The third annual Women Warriors Summit was held Oct. 24, 2025, in Huntington, West Virginia. The one-day gathering brought together women from a variety of backgrounds, professions and ages to inspire and empower.
Wing 2 Wing cofounder, Alys Smith, led the inaugural Women Warriors Summit in 2023.
The Purpose of Women Warriors Summit
The annual Women Warriors Summit strives to provide women with a safe place to explore the complex issues and opportunities many face at work and at home. The platform is meant to promote empowerment, purpose, helpful strategies and personal growth for women who are often afraid to speak up or who are concerned about saying the wrong thing.
Alys Smith founded Women Warriors Summit to advance her goal of supporting women in Appalachia and beyond. She hopes to help women realize their full potential and choose their own path in life. For the last three years, she has been thrilled to unite the community for the Women Warriors Summit.
In previous years, the event’s themes have ranged from unity and community to productivity and agency. With speakers such as actress Nicole Kidman, “Crucial Conversations” coauthor Emily Gregory and Wing 2 Wing cofounder Brad D. Smith, past summits have set the foundation for an empowering and inclusive environment for attendees.
Sponsors for this year’s event included Wing 2 Wing Foundation, Encova Insurance, Marshall Health, Merrill, Steptoe & Johnson PLLC and Huntington Bank.
Learning How to Pivot
The Women Warriors Summit gives women a space to invest in themselves and encouragement to network, learn and make strides toward becoming who they aspire to be.
With “pivoting” as the theme for this year’s event, speakers shared insights and tools to help women feel confident in their ideas and empowered in their decision-making. Alys Smith, Jenny Blake, Hoda Kotb, Soledad O’Brien and Emily Gregory led learning sessions for nearly 1,000 attendees at this year’s event.
Highlights from the 2025 Summit
This year’s event featured several powerful speakers who led women through learning sessions, Q&As and panel discussions.
- Keynote by Hoda Kotb: Journalist and author Hoda Kotb spoke about the importance of how women think about themselves and their work. “Thoughts become things. What you think, will become.”
- AI Discussion: Alys Smith, founder of Women Warriors Summit, participated in a panel discussion on the impact of AI on women’s businesses and personal lives.
- The Pivot Method: Author and career strategist, Jenny Blake, shared the Pivot Method, which helps women who feel stuck and ready for change figure out what’s next for them.
- Emcee Soledad O’Brien: Journalist and entrepreneur, Soledad O’Brien, returned to the Women Warriors Summit stage for the third year in a row to emcee and share stories of commitment, diligence and success.
Women Warriors Summit: Creating a Space for Change
For the past three years, Women Warriors Summit has created a space for women ready for change and growth in their personal and professional lives. In the future, the Women Warriors Summit, along with partners like the Wing 2 Wing Foundation, hopes to continue providing inspiration and support to tackle the complex challenges women face daily.
To learn more about the Women Warriors Summit, visit their website or follow them on Instagram.