Women's Educational LeadHERship Mini-Conference
Theme: Leading with Vision and Well-being
Date: April 29, 2026
Duration: 12:30 PM - 4:15 PM
Schedule
12:30 – 12:40 PM
Arrival, Informal Networking
12:40 PM
Welcome, Context and Grounding
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Introduce the theme and include a 3-minute guided breathing/mindfulness check-in to anchor the group
12:45 – 1:30 PM
Keynote 1 – Susan Snelick
Topics Include:
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Driving institutional vision
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Workforce development
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Economic influence
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Whole body wellbeing
1:30 – 1:35 PM
Stretch and Transition Break
1:35 – 2:20 PM
Keynote 2 – Karen Krisch
Topics Include:
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Practical strategies for mindfulness
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Self-care
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Combating burnout for sustainable LeadHERship
2:20 – 2:45 PM
Panel Discussion and Q&A
Navigating the LeadHERship Path: Insights from Women Across Educational Roles – Sharing your LeadHERship Journey
2:45 – 3:15 PM
Closing Remarks, Resources, Networking, Prepare for Yoga
3:15 – 4:15 PM
Yoga (Location TBD)
Susan Snelick
Susan Snelick is proud to serve as President of Northern Pennsylvania Regional College (NPRC) for the past four and a half years. Her vision is to ensure that NPRC is a strong economic driver for our region, preparing individuals for family-sustaining careers through education and training. Susan was a member of the inaugural board of trustees for NPRC and is honored to serve our ten-county rural region and make this dream a reality for our underserved region.
Health and wellness have always been a priority for Susan, who genuinely cares about the well-being of the NPRC team. That's why the college launched a comprehensive Health & Wellness Program—one that supports the whole person. The program is designed to promote wellness in every area of life: physical, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, and financial. Her goal is to create a supportive, balanced environment where the community can thrive. She is thrilled by how engaged the team is and how the effort has grown organically.
Her professional experience includes extensive workforce development expertise, having served as the Executive Director of Workforce Solutions for North Central PA and holding various other workforce development leadership positions in the region spanning nearly three decades.
Susan currently serves on the board for the Center for Rural Pennsylvania and the Rural Community College Alliance Board of Directors.
Her volunteer positions include:
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Regional Liaison for the National Association of Workforce Boards
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Member of the Governor’s Middle-Class Task Force (2017–2018)
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Member of the Appalachian Higher Education Network
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Chairperson of the PA Workforce Development Association (four years)
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Past member of the Boys and Girls Club
Karen Krisch
Karen Krisch is a recognized expert in mindfulness, wellness, and self-care for educators, leveraging 23 years of experience as an award-winning school administrator in the Bellefonte Area School District.
Her comprehensive background covers the entire educational spectrum, including work in elementary, middle, and high school settings, as well as experience in mental health, juvenile justice, and workforce education with students experiencing poverty. This diverse experience provides her with a holistic view of the challenges faced by both students and staff.
In 2023, her commitment to education earned her the title of National Distinguished Principal for Pennsylvania by the Pennsylvania Principals Association and the National Association for Elementary Principals.
As an administrator in Bellefonte, Karen successfully championed and implemented whole-school initiatives in safety, mindfulness, and self-care, simultaneously training hundreds of staff and students over the last decade. She is a published author, a certified Mindful Schools Program alumna, and continues to contribute to research in the field through her work with Penn State. Karen's driving purpose is to share her story and provide simple, actionable strategies to help professionals combat stress and burnout, making her an ideal partner for impactful training and wellness initiatives.