HARTFORD, CT, UNITED STATES, February 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Following the success of the inaugural EmpowerHER event in 2025, organizers are proud to announce the return of EmpowerHER 2026, a full-day, in-person leadership experience designed to celebrate, connect, and empower women and allies across insurance and financial services. Hosted as a special full-day track at the InsurTech America Symposium (IAS), EmpowerHER serves as an exclusive pre-event that sets the tone for a transformative week in Connecticut.
Drawing women in insurance and insurtech from across the country, EmpowerHER 2026 is a comprehensive leadership forum focused on innovation, influence, and impact. The agenda brings together senior leaders, operators, founders, and change-makers for a day of candid conversations and community-building—beginning with morning networking and an EmpowerHER breakfast and concluding with dedicated networking sessions that encourage meaningful, lasting connections.
The program features a series of panels, keynotes, and lightning talks addressing the most pressing issues facing the industry today. Sessions include:
– Breaking the Mold: Women Leading the Next Era of Insurance,” a forward-looking opening panel on leadership and transformation;
– “Beyond Buzzwords: Real Talk on AI, Automation, and the Human Touch,” which explores how women are shaping technology-driven change while preserving empathy;
– and “Follow the Money: Investment, Capital, and Women Changing the Game,” a keynote spotlighting influence at the intersection of capital and innovation.
Additional sessions will examine enterprise-wide transformation, customer-centric design, and cross-functional leadership, culminating in “Trailblazers Unplugged,” a fast-paced series of lightning talks featuring bold insights and hard-earned lessons from women driving real change across the industry.
The decision to bring EmpowerHER back was driven by the overwhelming response to its inaugural year.
“What made the inaugural EmpowerHER event so impactful was the clarity of purpose and the immediate community support that participants were able to benefit from,” said Bobbie Shrivastav, Co-Founder of Solvrays and EmpowerHER Co-Chair. “This is about blazing bright trails and equipping women with the confidence, connections, and insight needed to lead at the highest levels. Bringing EmpowerHER back allows us to expand that critical momentum and help more women move boldly toward the C-suite.”
Lucy Graham, Director of Marketing at CalcFocus and EmpowerHER Co-Chair, emphasized the importance of creating intentional spaces for women leaders. “The inaugural EmpowerHER event proved there is a real appetite for thoughtful, substance-driven programming that speaks to the realities women face in insurance and technology. Bringing it back allows us to reach a wider audience with deeper learning opportunities and stronger community.”
Returning speaker Lisa Bickus, CEO of 1981 Financial Life, added “EmpowerHER creates the kind of environment where women do more than talk about success. They see what is possible. By sharing real experiences and practical insights, this event empowers women to thrive in their insurance careers and to lead with confidence, purpose, and resilience.”
Meredith Barnes-Cook, an active member of the Insurtech community in New England and Senior Principal at Datos Insights, is also a returning speaker to EmpowerHER. The return of EmpowerHER sends a powerful signal: these rooms matter. It’s critical to give women access to leaders whose careers and success they aspire to emulate. Learning directly from those paths, including both the wins and the challenges, accelerates growth in a way few experiences can.”
Stacey Brown, President of the InsurTech America Symposium, highlighted the role EmpowerHER plays within the broader IAS experience. “EmpowerHER has become a meaningful extension of the InsurTech America Symposium. We are pleased to continue offering this special event because it delivers real value to participants and reinforces our commitment to inclusive, forward-thinking leadership across insurance and financial services.”
EmpowerHER 2026 will take place as a featured pre-event of the InsurTech America Symposium and is open to registered IAS participants.
For more information and to register, about EmpowerHER, visit https://empowerher.media.
Brett McKenzie
CoVerse Communications
brett@coversecomms.com
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