More Than a Seat at the Table

Gonzaga’s Women Lead Spring Conference: A Young Professional’s Perspective

As a young professional, less than a year out from graduation, I have the usual burning questions: What am I here for? Where am I going, and how do I get there? Those were the questions on my mind when I returned to campus to attend the Women Lead Spring Conference.

Hosted by Gonzaga School of Leadership Studies, the annual conference brought together professionals and community members for a day centered on leadership, growth, and connection. Instead of receiving direct answers, I left with new perspectives. Ones that unfold through experience, reflection, intentional action, and a growing awareness of who we are becoming and how that shapes the way we lead.

A panel conversation, Leading with Heart and Purpose, featured Anna Franklin, Jacqui Gordón Núñez and Charlotte Nemec, three wise women who spoke openly about how their leadership has taken shape over time. They reflected on decisions made in uncertainty, moments of challenge, and a willingness to move forward regardless. “What makes you, or anyone for that matter, think you aren’t already a leader?” Nemec posed.

“Every one of us is a leader in their own way,” said Franklin. “Leadership is an activity we all participate in,” Núñez added.

As the conversation turned to purpose, it was not framed as something fixed, but something discovered gradually, and often in hindsight. “Ask yourself: Am I feeling fulfilled and is my leadership in service of others?” Franklin suggested. Núñez encouraged the room to remember that “finding your purpose is important no matter when you do it.” Nemec offered a simple but grounding perspective: “The only person who says you’re late is you.” “Amen, sister,” Franklin replied.

There was a lightness in the exchange, but also a kind of clarity. The pressure to have everything figured out, especially early in a professional journey, gave way to a more grounded understanding that leadership develops over time and that the timing of our lives is not something to measure against others.

In a group workshop, The Power of Storytelling, Morgan Marie described leadership as something that is not only demonstrated but felt. Stories, she noted, “turn experiences into connection,” offering a way to bring intention and meaning to work.

Grounded Leadership, a session on staying effective in high-stakes conversations hosted by Elle Christensen, focused on how leadership shows up in charged moments. Leadership, she explained, “is shaped by how we respond, how we stay present, how we manage stress, and how we remain grounded when conversations become difficult.” Related to emotional regulation, she noted: “Leaders, no matter how skilled, cannot outrun biology.”

In a career acceleration session, How to Make Yourself Promotable, Gena Hoxha addressed the realities of growth within professional environments. “It’s a myth that working hard gets you promoted,” she said, encouraging participants to be mindful about how they communicate their value. She emphasized the importance of understanding what you want to be known for, advocating for opportunities, and aligning your work with what decision-makers value.

That idea extended into networking, where Megan Fouty described connection not as transaction, but as contribution in her session, Building Your Brand and a Robust Network. Showing up with ambition and dedication, fostering mutual relationships, and being willing to share your story were all part of how opportunities take shape over time. As Fouty put it, “You are your own PR firm.”

By the end of the day, I didn’t have a checklist or a clear set of next steps, but I left with a better sense of direction and newfound clarity. It was less about having answers and more about knowing how to move forward. Having an authentic narrative about who you are, what you want, and where you want to be isn’t always found in what we’re doing, but why we do it.

“Don’t count yourself out of an opportunity because of worries that aren’t yet reality,” Fouty said. “Try now, and don’t be your worst enemy - be your best advocate.”

That message met the tension I have experienced as a young professional, wanting to grow while also questioning where I fit and how to get there. It shifted my focus away from waiting until I feel ready and toward paying closer attention to how I am already showing up.

Returning to Gonzaga in this context made this perspective shift evident. The values I had spent years being immersed in – such as service, compassion, critical thinking, integrity, and the Jesuit approach of caring for the whole person and of being someone for and with others – were apparent at the conference. These ideals showed up in the way people spoke, in the willingness to be honest about their experiences, and in the way space was made for others in the room.

I took from the conference not a definition of leadership, but a deeper awareness of how it takes shape in small decisions, in everyday conversations, and in the ways we choose to move forward – even when we are still figuring it out. Over time, those choices begin to shape something larger, not just where we sit, but what we build, who we invite in, and how we make space for others alongside us.

Because in the end, leadership is not about earning a seat at the table. It is about recognizing that we have the ability, and the responsibility, to help create crowded tables and spaces where others feel seen, heard, and valued.

A special thank you to speakers and presenters Sara Dean, Anna Franklin, Jacqui Gordón Núñez, Charlotte Nemec, Megan Fouty, Morgan Marie, Beck Burson, Heather Davis, Gena Hoxha, and Elle Christensen. And gratitude for the women who organized and supported this event: Cyndi Donahue, Mandy Baird, Sherri Lynch, and the many others not named.