Speakers

Beth and Peter Bostwick are a couple of people, just like you. They’ve had both wonderful experiences and devastating blows. After years of working at large companies and doing consulting gigs, they launched a software company with very little knowledge of startups. The net result of their wild 10-year ride was a company that led to an industry-wide transformation that benefitted many. However, late in their careers company, they were sued by their business partner and almost went broke. During that perilous time, they probed their thinking, wondering how something so bad could happen to them. It was through that painful and lengthy soul searching that they began to understand how their thoughts, beliefs, and feelings impacted their lives. While still actively learning about how daily thinking impacts their life, the Bostwicks have developed "You Can Choose" books, videos, and seminars to share what they have learned.

After spending four decades as an executive at Fortune 50 retail companies such as Walmart and Target, then one decade as an independent board member for consumer products companies, Castagna now uses her impact and experience as a retail consultant, an advisor for MyNextSeason, and an alumni trustee for Purdue University. She was listed in Fortune magazine’s “The 50 Most Powerful Women in Business” four times and appeared twice on Forbes magazine’s “100 Most Powerful Women” list. Now, Castagna is highly involved with her alma mater, Purdue, where she received her bachelor’s degree in psychology and speech communication. She has been recognized as an outstanding alumni by Purdue Bands & Orchestras and a distinguished alumni by the College of Health and Human Sciences, and she has participated in the Old Masters Program. As an alumni member of the Board of Trustees, she serves on the academic and student affairs committee, is chair of the audit and enterprise risk committee, and is a member of the board’s executive committee. Castagna and her husband, Doug, live in Naples, Florida.

Peck served as head coach of the Purdue women’s basketball team from 1997–99, leading the team to the NCAA National Championship in 1999. She was Tennessee’s Miss Basketball in 1984, then played collegiately at Vanderbilt University and professionally overseas for three years. She then served as an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee, where she helped the team win two national titles, and the University of Kentucky before arriving at Purdue as an assistant in 1996. During the 1999 championship season, Peck was named Women’s AP Coach of the Year, the WBCA Coach of the Year, and the Naismith Coach of the Year. She was also the first woman and first African American to win the Winged Foot Award from the New York Athletic Club. After a successful tenure at Purdue, Peck was named the first head coach and general manager of the WNBA’s Orlando Miracle and then spent five years as head coach at the University of Florida. She is a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame board of governors and board of trustees.

For more than 25 years, Kathleen Kenehan Sarpy has enjoyed a diverse career in public relations and marketing, working with the world’s most recognizable brands, as well as driven start-ups and nonprofits. With unrivaled energy and enthusiasm, Kathleen expertly connects people, events, and ideas to generate a meaningful and lasting impact. Agency H5 has been recognized alongside the best firms in the country, winning National Small Agency of the Year and Best Place to Work by PR News multiple times. Her value-driven agency ranked #11 among Top Company Culture’s in America by Entrepreneur.com and has been recognized as a Best Place to Work by Crain’s Chicago Business both in 2018 and 2019.

Troutner’s love of change and exploring new ideas are showcased in her wide range of career options. Joanne is a Purdue graduate, business owner, author, educator, and lifelong learner. Her story includes loving to work with middle-school students, being a technology director, working as a consultant for IBM, as well as establishing her own consulting business with clients across the U.S. and Canada. Troutner has served as chair of the President’s Council Advisory Board. She is currently serving on the Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies Dean’s Advisory Council and is an honorary member of the Purdue Foundation Student Board. Troutner was instrumental in reviving Women for Purdue and works as a volunteer with the newly merged Purdue Women’s Network.

Yllana, a proud 1999 Purdue chemical engineering graduate, celebrates almost 22 years with Accenture, a global IT company. She is a member of the Purdue Alumni Association Board of Directors, a past president of the Purdue Club of Chicago, a Chicago chapter leader of the Purdue Women’s Network, and a member of the Adler Planetarium’s Development Committee Board. Yllana loves family, friends, and chinchillas. In 2015, she hiked 116 km of the Camino de Santiago, a 1,000-year-old pilgrimage in Spain. In 2016, she did a half-marathon with her identical twin sister, Giovanna (Spice) Krozel, a fellow Purdue chemical engineering graduate.

