NAWBO Days 2024
June 3 - June 5
Event Venue/Location
The Royal Sonesta Washington, DC Capitol Hill
20 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001
Phone : 202-888-1850
Book your group rate for 2024 NAWBO Days
- Room Rate: $269 USD + tax /night
- Start Date: May 31, 2024
- End Date: June 5, 2024
- Room Block Deadline: May 8, 2024, at 5pm ET
- Click here to book your group rate
Annual Membership Meeting, NAWBO Awards Gala, Leadership Onboarding and Advocacy Days
NAWBO’s 2024 event line-up has been re-envisioned as we plan for one epic 50th anniversary celebration in 2025. As part of this, we are bringing our community of women business owners from across the United States together in person this year for one must-attend event that combines Leader Onboarding, Annual Membership Meeting, Awards Gala and Advocacy Days.
There are three packed, high impact days of 200+ NAWBO leaders, members and supporters connecting, learning, celebrating and advocating on Capitol Hill around the issues that impact women entrepreneurs and small business owners most right now.
Member Rate
Early Bird Registration- Effective until 3/31/2024
- Cancellation Fee: $75
- Cancellation Period: 4/1/2024 – 5/6/2024
Non-Member Rate
Early Bird Registration- Effective until 3/31/2024
- Cancellation Fee: $75
- Cancellation Period: 4/1/2024 – 5/6/2024
Member Rate
Regular Registration- Effective from 4/1/2024
- Cancellation Fee: $75
- Cancellation Period: 4/1/2024 – 5/6/2024
Non-Member Rate
Regular Registration- Effective from 4/1/2024
- Cancellation Fee: $75
- Cancellation Period: 4/1/2024 – 5/6/2024
Cancellation-Transfer Only Period
5/7/2024 – 6/3/2024
Agenda | Day 1 – June 3
REGISTRATION OPEN: 9:00 am – 11:00 am EDT
All agenda times are in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
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!
Agenda | Day 2 – June 4
REGISTRATION OPEN: 8:00 am – 10:00 am EDT
All agenda times are in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
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
Agenda | Day 3 – June 5
All agenda times are in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
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
Speakers
Meet Our Speakers
Jill Calabrese Bain
Managing Director, Small Business, Specialty Banking & Lending, Bank of America
Wendy Doyle
President & CEO, United WE
Jen Earle
CEO, NAWBO National
Beth Hoving
Senior VP & East Division Support Executive for Small Business, Bank of America
Shauna Huntington
Institute of Entrepreneurial Development, Chair Elect
Val Jones
Senior Lead Business Growth Strategy Consultant, CSBB Diverse Segments, Wells Fargo & Company
U.S. Representative Julia Letlow
Member, House Committee on Appropriations
Dr. Janis Shinkawa
Board of Directors, Chair Elect
Our Sponsors
Thanks to our sponsors for making events like this possible for our community of WBOs!