Chickasaw Nation Dynamic Women's Conference set April 16-17 at Artesian Hotel, Cultural Center in Sulphur

SULPHUR, Okla. - A day of celebrating the creative and empowering vision of trailblazing Chickasaw artists, scholars, athletes and others is planned for the 2015 Chickasaw Nation Dynamic Women’s Conference and Forum. The conference and forum will take place Thursday, April 16, at the Artesian Hotel and Friday, April 17, at the Chickasaw Cultural Center.

Chickasaw Nation Dynamic Women’s Conference and Forum is an annual event which salutes the valuable contributions, skills and talents of dynamic Chickasaw women, through panel discussions, sessions and lessons on topics related to the Chickasaw experience and the panelist’s personal endeavors. “Beyond Pink: Breaking Boundaries” is this year’s theme.

Dr. Karen Goodnight, 2014 Dynamic Woman of the Year, will be the keynote speaker for the event.

Dr. Goodnight’s distinguished career has been dedicated to improving educational opportunities for Chickasaw citizens.

A Chickasaw citizen, Dr. Goodnight is owner of Goodnight and Associates, LLC. The firm specializes in high-level executive performance coaching, strategic planning and leadership and organization development. She also served as Chickasaw Nation Director of Head Start and Early Childhood programs and as Chief Training Officer for the Department of Commerce.

Dr. Goodnight, a resident of Goldsby, Okla., earned a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, a master’s degree in administration from East Central University, Ada and a Ph.D. in instructional leadership and academic curriculum at the University of Oklahoma.

A native Adan, Dr. Goodnight and her husband, Stan, have 3 children, son Kyle and daughters Madie and Katie.

Conference registration begins at 8:30 a.m., Thursday, April 16, in the Artesian Hotel lobby. Opening remarks are set for 9 a.m., followed by sessions conducted by Janie Hipp, director of the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative at the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville, Ark., and Teri Centner, American Indian Society for Engineering and Space chairwoman.

Lunch is served at 11:45 a.m., followed by Dr. Goodnight’s keynote address. Afternoon breakout sessions and “Art of the Chickasaw Woman” exhibit opening at 5 p.m. at the ARTesian Gallery and Studios conclude the day.

Day two will be conducted at the Chickasaw Cultural Center feature Chickasaw trailblazers including fashion designers, and scholars.

Featured presenters Friday include: Ryanne Jordan, designer; Meaghan Carney, hoop dancer; Jay Fife, designer; Janie Hipp; Chickasaw veteran Jeraldine Brown; Dr. Amanda Cobb-Greetham and Dr. Karen Goodnight. The forum will include a question and answer session with audience members.

The conference and forum are open to the public. For more information, or to purchase a luncheon ticket, contact the Chickasaw Nation Division of Arts & Humanities at (580) 272-5520.