With opening remarks by Lisa Baccus of Tower Pro Insurance (left to right) and closing observations led by Diane Mueller of CITCA and Erin Smith of Collective Strategic Resources, who brought the event full circle by celebrating insights gained and connections made, the summit is being heralded as a huge success.
The Women of NATE (WON) lit up Baltimore on Thursday, September 18, 2025, with the Fifth Annual Women’s Leadership Summit—a dynamic celebration of leadership, learning, and connection. With a record-setting 130 passionate attendees and the backing of 24 generous sponsors, the summit was nothing short of electric. From start to finish, the day was filled with high-energy programming that blended professional growth with personal empowerment, all while sparking invaluable networking and fostering a stronger sense of community across the industry.
Attendees participated in dynamic conversations centered on leadership, empowerment, and the critical role of mentorship. The agenda included opening remarks, thought-provoking panel discussions, and impactful presentations delivered by accomplished leaders across the industry.
Designed to educate, inspire, and connect, the summit empowered participants to advance their personal and professional journeys. The day concluded with a vibrant networking reception, fostering continued dialogue and collaboration among attendees.
On Friday, September 19, WON held its Day of Giving, where attendees volunteered at Paul’s Place. Paul’s Place is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhance the quality of life in Southwest Baltimore. Paul’s Place has been a steadfast source of support for residents of the Southwest Baltimore communities for over 40 years – starting as a two-day-a-week soup kitchen and evolving into a one-stop destination offering a wide array of resources to hundreds of individuals every day. Paul’s Place offers more than 20 programs to help guests along a path to stability. Paul’s Place provides programs, services, and support that strengthen individuals and families, fostering hope, personal dignity, and growth.
“The 2025 Women’s Leadership Summit created an inspiring platform to exchange experiences and tackle challenges within the telecommunications industry, while also learning from a dynamic group of experts,” said Diane Mueller, co-chair of the WON Leadership Summit Task Team and Sales Representative at CITCA LLC in Bradley, Illinois.
“The fifth annual Women’s Leadership Summit offered incredible knowledge on professional development and opportunities to be courageous with your career choices and leadership with some fantastic educational sessions, a Keynote Speaker Luncheon, and a Networking Reception,” stated WON Leadership Summit Task Team co-chair, Erin Smith, Regional Director for CSR – Collective Strategic Resources, in Hartselle, Alabama.
“This year I was very inspired by the content presented, and many ideas shared, as this agenda dug into some challenging and thought-provoking topics and pushed the boundary of each attendee to look at themselves on how to become a courageous leader,” Erin continued. “We encourage all women in the tower and communications infrastructure industry, both new and experienced, to get involved with Women of NATE, and we look forward to our next Women’s Leadership Summit on September 17, 2025, in Indianapolis, Indiana.”
Sessions benefited from key industry influencers
Chairwoman of Women of NATE, Lindsey Westphal of Blackhawk Tower Communications, center, with two of her colleagues, Jordan Kinsler of Telamon, at left, and Bessy Garcia of Tower Technics, at the conference’s networking event.
The day began with a welcome address by Blackhawk Tower Communications CFO Lindsey Westphal, Chairwoman of Women of NATE, followed by opening remarks from Lisa Baccus of Tower Pro Insurance. Afterward, Rachel Rea of Boingo Wireless led a networking session designed to help attendees build connections and set the tone for collaborative learning.
The first panel, “Mastering Active Listening for Maximum Impact,” moderated by Stephanie Gilbert (Consultant) and featuring Rachel Rea and Michelle Vasquez (Phirelink), delved into the art of listening to understand rather than to respond. The discussion focused on how active listening enhances project negotiation, collaboration, and leadership effectiveness.
Following this, the “Leveraging Emotional Intelligence and Soft Skills for Leadership Excellence” panel, moderated by Arleth Carbajal (Pyramid Network Services) with Talisha Germain (RF Industries), Nancy Hernandez (Tower Engineering Professionals, Inc.), and Jennifer Winters (Motive Infrastructure), explored how emotional intelligence and soft skills — such as self-awareness, empathy, and communication — are essential to strengthening leadership and fostering organizational trust.
At the Keynote Luncheon, Nichole Thomas of SBA Communications Corporation shared her story under the theme “Leveraging Change and the Impact of Sponsorship on your Career,” discussing her career journey, what mentorship and sponsorship have meant for her, and how embracing change has supported her longevity in the telecom infrastructure industry.
In the afternoon, the panel “Strategies for Engaging and Leading Diverse Personalities,” moderated by Taylor Sierra (Nextlink Internet) with Stacy Cole (MasTec Network Solutions), Bessy Garcia (Tower Technics, LLC), and Jessi Mathys (Pathwave, Inc.), addressed practical strategies for communicating across personality types—extroverts, introverts, outspoken vs. more reserved—and how to adapt leadership styles accordingly.
Next, “Bridging Generational Gaps: Embracing Diverse Perspectives in the Workplace,” moderated by Lauren Goff (GSS, Inc.) with Meredith Henson (NextEdge), Tammy Ridgley (Tessco Technologies), Lizzie Stevenson (SQUAN), and Beth Yglesias (Amentum Digital Infrastructure), focused on overcoming stereotypes between generations, appreciating the wisdom of experience, and valuing new voices.
The event wrapped up with “Integrating Strategies and Taking Action,” led by Chelsea Hood (Engineering Wireless Services, LLC) and Katie Turner (Vision Technologies), which focused on translating lessons learned into actionable goals, creating space for personal and professional growth, and planning for leadership development.
