WASHINGTON—#GALSNGEAR has announced two major leadership retreats in early 2026 that the group said are designed to equip women in media, entertainment, and technology with the tools they need to thrive in the industry.
Leadership Retreat East will take place on Jan. 16 in Columbia, Maryland, timed ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. weekend to honor the spirit of equity and inclusion. Leadership Retreat West takes place on March 6 in Burbank, California, in celebration of International Women’s Day/Month. The East event is hosted by Vectorworks, and both events are sponsored by Diversified.
“Our goal is to create immersive, hands-on spaces where women feel seen, supported, can connect with a powerful peer network and be equipped to lead with confidence,” said Amy DeLouise, founder of #GALSNGEAR.
Leadership Retreat East will be held at Vectorworks in Columbia, Maryland, just minutes from BWI Airport. The program begins on the evening of Jan. 15 with a welcome networking event at Old Line Kitchen & Bar, offering attendees a chance to connect before the full-day workshop. The networking event will feature a Tequila tasting of TCapri, a hand-crafted small batch brand that is Black woman-owned. founder Tiffany Capri Hainesworth will be participating in the retreat panel on career pivots.
The retreat opens on the following day with a breakfast sponsored by Trbridge Partners, followed by welcome remarks from DeLouise along with Lee Draminski, Senior Partnership Specialist at Vectorworks and Heather Best, Engagement Manager at Diversified. Next up will be a deep-dive leadership workshop led by Ellyn McKay, founder of CEO Vision. Attendees will use a pre-workshop survey to explore their leadership styles and develop strategies for tackling challenges and planning their next career steps.
The day continues with a panel on mastering career pivots, featuring Career & Learning Technology Strategist Adrienne Blanks and concludes with two concurrent breakout sessions: one on negotiation skills with Susan Borke, JD, of Borkeworks and another on financial empowerment for women with Tacy Roby, CFP Senior Wealth Advisor, TriBridge Partners Financial. The retreat wraps with a closing session focused on goal-setting and accountability, helping participants translate insights into action.
Leadership Retreat West will be hosted by Keycode Media in Burbank, California. With an understanding of the ongoing media and tech workforce disruptions brought on by mergers, layoffs, and the emergence of GenAI, this gathering will focus on emerging technologies and personal brand-building strategies in a changing employment environment. In addition to its work supporting “tequity” in the workplace, #GALSNGEAR recognizes that building a more sustainable and equitable industry also means engaging around climate impact. As such, Leadership Retreat West will include a special session on the Media Climate Accord and how women leaders can help move the industry forward on those goals.
“The partnership with #GALSNGEAR is a natural extension of Diversified's commitment to the talented women who are already core to our industry's success,” said Heather Best, advisory services, Diversified. “The #GALSNGEAR retreats are about connecting, amplifying, and investing in the exceptional leaders who are already here, ensuring their influence continues to grow while also lifting the industry and the next generation to follow.”
Registration and additional event details are available at galsngear.regfox.com/galsngear-womens-leadership-retreat-east.
Participants will receive access to all live sessions, recordings of concurrent workshops, and post-event follow-up including a virtual cohort meetup to support continued growth and implementation.
Further information about #GALSNGEAR is online at www.galsngear.tv.
