The women who came to the 2026 WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV Women MEAN Business Summits did not just attend an event. They entered rooms built for insight, connection, and business growth.
At the Westin Grand Central in New York City on March 6 and the MGM National Harbor on March 20, women business owners met peer CEOs, corporate partners, allied organizations, and public-sector leaders who understand what it takes to grow in today’s market.
They learned from leaders including Camille Burns of the Women Presidents Organization (WPO), Randy Peers of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, LaTonia Pouncey of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), Judith Goldkrand and India Martin of Women Business Collaborative, Chinyere Hubbard of the DC Chamber of Commerce, Nicole Cober Johnson of The BOW Collective, and Marisela Rodela of the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF). They also heard directly from leaders tied to real contract and growth pathways, including representatives from EXIM Bank, the U.S. Commercial Service, the Office of Manufacturing and Trade at the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the D.C. Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection.
Just as important, attendees were able to hear from accomplished women who have built and scaled their own firms, including Wendy Shen, President and CEO of FLOMO Nygala Corp., Maryann Pagano, CEO of Black Hawk Data LLC, Margery Kraus, Founder and Executive Chairman of APCO, Diana Domenech, CEO, Accelerate Consulting Experts LLC, and Stacy K. Fritz, CEO of FIT2Order, and others who brought hard-won perspective to conversations about growth, systems, visibility, leadership, and staying power.
Through sessions like Know Before You Grow: Recentering Your Path; Launch to Legacy, From Certified to Celebrated; Harness AI to Fuel Growth, and Positioned to Compete: Strengthening Your Business for Contracts and Global Markets, attendees were able to step back, sharpen their strategic focus, and get practical about what comes next. Summit panels and breakouts focused on the forces shaping the current economic and government landscape and what women-owned firms can do to adapt, compete, and not only grow but thrive.
The Summits also served as rooms where women could network for potential revenue opportunities, explore future collaborations, and connect with people who may become referral partners, resource partners, customers, or champions. The Marketplace at each Summit added another layer of engagement and opportunity, giving attendees the chance to sell, shop, discover WBENC-certified businesses, and continue conversations that could turn into business.
As COO Leandra Joseph said at the NY Summit, “success isn’t reserved for the lucky, it’s available to the prepared.” Dr. Terri Coaxum also reminded the New York audience, “Relationships are a growth strategy,” and Randy Peers challenged attendees not to shrink in uncertain times, saying those moments are when leaders should take the biggest risks and bring forward their most creative ideas.
At the DMV Summit Nicole Cober Johnson emphasized, “There are over 100 women in this room. I hope you do not leave without seeing the person sitting next to you, someone you do not know, as a potential partner in the future.” She continued, “The concept of community is catalytic. It’s on the table for every conversation. It’s not just a ‘girls group.’ It’s an economic power with women who have the same interests and can scale.” And the DMV Launch to Legacy panel conversation made clear that women business owners need more than encouragement. They need insight, trusted relationships, practical resources, and rooms where real experience is shared honestly.
That is exactly what the 2026 Women MEAN Business Summits delivered.
For those who attended, our aim is that you left with new clarity, new contacts, and new momentum. For those who missed the Summits, we hope you choose to experience the relationships, visibility, and opportunity accessible through WBEC NY DMV programming and events happening through the rest of the year, including our May 12 – 15 Week of WBEC, FORUM gatherings, our new WeTalks webinar series, and our November 20 Metro NY and December 3 Greater DMV Impact Awards events.
We will continue to carry this year’s theme, Synergy, throughout 2026 in our effort to connect and support WBEs across our network. Stay involved, stay tuned, use your certification, and lean into this community of women business owners, corporate partners, and allied organizations. We look forward to what’s ahead as we carry out our mission to keep you women-business enterprises connected to access to opportunities, insight, and growth.