Anderson has served in the office of planned giving for the last eight years and previously worked with the annual giving team. In her current role, she is responsible for front-line fundraising and all marketing efforts concerning planned giving. Anderson’s favorite part of the job is guiding donors on their philanthropic journey in a way that enables them to maximize their benefits, while doing something meaningful for Purdue. She received her bachelor’s degree from Purdue’s Brian Lamb School of Communication and is proud to be working for her alma mater.

Asberry has been a health advocate for many years. She is the proud owner of Dominique’s Enterprise LLC, a health and wellness company named after her daughter. Asberry has been a licensed massage therapist for more than 20 years. In addition, she is a certified health coach, maker of healthy hair and body care products, and a highly sought after inspirational public speaker and author. Her latest book is called “Joy Is in the Now Place.”

Barclay is a SANS Security Awareness Professional (SSAP). Prior to landing in the fast-growing arena of cybersecurity, Barclay was a marketing and communications expert in health care. Her specialty is consumer engagement and creating communications campaigns that connect with a variety of audiences, looking for creative ways to engage non-technical audiences. Barclay has developed a series of award-winning cybersecurity awareness videos that help employees move toward a better understanding of safer cybersecurity practices. Barclay has been a featured speaker at SANS Security Awareness summits, the RSA Conference 2020, and a guest lecturer for Purdue SLA Influentials.

Widowed at 37, Barnes raised two children while breaking the glass ceiling with her career at a Fortune 100 corporation and as CEO of a Chicago-area national bank. She is the founder of the Illinois-based The Landmark Group of Companies that manages its own and third-party real estate, and has been a presidential appointee for both George W. Bush and Barack Obama. She started school at Purdue at the age of 16, later going on to pursue a master’s degree in architecture at the University of Illinois and an executive management certificate through the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Delaware.

Bass is the author of the award-winning book “Write to Influence!” She also served 30 years of active duty in worldwide assignments, composing products for Congress, the White House, ambassadors, and generals. She developed her writing methodology and taught thousands of Air Force members for 15 years. Today, she teaches workshops to corporations, private business, government agencies, and NGOs. From powerful writing that banishes bureaucratic blather to crafting powerful résumés and grant submissions, she covers it all.

Bishop Morris has consulted for several national nonprofits and been recognized for her commitment to inclusion, leadership, and engagement — including through her service to the mayor’s council on disabilities, the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, and the YMCA Metro Chicago Lawson House. Thanks to her tireless work, Morris has been recognized as a Northwest Indiana Influential Woman. She is a former board member of the New York City-based organization Girls Write Now, and currently serves on the boards of St. Catherine Hospital and Laini Fluellen Charities Inc. in Northwest Indiana.

Maureen Breeze has more than 25 years’ experience working in coaching and transition, leadership development, and creative industries. She is a certified executive coach through the International Coaching Federation, and has authored two books on leadership and creative thinking. Breeze has facilitated trainings and workshops in Asia, Europe, and North America, and has had the privilege of working with Purdue University for several years.

Bryan is a human-connection activist specializing in emotional and energetic intelligence. She creates experiences, programs, and retreats rooted in the power of human connection. A former WBFF pro fitness model, Bryan is now a meditation teacher, speaker, and spiritual mentor to men and women willing to step on the path of spirituality and light work.

Devinger graduated from Purdue in 2020 with a BS in Industrial Engineering and a minor in Psychology. In her time at Purdue, she served on the Purdue Engineering Student Council, the Mortar Board Class of 2020, and as president of Chi Omega sorority. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, hiking, reading, and spending time with family and friends. She is currently in her first rotation in the GE Power Operations Management Leadership Program as a Materials Requirement Planner. This rotational experience gives her a unique perspective on the constantly changing business environment.

Downey is a veterinarian who worked in private practice before earning an MBA. She later managed market research, new product planning, and public affairs for Eli Lilly and Co. before founding Concordance Health Solutions in 2009. She also currently teaches marketing at Purdue University.

