100 Loudoun Girls to Gather for Sold-Out Girl emPower Summit

One hundred girls from across Loudoun County will come together Aug. 22 for a morning of leadership, mentoring, career exploration and confidence-building at the 7th Annual Girl emPower Summit.

Hosted by the Loudoun Coalition on Women and Girls, the free event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Northern Virginia Community College’s Loudoun Campus in Sterling. This year’s summit has reached its capacity of 100 participants.

The annual event connects girls with women leaders, mentors and professionals while encouraging them to explore their interests, recognize their strengths and think about possibilities for their futures.

“Every year, the Girl emPower Summit reminds us what’s possible when girls across Loudoun County come together to learn from one another and from women leaders in our community,” said Lisa McGrail, executive director of LCWAG. “We want girls to leave the Summit feeling more confident about their voices, their choices and the possibilities ahead of them. We are grateful to our sponsors, speakers and volunteers for helping us welcome a full house this year.”

LCWAG board member Breana Turner will return for her second year as the summit’s emcee, guiding participants through the morning’s conversations, activities and opportunities to connect.

This year’s keynote speaker is Ashley Koranteng, owner and general manager of Virginia Vitesse, Loudoun County’s only semi-professional women’s basketball team, and a longtime advocate for women and youth in sports.

Koranteng was selected for the 2025 NBA Future Basketball Operations Stars cohort and is a San Antonio Spurs global fellow. A graduate of Loudoun County Public Schools and George Mason University, she has spent more than a decade mentoring young people through coaching and community leadership.

The summit will also feature Christina Blake, an active-duty officer in the U.S. Air Force and Miss District of Columbia Volunteer. Blake placed in the Top 12 nationally and received the Impact Award through the Miss Volunteer America organization. She advocates for bridging the “Dream Gap” and is the author of the children’s book series “The Brave Little Raindrop.”

Participants will also hear from Amazon Web Services professionals Desiree Toler, Meredith Swisher, Brenna Lim and Gwen Belliveau, who will share their experiences and perspectives on professional and technology-focused careers.

Girls on the Run will lead an interactive session, “Finding Your Confidence,” designed to help participants recognize their strengths and build confidence.

Sponsor support allows the Girl emPower Summit to remain free for participants. Amazon is the lead sponsor for the 2026 event. Additional sponsors include Backflow Technology, LLC; OPSPro; The CEO Woman; You’ve Got Maids of Northern Virginia; and Walmart in Sterling.

Although registration is full, those interested in attending may email lmcgrail@lcwag.org to be added to the waitlist.

The Loudoun Coalition on Women and Girls promotes leadership development and works to foster an inclusive community for Loudoun’s women and girls through education, collaboration and empowerment.