‘Inspiration, knowledge, new skills’: Hundreds gather for return of women’s leadership conference to Fort St. John

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Hundreds of professionals came together to elevate their careers at the 2025 edition of the Spark Women’s Leadership Conference in Fort St. John. 

Held at the Pomeroy Hotel and Conference Centre on October 8th and 9th, the event saw a range of keynote talks and workshops on topics including navigating conflict, managing finances, finding work-life balance and harnessing play in leadership. 

The theme of this year’s event was ‘rise: next-level strategies for success’ and speakers included Erika Casupanan, the first Canadian and Filipino winner of reality TV show Survivor; Robyn Thompson, TV personality and financial expert; and Jordon Lock, founder of The Marketing Collective in Fort St. John. 

“What I love about these events is the reminder that we’re all in this together, and we’re growing together, and it’s really an honour to be able to contribute to that,” Casupanan told Energeticcity.ca after her session.

Spark was founded in 2014 for local women seeking professional development that did not require extensive travel, and since then, it has hosted more than 3,000 attendees – coined ‘Sparklers’ by the organizers. 

One Sparkler who has missed only three of the conferences is Amber Lindley. 

“It does seem that every year the theme just resonates with what seems to be going on with my life at the time,” Lindley told Energeticcity.ca. “I also find it a very valuable tool to connect with women in this town.”

Lindley, who works in sales at Bold Promotions, won an Energeticcity.ca’s Co-op Community Champion award in 2022 for her involvement with the Fort St. John Women’s Resource Society.

“We have a lot of strong independent women and I love it,” she said. “Being from here, [Fort St. John], it’s just a great way to reconnect with some people and then connect with others.”

Spark has been emceed by entrepreneur Trisha Miltimore every year since its inception, and this year she also stepped in when one of the scheduled speakers, Dr. Shahana Alibhai, could not attend due to illness. 

Brandi Heather, author of the book Return to Play, led a session and workshop on using playfulness to be creative and connected in business. 

She described an “amazing thing” that happens at events like Spark: “This whole group of women who may not even know each other are all of a sudden together, truly together.

“For me, the importance is, if we don’t do this, then we are in our separate, lonely, often very difficult spaces. So we come here, people see who we are and we smile differently.

“And when we leave here, we feel rejuvenated and re-energized and refreshed, and hopefully we go back and put that into our personal and professional lives.”

Sparkler Edwina Nearhood, who became blind through complications arising from a heart transplant in 2022, praised the conference and especially Heather’s session. 

“Being brave – like the theme of the conference here – has been spot on with my experience,” Nearhood said. “Being brave, being vulnerable, being focused. 

“You know, I have to be so present to navigate moment by moment. And I really loved yesterday afternoon, the [session about] play. That’s what I’m focusing on now, is [using] play to get back to my best self.” 

Nearhood spent five months in hospital in Vancouver three years ago, before continuing her recovery back in Fort St. John.

“It’s just validating that, yes, I’m on the right path and to have this beautiful community of women, we’re so supportive of each other,” Nearhood said. 

“…Somebody died and I got to live, so I am not going to waste that gift of a second chance, because I wouldn’t be here today without that beautiful gift.” 

Another Sparkler, nurse Mary Anne Giesbrecht, shared her biggest takeaway from the event with Energeticcity.ca: “Just being courageous, like being afraid and doing things anyways, even if you’re not quite ready, to just do it afraid.”

Lilia Hansen, mayor of Fort St. John, also joined the crowds of attendees. 

“I think the Spark Women’s [Leadership] Conference is a gem,” she said. “It’s wonderful to be able to bring national and international speakers to our community to help with skill building and networking.

“It’s open to the entire community and we have people from coast to coast, even the United States, attending here today. The energy is dynamic in the room. You can just feel it.”

In previous years Hansen was on the Spark organizing committee, and she told Energeticcity.ca she still volunteers to help where she can. 

Closing the event, Spark chair Suzanne Young said: “I really hope that the last two days have been a valuable experience for you, that you were able to go back into the world and take the inspiration, knowledge and new skills you gained here to help you take your goals to the next level.

“You’re part of the Spark community now: reach out to each other, learn from each other, lean on each other. When we support each other, we all rise.”