September 2026 | HER Collective Note
Updated: Sep 3
Having a seat and feeling like you belong in it are two very different things.
We spend so much time working toward the invitation. The opportunity. The introduction. The promotion. The moment when someone finally opens the door and says, there’s a place for you here.
But what happens once we get there?
For me, taking my seat has never meant being the loudest person at the table. I’m naturally a quiet connector. I tend to listen first, observe the room, and find the moments where I can contribute in a way that feels meaningful.
Sometimes that means sharing my perspective. Sometimes it means asking the question no one else has asked. Sometimes it’s making an introduction between two people who should know each other. And sometimes, it’s noticing the person who hasn’t said anything yet and creating a little more room for them to join the conversation.
That’s what I hope HER Seat at the Table continues to be.
Not simply a place where women are invited to take a seat, but a community where we think about what we can do with the seat we have.
Who can we bring into the conversation?
Whose voice can we amplify?
What can we contribute?
And how can we leave the table a little better than we found it?
As we move into September, I’m carrying that question with me:
You have a seat at the table. What will you do with it?
HER Community Member Spotlight: Trish Knox
Legacy Builder | Taking Her Seat & Leading by Example
This month, we’re celebrating one of our HER Seat at the Table Legacy Builders, Trish Knox, who was recently recognized as a Smart Women in Meetings Award winner in the Entrepreneur category.
Trish’s presence in our community is a beautiful example of what it means to truly take your seat.
Despite the ever-growing demands that come with the success of her business, family, client work and leading her team, Trish continues to make time, when her schedule allows, to show up. She participates, shares openly, leads by example and generously brings her experience and wisdom to the table.
That generosity extends well beyond our community. If you don’t already follow Trish on LinkedIn, she shares brilliant recaps and key takeaways from the conferences and industry events she attends, turning what she learns into insights others can benefit from too.
Congratulations, Trish! We’re so proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition and grateful for the seat you continue to take at our table.
Carefully Curated Reasons to Gather
As HER Seat at the Table continues to grow, we have become even more intentional about why, when and how we gather.
We don't want to fill calendars simply for the sake of having another event. Each experience we create to offer something meaningful, whether that’s an opportunity to learn, to have a conversation we might not otherwise have, to meet someone new, or simply to spend time together.
Over the coming months, we’ve been carefully curating a mix of experiences. Some will challenge us professionally. Some will give us space for deeper conversations. And some will simply invite us to sit around a table, share a meal and enjoy each other’s company.
There won’t always be something for everyone, and that’s okay.
Come to the table when the conversation, experience or people around it feel right for you.
What matters is knowing that the invitation is there, and that there will continue to be different ways to Take Your Seat.
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 9 | AHA with Laura Shepherd (Register here)
Be Your Own Compass: Lead From Within
What happens when the life you’ve worked so hard to build no longer feels like the life you want to keep living?
Join Laura Shepherd of North by Northwest Coaching & Consulting on September 9 from 12:00 to 1:00 PM ET for an AHA! conversation about reconnecting with your own compass and finding the courage to lead from within.
Come ready to reflect, ask questions and perhaps discover your own AHA! moment.
September 13 | Dinner and Networking Pre-the EVENT in Vancouver (register here)
Before The EVENT begins, we’re creating a table of our own.
On Sunday, September 13, we’re gathering at The Watson’s private mezzanine for an intimate evening of great food, conversation, networking and a little fun with board games too.
This gathering is open to everyone attending The EVENT. Come on your own or bring along someone you’d like us to meet. It’s a chance to break the ice before a busy week, reconnect with familiar faces and make a few new connections along the way.
Only 34 seats around this table. Come take yours.
September 14-16 - MPI The EVENT in Vancouver
This September, I’ll be taking HER Seat at the Table with me to Vancouver as I join MPI theEVENT as a speaker and roundtable facilitator.
On September 15, I’ll be leading the conversation “You Have a Seat at the Table. What Will You Do With It?”
Together, we’ll explore what happens after we earn that seat. How do we use our voice, contribute with intention, create space for others and make the opportunities we’ve been given matter?
