Barren Inc. brings women together for leadership summit
CAVE CITY, Ky. — Women from across south-central Kentucky gathered Thursday for Barren Inc.’s first LeadHER Forward Summit, an event focused on leadership, networking and empowering women in their communities.
The summit brought together women from a variety of industries and backgrounds, including business owners, entrepreneurs, community leaders and women working in manufacturing.
Maureen Carpenter, president and CEO of Barren Inc., said the event was created to give women an opportunity to come together and share their experiences.
“We have so many amazing women-owned businesses in Barren County, so many amazing women that serve on boards, civic organizations. And we really don’t have the opportunity to just come together and spend the day and share experiences,” Carpenter said.
Organizers said the summit was also an opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of women while creating connections that can continue beyond the event.
Cheyanne Fant, board chair of Barren Inc., called the summit a landmark event.
“Today is kind of a landmark day because it is — it’s a first. It’s a first that the chamber has come together to celebrate women,” Fant said.
The event included networking opportunities, speakers and a marketplace featuring women-owned businesses.
Among the vendors was Glenda Nelson, founder and owner of Mz Dazzles Custom Blingz & Thingz.
Nelson started her business during the COVID-19 pandemic, initially making T-shirts, cups and other customized products. She later began creating handmade necklaces from neckties, adding her own signature touch of bling.
Nelson said the opportunity to support and encourage women was one of the reasons she wanted to participate in the summit.
“Anything that deals with women and to help them further their career, increase their self-esteem, decision making or anything that has to do with women empowerment — I’m there,” Nelson said.
The summit also featured women sharing lessons from their own careers and experiences.
Barren County Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd spoke about her career in engineering, a field she described as male-dominated when she entered it.
Bewley Byrd said working in an environment where there were relatively few women gave her an opportunity to stand out, network and build relationships.
She also shared a lesson she learned through leadership and making difficult decisions.
“You’re not going to please everybody, but in the end, you’re going to win if you’re going to the right reason,” Bewley Byrd said.
Libby Short, executive director of Community Partners for Recovery, also spoke about her understanding of leadership.
Short said her perspective was shaped by watching her father serve others when she was a child.
“When I think about leadership, I don’t think about a title or a list of accomplishments, but I think about a little girl standing behind the counter of a country grocery store watching her dad serve others and lead in that community,” Short said.
Organizers said the summit was designed not only to celebrate women, but also to encourage mentorship and create relationships between women at different stages of their careers.
Fant said the event provided an opportunity for women to learn from one another and support each other.
“There’s no limit on success as long as we’re here to support each other and help each other grow,” Fant said. “We’re all pulling in the same direction, we will all rise together.”
Barren Inc. hopes the connections made during the inaugural LeadHER Forward Summit will continue beyond the event as women across South Central Kentucky support, mentor and encourage one another.
