Speakers

About Stephanie

Stephanie Anderson

Engagement Specialist | People Centric Consulting Group

Stephanie Anderson is an Engagement Specialist at People Centric Consulting Group. People Centric builds healthy organizations where people are aligned and empowered by helping leaders create actionable change that improves their workplace culture.

Stephanie is an experienced business strategist who has worked with organizations of all sizes from small start-ups to Fortune 100 companies in leadership and consultant roles, in addition to being a small business owner and social entrepreneur herself.

Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Arts from Evangel University and a certification in Women's Entrepreneurship from Cornell University. She is a graduate of Leadership Springfield Class 45 and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Ozarks Regional YMCA and WISE Zambia.

About Lori

Lori Robertson

Founder | SpeakHer Coach

Lori Robertson is an accomplished keynote speaker, story strategist and speaker coach on a mission to empower women in leadership to use their voices as a tool of influence and impact.

She came to see the incredible power of women sharing their wisdom, insights and stories when she spent 10 years producing Women of Faith, the world's largest women's live event tour. Visiting 28-30 NBA and NHL arenas each year and hosting audiences of over 14,000 at its peak, Women of Faith was a movement with million of women encouraging, inspiring and empowering women.

Lori's journey from a novice speaker to event emcee speaking to crowds of thousands was nothing short of remarkable. Since then, her captivating presence has graced stages worldwide, addressing groups of over 18,000. She speakers regularly on the topics of leadership communication, the power of storytelling for leaders and the value of building and leveraging an intentional personal brand.

As the visionary founder of SpeakerHer Coach, she's on a mission to help more women say "yes" to opportunities that enhance their visibility, maximize their impact and grow their personal brands through speaking.

Lori Robertson is not just a speaker; she's a catalyst for change, committed to empowering women to step up, speak up and lead through clear, confident communication.

About Laura

Laura Gates

President | TransLand

Laura Gates, President of TransLand, thrives on embracing fear and doubt as opportunities for growth. With 25 years at TransLand, she's risen from the accounting department to President, showcasing her strength as a leader. Under her guidance, the company has expanded its driver count, opened a new facility in St. Louis and earned recognition as one of the best fleets to drive for. Gates, a trailblazer in a male-dominated industry, is committed to paving the way for future female leaders. Looking ahead, she envisions further growth in Springfield and St. Louis, alongside a deepened commitment to community outreach, including charitable contributions to organizations like Care to Learn and those supporting veterans.

About Krystal

Krystal Simon

CEO | Care To Learn

Krystal Simon, CEO of Care to Learn, begins each day with gratitude and coffee, believing in the power of positivity. With a background in the Great Game of Business and Camp Barnabas, she transitioned to Care to Learn to balance work and family life. Under her leadership, Care to Learn expanded from a $1.1 million to a $4.8 million nonprofit, aiding students over 3 million times. Simon attributes this success to her dedicated team, community support and donors. Her vision is to extend Care to Learn's reach beyond Missouri, aiming to serve more school districts and achieve further milestones in aiding children's basic needs for academic success.

About Grenita

Dr. Grenita Lathan

Superintendent | Springfield Public Schools

Dr. Grenita Lathan, Superintendent of the Springfield Public School District—the largest in Missouri—brings composure, grace and collaborative leadership to her role. With over 30 years in education, she oversees 23,500 students and 3,500 staff members. Under her leadership, Proposition S, focused on student safety and school improvement, passed with 77% voter approval. Dr. Lathan also initiated SPS University and Let’s Talk! to engage parents and the community. Despite the challenges, she navigates her career with confidence and relies on prayer and support. Driven by her passion for literacy, she cherishes the impact of quality education on children's lives. When not leading, she enjoys diving into a good murder mystery.

About Nancy

Nancy Bogart

CEO | Jordan Essentials

Nancy Bogart's journey into wellness entrepreneurship began with a simple lotion bar at craft fairs 24 years ago. Recognizing its potential, she and her husband Ron transformed the venture into Jordan Essentials, now a thriving direct sales company. Bogart takes pride in her inclusive workplace, employing her children and individuals with disabilities, fostering a joyful and supportive culture. Throughout challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, Jordan Essentials has flourished, experiencing a 23% increase in sales and finding success with products like magnesium-infused skincare, which gained traction on social media. Bogart remains dedicated to manufacturing quality products in southwest Missouri while advocating for workplace adaptability and inclusivity.