It feels especially meaningful to bring this conversation beyond our HER community and invite another table to think about the question with us.
September 18 | MPI Women's Community (Register here)
Join the MPI Women’s Community for an interactive session with Leanne Calderwood exploring how to show up more intentionally on LinkedIn, strengthen your professional brand, and build meaningful connections.
The session includes practical insights, interactive breakout conversations, and an opportunity to connect and learn alongside others in the community.
All are welcome to attend.
September 23 | POP-IN Session (Register here)
An hour intentionally set aside to check in, connect and get to know one another beyond the introductions.
We’ll start together before moving into smaller breakout conversations, creating space to share what’s on your mind, what you’re working through, what you’re celebrating, and perhaps what you need a little help with.
No presentation. No pressure to have all the answers. Just come ready to participate, listen, share and connect.
Your seat is here. Come spend the hour with us.
September 18 | MPI Global Women’s Community
12:00–1:00 PM ET | Virtual | Complimentary for MPI Members
Building Your Professional Brand on LinkedIn: Be Seen, Be Remembered, Be Connected
We’re excited to welcome Leanne Calderwood to lead a special professional development session for the MPI Global Women’s Community.
LinkedIn has become one of the most powerful tools for building professional relationships, increasing visibility and creating new career opportunities. Yet many of us know we should be using it more intentionally without always knowing where to begin.
Leanne will lead a practical conversation about professional branding, strengthening your LinkedIn presence and using the platform to build meaningful connections and opportunities.
Following her presentation, we’ll move into facilitated conversations where members can explore their own challenges, exchange ideas and learn from one another.
Open and complimentary to all MPI members. Log in to your MPI Account and join the Women's Community to access the registration inside the community forum.
A Special Dinner for Our Invested HER Members
We’re still working on the details, but there’s one date we want our Empowered Leaders, Legacy Builders and Emerging Voices to save now.
October 7 or 8, 2026
We’re planning a special, intimate dinner as our way of saying thank you for your investment in HER Seat at the Table, your presence in this community and everything you bring to it.
This one is just for you. Please save the date and keep an eye out for your invitation to join us around the table.
Join the conversation today and stay connected with the HER community between events.
Join our HER Seat at the Table WhatsApp Community, where members stay connected, celebrate one another, and keep the momentum going between our monthly gatherings.
Inside the group you'll find:
🎉 Celebrations of both big and small wins
💬 Ongoing community conversations and support
☕ Invitations to impromptu coffee chats and micro gatherings
💼 Hiring, volunteer, mentorship, and collaboration opportunities
To help keep this space meaningful for everyone, we ask that the group not be used for sales pitches or self-promotion. Instead, we encourage authentic conversations, generosity, and supporting one another's personal and professional journeys.
If you're ever unsure whether something is appropriate to share, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at HER@cayvii.com. We're always happy to help.
A HER Note: Make Your Seat Matter
There’s a difference between having a seat and deciding what you’re going to do with it.
Sometimes we think taking our seat means we need to speak more, be more visible or have something important to say. But I’m learning that how we show up can matter just as much as how loudly we show up.
Your seat gives you an opportunity to contribute, but it can also give you an opportunity to create space for someone else.
Make the introduction.
Ask the person who has been quiet what they think.
Share what you’ve learned instead of keeping it to yourself.
Recommend someone when their name isn’t in the room.
Celebrate another woman’s win without comparing it to your own.
And when someone makes space for you, take it. You don’t have to minimize yourself to make everyone else comfortable.
We’re all going to find ourselves at different tables throughout our careers and our lives. Some we worked incredibly hard to get to. Some we were invited to. And some we’ll build ourselves.
Wherever you’re sitting right now, I hope you’ll ask yourself:
What can I do with the seat I have?
And maybe, who can I help take theirs?
With gratitude,
Connie Cay-Santos
CEO & Founder
CAY VII INC | HER Seat at the Table
If this newsletter resonated with you, we invite you to share it with someone who would benefit from joining the conversation.
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