Connection And Collaboration: How Two Professionals Started Maryland’s Top Networking Event For Women, And How You Can Join

CHESAPEAKE BEACH, Md. — Maryland’s 12th Annual Women to Women (W2W) Regional Summit is returning for another year this August, its impact continuing to shape the business community for women.

This year’s event will take place on Aug. 19 at Rod ‘N’ Reel Resort in Chesapeake Beach at 8:30 a.m. This year’s keynote speaker is Tamika Tremaglio of Secretariat Advisors LLC. Tremaglio is the global leader of Secretariat’s Global Sports Consulting practice, combining more than 30 years of unique sports industry leadership with business transformation expertise. Tremaglio has advised Fortune 500 companies and organizations in the professional services, sports, media and entertainment industries, consistently delivering results across domains.

The summit is open to women who want to share knowledge and ideas with other professional women while learning new techniques to nurture growth on a personal and professional level. The summit is hosted by Women to Women of Calvert County, which hosts regular meetings and networking opportunities through the Calvert County Chamber of Commerce.

W2W’s founders, Jaime West and Victoria Ronan, got to know each other from other women’s networking events around Maryland, though they have different career paths — West is a financial adviser and Ronan is a professional makeup artist. But when Ronan approached West about founding a women’s networking group, the idea, and the vision, clicked.

The pair understood that women needed meaningful connections, support and opportunities to learn from one another. Women didn’t need another slogan or regular networking event. They needed to meet other people who understood their unique challenges and experiences.

“We saw talented women business owners, professionals and community leaders who often worked in silos throughout the area and chamber. Women to Women brings those individuals together to build relationships, share experiences, support one another and grow both personally and professionally. It’s about creating a community, not just a network,” West wrote in an email to The BayNet.

Working with Calvert County’s Chamber of Commerce was a natural next step to expand the community and create an event that would have lasting impact for women in the area. Not only did their missions align, but their passions did, too.

“Kathy Maney is truly incredible,” Ronan said about the chamber’s president and CEO. “She brings a genuine passion to everything she does.”

Ronan said Maney got to attend events before she became president and experienced the impact firsthand. Her engagement with the group’s collective support and guidance as they faced real-life challenges as professional women, including balancing careers and families, made Maney a natural and dedicated champion for the event.

Working with the Chamber of Commerce also provided credibility, resources and access to a broad network of local professionals and businesses that allows W2W to reach more women, collaborate with other organizations and create programming that has a greater impact throughout the community. Working together also exposes more people in the business community to the benefits of joining the chamber and further building on the connections people make at W2W events.

And more than anything, both Ronan and West value the relationships they’ve gotten from W2W over the years, which they say are irreplaceable both in business and community. Watching people who have never met before become friends or bond over business ideas is

“The friendships I’ve made here have opened so many doors for me,” Ronan said.

“The best way to get started is to attend an event and experience the atmosphere firsthand,” West added. “You’ll quickly see how welcoming and engaging the group is. Most people leave their first event having made meaningful connections and are looking forward to the next one. What makes Women to Women special is that it’s not just about business. It’s about empowering women, building confidence, creating opportunities and strengthening our entire community one relationship at a time.”

Early bird registration for $110 for the event ends on June 30, and regular registration for $125 ends Aug. 7. Advanced registration is required; no walk-ins can be accommodated. Lunch is included.

If you would like to highlight your business, sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting Kathy Maney at kathy@calvertchamber.org or 410-535-2577 by Aug. 7.

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