The Empowered Leadership Conference has been held annually since its initial launch in 2022. This year’s conference will take place on April 3, 2026 in the Campus Center.

The conference will include a keynote speaker, an interactive lunch, panel discussions, and a variety of breakout sessions on the topic of leadership.

In the Campus Center Grand Hall, attendees will check in while enjoying light refreshments. Kicking off the day’s events, the Stocktones a cappella group will perform in the Campus Center Theatre. Following the performance, a panel discussion, “Leading Your Community to Promote Social Change,” will be held. Panelists include Brian Pluchino, director of Residential Life and Circle K adviser; Melany Cruz of the Guatemalan Student Association; Jecce Harriott, president of Pride Alliance; and Victorious Johnson of the Office of Community Engagement.

The keynote speaker at this year’s conference is Stockton Alum, Aleshka Barbosa, MSW. During the interactive lunch, students will be able to get professional headshots in the Career Education & Development Office.

During the breakout session segment, attendees will have six different sessions to choose from. The sessions will cover a variety of topics, ranging from the art of developing and recognizing their strengths, to being a good leader.

The day’s events will conclude with an awards ceremony recognizing the team whose efforts make the event possible year after year. The awards include the 2026 Empowered Leader of the Year, the 2026 Empowered Organization of the Year, the 2026 Empowered Staff/Faculty Member of the Year and an award honoring the late Yolanda Pacheco, which will recognize an advocate for mental health and the LGBTQ+ community.

For a detailed itinerary of the conference date’s events, be sure to visit https://stockton.edu/empowered-leadership-conference/schedule.html.