Leaving Your Mark is the March 23 topic and features Kristen Ziman—speaker, consultant, author, change agent, and former Aurora, Illinois Police Chief (retired)

AURORA, IL, USA, March 14, 2023.  The Aurora Women’s Empowerment Foundation (AWEF), a board-directed nonprofit foundation supporting other nonprofits engaged in female empowerment work in Aurora, is excited to sponsor the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce’s new LeadHER Speakers Series. The second event in the LeadHER series will be held on Thursday, March 23rd from 6pm to 8pm at Society 57, 100 S. River Street in Aurora and features Kristen Ziman—speaker, consultant, author, and former Police Chief for the Aurora, Illinois Police Department.

“This is exactly the type of innovative and uplifting programming our community needs,” said Amy Baudouin, Board Chair at the Aurora Women’s Empowerment Foundation. “The Aurora Chamber and the LeadHER Committee, including Aurora business leaders—Carolyn Chiovino, Chris Cash, and Jen Mendoza—did an excellent job planning the first event and we know the March session featuring Kristen Ziman will be another inspiring one.”

The LeadHER Speaker Series seeks to help women overcome barriers that stand between them and leadership positions and to help women feel empowered to lead in the Aurora region.  Tickets for the March 23 event are available to Chamber members ($35) and non-members ($45). Register now to ensure your spot. The event will be held at Society 57 at 100 S. River Street in Aurora. Doors open at 5:30pm; program begins at 6:00pm.

LeadHer Speaker Series Second Event “Leaving Your Mark” celebrates Women’s History Month and the remarkable women who have shaped our society. In Kristen Ziman’s powerful presentation she’ll share her lessons learned as well as lessons from past female trailblazers who have set the stage for women to follow.

Kristen is the former Police Chief of the Aurora IL Police Department (Retired). In Kristen’s 30-year career in law enforcement, she blazed many trails. She became the first woman Lieutenant in 2008, first woman Commander in 2010, and eventually the first woman Chief in her department’s history in January of 2016. Kristen was also the Chief on watch during a mass shooting in her hometown of Aurora, IL.

Since retiring from the department, Kristen has now stepped into her new career as a professional speaker and consultant for organizations and police departments focused on the areas of leadership, women empowerment, positive psychology, and mass shooting prevention.

Kristen is also the author of Reimagining Blue: Thoughts on Life, Leadership, and a New Way Forward in Policing, a passionate and personal memoir of a misunderstood profession through the vantage point of a female police chief.

Learn more about Kristen Ziman here. Her book, Reimagining Blue, will be available for purchase at the event.

CALENDAR NOTE: The Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce will also hold a LeadHER “Book Bites” get together on April 14th from 9am-10am at Java Plus in Aurora, IL. Book Bites group members will discuss Kristen Ziman’s book, Reimagining Blue, is free to attend, and open to Members and Non-members. Additional information is available here.

About the Aurora Women’s Empowerment Foundation…

The Aurora Women’s Empowerment Foundation mission is to elevate and empower Aurora-area women and future women by making grants to tax-exempt nonprofits engaged in meaningful, measurable work that helps women over the hurdles of inequity and exclusion, propelling them forward with life-changing programs and services.  For more information about grants made by AWEF, including our grant guidelines and online application, visit awe-foundation.org.