ELEVATE 2026
A Forum for Women: Bridging Passion, Purpose & Community
Join women leaders, creators, and changemakers from across the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys for an afternoon of inspiration, reflection, and meaningful connection.
Friday, April 10, 2026 | 1:00–6:00 PM
Morgridge Commons, Glenwood Springs
Hosted by Roaring Fork Leadership in partnership with Colorado Mountain College
Why ELEVATE?
ELEVATE is more than a speaker event – it is a shared experience designed to bring women together across sectors, roles, and life stages.
Through storytelling, guided reflection, and intentional connection, participants explore what it means to lead with purpose, build belonging, and strengthen our communities through relationships and service. This is an invitation to pause, reconnect with what matters most, and engage in meaningful dialogue with other women navigating growth, leadership, and change.
Women leave ELEVATE feeling more connected to themselves and others, inspired by local leaders creating real impact, and grounded in insights they can carry forward in their work, families, and communities.
What to Expect
- Lived leadership stories from local women leaders
- A featured session with Gail Sheridan Schwartz on leading with clarity, purpose, and sustainability
- A keynote conversation with Jamie Abbott on how creativity and the arts foster belonging and connection
- A moderated panel conversation on belonging in practice – exploring how trust, collaboration, and retention grow within organizations and communitie
- Guided reflection and intentional connection throughout the afternoon
- Time to gather and connect over food, drinks, art, and music
Invest in You
Take this opportunity to step away from the pace of daily life, reconnect with your purpose, and join a community of women committed to leading with intention.
Early Bird Pricing: $89 through March 27
General Admission: $109
Our Speakers and Panelists
Gail Sheridan Schwartz
Leading Beyond Yourself
From Overextended to Intentional: A Woman’s Framework for Purposeful Leadership: In this reflective and empowering session, Gail Sheridan Schwartz invites women to reconsider what leadership truly means. Drawing on decades of public service and community leadership across rural Colorado, she explores how women can lead powerfully without trying to be everything to everyone. Through a practical reflection framework, participants will examine where their energy is being stretched, where their leadership aligns with their values, and where their greatest contribution lives. This is not a conversation about doing more—it is an invitation to lead with greater clarity, intention, and sustainability, and to support other women in doing the same.
About Gail
Gail Sheridan Schwartz is a lifelong public servant, community builder, and champion for education and housing access in rural Colorado. After moving to Aspen in 1973, she helped establish critical affordable housing infrastructure and went on to serve two terms in the Colorado State Senate, where she was known for bridging differences and building bipartisan relationships. Her leadership has continued through service on the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, the University of Colorado Board of Regents, and as President & CEO of Habitat for Humanity Roaring Fork Valley. In 2026, Gail will be inducted into the Aspen Hall of Fame in recognition of more than 50 years of community impact, grounded in her belief that meaningful change happens when we align passion with purpose.
Jamie Abbott
Belonging Through the Arts
How Creativity Builds Connection: In my talk, I’ll share how arts and culture can serve as powerful vehicles for belonging…shaping civic identity, strengthening connection, and creating spaces where people feel seen, valued, and included.
About Jamie
Jamie Abbott has worked in the Roaring Fork Valley for nearly 30 years in the nonprofit sector, including the organizations Aspen Words, Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, Theatre Aspen, and Colorado Mountain College Foundation. As a result, she believes deeply in the power of art and nonprofit organizations to bring community together. She is the executive director of Carbondale Arts, where she oversees Carbondale Mountain Fair, The Fashion Show, First Fridays, and Dia de los Muertos, among many other smaller events, and a gallery with changing exhibitions every six weeks. Jamie spends her free time on the river, in the mountains, and as close to live music stages as possible — with her husband, her two sons, and friends who are family. Oh, and the cutest dog ever.
Cindy Dady
Panelist | Building Cultures of Belonging
As part of the ELEVATE panel on building cultures of belonging, Cindy Dady will share how trust, accountability, and people-centered leadership strengthen organizations and communities. Drawing on decades of experience in the ski industry, she brings perspective on leading in male-dominated spaces and creating environments where individuals feel seen, supported, and challenged to grow.
About Cindy
Cindy Dady is the CEO of Sunlight Mountain Resort and a seasoned leader with more than 40 years of experience in the ski industry. Her career reflects resilience, reinvention, and a deep commitment to people-centered leadership, from managing work crews on her family farm at a young age to advancing through the ranks of the ski industry while balancing education, multiple jobs, and single motherhood. At Sunlight, Cindy leads with a philosophy she calls “The Heart of the Shepherd,” grounded in knowing and supporting your people, setting high standards, and leading with clarity and care. Her leadership is rooted in a belief that growth is both a personal and collective responsibility – and that strong organizations are built through trust, accountability, and belonging.
