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Keynote Speaker – Margo Chaly Esq. 

Margo Chaly Esq. 

Margo Chaly Esq. serves as the Acting Secretary of Higher Education and was appointed by the Sherrill Administration in January 2026.

As Acting Secretary of Higher Education, she is responsible for statewide higher education policy coordination and planning. Ms. Chaly brings extensive experience from her five years with the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) under the Murphy Administration, where she advanced efforts to make college more affordable and accessible for residents.

She served as Chief of Staff from February 2021 and was later appointed by Governor Phil Murphy to lead the Authority as Executive Director in March 2024.

Under her leadership, HESAA awarded close to $1.4 billion in financial aid through grants and scholarships to eligible students attending colleges and universities across the Garden State. She also advanced targeted strategies to strengthen workforce pipelines and retention in high-need career fields.

Between 2024 and 2026, the Authority committed $19.9 million to student loan relief and helped students finance training in critical fields with zero-interest, fee-free loans offered by the first-in-the-nation Pay It Forward program. During her tenure at HESAA, New Jersey remained a national leader in FAFSA completion and in the amount of need-based aid it awards to students.

Ms. Chaly dedicates her personal time to uplifting and empowering communities. She is a founding member of AMIGAS, Inc., an organization that supports women through networking and service opportunities.

She also serves on the Board of the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey, where she co-chaired the statewide Women’s Empowerment Leadership & Law Conference and volunteers with the American Dream Pipeline mentorship program for high school students.

In recognition of her contributions, Ms. Chaly was named a Top Lawyer Under 40 by the Hispanic National Bar Association in February 2025. Her commitment to public service was sparked while participating in the New Jersey Governor’s School scholars program as a rising high school junior.

Prior to her service in state government, Ms. Chaly was Manager of Litigation and Operations at a law firm and spent more than a decade working for multinational insurance companies.

Ms. Chaly, a first-generation Guatemalan-American and lifelong New Jersey resident, holds a Juris Doctor from Seton Hall University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Ithaca

Session One – 9:40 am to 10:40 am

Choice of One

Authentic Communication: Finding Your Voice & Using AI Thoughtfully

Ballroom (upstairs)

Latisha Gaither, MBA, CPCC
Founder, hiFelicia | Executive & Career Coach, Abundance IQ

Authentic communication is not about saying more, it is about saying what matters in a way that reflects who you are.

This session explores how women can identify and strengthen their natural communication style while adapting to different audiences and professional settings.

Participants will also examine how AI can be used thoughtfully as a tool to enhance clarity, refine messaging, and support confidence without replacing authenticity.

The focus is on communicating with intention, building trust, and maintaining a strong, consistent voice in both traditional and evolving communication environments.

OR

Leading the Narrative: Reputation, Risk & Communication

The Hill Tavern (downstairs)

Hope M. Field
Community Impact Leader | Strategic Partnerships & Civic Engagement Expert

In today’s fast-moving environment, leaders must navigate visibility, perception, and risk in real time.

This session explores how reputations are built, challenged, and shaped, and how women leaders can proactively define their narrative while managing public scrutiny.

Participants will examine the dynamics of public response and strategies for communicating thoughtfully under pressure, while learning to align messaging, protect credibility, and lead confidently in environments where perception often moves faster than process.

Session Two – 10:50 am to 11:50 am

Choice of One

Happiness by Design: Wellness, Whole-Being & Success

Ballroom (upstairs)

Angie Devanney
Founder of Happier By Design, LLC | Mayor, Township of Berkeley Heights

Feeling constantly stressed, overwhelmed, or burned out even when life looks “fine” on the outside? You’re not alone. Many women are managing anxiety, low energy, competing priorities, and the pressure of balancing career, family, and personal responsibilities often at the expense of their own wellbeing.

This session is designed to help you reset, refocus, and reconnect with what fuels your clarity, energy, and success.

Grounded in evidence-based research, it introduces the SPIRE model of wellness—Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Relational, and Emotional based on the work of Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, former Harvard professor and a leader in the field of happiness studies, and explores how it can be applied to support both personal fulfillment and professional performance.

Participants will explore practical, results-driven strategies, including “Minimum Viable Interventions” (MVIs) simple, effective tools that can be integrated into even the busiest schedules to reduce stress, improve focus, and build sustainable wellbeing.

The session also highlights the neuroscience behind practices such as mindfulness, movement, journaling, and skill-building, equipping attendees with actionable tools to strengthen connections, lead with intention, and thrive.

OR

From Pressure to Possibility: Becoming the Leader Your Future Requires

The Hill Tavern (downstairs)

Christina Langdon
The Resilience Advantage Expert & High Performance Coach

Leadership has changed but most leaders haven’t changed how they lead. In a world defined by constant pressure, uncertainty, and rapid change, the greatest risk isn’t external disruption—it’s operating from an outdated version of yourself.

Christina Langdon introduces a new model for leadership – one that begins not with strategy, but with identity.