Gilmore established Gilmore Counseling and Consulting Services as a way to influence and encourage conversation around mental health within the black community. As an outpatient therapist and clinical coordinator at Structured Family Intervention LLC., Gilmore works with couples and families in her community and church to empower effective communication in all areas of a relationship, including children, finances, in-laws, and sex. Her current work centers around homelessness as trauma in the African American family. After attending Purdue University, Gilmore obtained her MS in counseling/counselor education from Indiana University and an MS in marriage and family therapy from Capella University.

Gladieux has enjoyed 18 years of graduate and undergraduate teaching experience at Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana Tech, and Trine University. She is also president of Gladieux Consulting in Fort Wayne, leading a team that helps with executive coaching, strategic planning, and workforce training for clients around the nation. Gladieux has helped thousands of clients grow through meaningful goals and is described as a “top gun” in her field. She loves what she does — and it shows.

Grotjan is a junior in the College of Agriculture studying agribusiness, with minors in communication, global food and agriculture systems, and supply chain management technology. She is from Zionsville, Indiana, and is a first-generation Boilermaker. In addition to serving as the Purdue Foundation Student Board’s vice president of recruitment and outreach, Grotjan serves as president of the Purdue Grand Prix Foundation, is a College of Agriculture ambassador, and is on the Purdue Ag Week Task Force. She has interned for Corteva Agriscience and in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the future, Molly hopes to serve an agricultural company working in government affairs or supply chain.

Henn is a rocket scientist who graduated from Purdue with a BS in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering in 1997. Upon graduation, she got her dream job working at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Henn worked on the NASA space shuttle program for over 14 years. During this time, she married and had three boys. As the space shuttle program wound down, it was clear to Henn that she needed to choose her destiny. That adventure would bring Henn and her family to Ohio, where she began work for GE Aviation. Since 2011, Henn has been in roles of increasing responsibility, ultimately advancing to Executive Lean Deployment Champion in 2019. The journey hasn’t always been easy personally or professionally, and Henn has become a better, stronger leader as she navigates her personal and professional life.

Hiller’s passion to please has helped her sustain an interesting career in hospitality since the age of 15. Her blend of experience and education make her a great resource. After graduating from Purdue University Northwest, she obtained an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University and a PhD in hospitality management from Iowa State University. Hiller is the coauthor of “The RevPAR Formula” and “The Red Book,” and the author of “Seven Easy Ways to Show Your Employees You Care.” She currently teaches hospitality-focused courses live and online.

Beth Hobson is a non-profit fundraising executive with nearly 20 years of experience. She currently serves as the fundraising campaign director for Hosparus Health in Louisville, Kentucky. She joined the Hosparus Health team in 2017 to oversee the organization’s $24 million People of Compassion comprehensive campaign, which is on pace to meet its goal nearly a year ahead of schedule. Hobson has held professional fundraising positions at the University of Louisville’s James Graham Brown Cancer Center and Metro United Way. In 2018, she earned her Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential. She obtained a BA in Communication from the University of Louisville and recently graduated with a MS in Communication from Purdue University. When not working or learning, Hobson enjoys volunteering for non-profit organizations, traveling, and spending time with her family.

A graduate from the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program, Lape spent a 23-year naval officer career in shore-based leadership positions and education/training positions. Lape earned a master’s and doctorate in education administration/higher education administration from Old Dominion University. Today, Lape is a government civilian and training lead for Women, Peace, & Security Training.

Layman is the president and owner of reDefined coaching and consulting services, challenging the way we look at our world. The growing business is focused on helping people envision and achieve their goals. Formerly with BP for nearly 30 years, Layman held executive positions with profit and loss accountability for $2 billion in assets. In 2015, Purdue University recognized Layman’s achievements by awarding her the Outstanding Mechanical Engineer Award.

