The Journeys in Motherhood Conference is our first annual WCA conference featuring keynotes, speakers from specialized fields, workshops, and engaging panels! The event will touch on the topics of mothers in leadership, mothers who have overcome challenges, trauma, & diversity, and women who nurture our community.

Conference Schedule:

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM : Check-in/ Morning Connections
11:00 AM - 11:15 AM : Conference Welcome Announcements
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM : Keynote Speaker - Shannon McGuire
12:00 PM - 12:10 PM : Move & Stretch Session
12:10 PM - 12:45 PM : Lunch Break (Available with The Counter by City of Good)
12:45 PM - 01:30 PM : Mothers in Leadership Panel
01:30 PM - 02:20 PM : Joyful Purpose Workshop : Angela Taylor
02:20 PM - 02:30 PM : Ending Announcements
03:00 PM - 04:00 PM : Social Hour at The Avery Tiner's Alley

Featuring:

Opening Keynote Speaker:

Shannon McGuire, Founder & Lead Coach: Shannon is the heart behind Supreme Moms—leading with authenticity, warmth, and a contagious enthusiasm for life. She believes deeply that true joy and strength come from embracing who we really are. Shannon draws wisdom from over 25 years of marriage and motherhood, raising four children and now celebrating life as a grandmother. With 15 years of dedicated leadership advancing community well-being, Shannon uniquely blends personal experience, professional insight, and heartfelt encouragement. Her thoughtful approach fosters a culture of trust, courage, and meaningful connection.

Reclaiming Joyful Purpose in Motherhood and Beyond Workshop Facilitator:

Angela Taylor, Partner & Deal Maker: Being a mother is one of the most sacred and complex journeys a woman can take. It stretches us, grounds us, and often reshapes how we see ourselves. Yet somewhere along the way, many of us lose touch with the essence of who we are beyond our roles. In this empowering and nurturing session, leadership coach and speaker Angela Taylor will guide participants through a reflective and interactive experience that reconnects them to their Joyful Purpose—the intersection of their values, gifts, and lived experiences.

Whether you're a stay-at-home mom, a corporate leader, or somewhere in between, this session will help you realign with your unique path, honor your evolution, and leave with clarity, confidence, and a sense of community.

Mothers in Leadership Panelists:

About Us – Cut-N-Up and Company Shari Baber, Business Owner, Community Advocate: With 30 plus years in Idaho, Shari has earned lots of experience in building community connections. Her business, Cut-N-Up & Co. has been a mentoring space for over 20 plus salon owners and independent contractors. It has been her joy to show new comers the ropes. Because of that, the interaction with the community has been vast. Having an opportunity to have conversations with people about what matters to them. The Boise Soul Food Festival and Brown Like Me are a direct resulted of conversations from the community. Shari Baber is honored to continue to listen to the community and serve in a way that creates healing, serve in a way that creates growth, serve in a way that show love and acceptance.

Dishonest Rhetoric: A Response to Laurie Lickley - Gem State Chronicle Laurie Lickley, Owner & Operator, Winecup L Cattle Company, Former State Representative: Laurie Lickley is a wife, mother, grandmother, rancher, and a passionate advocate for creating an Idaho our children and grandchildren will be proud to inherit. Laurie is a native of Salmon, ID, and a 1990 Graduate of the University of Idaho with a BS Degree in Agricultural Economics. She and her husband, Bill, raised their two children on the family’s century farm and ranch in Jerome. Aside from the daily ranching and farming businesses in Idaho and Nevada, Laurie has served Idaho’s beef industry from the local to national level. Laurie spent two terms in the Idaho House of Representatives from 2019- 2022, serving on the Health and Welfare and Resources and Conservation Committees. Governor Little appointed Laurie to serve on Idaho’s Behavioral Health Council in 2020 where she worked collaboratively with the three branches of government to roll a comprehensive plan for better behavioral and mental health services in Idaho, including the roll out of the 9-8-8 Crisis Hotline. During her time on the IBHC, the group also stood up additional mental and behavioral health services for youth. In her spare time, she volunteers with the Idaho Contraceptive Education Network, Family Health Services, Jerome’s Juvenile Diversion Board, and Jerome Rotary (Past President).

