Community Events
Join Women for UMass (WFUM) for inspiring discussions, networking, and mentorship.
About
Women for UMass presents gatherings that bring alumnae together for meaningful dialogue, professional insight, and community-building. Our programs include Conversations with Women of UMass, featuring expert panels focused on mentorship and career growth, and Empowering Connections, a dynamic space for networking and mutual support.
More opportunities to connect are on the horizon—keep an eye out for upcoming events or browse highlights from past gatherings.
About Women for UMass Events
Conversations with Women of UMass
WFUM’s signature annual event is an evening of meaningful conversation, professional insight, and connection. Each year, an expert panel shares strategies for career growth, workplace empowerment, and mentorship. Attendees also hear directly from students whose projects were made possible by WFUM grants—bringing the power of philanthropy to life.
Take a look at photos from the 2026 event and stay tuned for next year's details.
WFUM Empowering Connections
WFUM’s Empowering Connections series brings UMass alumnae together in cities including Boston, New York City, and Washington, D.C. These gatherings create space to build community, exchange ideas, and grow networks in order to fostering meaningful conversations and authentic connections across the UMass community.
Check back for future event dates.
Past Event Highlights:
Each year, Conversations with Women of UMass—WFUM’s annual spring celebration—brings alumnae together for candid panel discussions alongside open networking opportunities, creating space for connection, mentorship, and shared professional growth.
2026
Navigating Change—in Your Career, Life, and Everything in Between featuring Amy Reichard ’85, vice president at Broadridge Financial Solutions; Kaye A. Bemis ’01, assistant professor of nursing at Northeastern University and nurse practitioner at Boston Medical Center; Whitney Dodds ’12, licensed mental health counselor and founder of Wellness for the Culture; Parker Koppelman ’08, EVP and chief risk officer for U.S. retail markets at Liberty Mutual Insurance; and Katrina Rojas ’22, assistant director of marketing and communications at Brandeis University and founder of KR Design Studio, with the Networking Navigators program continuing to build meaningful connections among attendees.
2025
Navigating Relationships While Lifting Each Other Up featuring Amy Reichard ’85, vice president at Broadridge Financial Solutions; Ashley (Keller) Scala ’16, private wealth advisor at Goldman Sachs; Michelle-Kim Cohen ’03, deputy general counsel at Cambium Learning Group; Monserrate (Monsi) Rodríguez Colón ’95, commissioner at the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination; and Shannon Emmett ’19, senior policy analyst at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, with the introduction of WFUM’s Networking Navigators program to foster new alumni connections.
2024
Conversations with Women of UMass Amherst featuring Amy Reichard ’85, vice president at Broadridge Financial Solutions; Tiffany Greene ’96, career and leadership coach; Kendra Porter ’00, ’05 MS, award-winning image consultant and wardrobe stylist; Darlene Vu ’14, Chief Operating Officer at the Asian American Women's Political Initiative (AAWPI), and Carla James ‘01, chief executive officer of Solidus Technical Solutions.
Read about last year’s event | View Photos
2023
Lifting Each Other Up featuring Judi Vigna ’89, CEO of Specialized Career Guidance; Kokui Adesokan ’09, technical project manager at Bridgewater Associates; Donna Cohen ’78, internationally recognized strategic advisor to women in sports; Kathy Lopes ’01,director of diversity, equity, and inclusion for Newton Public Schools,; and María Sucher ’18, field marketing manager at Wiley.
View Photos
2022
Breaking Through panel featuring, Kristen Kuliga ’91, executive vice president of Vanguard Sports Group, Samari Ijezie ’18, founder of The Female Economist, Kavya Krishna ’16, ceo and co-founder, Society of Women Coders, and Amy Elizabeth Richard ’85, vice president at Broadridge Financial Solutions
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