Andrea DiMatteo
Making Space: Reflections from the 2026 NCEO Women’s Summit
The NCEO hosted its Women’s Summit on October 6 and 7. This event is a highlight of our annual schedule—we in the employee ownership community are a fun and special breed, and the Summit is one of those events that really spotlights that. Together, we create space to learn, challenge assumptions, and support one another. I had the honor of facilitating this year’s Summit, holding space for our guest speakers and participants to dive into the content and network with colleagues across the employee ownership community.
Leadership is challenging, no matter if you’re leading yourself or a team of others. But leading while juggling the expectations of family, friends, and work? That is especially demanding. Our Women’s Summit carved out time for purposeful introspection with Gina Schaefer’s keynote and grounding moments with Brenda Bennett’s breathwork. Lorin Beller’s intention wheel set the stage for us to align with what we want, who we are, and how we want to show up. Taking the time to invest in ourselves is truly priceless, and it was great to see so many peers working together to better themselves. Together, we build better companies, flourishing communities, and a strong future for women in employee ownership!
I appreciate the opportunity to be in community with our fantastic members.
*The quote captured in the photo is one shared by a participant on our inspiration wall. I added it to my planner as a reminder of what to carry forward from our time in Detroit.
