Conference Schedule
A three-day program of welcome ceremonies, keynote remarks, workshops, and community celebration. Tap any speaker name to read their full bio.
Schedule subject to change. Last updated 06/01/2026.
Jump to a Day
Three days, three themes — connection, community, and celebration.
Monday, June 8
Last update 06/01/2026
8:00 am – 9:00 am
Continental Breakfast & Registration
9:35 am – 9:40 am
Welcome Activities — Flag & Color Guard
Speaker:9:40 am – 9:45 am
Prayer
Speaker:Leona Carter9:45 am – 10:05 am
Congressman, 4th District of Michigan
Speaker:Bill Huizenga10:05 am – 10:15 am
Welcome: City of Kalamazoo Vice Mayor
Speaker:Drew Duncan10:15 am – 10:20 am
City Commissioner & U.S. Army Veteran
Speaker:Stephanie Hoffman10:20 am – 10:30 am
Kalamazoo County Commissioner
Speaker:Jen Strebs10:30 am – 10:45 am
Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) Director
Speaker:Terry Sabo10:45 am – 11:30 am
Next Mission: Thriving Through Menopause
Speaker:State Rep. Julie Rogers11:30 am – 12:15 pm
Lunch & Visit Vendor Tables
12:20 pm – 1:10 pm
Empowering Her Voice — Keynote
Speaker:1:10 pm – 1:55 pm
Financial Boot Camp: Budgets, Credit Scores, and More
Speaker:Workshop A-1Lucas Mansberger, CFA, CFP®, CAIA1:10 pm – 1:55 pm
VA Loans for Home — Buying, Selling, and Maintaining Your Home as a Veteran
Speaker:Workshop B-1Jamie Nummer2:00 pm – 2:45 pm
VA Retirement — What You Need to Know Now
Speaker:Lucas Mansberger, CFA, CFP®, CAIA3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Financial Boot Camp: Budgets, Credit Scores, and More
Speaker:Workshop A-2Lucas Mansberger, CFA, CFP®, CAIA3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
VA Loans for Home — Buying, Selling, and Maintaining Your Home as a Veteran
Speaker:Workshop B-2Jamie Nummer4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Visit Vendor Tables
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Dinner — Buffet-Style at Shakespeare's Pub
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Shakespeare's Pub — Networking & DJ Awesome Aus
Speaker:
| Time | Activity | Speaker | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 am – 9:00 am | Continental Breakfast & Registration | |
| 9:35 am – 9:40 am | Welcome Activities — Flag & Color Guard | |
| 9:40 am – 9:45 am | Prayer | Leona Carter |
| 9:45 am – 10:05 am | Congressman, 4th District of Michigan | Bill Huizenga |
| 10:05 am – 10:15 am | Welcome: City of Kalamazoo Vice Mayor | Drew Duncan |
| 10:15 am – 10:20 am | City Commissioner & U.S. Army Veteran | Stephanie Hoffman |
| 10:20 am – 10:30 am | Kalamazoo County Commissioner | Jen Strebs |
| 10:30 am – 10:45 am | Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) Director | Terry Sabo |
| 10:45 am – 11:30 am | Next Mission: Thriving Through Menopause | State Rep. Julie Rogers |
| 11:30 am – 12:15 pm | Lunch & Visit Vendor Tables | |
| 12:20 pm – 1:10 pm | Empowering Her Voice — Keynote | |
| 1:10 pm – 1:55 pm | Financial Boot Camp: Budgets, Credit Scores, and More | Workshop A-1Lucas Mansberger, CFA, CFP®, CAIA |
| 1:10 pm – 1:55 pm | VA Loans for Home — Buying, Selling, and Maintaining Your Home as a Veteran | Workshop B-1Jamie Nummer |
| 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm | VA Retirement — What You Need to Know Now | Lucas Mansberger, CFA, CFP®, CAIA |
| 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm | Financial Boot Camp: Budgets, Credit Scores, and More | Workshop A-2Lucas Mansberger, CFA, CFP®, CAIA |
| 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm | VA Loans for Home — Buying, Selling, and Maintaining Your Home as a Veteran | Workshop B-2Jamie Nummer |
| 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm | Visit Vendor Tables | |
| 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Dinner — Buffet-Style at Shakespeare's Pub | |
| 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm | Shakespeare's Pub — Networking & DJ Awesome Aus |
Tuesday, June 9
Last update 06/01/2026
8:00 am – 8:30 am
Continental Breakfast
8:30 am – 9:00 am
Welcome and Introductions
Speaker:Clarence Loyd9:00 am – 9:30 am
She Served. Now She Leads: Building a Business on Your Own Terms
Speaker:9:30 am – 9:45 am
Break — Move to Breakouts
9:45 am – 10:15 am
Ready to Start a Business?
