8:00 am – 8:45 am

Sanctuary

Yoga, Wellness & Walking 

Join us for a relaxing yoga and wellness session or a walk around the area to start your day! Bring a water bottle; there are towels in the fitness center along with a water refill station. Yoga participants are limited to 15 due to the size of the room. 

10:00 am – 11:45 am

Crown Ballroom

Annual Membership Meeting

Sponsored by Wells Fargo

Kickoff & Opening Remarks

Jen Earle, NAWBO CEO

Val Jones, Wells Fargo

NAWBO National Board Installation & Chair Remarks

Dr. Janis Shinkawa, NAWBO National Board Chair, 2024-2025

NAWBO Institute Board Installation & Chair Remarks

Shauna Huntington, NAWBO Institute Board Chair, 2024-2025

2024 Priorities: Membership, Advocacy and Community Building

As we move through 2024 toward the fall election, there’s a growing sense of uneasiness across the country—in NAWBO and in our greater communities. It’s an important reminder to stay focused and positive and proactively control the things we can. What can we do to help build and support our communities through local and national bi-partisan advocacy efforts? Through community outreach, education and partnerships? Through efforts to diversify and ensure all entrepreneurial women feel they belong and have a voice and access to what they need to grow? Let’s be part of the solution and continue to create leaders for a world of change.

Join Dr. Janis Shinkawa and Shauna Huntington for an important discussion moderated by Jen Earle. 

Treasurer’s Report

Megan Patton, NAWBO National Board

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Crown Foyer / Crown Ballroom

Buffet Lunch

Remarks: Ashli Nelson 

Sponsored by McDonald’s Corporation

1:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Crown Ballroom

Chapter Awards Ceremony & Presidents’ Recognition

Awards presented by Val Jones, Wells Fargo

Let’s recognize our top chapters for their amazing work over this last year followed by our pinning ceremony. Past presidents and new presidents will take part in the pinning ceremony as the new presidents recite their pledge.

2:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Crown Ballroom

Leadership Onboarding Training

Grab your chapter’s 2024-2025 leadership team—including both incoming and returning chapter leaders—and join us for sessions filled with tools, resources and connections to set the stage for your success in the year ahead. We know that running a successful chapter takes a village, so we’re inviting yours to participate in this onboarding event for all chapter leaders across the country. Topics include:

Best Practices Roundtable Discussions – Sponsored by Walmart Business

Past Presidents’ Panel

Chapter of Excellence and Chapter of the Year

Overview of Bank of America Ambassador Program

Handling Difficult Conversations

One Page Business Plan

Meet the HQ Team

Co-Sponsored by Bank of America & Dell Technologies

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Jewel Conference Center

Show Me the Money: A How-to Conversation for Every Business Stage

Access to capital remains a top challenge for women business owners, and it’s different depending on where you’re at in your entrepreneurial journey. This conversation—led by our partners at Wells Fargo—brings together women entrepreneurs with start-up businesses, $1 million-plus businesses and those who are somewhere in-between. Learn how they gained access, are using and investing it, including capital they might have sitting in the bank, and are positioning themselves to withstand any economic uncertainties.

Sponsored by Wells Fargo

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

West Atrium Gallery

Ready, Set…Maximize Your Meaningful Connections

There are so many incredible entrepreneurial women in the room at NAWBO Days that it’s hard to make meaningful connections with them all. Or is it? This elevated speed networking session makes it fun and easy with an hour of impactful ice breakers, games and even a few surprises from our partners at UPS. You’ll maximize your time and make new and deeper connections with your entire NAWBO community.

Sponsored by UPS

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Jewel Conference Center

Pathways to Profit: Maximize Your Certification

We’ll provide an overview of the NAWBO Certification program, then break into small groups for interactive workshops with the Certification committee. Workshops will include capability statement critiques, brainstorming sessions on how to use your certification, speed networking with other members to identify potential teaming partners, as well as Q&As about the certification process.

