Sessions

Nov 6, 2026

Conexiones 2026

Identity. Influence. Impact.

Key Note Session:

Leading Beyond Survival Mode: Transforming Identity into
Influence and Impact

Community isn’t simply who we serve - it’s how we lead. In today’s complex environment, authentic leadership calls us to move beyond survival mode and lead with intention, purpose, and connection.

Through the framework Root, Reach Back, Rise, this keynote explores how identity, culture, and lived experience can become powerful foundations for leadership. Participants will discover how cultural perspectives spark innovation, how trust and relationships extend influence beyond positional authority, and how elevating others creates lasting organizational impact.

Elsa Bañuelos-Lindsay

Executive Director of LIDERAMOS

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Sessions:

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Leading Without Leaving Yourself Behind: Culture, Resilience, and Sustainable Leadership

Many Latino/a/e professionals and leaders are taught to lead through overworking, self-sacrifice, and carrying responsibility alone. While these patterns are often rooted in resilience, cultural values, and lived experiences, they can also contribute to burnout, emotional exhaustion, isolation, and difficulty sustaining leadership over time.

This interactive session explores how culture, identity, community expectations, and generational patterns shape the way we lead and care for our wellbeing. Participants will reflect on the strengths these experiences contribute to their leadership, as well as the pressures and expectations that may become difficult to sustain.

Through guided reflection, discussion, and practical tools, attendees will explore ways to honor their ambition, values, and commitment to community without leaving themselves behind. The session will also consider how boundaries, connection, shared responsibility, and support systems can contribute to more sustainable ways of leading.

Participants will leave with reflective tools and practical strategies they can apply within professional and community settings to develop more grounded, intentional, and sustainable leadership practices.

3 Chapters

This interactive hybrid workshop invites participants to explore greater clarity, confidence and intention around their next steps. Through live audience engagement, guided reflection and executive coaching style conversations. Attendees will explore both personal and professional growth in a collaborative and supportive environment.

Participants will identify with one of three career chapters:

  1. I feel good, I’m in a solid place
    There’s momentum in your work and a sense of direction in your life.

  2. I feel stuck, I’m ready for something else
    Something isn’t clicking anymore. What used to feel engaging now feels repetitive, heavy, or slightly off. You’re still showing up, still performing, but the energy isn’t the same.

  3. I feel neutral, I haven’t really thought about it
    Nothing feels particularly off, but nothing feels deeply intentional either. You’re moving through your days, handling what’s in front of you and things are generally fine.

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Silence No More: Conflict, Culture, and Finding Your Voice

Many Latino communities are taught early to keep the peace, respect authority, avoid confrontation, and not make people uncomfortable. Be grateful. Work hard. Stay quiet. Do not cause problems. That message follows people into leadership, workplaces, higher education, and family dynamics, where silence often gets mistaken for respect and burnout gets mistaken for strength.

This session challenges that.

Silence No More reframes conflict as a skill, not a failure. It explores how cultural expectations, generational pressure, and unspoken family and professional rules shape the way Latinos navigate communication, boundaries, and leadership. Many people are carrying the responsibility of keeping everyone else comfortable while ignoring their own needs, and over time that creates resentment, stress, and disconnection.

Participants will learn practical strategies for communicating clearly, setting boundaries without guilt, and handling difficult conversations with confidence across personal and professional spaces. The session focuses on real life application, not just motivation, helping attendees understand how to honor culture without losing themselves in the process.

Because having a voice is not disrespect. Saying no is not betrayal. And protecting your peace does not make you selfish.

Denise Jauregui

Founder of Cultivando Wellness
LinkedIn

Jen Fry

CEO of JenFryTalks
LinkedIn

Carlos Martín

Co-Founder and CEO @ Continuum Leaders
LinkedIn
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Agenda

9:00 am 9:25 am Opening 

  • Welcome remarks from Carlos (5 minutes) 

  • Sponsorship acknowledgment- Welcome (5 minutes) 

    • Carlos to introduce sponsors via slide- 1 min

    • Choose Chicago - 2 mins

    • Wiplfli - 2 mins

  • Framing the day and Q&A (10 minutes- Juana & Lorena) 

9:25am 9:30am Introduction of Keynote Speaker by Achurch 

9:30am

10:00am

Keynote - Elsa Bañuelos-Lindsay, Executive Director of LIDERAMOS; Founder, Agave Strategies LLC

10:00 am 

10:10 am

Transition Break

10:10 am

11:00 am

AI Fireside Chat

Session Title: AI as Your Executive Amplifier: Leveraging AI While Staying Authentically You (Sponsored by Delcor)
Speakers: Patricia Mota - HACE

