Be Bold UND Women in Leadership Summit
This conference will provide a thought-provoking discussion regarding women in leadership and inspire us all to be bold and become a fearless, determined, leader.
2023 Be Bold | Monday, April 17
Nistler Hall/Barry Auditorium
A panel discussion of distinguished UND alumnae and distinguished leaders will kickoff the event, followed by a keynote presentation delivered by Missy Heilman, Founder & Executive Director, BIO Girls.
Schedule
3 - 4:30 p.m. Panel Discussion/Keynote Presentation
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Networking Social
Hultberg Panelists
Cassie Gerhardt, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, UND
Cassie Gerhardt currently serves as the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of North Dakota. In this role, Cassie provides vision and leadership for student engagement and retention initiatives facilitated by the Memorial Union, Student Involvement & Parent Programs and Wellness & Health Promotion. Cassie also advises Student Government and serves as a liaison with the UND Alumni Association & Foundation in support of the division’s development initiatives.
Cassie graduated from UND in 1996 with Bachelor’s Degrees in Political Science and Secondary Education. In 1999, she earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Student Personnel from Oklahoma State University and in 2008, she earned a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Educational Leadership from UND.
Prior to beginning her current position in 2020, Cassie served UND in various professional positions beginning in 2002 as the Coordinator of Greek Life. Cassie began her professional career at Arizona State University as the Sorority Advisor from 1999 - 2002.
Cassie is an active volunteer for her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, and currently serves as a National Vice President and Trustee. She is also actively involved in NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and the Association of Fraternity | Sorority Advisors.
Cassie is married to Brad Parrish and has two sons, Jack (a freshman at UND) and Alex (a junior in high school).
Nicole Poolman, Educator and Former ND Senator
Nicole Poolman has been making a difference in the classroom and the state through her work as an English Teacher at Century High School, and her years of service in the ND State Legislature as a former State Senator for District 7 in Bismarck, ND.
Currently, Nicole serves as the board president for the Anne Carlsen Center. She is passionate about their mission of making the world a more inclusive place where independence is a gift to all.
Nicole and her husband Jim are both proud graduates of the University of North Dakota. Nicole received her Bachelor of Science degree in English and Secondary Education at UND. While attending UND she was active with numerous student organizations, Greek life, and the UND Dance Team. She also held leadership positions with student government, which inspired the development of the Poolman Leadership Academy in 2015, established by her and her husband Jim.
Nicole and Jim reside in Bismarck, ND and are proud parents of their three children. They enjoy time at their lake retreat in Pelican Rapids, MN, as well as attending UND events and athletics.
Mallory Berdal, Banking & Operations Manager at Alerus
As the banking operations manager at Alerus, Berdal is responsible for the deposit
operations and loan operations teams, and plays a critical role in technology advancements,
fraud mitigation, deposit and lending projects, and process improvements. She joined
Alerus in 2006 and has served in various roles during her tenure with the company,
including client service manager and deposit operations manager.
Berdal is an active member of the community and currently serves as a member of the
Greater Grand Forks Sertoma Club. She also recently volunteered as a youth soccer
coach and assists in coordinating community involvement activities for Alerus. She
holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of North Dakota
and is a designated National Check Professional and Accredited ACH Professional.
Berdal recently was named by Prairie Business magazine to its Top 40 under 40 list
for 2022. The annual list recognizes outstanding young professionals from the Dakotas
and western Minnesota for their contributions to their professions and communities.
Panel Moderator:
Mary Fischer, Director of Sponsorships, UnitedHealth Group
Mary Fischer is Director of Sponsorships for UnitedHealth Group. In her role, Mary is responsible for developing and leveraging strategic partnerships to facilitate business growth and brand advancement. She has provided strategic oversight for hundreds of sponsorships and enjoys being able to combine her love of sports with her business expertise.
Mary serves on the board of Sports Minneapolis and has served on the alumni board of the University of North Dakota School of Business s. In addition, she mentors UND students and is an avid cyclist. She earned a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree from the University of North Dakota and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis.
Keynote Speaker
Missy Heilman, Founder & Executive Director, BIO Girls
A dream to be a mentor for young girls blossomed into thousands of girls increasing their self-esteem annually. Even in her wildest dreams, Missy Heilman could not have predicted the growth and impact BIO Girls continues to have across the Midwest. With a diverse background in business management and marketing, Missy owned her own marketing technology consultancy for 7 years prior to taking on the role of Director of Marketing in 2014 for a fast-growth professional services organization. In 2017, Missy left her full-time (paid) job and started focusing her time on growing BIO Girls.
As the Executive Director of BIO Girls, Missy works to ensure all decisions are mission-centric, serves as the chief program architect, and directs the vision of the organization. Yet her favorite role continues to be Site Director where she works directly with young girls to find their inner worth. Having impacted 10,000 girls in 10 years, BIO Girls has created a movement to provide preventative mental health programming to adolescent girls across the upper Midwest.
A mom to three girls and wife to husband, Tom, (the thrill-seeking, mountain biking aficionado who pushes Missy outside her comfort zone anytime they are on two wheels), Missy balances her time with family duties and a love for adventure. Whether it is traveling (the mountains are calling), mountain biking, running, competing in triathlons or cheering her kids on in their activities, Missy tackles it all with enthusiasm (oh, and she loves 80’s music and a theme party). Missy is a graduate of the University of North Dakota where she competed in Track and Field and earned degrees in Exercise Science and Nutrition. As a recipient of an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, Missy went on to earn an MBA from NDSU. Often described as 'fearless', Missy's favorite piece of advice for the young and old alike is not to fear failure.
Favorite Quote: “She is clothed with strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future.” — Proverb 31:25