Leading with values: the 2025 Inspiring Women in Public Administration Conference

Lead with your personal values — that was the key message at a recent gathering of professional women in the Kansas City area. More than 200 guests attended the 2025 Inspiring Women in Public Administration (IWPA) Conference on Aug. 22 in Overland Park, Kansas. The annual one-day conference hosted by KU’s Public Management Center brings women from Kansas and the Kansas City metropolitan area together for a day of inspiration, rejuvenation, and camaraderie. While the conference is not limited to women, it focuses on the unique challenges women face in the public sector. 

After an introduction honoring the conference’s 1974 beginnings and the fortuitous attendance and address by former President Jimmy Carter, a women's rights champion, DeAngela Burns-Wallace provided the keynote address. Burns-Wallace is president and chief executive officer of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that helps people achieve financial stability, upward mobility, and economic prosperity regardless of race, gender, or geography. Burns-Wallace’s address focused on “Leading with Values,” a theme that echoed throughout the day. 

“Who we are is how we lead.” —Brené Brown, author 

A panel of accomplished women explored how their values influence their career choices and leadership styles. Panelists included the chief data officer for the state of Kansas, the chief operating officer for the Midland Group, the director of finance and administration at the Mid-America Regional Council, the director of operations and planning for the Kansas City Streetcar Authority, and a former regional director for the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services. A KU professor and research scientist closed the program with a talk about how women mastermind and redefine the economy. 

Opportunities for women to convene and share insights are key to shifting a professional landscape where they face barriers in career advancement. While gender equality in the workplace has increased significantly since the first IWPA conference, there is more work to be done. Women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, but recent data shows that women remain underrepresented in leadership positions. Women fill a higher percentage of leadership roles in the public sector than in the private sector, where, according to a McKinsey data report, “parity … is nearly 50 years away.” 

To reach that goal sooner, the World Economic Forum offers solutions covering management training, sponsorship programs, and updated evaluation criteria. Women have the power to transform workplaces by investing in one another through mentorship, professional development, and tapping into their networks. In-person events like the IWPA conference are wonderful opportunities to strengthen your professional network and individual skills through speed coaching segments, information sharing, and collaborating with peers with fresh perspectives on shared experiences. 

“As you pursue your paths in life, leave tracks. Just as others have been way pavers for you, so you should aid those who will follow in your way. “ —Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg 

See photos from the 2025 IWPA conference. The next IWPA conference will be held in Aug. 2026. Details will be available at 

kupmc.ku.edu/inspiring-women-public-service. Plan to join us as we gather with peers to build skills, forge connections, and reignite our passion for leadership