by Suzana Norberg
San Diego CA— “It was amazing and I am forever changed.”
“I took away concrete action steps that I can apply to both my professional life and my personal life.”
“I feel empowered, inspired, and ready to make my dreams a reality.”
“Everything I learned, I will carry for the rest of my life.”
These are just some of the enthusiastic survey responses from the men and women who attended last summer’s inaugural DevelopU conference — an interactive two-day event focused on leveraging one’s natural strengths and preferences to attain a dream job, a promotion, or any life goal.
“From new college graduates to retirees, from longtime executives to stay-at home-moms, everyone seemed to find something they could learn from and relate to, to move them on to their next step,” said Annette Gregg, the award-winning transformation consultant behind Difference Makers Consulting, who collaborated with San Diego State University’s College of Extended Studies to create DevelopU.
The event’s popularity ensured its return — DevelopU 2017 takes place Friday, March 3 and Saturday, March 4 at the AMN Healthcare Conference Center in Carmel Valley. Friday’s sessions begin at 6 pm so that working professionals can attend.
Gregg will facilitate essential skills sessions on emotional intelligence, time management, written and verbal communication, intellectual curiosity, managing change, goal setting, and community building, then experts in their field will lead hands-on breakout sessions.
Knowing Our Gifts and Living Our Purpose will be led by Marcy Morrison, the founder of Careers with Wings and a nationally renowned expert in helping others connect their passion and purpose. From business startups to career transitions to dream promotions, Morrison helps clients from every facet of the career spectrum. Read their powerful testimonials on her website.
The Mindfulness and Stress Management breakout session will be led by Cath DeStefano, hailed by author and management expert Ken Blanchard as “One of the most creative presenters in this business. It’s well worth your time to listen to her ideas.” She’s the founder of the Human TuneUp Company and her clients include Amazon, Nestle, UCSD, Sempra Energy, Sharp, and Kaiser.
Negotiation and Influence Skills will be led by Linda Rosas Townson. As senior vice president of CommunityMedia Corp, she’s responsible for the operations of 23 newspapers and news sites throughout Southern California. She notes that women lag 25 percent behind men for salary, and only 15 percent of Fortune 100 company leaders are women. “One key skill in closing these professional gaps is learning to ask for and get what you want,” said Townson. “The power of influence is a key differentiator in personal and professional growth.”
Rebounding and Managing Change: Emotional Healing will led by Starla Lewis, founder of C.E.L.L — Celebration of Everlasting Love and Life — a human potential consultancy firm where she has been a life mastery coach for 30 years. In 2015, Lewis was inducted into the San Diego Women’s Hall of Fame for being a Bridge Builder — a fitting honor for a woman whose life’s work is committed to bridging, unifying, and empowering multi-culturally diverse communities.
Returning popular breakout sessions from last year are Creating a Powerful LinkedIn Profile with social media expert and author Laura Rubinstein, and Getting Your Finances in Order with Candace Bahr, co-founder and 
managing partner of Bahr Investment Group, an independent wealth management firm in Carlsbad, California.
An attendee of the 2016 conference specifically noted in a post-conference survey, “Adding a module on finances was an excellent way to round out the workshop content. Too often, people are uncomfortable talking about finances, and as a result don’t understand important information that impacts their financial decisions.”
That’s exactly why the session was included, said Gregg, noting “It’s hard to advance professionally if your personal finances are in chaos.”
Everyone who registers for DevelopU 2017 will get a free copy of Becoming Your Future, an ebook guide to career balance and growth.
Mark your calendar for Friday, March 3 and Saturday, March 4. It’s time to develop you.
“If you’ve been passed over for a promotion more than once; if you’ve been in the same position for too long but don’t know how to get out of it; or you’re looking to choose a new career path altogether, then this conference is for you,” said Gregg.
The two-day DevelopU 2017 Conference is $199, lunch included. Register at neverstoplearning.net/developu. For more information, email annette@DifferenceMakersConsulting.com or call (619) 594-6924.