Carlos Cardenas - Association Latinos
Victoria Montañez - DelCor
Cynthia M. DeLira - Latinas in Tech 
Moderated by Lorena Mejia

11:00 am 11:10 am Transition Break

11:10 am 12:10 pm 

Blue Star Cohort Theme -  Sustainable Leadership: Resilience Without Burnout
Session Title: Leading Without Leaving Yourself Behind: Sustainable Leadership Through Culture, Boundaries, and Collective Care
Speaker: Denise Jauregui, Founder, Bilingual Therapist & Trainer, Cultivando Wellness

  • Introduction(5 minutes) 

  • Session (30 minutes) 

  • Engaging activity (20 minutes) 

  • Wrap Up (5 minutes) 

Red Star Cohort Theme - Identity as Strategy: Turning Cultura into Executive Presence 
Session Title: 3 Chapters
Speaker: Carlos Martin, Executive Coach & Co-Founder, Continuum

  • Introduction(5 minutes) 

  • Session (30 minutes) 

  • Engaging activity (20 minutes) 

  • Wrap Up (5 minutes) 

Yellow Star Cohort Theme - Building the Association Latino Leadership Pipeline
Session Title:  Silence No More: Conflict, Culture, and Finding Your Voice
Speaker:  Dr. Jen Fry, Owner &CEO, Jen Fry Talks

  • Introduction(5 minutes) 

  • Session (30 minutes) 

  • Engaging activity (20 minutes) 

  • Wrap Up (5 minutes)  

12:10 pm 12:20 pm Transition to Lunch

12:20 pm 1:20 pm Lunch (Cohort Seating Encouraged)

1:20 pm 1:30 pm Transition Break

1:30 pm 2:30 pm 

Yellow Star Cohort
Theme -  Sustainable Leadership: Resilience Without Burnout
Session Title: Leading Without Leaving Yourself Behind: Sustainable Leadership Through Culture, Boundaries, and Collective Care
Speaker: Denise Jauregui, Founder, Bilingual Therapist & Trainer, Cultivando Wellness

  • Introduction(5 minutes) 

  • Session (30 minutes) 

  • Engaging activity (20 minutes) 

  • Wrap Up (5 minutes) 

Blue Star Cohort - Theme - Identity as Strategy: Turning Cultura into Executive Presence 
Session Title: 3 Chapters
Speaker: Carlos Martin, Executive Coach & Co-Founder, Continuum

  • Introduction(5 minutes) 

  • Session (30 minutes) 

  • Engaging activity (20 minutes) 

  • Wrap Up (5 minutes) 

Red Star Cohort
Theme - Building the Association Latino Leadership Pipeline
Session Title:  Silence No More: Conflict, Culture, and Finding Your Voice
Speaker:  Dr. Jen Fry, Owner &CEO, Jen Fry Talks

  • Introduction(5 minutes) 

  • Session (30 minutes) 

  • Engaging activity (20 minutes) 

  • Wrap Up (5 minutes)  

2:30 pm 2:40 pm Transition Break

2:40 pm 3:40 pm
Red Star Cohort
Theme -  Sustainable Leadership: Resilience Without Burnout "
Session Title: Leading Without Leaving Yourself Behind: Sustainable Leadership Through Culture, Boundaries, and Collective Care
Speaker: Denise Jauregui, Founder, Bilingual Therapist & Trainer, Cultivando Wellness

  • Introduction(5 minutes) 

  • Session (30 minutes) 

  • Engaging activity (20 minutes) 

  • Wrap Up (5 minutes) 

Yellow Star Cohort - 
Theme - Identity as Strategy: Turning Cultura into Executive Presence 
Session Title: 3 Chapters
Speaker: Carlos Martin, Executive Coach & Co-Founder, Continuum

  • Introduction(5 minutes) 

  • Session (30 minutes) 

  • Engaging activity (20 minutes) 

  • Wrap Up (5 minutes) 

Blue Star Cohort
Theme - Building the Association Latino Leadership Pipeline
Session Title:  Silence No More: Conflict, Culture, and Finding Your Voice
Speaker:  Dr. Jen Fry, Owner &CEO, Jen Fry Talks

  • Introduction(5 minutes) 

  • Session (30 minutes) 

  • Engaging activity (20 minutes) 

  • Wrap Up (5 minutes)  

3:40 pm 3:50 pm Transition Break
3:50 pm 4:00 pm Closing Remarks

  • Remarks from Carlos (5 minutes) 

  • Remarks from Juana (5 minutes)