About Sarah

Sarah Adams Orr

Owner | Adams Funeral Home

Sarah Adams Orr, third-generation owner of Adams Funeral Home in Ozark and Nixa, carries on her legacy of providing comfort and support to grieving families. Growing up in the funeral business, she views services as celebrations of life. In her leadership role, she emphasizes communication and gratitude while ensuring meaningful services for families. Beyond her business, Sarah is deeply involved in her community, serving on the Ozark School Board, Springfield Ballet Board and more.

GET TO KNOW YOUR Keynote

Alison Fragale

Award-winning Ph.D., research psychologist, and Author of Likeable Badass

Alison Fragale, Ph.D., is an organizational psychologist, professor at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, and bestselling author of Likeable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve (Doubleday, September 2024).

Fragale’s academic research on status, power, negotiation, and influence have been published in her field’s top academic journals as well as national media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. She is a sought-after keynote speaker who uses behavioral science to help individuals, especially women, excel. Prior to her academic career, Fragale worked as a consultant for McKinsey and Company, Inc.

She holds a B.A. in Mathematics and Economics from Dartmouth College and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

"Alison is one of the most impactful speakers I have ever seen and worked with. She presents in such a genuine and unassuming way that endears her to the audience, and then she delivers an impact through storytelling and practical tools that anyone can start using immediately. Her first event with us was so well-received that we invited her back for a second event with our clients. And, I’ve been able to personally benefit from her advice. I can’t endorse Alison enough and I would jump at the chance to see her speak at every opportunity."

Jeff Tetz
CEO, Results Canada

"Her strategies for gaining advocates are brilliant."

Daniel H. Pink
#1 New York Times bestselling author

"Alison...has changed the way I think about success and relationships."

Adam Grant
New York Times bestselling author

Meet Your EmCee

Logan Aguirre

Owner/Publisher | Biz 417

Logan Aguirre is the Publisher and Owner of Four One Seven, the leading regional media company in southwest Missouri that produces 417 Magazine and Biz 417. Logan is deeply committed to 417’s mission of “Shining a Light” and demonstrates this through her board service and community leadership roles as well as creating programs and events like The Legacy Network, Remarkable, Think Summit and Ladies Who Launch that help build better leaders.

Recognized as one of Folio: Magazine’s Top Women in Media in the Corporate Visionaries category in 2017, Logan is also a sought-after speaker and emcee, with experience ranging from emceeing Go Red for Women for the American Heart Association to speaking at national conferences like the Great Game of Business.

Q & A with

Logan Aguirre

We know you are passionate about building better leaders. How did that inspire you to create Ladies Who Launch?

When Biz 417 released its first list of the Biz 100 in 2016, a list of the 100 most influential business leaders in our region, we received immediate feedback on the lack of female representation on the list. There were just 10 women on the list of 100 and when we asked who we missed, the answer wasn’t that we missed someone specific. It was that there truly weren’t more than 10 women in those key roles. This became clear to me that we had an opportunity to help chart a path for women in leadership in southwest Missouri. That year we answered with our first Ladies Who Launch event. This year we named 27 women to the Biz 100. Progress!

What is the mission of Ladies Who Launch?

The mission is the same today as it was eight years ago when we created this event. It’s to create content, community and conversation for women in leadership in our region. It’s an inherently high-energy and positive environment where we focus on inspiration, tangible takeaways and connection.

What’s new this year?

Three key things are new this year. First, after years of having a waitlist, we are able to accommodate up to 1,000 women by moving the event to the largest venue in our region, the Branson Convention Center. Second, we are taking this event to the next level as a regional business retreat for women who are looking for even more content and community. And third, we have two ticket options - one is the Classic-half day experience, and the new option is a Fully Loaded experience that includes a kick off event, morning activities, workshop and the Classic event.