Grant Support Helps Us Bring
Liene Stevens to WIPA—And Elevates Our Entire Event
Kelly Marie Thompson
Chicago Chapter
We’re excited to share how our recent grant helped us take one of our most ambitious WIPA events to the next level. With this funding, we were able to bring in nationally recognized speaker Liene Stevens of Think Splendid—and the results were everything we hoped for and more.
This grant gave us the opportunity to prioritize both education and financial sustainability. By offsetting speaker fees, we were able to confidently bring Liene in without placing additional strain on our chapter’s budget. That meant we could deliver high-value programming while still ensuring the event was profitable—a win-win that benefits our entire membership.
Photo by @monro.photography
Liene’s presentation was smart, strategic, and packed with insights on consumer behavior, communication, and the evolving expectations of today’s couples. Her session sparked thoughtful conversation and gave our attendees tangible takeaways they could immediately apply to their businesses – She had a line of attendees asking her questions immediately after her presentation. It was exactly the kind of content we strive to bring to our community—relevant, actionable, and deeply inspiring.
The response was incredible. This event ended up being one of our highest-attended programs to date, with members traveling from across the region (and even out of state) to be part of the experience. The energy in the room was undeniable, and we’ve heard from so many attendees who left feeling refreshed, reconnected, and re-committed to the work we all love.
Even more exciting? Because the event performed well financially, we’re in a stronger position to continue offering elevated education going forward. The momentum from this gathering is already carrying into future programming, and we’re so grateful to have had the support to dream big—and deliver.
To everyone who attended, supported, or helped make this event possible: thank you. And to the grant committee: your investment truly made a difference. It didn’t just help us book a speaker—it helped us build a better experience, welcome more members into the fold, and strengthen our entire chapter.
We’re already planning what’s next and can’t wait to keep this momentum going. Until then, we’re holding onto the spark from this event and looking forward to seeing you at the next one!
Photo by @monro.photography
