Women Today Leading Tomorrow

How do you cope when you wake up one day and learn that your son is a heroin addict? That’s what happened to me on Mother’s Day of 2010.That knowledge changed everything, immersing my family in a years-long nightmare. Eventually, I learned to survive my son’s addiction by taking life 15 minutes at a time. A system evolved, which not only worked for life with an addict, it worked for professional and personal challenges beyond that crisis.

Based on the new book "The 15 Minute Master" this empowering program teaches audiences how to bring focus and clarity to issues using 15 minutes, 3 questions and one action step, creating a specific, simple action plan to tackle problems, conflicts and responsibilities, leading to increased productivity, success and happiness, while accomplishing more and finding balance in every day. Attendees will discover the following take-aways:

The benefits of intense, intentional focus
How to break down issues using three specific questions
How to determine if action is possible and advisable
How to build an action plan
How to dramatically improve productivity and success 15 minutes at a time

Mary Fran Bontempo is an award-winning 2-time TEDx speaker, author, humorist, and media host who teaches audiences to uncover their Brilliance and Resilience 15 minutes at a time. A sought-after presenter for corporate and association events, Mary Fran is author of The 15 Minute Master, Brilliantly Resilient, and The Woman’s Book of Dirty Words and co-founder of the Brilliantly Resilient programs and media. Mary Fran proves small changes can create life-altering transformations, allowing individuals to be positive and successful in a rapidly changing world. A Huffington Post, Entrepreneur.com, and Thrive Global contributor and columnist for numerous websites, Mary Fran created a life-affirming brand of wisdom and wit after meeting the challenge of her son’s heroin addiction. A frequent media guest and speaker, audiences of all ages delight in her empowering and entertaining message. Find her at www.maryfranbontempo.com and www.brilliantlyresilient.net. 

Faith is a journey. This presentation will explore the professional and personal milestones of my faith journey from high school into my career, including the recent loss of my beloved sister, VJM alumna, Maria Middleton '21. Participants will receive two key takeaways — first, that confidence is cultivated by developing a personal relationship with God; and second, that in our most challenging moments, we must leverage God’s strength to help us step forward.

Throughout my career as an entrepreneur, I definitely walked the path of perceived failure. (I was fired four times and closed down two businesses.) However, I never viewed these experiences as failures. Instead, I saw them as signs pointing me in the right direction and as an invitation to evolve. Every setback made me stronger for the next comeback and throughout, I worked on my confidence and mindset. This led me on a journey to pursue my passions and do things I felt would make a difference in the world. My presentation outlines this journey — the ups and downs. It demonstrates how playing sports throughout my life taught me ways to make intentional mindset changes that helped me accomplish goals I once thought were impossible.

2020 was a tumultuous year for all. How do we find joy in the midst of chaos? How do we thrive and live out God’s purpose for our life despite an uncertain and challenging environment with never-ending demands on our time? Let’s discuss some real life strategies we can use to stay connected to the truth and maybe even a little sane...

Becoming a Villa girl was a dream for as long as I can remember. Villa girls are kind, intelligent, hardworking and creative. Those were qualities I aspired to embody. Once at Villa, it seemed like I had my life mapped out. I did not know exactly where I would be in ten years, but my plan was to go to a prestigious college where I would hopefully do well and embark on the next stage of my life, a successful career. Sure this was an ambitious trajectory at 16 years old, but Villa girls are ambitious! So, after I graduated college, and eventually law school, I found myself in the working world — right where I had always wanted to be. Yet once I got there, I had no idea where to go next. We’re taught how to navigate a journey, but not what to do once we reach the destination. As a young female lawyer, I found myself in a strange new world with few female partners in power to assist me. This discussion will center on how to navigate transitions from Villa to college and beyond, and how to deal with the newfound pressures of the working world.

Katelyn is an attorney who specializes in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, as well as commercial litigation. As a part of her practice, she is highly involved with pro bono work. This includes work with Philadelphia VIP and the Plaintiffs' Employment Panel of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

While strides have been made in recent decades to destigmatize mental illness, particularly in the often-digital age of COVID, it pervades every facet of our culture and remains a taboo topic. As Christians, how do we approach our own mental health and illness? How do we approach it in others particularly during COVID when we are not physically together as a community? Christen Routh is no stranger to mental illness. As a woman who has battled multiple illnesses, she shares her personal experience on how we as Christians live in hope of a full and happy life and where faith plays an integral role in navigating these experiences. She also will dive into how to support and be an advocate for others in their walk.

Christen Routh is a wife, mother, consultant and long time Bucks County native who loves giving back to her community. She is an advocate for mental health and shares her personal journey in an effort to help empower others to lead healthier lives.

Technology is neither good nor bad, but neutral. But, it's our job to discern how it impacts us mentally, emotionally and relationally by building our technological intelligence. How does it impact our relationships and our brains? How do we filter some of the messages that we are being bombarded with? Can we ask ourselves, "What is the good life that is being presented or described? What is it telling me to love or to fear/hate?" 

Bekah Siau has served on staff with Young Life, an international ecumenical Christian outreach organization for 12 years in three different locations — Rockland County, NY (2008-2012), United States Military Academy at West Point, NY (2012-2019), and now in Bucks County (2019-present). She is a graduate of Nyack College, and has a Masters of Professional Studies in Pastoral Counseling from Alliance Theological Seminary. She has taught many things from art, music to swimming and snowboarding. Her favorite things are running, being outdoors, road trips, lavender latte, and creating spaces for people to connect. She considers herself to be a life-long learner, and enjoys writing, and speaking to teenagers helping them discover who they are and who God says they are.

Kaitlin is a litigation attorney who opened her own law practice in Bucks County representing injured workers in our community. She grew up in Bucks County, went to college at the University of Notre Dame, taught for a year in Florida through AmeriCorps, returned to Philadelphia for law school at Temple University, and has worked as a litigator since graduating law school in 2014. She is the executive chair of Diversity and Inclusion for the Philadelphia Bar Association Workers’ Compensation section, the attorney volunteer for the Academy at Palumbo mock trial team in Philadelphia, a member of the Bucks County Bar Association, a member of the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, and a member of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice. Additionally, Kaitlin is on the board of a new foundation, the Wright Legacy, which is a mentorship and legal education initiative serving to excite, inspire, and energize underrepresented youth in Chester County.