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

West Atrium Gallery

NAWBO Circle Program

NAWBO Circle program participants (for WBOs with $1 million+ in annual revenue) have access to exclusive programming at NAWBO Days! Join us for a special, organized Intentional Connections networking activity to make sure all Circle participants are well connected with one another outside of their Mastermind groups. After this activity, the Circle will go off-site to visit the King Tut Exhibition before heading to dinner. A reminder: if you are arriving early on Sunday, join the Circle for an afternoon of kayaking on the Potomac! (no rapids, easy paddling). A Circle Happy Hour follows at the home of Molly Gimmel. If you’re a Circle program participant, watch your email for details and links to be part of it all! 

After 6:00 pm

Dinner On Your Own – Explore DC!

Grab dinner in DC and explore areas of the District with your NAWBO sisters! 

8:45 am – 9:30 am

Crown Foyer / Crown Ballroom

Member Breakfast

Sponsored by Mastercard

9:30 am – 10:15 am

Crown Ballroom

9:30 am – 10:15

Crown Ballroom

Policy Priorities – Access to Capital Through Financial Literacy

For any business, access to capital is the number one priority, and top indicator of success. NAWBO advocates for more resources for entrepreneurial development programs, including Women’s Business Centers, to provide additional financial literacy education for women owned businesses. During this discussion, we’ll cover the importance of financial literacy for women business owners and how policy makers can improve access.

Sponsored by Amazon

10:15 am – 12:00 pm

Micro Business Session

Addressing Needs of Micro Business: Through the first half of 2024, NAWBO has facilitated four regional listening sessions in partnership with Women Impacting Public Policy to discuss the definition, and the needs of microbusinesses. We’re excited to host a discussion on the themes of our dialogue with women entrepreneurs on this important issue, as well as how a federally codified definition for micro businesses would help the smallest of small businesses.

Workforce: In the post COVID era, the need for a federal framework on paid family leave is more apparent than ever. Policies that include support for self-employed individuals and working families through programs like paid family leave help address the economic needs of our business owners and workforce while at the same time helping ensure small business owners can compete against their larger counterparts. Join us for a discussion on the needs of women owned small businesses as it relates to paid leave, and a deep dive into the bicameral, bipartisan efforts to address paid leave.

Caring for The Business Owner: More than ever, our nation understands the need for a sound healthcare system and acknowledges a concerted effort is needed to address the cost of healthcare for small business owners and their employees. At the same time, we acknowledge that as the primary caregivers for young children and older loved ones, women business owners need flexibility to manage care and run their businesses. Join us for a discussion on the importance of affordable healthcare for small businesses, as well as a need for a flexible paid leave program which accommodates family caregivers.

Panelist: Wendy Doyle, President & CEO, United WE

Sponsored by Gusto

12:30 pm – 1:00 pm

Group Photo on Capitol Hill

We are excited to continue one of our most popular traditions of taking a group photo on Capitol Hill! We will walk together from the hotel to the steps of the Capitol.

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Hart Senate Office
Building (SH-902)

Partner Briefing Lunch

Remarks: Congresswoman Julia Letlow, U.S. House of Representatives 

Sponsored by Intuit

2:30 pm – 4:45 pm

Meetings with Senate & House Small Business Committee Staffs

6:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Crown Foyer

Pre-Gala Reception and Photo Op

Sponsored by Verizon

6:30 pm – 10:30 pm

Crown Ballroom

NAWBO Annual National Awards Gala
Presented by Bank of America

Beth Hoving, Senior VP & East Division Business Support Executive, Bank of America – Woman Business Owner of the Year Panel Moderator

Jill Calabrese Bain, Managing Director, Small Business, Specialty Banking & Lending Division, Bank of America – Announce WBO of the Year

Buffet dinner following panel; dance floor open after award announcement

9:00 am – 10:00 am

Crown Foyer / Crown Ballroom

Regional Chapter Advocacy Breakfast

10:00 am – 10:30 am

Crown Ballroom

Priorities Partner Coffee Break/Networking

11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Group Meetings on Capitol Hill