WHAT IS OWN IT?
OWN IT at the University of California, Davis is a women’s leadership conference and festival designed to foster and encourage young women and non-binary individuals to pursue their ambitions.
Our Conference
By connecting attendees with leaders in all fields, this conference aims to inspire young individuals to take action and own their true selves and identities. OWN IT provides a platform for attendees to listen and to learn from role models, cultivate skills, and network with fellow peers.
Each conference is set up with a keynote session, industry panel session, and various workshops that takes place throughout the day. All three sessions are designed to help attendees learn and grow professionally.
OWN IT HISTORY
OWN IT was founded in 2013 by Georgetown University students Helen Brosnan and Kendall Ciesemier to address the lack of women in leadership roles across professional fields. While women are graduating from college at higher rates than men, they remain underrepresented in STEM fields, executive positions, government roles, and leadership overall.
The OWN IT Women’s Leadership Conference was created to bridge this gap—empowering individuals to learn from role models, develop valuable skills, and build meaningful connections with peers.
Our FEstival
Beginning in 2023, OWN IT began hosting its festival, welcoming attendees to connect with others outside of the workplace. Consisting of live entertainment, food trucks, a women/non-binary-owned marketplace, and workshops, the festival emphasizes the importance of self care and wellness.
Davis Women in Business presents OWN IT; a women’s leadership conference that aims to bridge the gap between "What if" and "I can", inspiring the next generation of women entering the workforce. The conference has panels, keynote speakers, and workshops that bring together multiple women of diverse backgrounds, professions, and experiences.
The first OWN IT conference was held in April 2014. The success of the conference and its ambition to empower young women towards leadership roles has made its impact across the nation to numerous universities including the University of California, Davis.
In 2017, UC Davis hosted its first OWN IT Conference continuing the legacy with the same missions and ideals as Georgetown's OWN IT. Since then, we've been dedicated to growing and enhancing the conference each year. In 2023, UC Davis expanded and hosted its first OWN IT Festival as well, offering mental health workshops and valuable resources to help students relax and recharge.
Explore our past conferences and festivals, and stay tuned for our conference and festival in 2025!