October 24, 2025 | 8:30AM - 5PM

Marshall Health Network Arena
1 Civic Center Plaza
Huntington, WV 25701

Our Goals

This summit is for any woman who’s ever felt the ground shift beneath her and wondered how to move forward. We all experience moments when we have to rethink a direction in life, whether at work or at home. This year, I’m excited to dive into how we can pivot with intention, using our courage, strength and the tools at our fingertips to make more meaningful choices that lead us toward our greater purpose.”

– Alys Smith, Founder of Women Warriors Summit 

Speakers

JOURNALIST, AUTHOR, & ENTERTAINER

Hoda Kotb

Hoda Kotb

Hoda Kotb

Hoda Kotb has claimed her role as one of America’s foremost journalists, authors, and entertainers. Most well known as the former co-anchor of NBC News’ TODAY and co-host of TODAY with Hoda & Jenna, she is also the host of the popular podcast, Making Space with Hoda Kotb. Kotb joined TODAY as a co-host of the fourth hour in 2008, alongside Kathie Lee Gifford, and recently departed following 17 successful years with the show.

Since joining NBC News in 1998, Kotb has served as a correspondent for Dateline NBC. She has covered a wide variety of domestic and international stories across all NBC News platforms as well as numerous human-interest stories and features. She covered the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a story personal to Kotb who lived in New Orleans for six years. Additionally, she reported on the war in Iraq, the conflict in the West Bank and Gaza, and the War on Terror in Afghanistan. Kotb was a part of the network’s extensive coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, 2012 Summer Olympics in London, 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

A New York Times bestselling author, Kotb has written eight books: You Are My Happy; I’ve Loved You Since Forever; Where We Belong; Ten Years Later: Six People Who Faced Adversity and Transformed Their Lives; Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer and Kathie Lee; I Really Needed This Today; This Just Speaks to Me; Hope is a Rainbow.

Kotb was recognized with a 2019 Emmy Award for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host for her work on TODAY with Kathie Lee and Hoda. In 2010, 2011, and 2012 Kotb was awarded Daytime Emmys as part of TODAY’s recognition as the best morning news program. In 2022, Kotb was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame, and she received a Gracie Award for On-Air News Talent. In 2021, she was recognized by New York Women in Communications with the Matrix Award for her excellence in broadcast journalism. In 2016 and 2018, she received Gracie Awards for Outstanding Host in Entertainment/Information for her radio show, The Hoda Show on SiriusXM. In 2015, she was honored with a Gracie Award for Outstanding Host in News/Non-fiction and a Webby Award for her ‘Truly Brave’ music video, which focuses on pediatric cancer. Kotb received additional Gracie Awards in 2008 and 2003, the Alfred I. duPont –Columbia University award in 2008, a Peabody Award in 2006 for her Dateline NBC report, “The Education of Ms. Groves” and a 2002 Edward R. Murrow Award.

Prior to joining NBC News, Kotb worked at WWL-TV, the CBS affiliate in New Orleans from 1992 to 1998 as an anchor and reporter for the 10 p.m. news broadcast. From 1989 to 1991, she was a weekend anchor and reporter for WINK-TV in Fort Myers, Florida.

Kotb graduated from Virginia Tech University with a Bachelor of Arts in broadcast journalism. She resides in the suburbs of New York City with her two daughters, Haley Joy and Hope Catherine.

Soledad O’Brien

AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST & ENTREPRENEUR

EMCEE & HOST

Soledad O'Brien

Soledad O'Brien

Soledad O’Brien is an award-winning documentarian, journalist, speaker, author, and philanthropist, who founded Soledad O’Brien Productions, a multi-platform media production company dedicated to telling empowering and authentic stories on a range of social issues. She anchors and produces the Hearst TV political magazine program “Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien” and is a correspondent for HBO Real Sports.

Jenny Blake

AUTHOR, PODCASTER & FOUNDER OF THE PIVOT METHOD®

Jenny Blake

Jenny Blake

Jenny Blake is an author, podcaster, and the founder of Pivot Method®, a growth strategy company that helps forward-thinking individuals and organizations map what’s next. Her motto: if change is the only constant, let's get better at it. Jenny is an international keynote speaker, and the author of three books, including Life After College (Running Press, 2011), Pivot: The Only Move That Matters is Your Next One (Portfolio/Penguin Random House, 2016), which won the Axiom Best Business Books award in the careers category, and the award-winning Free Time: Lose the Busywork, Love Your Business (Ideapress, 2022). After two years at a political polling start-up in Silicon Valley (later acquired by YouGov America), Jenny worked in training and career development at Google for over five years, where she helped co-create and launch the global Career Guru drop-in coaching program, still thriving today. After leaving Google in 2011, Jenny moved to New York City where she has been running her own consulting business in the years since, helping innovative organizations incorporate Pivot into their global career development and manager training programs. In 2015 Jenny launched the Pivot podcast, frequently among Apple’s top 100 career podcasts (and ranked within the top 0.5% of podcasts globally). CNBC listed it among 6 podcasts to make you smarter about your career, Entrepreneur selected as one of the top 20 female-hosted business podcasts, and Parade named among 25 Motivating Podcasts to Transform Your Morning Commute. Jenny also hosts the w3 award-winning Free Time podcast for Heart-Based Business owners and leaders, which was nominated for a Webby in 2023 (the “Oscars of the Internet”). Her shows have over two million downloads combined. Today you can find Jenny at PivotMethod.com and ItsFreeTime.com.

Alys Smith

FOUNDER OF WOMEN WARRIORS SUMMIT

Alys Smith

Alys Smith

Alys Smith is co-founder of the Wing 2 Wing Foundation, where she supports and facilitates many philanthropic activities that increase access to education, open entrepreneurial doors, and preserve and promote the natural environment of Appalachia A mediator and former attorney, Alys is also the founder of Better2Mediate. She is passionate about her role and platform as the First Lady of Marshall University, supporting women’s equality and empowerment. Her goal is to empower women in Appalachia and beyond to realize their full potential on whatever path they may choose. She is thrilled to unite the community for the Women Warriors Summit.

2023 Summit Highlights

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Thank You to Our Sponsors

Courage

Passion

Food Sponsors

Empower

Champion

Interested in becoming a sponsor?

The Women Warriors Summit is a gathering of women (and supportive men) of all ages, demographics, and backgrounds to shine a spotlight and give the hidden voices of women a stage and grant them the power to say “NO” and the courage to say “YES.”  Your sponsorship helps us achieve this objective while providing you with access and brand visibility to this community network.

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