Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan hosted more than 450 students from 30 middle and high schools across Middlesex County at this year’s Empowering Girls 2017 Conference: Women with Vision held at the Cary Memorial Building in Lexington. This year’s theme focused on leadership, self-discovery and goal-setting in the face of obstacles.

“As a part of this year’s conference we focused on working with the students to express their vision for their future,” said District Attorney Ryan. “Individual visions are what makes the world different, and although not every dream these students have will turn into reality, this conference helps them to learn that it is how they deal with the obstacles in their way that will make a difference in their future.”

The Sixth Annual Empowering Girls Conference built upon past conference themes designed to encourage confidence-building, self-assertion and goal-setting through compelling speakers and interactive presentations.

Speakers during both sessions inspired students by encouraging them to be persistent when pursuing their goals and to never let stereotypes define who they are. Each day the students created vision boards to represent the path they see for their future and engaged in interactive group discussion about what obstacles may face on their journey and how to address them.

Day one speakers were: Donna K. Hazard, Interim President and CEO, New England Aquarium, Co-Founder, Women Working for Oceans, Carmen M. Ortiz, Esq., Counsel, Anderson Kreiger, LLP, Boston, Former United States Attorney, District of Massachusetts and Karen Anderson, Anchor and Reporter, 5 Investigates, WCVB Boston

Day two speakers were: Natashia Tidwell, Esq., Counsel, Hogan Lovells, LLP, Boston, Queenette Santos, Director of Programming, Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester and Karen Anderson, Anchor and Reporter, 5 Investigates, WCVB Boston.