NAWBO Kentucky Annual Meeting

Join NAWBO Kentucky for our Annual Meeting as we celebrate the year behind us and look ahead to the future of women’s entrepreneurship across the Commonwealth. The evening will include the formal induction of our incoming Board of Directors, recognizing the leaders who will help guide our organization’s continued growth and impact in the year ahead.

We are honored to welcome former Prison Warden and NAWBO member Linda Thomas as this year’s keynote speaker. A nationally respected corrections executive with more than three decades of leadership across federal, state, and private correctional systems, Linda has spent her career operating in high-risk environments where awareness, preparedness, and leadership are critical.

As part of her keynote, Stay Aware, Stay Safe: An Interview on Situational Awareness for Women Business Owners, Linda will share practical strategies for recognizing potential threats, assessing risk in real time, and responding effectively in both personal and professional settings. The conversation will focus on helping women business owners move through their environments with greater confidence and awareness—whether traveling, meeting clients, attending events, or navigating unfamiliar situations. Drawing from her extensive experience in public safety, institutional leadership, and human trafficking advocacy, Linda will also speak to the importance of community awareness and accountability in protecting vulnerable populations.

The evening will also feature remarks from Michael Wilson, Director of Business Services & Deputy General Counsel for the Secretary. Michael will share insight into initiatives impacting Kentucky businesses, including efforts surrounding human trafficking awareness, workplace safety, and strengthening Kentucky’s business environment through improved business services and support for entrepreneurs and small business owners across the Commonwealth. Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a live Q&A session following his remarks.

Together, these conversations will highlight how business leaders, policymakers, and community advocates can work together to create safer workplaces, stronger businesses, and more resilient communities across Kentucky.