6 Best Women in Leadership Conferences and Events to Attend in 2025
While all HR conferences in 2025 are likely to provide insight and value, attending conferences specifically tailored to women can be a powerful career booster for female employees. With sessions tailored to address the specific concerns of women in the workplace, powerful networking opportunities, and the chance to engage with highly impactful presenters, participation in these conferences is highly invaluable.
Below are some of the most powerful women in leadership conferences to attend in 2025, as well as a couple you can still attend in 2024.
Inspiring women in leadership conferences in 2025
These are some of the most notable conferences to attend next year:
1. Workhuman® Live Gaylord Rockies 2025
Taking place just outside of picturesque Denver, Colorado, the Workhuman Live 2025Opens in a new tab experience is set to be as unforgettable as ever. Taking place May 12 - May 15, this annual event is designed to be an absolutely unforgettable experience.
Workhuman Live is designed to provide more value than other HR conferences by addressing the most difficult topics facing leaders today, offering more CE credits for participants than most other events, and featuring highly inspirational presenters.
You can expect fearless and timely discussions centered around tech innovations, DEIB, mental health and wellbeing, and the power of recognition in the professional sphere and beyond.
Fast facts about Workhuman Live:
- Expected to bring together 3000+ attendees in 2025
- 3.5 days long
- Around 60+ breakout sessions
- 5+ keynotes
- Roughly 50% of attendees are director-level or above business leaders
- 12+ hours of networking opportunities
- 8+ hours of scheduled time for workshops
- 52+ hours of educational content
Notable speakers for this year will include:
Adam Grant, bestselling author of 5 NYT #1 Books
Eric Mosley, Founder, Board Member, and CEO of Workhuman
Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work
Erin Meyer, NYT bestselling author
In the ten years Workhuman has been hosting this event, huge strides have been made to help inspire female employees to rise to power in their companies.
Speakers like Brené Brown, Issa Rae, Esther Perel, Luvvie Ajayi Jones, Simone Biles, Lisa Ling, Amal Clooney, Salma Hayek, Michelle Obama, Arianna Huffington, and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss have all graced the WHL stage to share their wisdom and spark inspiration.
“I love many facets of Workhuman Live, but my very favorite thing is their willingness to talk about the hard topics. They’re not afraid to talk about the real issues that we’re all thinking about and struggling with – and they’re almost always the first to say, ‘We’re going there.’”
-Brené Brown, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and CEO
We hope that our Workhuman Live conferences continue to promote gender equity and help women in the workplace rise to power. Pricing starts at $1,117 per ticket for team rates. Registration is already open, so book your spot today to lock in the lowest price possible!
Unlock the Future of Work: Join Workhuman Live 2025 and Rise, Build, and Lift with Purpose!
2. Women on Boards: Getting on and Adding Value
- Aimed toward empowering women who are currently in or aiming for leadership positions and board seats.
- Dates: May 1 – 2, 2025
- Location: Harvard Longwood Campus, Boston, MA
- Price: $3,800
- Why attend:
- The entire event is supported by Harvard faculty
- Helps women develop actionable plans to move into board seats
3. SHRM Women in Leadership Institute™ (WIL)
- SHRM Women in Leadership Institute™ (WIL) Opens in a new tab centers around challenges women leaders commonly face in their roles and how to best navigate them.
- Dates: Sept. 28 - Oct. 1, 2025
- Location: San Diego and virtual
- Why attend:
- Can attend in-person or virtually, making it flexible and accessible
- Hosted by one of the most trusted HR organizations in the US
4. 2025 Women’s Leadership Forum
- SACUBO 2025 Women’s Leadership ForumOpens in a new tab focuses on building strength and resilience for female leaders in the higher education sector.
- Dates: February 26-28, 2025
- Location: Virginia Beach, VA
- Why attend:
- Earn up to 8 CPE credits for participation
- Experience tailored career-coaching opportunities
5. Global Women in Leadership
- Global summit featuring a panel of powerful women in leadership from around the world.
- Dates: May 29-30, 2025
- Location: New York, New York
- Price: $1,499
- Why attend:
- Helpful sessions for women at all stages of career development
- Focuses on the timely topics of advocacy and social change through effective leadership
6. Simmons Leadership Conference
- Simmons Leadership ConferenceOpens in a new tab is one of the most well-known and well-respected women’s leadership conferences in the country, complete with a wealth of connections and resources for participants to leverage.
- Date: March 20, 2025
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- Why attend:
- This event has historical significance as the first women’s leadership conference in the US, pioneering the important practices of giving powerful women platforms to share their knowledge
- Highly successful keynotes, with past speakers including Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama
Empowering women in leadership conferences in 2024
There’s still time to attend these exciting and informative events before the end of the year:
Women’s Leadership Symposium
- Women’s Leadership Symposium Opens in a new tab is an exciting event with a focus on female leaders’ health and wellness.
- Dates: December 2-3, 2024
- Location: Fort Smith, Arkansas
- Why attend:
- Notable speakers from a variety of industries
- Unique focus to help female employees stay healthy and balanced as they advance in their careers
2024 Women’s Leadership Institute
- This event is highly interdisciplinary, with speakers from various industries across the globe.
- Dates: December 10-13, 2024
- Price: $999 member, $1,999 non-member
- Location: San Diego, California
- Why attend:
- High-quality programming from a variety of speakers on a wealth of topics, featuring something for everyone
- Beautiful location in sunny San Diego
See also: 10 Best Business Conferences in 2025 for Leadership, Management, and More
FAQ
Why should I attend a women’s leadership conference?
Attendance at these conferences is highly important because they’re designed to specifically address the issues women face in the workplace as they climb the corporate ladder. Attendees will be given valuable insights and information on how to best navigate sexism in the workplace and empower themselves to step into the most successful chapters of their careers.
How can I maximize my conference experience?
Networking can be a powerful way to ensure that you get as much value as possible out of your conference attendance. To ensure that you’re connecting with the people who will be most helpful to your career growth, make a point to attend sessions that are aligned with your current struggles and future goals.
Engaging directly with speakers and other participants can help you build relationships, create a support network, and be the first to hear about new employment opportunities.
Final thoughts on these powerful opportunities
Women’s leadership conferences provide incredible opportunities for female employees and executives to connect with one another, discuss their struggles and concerns, and help one another succeed in their careers. These powerful events can be career-altering in the best way possible, creating opportunities for education, inspiration, and networking.
For the ultimate women’s leadership sessions, we hope you'll join us at Workhuman® Live Gaylord Rockies 2025!
About the author
Anna Picagli
As a CYT500 yoga instructor and a certified reiki practitioner, Anna is an advocate for holistic wellness, especially within the workplace.
She’s extremely passionate about the brain-body connection and exploring how mental and physical wellness intersect.
Anna has experienced firsthand how chronic stress, overworking, poor management, and other organizational issues can lead to extreme burnout. Knowing the impact that a toxic work environment can have on a person’s body, psyche, and general sense of well-being, she now works to direct others away from facing the same fate.
As Workhuman’s Content Marketing Senior Specialist, Anna is a regular contributor to Workhuman iQ reports and aims to create resources that company leaders can reference to help improve their culture and empower their employees, creating healthier workplaces for everyone.
In her free time, she’s a voracious reader and a seasoned home chef. You can learn more about Anna’s work on LinkedIn or through the Yoga Alliance.