Speaker:Workshop C-1Can Do Kalamazoo9:45 am – 10:15 am
Look Your Best on Paper: Job Seeking and Resume Strategies
Speaker:Workshop D-1Michigan Works9:45 am – 10:15 am
Art of Networking
Speaker:Workshop E-1Elaine Taylor10:15 am – 10:30 am
Break — Move to Breakouts
10:30 am – 11:15 am
Ready to Start a Business?
Speaker:Workshop C-2Can Do Kalamazoo10:30 am – 11:15 am
Look Your Best on Paper: Job Seeking and Resume Strategies
Speaker:Workshop D-2Michigan Works10:30 am – 11:15 am
Art of Networking
Speaker:Workshop E-2Elaine Taylor11:15 am – 11:45 am
How to Win as a Certified Veteran-Owned Business — National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC)
Speaker:12:00 pm – 12:45 pm
Lunch — Visit Vendor Tables
1:00 pm – 1:15 pm
Welcome — YWCA & Violence Against Women
Speaker:1:15 pm – 1:45 pm
VA Intimate Partner Violence
Speaker:2:00 pm – 2:45 pm
Military Sexual Trauma — PTSD
Speaker:2:45 pm – 3:00 pm
Break
3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Sexual Assault
Speaker:4:00 pm – 4:45 pm
Intimate Partner Violence Dynamics
Speaker:6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Dinner — Boots & Gowns Gala — Silent Auction to benefit Veteran 1st
Speaker:
| Time | Activity | Speaker | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 am – 8:30 am | Continental Breakfast | |
| 8:30 am – 9:00 am | Welcome and Introductions | Clarence Loyd |
| 9:00 am – 9:30 am | She Served. Now She Leads: Building a Business on Your Own Terms | |
| 9:30 am – 9:45 am | Break — Move to Breakouts | |
| 9:45 am – 10:15 am | Ready to Start a Business? | Workshop C-1Can Do Kalamazoo |
| 9:45 am – 10:15 am | Look Your Best on Paper: Job Seeking and Resume Strategies | Workshop D-1Michigan Works |
| 9:45 am – 10:15 am | Art of Networking | Workshop E-1Elaine Taylor |
| 10:15 am – 10:30 am | Break — Move to Breakouts | |
| 10:30 am – 11:15 am | Ready to Start a Business? | Workshop C-2Can Do Kalamazoo |
| 10:30 am – 11:15 am | Look Your Best on Paper: Job Seeking and Resume Strategies | Workshop D-2Michigan Works |
| 10:30 am – 11:15 am | Art of Networking | Workshop E-2Elaine Taylor |
| 11:15 am – 11:45 am | How to Win as a Certified Veteran-Owned Business — National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC) | |
| 12:00 pm – 12:45 pm | Lunch — Visit Vendor Tables | |
| 1:00 pm – 1:15 pm | Welcome — YWCA & Violence Against Women | |
| 1:15 pm – 1:45 pm | VA Intimate Partner Violence | |
| 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm | Military Sexual Trauma — PTSD | |
| 2:45 pm – 3:00 pm | Break | |
| 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm | Sexual Assault | |
| 4:00 pm – 4:45 pm | Intimate Partner Violence Dynamics | |
| 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm | Dinner — Boots & Gowns Gala — Silent Auction to benefit Veteran 1st |
Wednesday, June 10
Last update 06/01/2026
8:00 am – 9:00 am
Continental Breakfast
9:00 am – 10:00 am
Reconnecting Women Veterans to Purpose, Identity, and Inner Navigation
Speaker:10:00 am – 10:45 am
What's New: VA Women's Health
Speaker:10:45 am – 11:00 am
Break
11:15 am – 12:00 pm
Executive Director of the Battle Creek VA Medical Center
Speaker:12:00 pm – 12:45 pm
Box Lunch
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm
Service Animal Resources — K9 Jaeger Foundation
Speaker:Laurin Jahnke2:00 pm – 2:45 pm
Beauty, Courage, and Service: Women in WWII
Speaker:3:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Closing Remarks: Farewells and Inspirations
Speaker:
| Time | Activity | Speaker | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 am – 9:00 am | Continental Breakfast | |
| 9:00 am – 10:00 am | Reconnecting Women Veterans to Purpose, Identity, and Inner Navigation | |
| 10:00 am – 10:45 am | What's New: VA Women's Health | |
| 10:45 am – 11:00 am | Break | |
| 11:15 am – 12:00 pm | Executive Director of the Battle Creek VA Medical Center | |
| 12:00 pm – 12:45 pm | Box Lunch | |
| 1:00 pm – 1:45 pm | Service Animal Resources — K9 Jaeger Foundation | Laurin Jahnke |
| 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm | Beauty, Courage, and Service: Women in WWII | |
| 3:00 pm – 3:30 pm | Closing Remarks: Farewells and Inspirations |
Schedule, speakers, and topics are subject to change. Final session details will be confirmed onsite. For accommodations or accessibility requests, please reach out to toni@veteran1st.org.