Karen McCullough is the Director of Scholarship Stewardship and Development at Purdue for Life Foundation, a role she has held for the past six years. She has spent her career working with scholarship donors and recipients in various capacities, and has managed the scholarship program at the Purdue Research Foundation since its inception in 2014. McCullough considers herself very fortunate to be able to see the entire cycle of scholarship support from realizing a donor’s philanthropic vision in the creation of a scholarship to selecting scholarship recipients to sharing recipient gratitude back to donors. Karen holds a BA in Music (voice) from Otterbein University and a Masters in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University. Although she was not able to major in music at Purdue, she considers herself an honorary Boilermaker. Both of her grandfathers retired as faculty from Purdue and her parents met while students on campus. Karen, her husband (Allen, a continuing lecturer in the College of Liberal Arts), and their four young daughters love calling West Lafayette their home.

Artist, interior designer, infinite-possibilities trainer, sacred-depths coach, Reiki master. Petraits incorporates various modalities when working with clients transitioning from work life to retirement, whether it is with their home environment or through deeper work on the transformation that they are experiencing. Petraits’s coloring book, “Transformations: Exploring the Journey of Infinite Transformations,” is the core of her coaching business. She is also launching an additional coaching program for those living with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

Petrenko is trained as an environmental and atmospheric scientist, and devoted 15 years to studying smoke emissions from forest fires. Petrenko later became a life and leadership coach, certified by the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). Petrenko is especially interested in empowering accomplished women. To that end, she created Good2Real, a project that helps women put purpose and fulfillment into their life and work.

Scheiber advises senior leadership in the energy, legal, and technology fields by designing performance and productivity initiatives, conducting educational events, creating crisis mitigation plans, and developing organizational policies and standards. Currently a doctoral candidate, Scheiber studies the impact of persistent workplace conflict on brain function. Her work challenges the current point of view of leaders concerning interpersonal conflict in the workplace and proposes changes to improve the long-term results of intervention and crisis-mitigation efforts.

Smith is currently the Operations Leader for the Edison Program at GE Aviation, where she focuses on technical pipeline development, LEAN process improvement, budget planning, and social media strategy. Smith joined GE nine years ago after getting her BS in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Michigan and her MS in AAE from Purdue with a focus in controls. When Smith joined the Edison Program, she did one-year rotations in transient performance, controls, and steady-state performance, finally graduating the program as a controls engineer. Smith is married to a fellow GE engineer, and she enjoys traveling, reading, dancing, and painting. Three years ago, Smith started an art business as a side hustle and inadvertently found a passion for business and operational logistics, which is partly how she arrived at her current job.

Smith is a bestselling author, master coach, and inspirational speaker. She is the principal of The Coaching Seat, where she helps professionals who want to become solid coaches get certified so that they can strategically serve others, enter the coaching industry confidently, and gain flexibility and financial freedom along the way. Smith has more than 20 years of leadership experience in business and education. She is the creator of both the Champion Influence® Coaching Certification Program and The Coaching Seat Continuing Education Platform. She also serves as president of the nonprofit organization, Legacy of Women, Incorporated.

Kris Taylor founded Evergreen Leadership in 2004. A speaker, author, trainer, and coach, Taylor develops leaders for the 21st century through a transformational process that builds skills needed for today’s complex, global, high velocity, and fast-changing environment. She holds a master’s degree from Krannert and spent five years on the faculty of the Purdue Entrepreneurship Certificate Program. Her book, “The Leaders Guide to Turbulent Times,” is a practical, easy-to-use guide to leadership. With colleague Katie McNamee, Taylor founded LEAP Consulting to help experienced professionals launch successful consulting businesses.

Annette Watkins brings decades of research and corporate experience to her work with women. She is an accomplished academic, business owner, and researcher and works throughout Asia and Australia. Annette has a detailed understanding of the transition path of women throughout their careers, and she currently supervises PhD candidates researching women’s career trajectories.

Widely recognized as a leader in complex estate planning, Williams owns and operates Williams Law Office PC in Greensburg, Indiana. A native Hoosier, Williams provides trusted counsel, expertise, and straightforward advice to fit clients’ unique objectives for lasting legacies and peace of mind. Williams has taught business law at Butler and Indiana Wesleyan Universities, and is a frequent lecturer for the National Business Institute. After finishing her undergraduate degree at Purdue, she earned her JD/MPA from Syracuse University in 1996. She is a member of the US Supreme Court, Indiana, and Decatur County bar associations.