Backed by her research showing that 7 out of 10 leaders cannot clearly envision their future, Christina reveals the hidden constraint holding high performers back: they are trying to create next-level results with a current-level self-concept. Drawing on her experience navigating high-stakes environments alongside Martha Stewart, she demonstrates how resilience when properly understood becomes the foundation for expanding identity, unlocking imagination, and leading from a future that does not yet exist.

Through her Human A-I™ framework (Awareness + Imagination), audiences learn how to shift from reactive leadership to intentional creation. This is not about managing pressure—it’s about using it as a signal for growth. The result is a new kind of leader: one who doesn’t just respond to change, but defines it. One who doesn’t just achieve within the possible, but consistently expands it.

About our Speakers

Angie Devanney

Angie Devanney brings a rare combination of leadership, lived experience, and science-backed insight to the stage. As Mayor of Berkeley Heights, she leads through real-world challenges while prioritizing community well-being and resilience.

Angie holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in Happiness Studies, with plans to continue her academic journey in a Happiness Studies PhD program beginning August 2026.

Her work is grounded in the research of leading positive psychology experts—including concepts inspired by Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar—and she translates these into practical, everyday strategies. She is also the creator of the “5-Minute Happiness Boost,” and the owner of Happier By Design, LLC, where she focuses on helping individuals build more balanced, fulfilling lives.

Mayor Devanney made history as Berkeley Heights’ first elected female mayor, sworn in on January 1, 2019. Her career in public service includes serving as Township Administrator, where she oversaw key municipal operations including public works, finance, engineering, and public safety. Her leadership has been recognized with honors such as Business Administrator of the Year and the Women of Excellence Award in Environmental Advocacy.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Angie is deeply rooted in her community—as a former PTO President, current Secretary of the Berkeley Heights Police Athletic League, and small business owner. Her work reflects a commitment to building stronger, more connected communities.

Latisha Gaither

Latisha Gaither, MBA, CPCC is a New Jersey native, executive coach, and tech entrepreneur who has worked with Google, Apple, and Cisco and now helps professionals communicate with intention and lead with confidence.

With 18+ years of experience across Big Tech and global entrepreneurship, she has built a career on one core belief: your voice, when used well, is your greatest professional asset.

As founder of Abundance IQ, she has coached hundreds of executives and rising leaders, helping them communicate with clarity, lead with confidence, and show up as their most powerful selves.

After winning first place at Techstars NYC, she is now the co-founder of hiFelicia, a tech startup redefining hiring through warm referrals, proving that human connection still wins in an AI-driven world.

Christina Langdon

Christina Langdon learned leadership and resilience in real time alongside global icon Martha Stewart—through layoffs, an IPO, and relentless media and technology disruption.

After finishing her media career as Chief Revenue Officer of Fast Company, she now brings those hard-won lessons to stages and leadership teams as a sought-after keynote speaker—helping leaders see possibilities they couldn’t access from inside the status quo.

That perspective was sharpened by a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in 2019, clarifying her belief that adversity is not an obstacle, but an invitation.

Today, Christina helps leaders and organizations turn pressure into power, uncertainty into strategic advantage, and constraints into breakthroughs.

She is the creator of Human A-I™, an action-backed framework blending Awareness and Imagination to help high achievers lead with intention, navigate disruption, and reimagine what’s possible without burning out. Drawing from her book, For Success Sake!, Christina helps high-performing women and leaders redefine success—and discover that doing what once felt impossible doesn’t require sacrificing health, happiness, or meaning.

Hope M. Field

Hope M. Field is a nationally and locally recognized leader with more than 21 years of experience advancing community impact through strategic partnerships, civic engagement, and collaborative leadership. She is known for bringing together corporate, nonprofit, and public-sector stakeholders to create innovative solutions that strengthen communities.

Hope serves as Chairwoman of the Corporate Advisory Council for the Morris County Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce and previously served as Chairwoman of the Board. She has also served on the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Senior Executive Corporate Advisory Board. 

In her role as Director of Community Affairs at Healthfirst, Hope led community relations and engagement initiatives focused on partnerships, outreach, and meaningful local impact. She has also held senior leadership roles at The Coca-Cola Company in National Partnerships, Public Policy & Government Relations, and Latin Affairs, where she led national and regional partnerships and served as a spokesperson. Hope also served as Director of Public-Private Partnerships for South-South News, a United Nations global media platform, where she fostered partnerships across the public and private sectors. She has also held positions with other corporate and consulting firms, including BlackRock, Inc., GTS Consultants, Inc., Cendant Corporation, and Hopeseasons LLC. 

Hope’s leadership and service have been widely recognized through numerous honors, including being named a Latinos 40 Under 40 New York honoree, receiving the Rising Star Award from Negocios Now, and being ranked in the NJ Latino Leaders Index Top 100. 

A graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University, Hope holds a master’s degree in Organizational Behavior and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Business and now serves as Vice President of the Board Governors. Throughout her career, she has remained deeply committed to mentorship, service, and empowering communities and the next generation of leaders.

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