SALT LAKE CITY, UT (September 29, 2021) – Four-time Olympian Catherine Raney-Norman and National Speakers Association CPAE Hall of Fame Speaker Christine Cashen will keynote the 2021 Women & Business Conference and ATHENA Awards Luncheon, the Salt Lake Chamber announced today.

“Overcoming adversity has become an important subject for all of us during the past year,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. “Catherine and Christine are no strangers to surmounting challenges and growing stronger in the process. At the 2021 Women & Business Conference and ATHENA Awards Luncheon, they will share their first-hand experiences overcoming obstacles and becoming the best versions of ourselves, from shifting perspective to utilizing an athlete mentality in everyday life.”

The Women & Business Conference and ATHENA Awards Luncheon is attended by businesswomen from across Utah. The conference provides attendees the opportunity to hear from inspirational speakers, learn valuable business insights to further professional growth, foster relationships with other businesswomen in the community, and recognize the accomplishments of those helping to make a difference in our community.

The 2021 Women & Business Conference and ATHENA Awards Luncheon takes place on November 19, 2021, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Grand America Hotel.

This year’s conference sponsors are Dominion Energy and WCF Insurance. The luncheon sponsor is Wells Fargo. Altabank, Boeing Company, BW Productions, Chase, Mountain America Credit Union and Zions Bank will sponsor the breakout sessions.

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Keynote Speaker Bios:

Catherine Raney-Norman

Catherine Raney-Norman is a four-time Olympian who has served as an active voice for athletes with roles across all facets of Olympic and Paralympic sport. Born in Nashville, Tenn., she grew up in the Milwaukee, Wis. suburb of Elm Grove, finding her passion as a long track speed skater. She competed for Team USA at the 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010 Olympics with her best finish a fourth in the team pursuit in 2010 at Vancouver. She holds six U.S. all round titles and 3 American records, of which all still stand today. She was inducted into the U.S. Speed Skating Hall of Fame in 2018.

Raney-Norman’s career as a speed skater was built around the opportunity she had at training facilities, including the Pettit National Ice Center in West Allis, Wis. and the Olympic Oval in Kearns, Utah. After attending speed skating camps for many years in Utah and discovering the state’s great crossover training assets, she moved full time to Salt Lake City in 2006.

Since her retirement as an athlete after the 2010 Olympics, Raney-Norman has dedicated her career to furthering opportunities for athletes in sport. She was selected by her athlete peers across both summer and winter sports to serve as a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s Athletes’ Advisory Council, rising to vice chair. Her leadership was focused on direct athlete support, elite athlete health insurance, athlete career and education, World Anti Doping Agency Code review and SafeSport.

She was a key athlete member of the Salt Lake City Olympic Exploratory Committee and has co-chaired the Athletes’ Advisory Committee for the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games since its inception with Paralympian Chris Waddell. She has also served on the board of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation (formerly known as the Utah Athletic Foundation), and currently serves as vice-chair.

Her career has touched on a host of national governing bodies including U.S. Speed Skating, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, U.S. Biathlon, United States Association for Blind Athletes, and USA Climbing, supporting them to achieve their philanthropic goals through formulation of fundraising plans, board relations and donor activation. She has also worked in international games preparation for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. She has stayed connected at a grassroots level,  coaching kids in the Park City Speed Skating Club program.

Raney-Norman graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor of arts in communications. She also earned an executive certificate in Olympic sport leadership from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She also holds a certified fundraising executive (CFRE) certificate from CFRE International.

She is presently the principal at Sixth Ring Consulting, advising clients on philanthropy, special events and sport programming. She is married to Marc Norman, who serves as the CEO of USA Climbing. They are parents of a young boy and live in Salt Lake City.

Christine Cashen

One of the world’s most sought-after business humorists, Christine Cashen delivers a fast-paced, uproarious program brimming with memorable quips and relevant content that helps audiences spark new and innovative ideas, manage conflict, reduce stress, energize employees, and create a happier, more productive workplace.

Christine is one of the few individuals to meet the rigorous induction criteria of the National Speakers Association, CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame, and there’s no question that she deserves that honor; her effortless ability to pull in any audience with her remarkable insights on commonplace situations make her and her messages unforgettable. And, yes, she is also a Certified Virtual Presenter.

Author of the award-winning books, THE GOOD STUFF: Quips & Tips on Life, Love, Work and Happiness and It’s YOUR Business: Good Stuff for Your Personal, Professional, and Funny Business, Christine holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication and a master’s degree in Adult Education. In 2016, she was the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Central Michigan University.

Before embarking on her journey as a speaker, she worked as a university admissions officer, corporate trainer, and broadcaster. She is a mother of two, wife of a “hottie engineer,” and an average golfer.