Olympic Gold Medalist to provide Keynote Address at EMPOWER, The Leadership Experience

Dominique Dawes is the first African American gymnast to win an individual Olympic medal. She is the owner of Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies. The first academy opened in July 2020 during the global pandemic, and the second location opened in 2023.

Dawes holds minority ownership in the Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League. Alongside Drew Brees, she served as the co-chair of the President’s Council for Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition under the Obama administration.

Recently, Dawes collaborated with LeBron James and Maverick Carter as Executive Producer of the Peacock docuseries “Golden,” which follows USA’s elite gymnasts on the road to the Tokyo Olympics and has been nominated for a Sports Emmy.

EMPOWER, The Leadership Experience is the premier women’s leadership event in northeastern Pennsylvania. Marking its 10^th year, the 2025 conference theme is “DREAM BIG!” and will be held on April 24 at Kalahari Resorts & Convention Center. Presented by Geisinger, EMPOWER is a day-long conference highlighting the ability all women have to create positive change in their communities and lives while recognizing the extraordinary power that exists when women come together to support each other.