Women in AI: I hate conferences.

Time is ticking down...!

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Hi Reader,

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I hate conferences.
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The ones I’ve gone to my entire life, I mean.
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Choking on guys’ aftershave during the keynote. I’m dehydrating by the minute in the stale, forced air. My conference OOTD, selected to make me as small as possible, squeezing me from every direction by 2pm, with 9 more hours of smiling and nodding ahead of me.
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Listening to basic info I can google, presented with the speaker’s talking points masquerading as slides. Watching them read the slide to us.
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Not invited to participate in the beer business taking place in the evening - the only real business going on.
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So. Fuck it. We created our own damn conference.
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​She Leads AI | Official 🌸 CREATE conference. Oct 11-14 in Salt Lake City, Utah. We have scholarships available for women of color.
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WOMEN: Come as you are. Spread out. Slouch. Knitting, fidget spinners, yoga in the back of the room, breaks - all encouraged.
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Sit in the front row if that’s you - so you don’t miss a word or so you’re first in line to talk to the speaker afterward. Record the audio of a talk so you can listen back later or read it on a transcript. We won’t tell the AV guys.
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If your social battery is run down, engage on the conference app for your networking! Compete on the leaderboard by adding your profile, uploading pics, or commenting on posts, etc. Set up a 1:1 with someone via the app if that’s more your speed.
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This is a conference you can make your own. Do it however you please.
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Here's Your Invitation

Thanks to the extremely generous support of our sponsors, we are able to extend our low-price option for the main conference session and offer pre-conference sessions at no additional charge!

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PLUS - we have a $100 discount code for SLAI Effect subscribers!!
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Use code SLAI100 at checkout for an additional $100 off the main conference ticket options.
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👉 Reserve your spot at SheLeadsAI.ai (Click on CREATE Conference)

✍️ Featured Writer For the month of September, we’re excited to feature Sundee Williams, who writes at the edge, where Gen X women and the world collide. For this series, she'll be focusing on the topic of AI Infrastructure. Please enjoy part 1 below. ​ Override Is Not Disruption. It’s Design. ​ Last week, I stood on the SheLeadsAI stage and said one word: Override. ​ I wasn’t talking about disruption. Disruption is accidental—an explosion without architecture. Override is intentional. A deliberate design command. It says: I see the defaults. I refuse to run on them. ​ AI systems are not neutral. They are memory machines—deciding what gets stored, surfaced, and scaled. If women don’t intervene now, our absence will be encoded into the foundation of every tool, agent, and model that follows. ​ But we’re not waiting. ​ Women are building parallel infrastructure: Documenting workflows as private GPTs Publishing with search-aware intent Automating admin so resilience isn’t just talk ​ Override is how we stop feeding broken systems and start designing the next ones—from memory, not myth. ​ 🛠️ Tool of the Week:​ ​ What’s one digital artifact you’ve published that will still carry your voice a year from now? ​ Keep Reading on Sundee's Substack 👉 Sundee Williams, founder of Zoned 8 AI Consulting, builds AI infrastructure for women-led systems at the intersection of care, code, and collective power. With two decades in tech and ops, she designs discovery layers and solo-business frameworks that prioritize sovereignty, resilience, and visibility—quietly refusing extractive tech while making women’s contributions endure. Connect with her on LinkedIn.​

📢 Women in AI Making an Impact

Sophie Theodorou is an AI consultant and fractional product marketer driving growth at ClickUp, Pipedream, and bolt.new. As founder of Teach2AI, she delivers practical AI education for SMEs, blending her background in science and education with real-world AI application. A 2025 Leading Woman in AI, Sophie’s leadership bridges technology and communication—shaping how businesses leverage short-form video and automation to scale impact.

Tara Bonhorst is the founder of Do That Dave, an online education platform making AI accessible to non-technical professionals and entrepreneurs. With a background in public financial management and inclusive consulting, Tara merges tech, education, and equity to empower marginalized communities. Her leadership spans startups, instructional design, and strategy—pioneering pathways for ethical AI adoption across diverse industries and audiences.

Kelenda Allen-James is the Assistant VP of IT at Commonpoint, where she drives strategic tech initiatives for mission-driven organizations. With a strong foundation in IT leadership, she’s led impactful transformations—like saving $15K through a major systems conversion. A public speaker, podcaster, and STEM diversity advocate, Kelenda blends technical expertise with a passion for professional development, championing inclusive innovation in every role she takes on.

CREATE Speaker Series - Live Panel Discussion​
​September 16th, Noon-1:00pm (Pacific)​
Anne Murphy sits down with Corean Canty and Suzanne Welker Jurgens to talk about people, process, and culture in the AI era. This is part four of our CREATE Speaker Series featuring guests slated to speak at the CREATE Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah this October 11-14th. Watch live on YouTube.​

🎨 Featured Artist

For the month of September, we'll be featuring work from Jamie Velasquez, the artist who brought us the powerful visuals behind System Override.

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Jamie Velasquez is an AI Creative Artist and Transformational Life Coach who brings over two decades of experience in branding, design, and business leadership. Through her work at JVision, Jamie blends technology and artistry to produce imagery that is both striking and deeply aligned with a project’s mission. Her background spans fine arts, fashion design, and executive leadership in restoration consulting—an unconventional path that shows up in every bold, layered piece she creates. Connect with her on LinkedIn.​

🎙️Podcast Updates

Empowered by AI: The SLAI Effect with Michelle Muncy-Silva ​ From Hustle to Harmony: Dr.... Sep 9 · Empowered by AI 32:31   ​ From Hustle to Harmony: Dr. Claire Jacobs on Rest, Self-Trust, and Redefining Success​ In this conversation, I sit down with Dr. Claire Jacobs, a clinical psychologist and life coach for high-achieving, neurodivergent women. We dig into why hustle culture leaves so many of us running on empty, how to swap fragile “gold star” validation for renewable self-trust, and the simple daily practices that can shift your energy, creativity, and confidence.

AI Readiness Project with Anne Murphy and Kyle Shannon​ ​ Smarter Care, Better Ideas:... Sep 3 · AI Readiness Project 57:01   ​ Smarter Care, Better Ideas: H.T. Snowday on AI in Healthcare ​Joining the conversation is H.T. Snowday, who shares how AI is already being applied in complex, real-world systems. From natural language interfaces for data to surprising results from developer prompts, his stories underscore a core theme: context and curiosity matter more than technical expertise. Together, they unpack how play, experimentation, and a strong sense of purpose make AI more useful—and more human.

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Thanks for being here with us!

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Warmly,

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Anne Murphy​
Founder, SheLeadsAI
Founder and CEO, Empowered Fundraiser Consulting and Coaching

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👉 Learn more and explore our work at SheLeadsAI.ai​