FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 14, 2026

Amplify Women Tampa Bay (AWTB) will welcome some of the top voices in business, technology, sports and civic leadership to The James Museum on August 7–8 for its 3rd Annual Summit, Navigators of Change: Women at the Helm. The two-day event will bring together women from across Tampa Bay for a program built on connection, knowledge-sharing, and community.

This year’s Summit lineup reflects the breadth of leadership across the region. Keynote speaker Dr. Sandra Braham, President and CEO of Gulf Coast JFCS, leads a $60 million agency with more than 550 employees and 50-plus programs spanning child welfare, behavioral health, workforce development, and refugee resettlement. She made history as the first African American woman to chair the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce Board and is the author of the memoir An Angel for Detroit, a memoir chronicling the personal journey that shaped her into the leader she is today.
Attendees will also hear from Christina Unkel, President and General Manager of the Tampa Bay Sun, Tampa Bay’s only female professional sports team, who will appear on a panel with Yanna Pantelis Boutzoukas, Vice President of Marketing and Promotions for the Tampa Bay Rays, and Melissa Gebhardt, Creative Director for Vinik Sports Group and the Tampa Bay Lightning, in a conversation on leadership in sports and business. The panel will be moderated by Megan Baker, President and CEO of Baker Public Relations, who brings more than 20 years of communications experience.
Another panel featuring Amanda Wick, founder of the Association for Women in Cryptocurrency, and Candace Williams of Raytheon will spotlight women reshaping digital finance and cybersecurity. Additional sessions include a mental health discussion led by Marilyn Shaw, a panel on generational gaps moderated by Dr. Celeste Collins, and a closing conversation on creativity and leadership with local artist Ya La’Ford.
Beyond the stage, the Summit is designed to give attendees direct access to one another. Structured networking sessions, panel discussions, and shared meals throughout the two days are built to help women form the kind of relationships that extend well beyond the event itself—a hallmark of AWTB’s approach since its founding.

“This Summit isn’t just about who’s on stage, it’s about who you sit next to,” said Nicole Waters, Founder of Amplify Women Tampa Bay. “Every year, I watch women walk in as strangers and walk out with a new mentor, or a friend who changes the trajectory of their year. That’s the real work of this event. The speakers open the door, but it’s the connections in the room that carry women forward long after August 8th.”
Tickets for Navigators of Change: Women at the Helm are available now at amplifywomentampabay.com/annual-summit.

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