WEOC featured keynote remarks from Vermont Entrepreneur and GameTheory Founder Marguerite Dibble, Senator Welch, and Margaret Cheney, followed by interactive skills-building workshops

RANDOLPH, VT – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and his wife, Margaret Cheney,hosted the 2026 Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference this weekend. The event was held at Vermont State University in Randolph, and included interactive workshops on growing economic opportunity, cultivating new audiences, fostering business skills, and more. The conference opened with remarks from Senator Welch and Vermont entrepreneur Marguerite Dibble, who was interviewed by Margaret Cheney. 

“In really hard times we have to remember that we have agency, that we can act and that we change things for the better. Just five short decades ago, Gloria Steinem was ridiculed for talking about equal pay and reproductive freedom. Without her fight, it wouldn’t be possible for us to be here today, offering opportunities that help everyone to pursue their dreams and make a difference in their own lives and communities. That’s why, at its heart, the Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference has always been about collective effort in the feminist movement,” said Senator Welch.  

“WEOC is so fortunate to have such an amazing network of innovative organizations and hardworking business leaders and dreamers who are committed to supporting not only their own personal growth, but the growth of their communities—it’s what makes this event such a huge success year after year,” the Senator continued. “The message from our keynote speaker, entrepreneur Marguerite Dibble, and Margaret was uplifting and empowering. Through shared goals, we can support one another in these unprecedented times. I’ll continue to champion community-building efforts that help more Vermonters achieve their professional and personal aspirations.” 

Vermont’s nearly 25,000 women-owned businesses—which make up 43% of all businesses in Vermont—employ more than 40,000 Vermonters and add nearly $2.5 billion to the state’s revenue.  

The Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference was created by former Senator Patrick Leahy and his wife, Marcelle, and has been a Vermont tradition for decades. Senator Welch and his wife, Margaret Cheney, have continued this tradition of bringing Vermonters together to learn, network, and build economic opportunity for Vermonters. The event was held in partnership with the Vermont Women’s Fund and the Vermont Community Foundation.   

Interactive workshops included: The One Sentence That Changes How You Show Up; AI Guardrails and Policies That Protect Your Business; Turning Potential into Impact: From Aspiration to Action; The Price Is Right: What Will Customers Actually Pay?; Metalsmithing 101, presented by Generator Makerspace; Invisible No More: How to Get Found in the Age of AI Search; 2026 Women, Work & Wages Report: Using data to advance gender equity in Vermont; Your Business Checkup: Are All the Pieces in Place?; and Scam Prevention Through a Multigenerational Lens: Protecting People & Businesses. Learn more and read the full list here.  

Workshop leaders included: Margaret Romney, Dorien Morin-van Dam, Akua Smith, Heather Turner, Veronica Newton, Rachel Donegan, Mimi Damm, Rhoni Basden, Cary Brown, Emily Bush, Tamie-Jo Dickinson, Crystal Baldwin, and Sheri Rockcastle. The closing panel featured Elizabeth Roma, Janet Lee, Kristin McCole and was facilitated by Mercy Connections business leader Ruchi Nadkarni.  

Learn more about Senator Welch’s work and upcoming events by visiting his website or by following him on social media.      

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