VIDEO: Seattle Southside Chamber’s inaugural Leadership Conference huge success, draws 200 attendees

EDITOR’S NOTE: South King Media Founder/Publisher Scott Schaefer serves on the Board of Directors for the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce.

The Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce held its inaugural Leadership Conference on July 19, 2024 at Highline College, bringing together business leaders, students, community members and local officials to discuss economic development and community empowerment in our region.

This all-day event was a huge success, and included:

• 200 Attendees
• 26 Resource Fair providers
• 45 Speakers
• 8 Workshops

Samantha Le, Executive Vice President of the chamber and organizer of the event, summarized key takeaways from the workshops and encouraged attendees to commit time for self-reflection and ongoing engagement with the chamber.

“One theme emerges from all of this is that people are at the heart of everything that we do, which is why it is crucial that we learn,” Le added. “As we learn, we teach and repeat that cycle to build strong leaders, to build a stronger community.”

Annie McGrath, president and CEO of the Seattle Southside Chamber, added:

“Strong communities don’t exist by accident. They’re built by the people who step up and make things happen.”

Keynote speaker Faisal Mohamed, a founding member of the SeaTac International Mall and a member of the chamber’s Board of Directors, shared his career journey and insights on leadership. He encouraged attendees to take advantage of networking opportunities and practice transformational leadership.

“Understand that your organizations or your companies or your business is investing in you to be here. Take advantage of the day,” Mohamed said. “Your presence here is a testament to your commitment to personal and professional growth, and I commend each of you for taking this important step.”

Terry Davis, senior director of external government relations for Comcast – and the event’s Title Sponsor – highlighted the company’s $1 billion “Project UP” initiative to support connectivity and digital equity in communities over the next decade.

“It’s all about unlimited potential and unleashing that unlimited potential of our communities,” Davis said. “We do that through connectivity, connecting those that can’t afford an Internet connection or maybe don’t have the digital skills or the equipment to connect.”

The conference offered eight workshops covering diverse subjects like workplace culture, financial literacy, women’s empowerment and intergenerational collaboration:

• “Heartbeat of the Workplace” discussed cultivating a people-first culture.
• “Dollars & Sense” focused on financial literacy, advocating for historically disadvantaged communities, and providing accessible financial education.
• “Empower Her” highlighted the value of building a supportive network and the importance of representation in decision-making processes.
• “Civic Sparks” was about igniting change through nonprofit and civic leadership.
• “Playful Prosperity” explored efforts to address childcare as a business issue, utilizing ARPA funds to support new childcare providers.
• “SafetyNet” emphasized the crucial role of transparency in building trust and fostering a safer community.
• “NextGen Gold” focused on intergenerational mentorship, stressing the impact individuals can have regardless of age or title.
• “ByteWise” explored the potential of AI in creating efficiencies and allowing more time for relationship-building.

A Resource Fair was also held, and included numerous businesses and nonprofits from the area. Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to engage with resource providers and explore tools to enhance their professional development.

The conference concluded with a performance by South African artist Tarquinn White, who shared his singing talents and inspirational message of embracing one’s true self.

Below is an edited video showing highlights of the event, as shot by Scott Schaefer (running time 46-minutes, 8-seconds):