Join us for the TRGroup Women’s Leadership Conference, a two-day event dedicated to empowering, inspiring, and celebrating women in credit unions and all stages of life. This dynamic event brings together influential speakers, thought leaders, and trailblazers for insightful conversations, skill-building workshops, and meaningful networking opportunities.
What to Expect
- Inspiring Speakers: Hear from empowering speakers sharing their stories and insights.
- Skill-Building Workshops: Participate in hands-on sessions to enhance leadership, communication, and personal growth.
- Networking Opportunities: Connect with like-minded women and build relationships that last.
- Empowerment Panels: Join dynamic discussions on breaking barriers, achieving work-life balance, and redefining success.
Whether you’re a CEO, C-Suite, or a young professional, this event is for you! Let’s unite to inspire change, foster leadership, and create a brighter future.
Reserve your spot today and be part of a transformative experience!
Sponsors
Schedule – All times CT
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
12:00 – 1:00
Registration
1:00 – 2:00
Sessions
2:00 – 4:00
Roundtable Discussion
5:00 – 6:00
Networking Reception
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
8:00 – 9:00
Networking Breakfast
9:00 – 12:00
Sessions
Speakers
The Personal Finance Journey of Female Leaders
Tracy New is a senior retirement specialist with TruStage. In this role, she is responsible for servicing plan sponsors and their financial professionals with goal setting, risk/fiduciary management, investment support and communications. Tracy joined the organization in May 2021 and has over 20 years of experience in the retirement industry. She began her career with Capital Group in 1999, where she spent more than 15 years as part of the American Funds training and development team. More recently, Tracy served and educated clients as a financial consultant with TD Ameritrade. Tracy is a graduate of Old Dominion University. She holds a Virginia insurance license, the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA) designations, and is FINRA registered. Tracy resides in Chesterfield, Virginia along with her husband and two children.
Brittany Schaffer
As Spotify’s Head of Artist & Label Partnerships, Nashville, Brittany co-led Spotify’s Music Team in Nashville and helped lead the industry through the era-defining shift in music consumption habits. For more than five years she set the vision of the team and cultivated and nurtured industry partnerships across the greater Nashville market with artists, labels, songwriters, publishers, agencies, podcasters, and key industry organizations, helping Nashville’s biggest names and emerging talent connect with and grow their fanbase. Brittany also co-led the development and execution of Spotify’s global strategy to grow the Country, Christian/Gospel, and Americana genres.
Prior to joining Spotify, Brittany practiced music and entertainment law at Loeb & Loeb, LLP, where she was Senior Legal Counsel. She advised and counseled established and emerging artists, songwriters, and producers in contract negotiations for recording, soundtrack, management, branding, endorsement, commercial, touring, and other new media agreements. She advised large corporations, including Fortune 500 companies, across a variety of industries (from consumer brands to sports entities to churches), in the development of music, copyright, and emerging media strategies and in the negotiation of sponsorship and endorsement agreements, strategic partnerships, and licenses across film, television, digital, and other new media formats.
Brittany is passionate about Nashville’s critical role in the entertainment ecosystem. She is an active member of the Board of Directors for both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music. Brittany also serves on the St. Jude Country Cares Advisory Board.
Brittany and her husband, T.J., are blessed with two adorable young children who bring them a lot of joy and perspective!
Teresa Freeborn
Credit union leader, long-time advocate for women, and now author and clothing company executive, Teresa Freeborn is an outspoken and sought-after speaker and media commentator who delivers important truths with warmth, compassion and humor.
A champion for the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), she was an inaugural member in WOCCU’s Global Women’s Leadership Network and is currently serving as its chair.
Most recently, Teresa served as President of Kinecta Federal Credit Union, the 35th largest credit union in the nation with approximately $6.5 billion in assets and 280,000 members. She assumed that role after orchestrating the merger of Kinecta with Xceed Financial Credit Union which she had served as President and Chief Executive since 2006.
Having accomplished the goals she set for herself as Kinecta’s president, Teresa decided to step down early in 2022 to write a book that draws insights from her career and aims a penetrating and revelatory light on how and why men are holding women back from reaching corporate C-suites and Board rooms; importantly, she coaches men on what they need to do to become effective allies for women in the workplace. She has also taken on a more active role in helping to grow Smash+Tess, a clothing company she Chairs and co-founded in 2014 with daughter and Smash+Tess CEO Ashley Freeborn.
This new, diverse and intriguing portfolio is classic Teresa Freeborn who has, throughout her four-decade career, advocated for numerous causes about which she is passionate and helped shape the credit union industry in key areas, including diversity and inclusion, as well as technological innovation and genuine collaboration among credit unions.
A native of Vancouver, British Columbia, Freeborn holds an MBA from Simon Fraser University and resides in Rancho Mirage California.
EmpowerHER Roundtable: Elevating Women Through Shared Wisdom
Join us for an engaging and dynamic roundtable discussion designed to empower, inspire, and connect women who have lived the credit union mission. This session is an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about leadership, career growth, personal development, and overcoming challenges unique to women.
Through guided discussions and open dialogue, participants will share experiences, strategies, and insights to support and uplift one another. Whether you’re a seasoned professional, or just beginning your journey, this session will provide valuable takeaways and new connections.
Come ready to contribute, listen, and leave with a renewed sense of purpose and a network of like-minded women dedicated to making an impact. Let’s break barriers, shatter glass ceilings, and build a stronger future—together.
I’m Not Going to Wear a Girdle: A Story of Determination and Overcoming Obstacles.
Debbie Jones has over 45 years of working in the financial services industry. Most recently, Debbie served as President/CEO of UT Federal Credit Union in Knoxville, TN. She joined UT Federal in July 1996 as its Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and became CEO in 2005. Before joining UT Federal Credit Union, she worked in positions that included experience in public accounting with a focus on financial audits in Georgia, Kentucky, Rhode Island, and Virginia.
Debbie’s work history also includes experience in international banking, as she worked for American Express International Banking Corporation in Germany. She has served in various Board positions throughout her career in Knoxville. She has served on credit union boards, including Board and Supervisory Committee positions at two corporate credit unions.
Debbie is a graduate of the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega, Georgia, where she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with majors in Accounting and Finance. She attained her Certified Public Accountant designation in 1990.
Over the past 10 years, Debbie has run a small boutique shop, Paris to Rome, in Knoxville that she says helps with her creative side. She and her husband, David, have had the opportunity to travel extensively with his 21-year Army career, and they now spend their time between Knoxville and their house in France. Debbie has two sons, two grandsons living in Knoxville, and two spoiled Westie dogs.
Hotel Info
The Margaritaville Hotel
425 Rep. John Lewis Way S.
Nashville, TN 37203