Dr. Lisa Patterson Phillips, Vice Provost for Community Engagement & Belonging, Tribal Liaison, Boise State University: Known for her strategic, community-centered approach, Dr. Phillips has dedicated her career to creating a sense of belonging for all members of the university community to prioritize student success and belonging. Before joining Boise State, Dr. Phillips worked at Columbus State Community College as the Director of the Student Advocacy Center, where she championed initiatives to address students’ basic needs, enabling them to reach their academic and personal goals. Her diverse experience spans both academic and student affairs. Dr. Phillips holds a PhD from Ohio University in Organizational Communication, a MEd from James Madison University in Counseling Psychology with a focus on Higher Education Administration, and a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication from East Stroudsburg University. Guided by her signature strengths—Relator, Strategic, Individualization, Connectedness, and Learner—Dr. Phillips is driven by the belief that listening to and uplifting each individual’s unique experience creates a more equitable and resilient educational environment. Her work continues to inspire and support transformative pathways for students, communities, and the broader field of higher education.

Suzi Boyle, Branch Manager, Castle & Cooke Mortgage: I was born on an Air Force base in Tokyo, Japan. When I was just one year old, my family moved to the Treasure Valley, and I have lived here ever since. I attended Payette High School and earned a license in public accounting from Boise State University. I have been in the mortgage industry for 33 years and I can say without a doubt that Castle & Cooke Mortgage creates the best possible experiences for all our homeowners. I believe in challenging the status quo by making my service relationship-oriented rather than transaction-oriented, and I look forward to building a relationship with you and your family. I love working with self-employed borrowers and VA loans. I am proud to have been recognized by the U.S. Dept. Of Veterans Affairs as the No. 1 VA loan originator in Idaho, totaling more than 1,200 closed loans to date. I am also proud to have been recognized ten times by Mortgage Originator Magazine as one of the top 200 originators in the United States. Outside of work, I’m committed to making a difference. I have chaired more than 100 nonprofit events, and I’m not stopping anytime soon. When I’m not doing community service or helping families finance great homes, I enjoy listening to smooth jazz, being on the water, and spending quality time with my family.

Laura Honn, Board President, Wild Hearts Idaho & Philanthropy Director, WCA: With a combination of a passion for community impact and engagement with business-orientated strategies, Laura Honn said putting people first is key to her leadership style, a style that combines British and American philosophies. Honn graduated from Leeds University with a bachelor’s degree in communication and marketing. She has also earned a grant writing certificate from Du Paul University and a certificate in nonprofit management from Northwestern University. Honn also strives to give back to the Treasure Valley. One way she is achieving this goal is through her role as Philanthropy Director for the Women’s and Children’s Alliance, a Boise-based nonprofit that provides services to survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault. Honn also serves as board president of Wild Hearts Idaho, a nonprofit organization centered on building leadership skills in teen girls through outdoor adventures. Honn also enjoys mentoring others who are just starting out in their career journeys and those seeking to improve themselves.

More about the WCA:

For over 40 years, WCA has been at the forefront of providing services to those healing from domestic abuse and sexual assault. Since its founding, WCA’s crisis program has evolved into one of the most vital, unduplicated, comprehensive programs in our community and region. WCA is proud to be a community leader in providing these critically needed services. We’ve been an important community partner for over 110 years and providing safe spaces for members of our community has always been at the core of our mission.

Mission

Safety, healing, and freedom from domestic abuse and sexual assault.

WCA provides Safety to domestic abuse and sexual assault victims through our two 24-hour crisis hotlines, our domestic abuse shelter, safety planning assistance, and court advocacy.
We provide Healing through therapy services, support groups, and client advocacy.
We provide Freedom through case management and financial empowerment and life skills classes.

Through these core values, we hope to provide security, hope, and empowerment and to break the cycle of violence. For more information on these and other services, see our Get Help section.

Journeys in Motherhood Conference

First Annual WCA Journeys Conference