Shark Tank winner Athena Kasvikis served as keynote speaker at Crossroad Chamber’s Empowering Women's Brunch Nov. 7.
This marks the third year Crossroads Chamber of Commerce has hosted the event to celebrate women’s achievements and promote a more equitable future. The brunch took place at the Center for Visual & Performing Arts in Munster.
Kasvikis, a Season 13 Shark Tank participant, launched this year’s brunch. Kasvikis shared her story of creating BeHave Inc. BeHave is a brand designed to meet the needs of over 80 million women with DD+ busts who struggle to find comfortable bras.
“I am honored to have been asked to share my story with so many women who are amazing in their own right,” Kasvikis said in a press release. “Events like this are critically important as we strive to close the gender pay gap.”
Vanessa Green Sinders, the first female president and CEO of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, spoke after Kasvikis. Sinders provided her insights on leadership and the shifting landscape for women in business. She emphasized the importance of resilience, advocacy and support for women at all stages of their careers.
The event also featured a panel of women from Northwest Indiana:
- Gloria Morris – Owner of Great Lakes Sports Hub and Float Sixty, and Cloud Transformation expert at Google
- Monica Rubio – Community lending market executive, VP, and Northwest Indiana market president at Old National Bank
- April Glueckert – CEO of Calumet Lumber
- Raeann Trakas – Senior community relations representative at Cleveland-Cliffs
The panelists shared their experiences finding work-life balance, breaking down barriers in male-dominated industries and championing workplace diversity. They encouraged attendees to challenge the status quo and be agents of change in their communities.
Surekha Rao, Indiana University Northwest economics professor and associate faculty with Women and Gender Studies, spoke about the economic factors impacting women in the workforce.
“The scale of the stubbornly persistent gender wage gap in several major towns and cities of Northwest Indiana makes this region the lowest ranking in Indiana,” Rao said. “There is an urgency to achieve gender equality and we cannot wait any longer. It is a moral and economic imperative to annihilate this societal problem.”
The chamber’s Women in Leadership Development Committee, an initiative started in January 2024, played a key role in shaping the event’s focus and impact. The committee’s mission is to accelerate opportunities for women to engage in meaningful discussions on leadership, advocacy and equity.
