While there will be a lot of school leaders in attendance, the content is not focused on schools leadership specifically. You are welcome to join whether you work in non-profits, advocacy, health, government, business or otherwise.
Will Certificates of Attendance be Issued? Yes. An email will be sent out to participants with an exit ticket. A certificate of attendance will be generated upon completion of that exit ticket for a total of 7.5 professional learning hours.
Cancellation Policy: Cancellation Policy: Any conference or one-time training registration canceled 60 or fewer calendar days before the first day of the event will result in a charge of 50% of the full registration rate. Except registrations canceled within 15 days of the first day of the event will result in a charge of 100% of the registration fee. No exceptions will be made. A registration may be transferred to another individual up until 24 hours before the event.
Co-hosted by The Vermont Superintendents Association & The Vermont Principals’ Association