Original. Fearless. Undeniable.
America Ferrera is a voice for anyone who has ever been underestimated and refused to shrink to fit someone else’s expectations. On October 5, she takes the stage at the Texas Conference for Women at Austin’s Moody Center, during Hispanic Heritage Month, which makes the moment even more meaningful.
From Real Women Have Curves and Ugly Betty to Superstore and Barbie, the Emmy-winning and Academy Award-nominated actor, director, and producer has built a career bringing complex, unforgettable women to the screen.
From her earliest auditions, America received a clear message: to succeed, she would need to become someone else’s idea of who she should be. Sound different. Look different. Fit into roles that were never broad enough to hold her. Instead, she built a remarkable career by trusting the very things she was encouraged to change. In doing so, she didn’t just find her own voice. She helped countless women recognize the power of theirs.
If you’ve ever wondered whether being fully yourself could be enough, America’s story is a reminder that the qualities others underestimate may be the very ones that make you unstoppable.
She’ll appear in Keynote Session II, in the afternoon block on the Arena stage.
Who Else Is Speaking at the 2026 Texas Conference for Women
America joins a lineup of 40+ speakers across keynotes and Power Talks. On the keynote stage:
- Hoda Kotb, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and founder and CEO of Joy 101
- Ilona Maher, two-time Team USA rugby Olympian and Olympic bronze medalist
- Tunde Oyeneyin, instant New York Times bestselling author, Peloton instructor, Nike athlete, and change maker
- Codie Sanchez, founder and CEO of Contrarian Thinking and NYT bestselling author of Main Street Millionaire
- MJ Acosta-Ruiz, Emmy Award-winning sportscaster, serving as keynote moderator
Across the day’s three Power Talk blocks, you’ll also hear from:
- Michelle Khare, TIME100 honoree and creator of Challenge Accepted, on reinventing your career in a nonlinear world
- Shasta Nelson, author of The Business of Friendship, on why leadership loneliness is a design flaw rather than a fact of life
- Dr. Sasha Hamdani, board-certified psychiatrist and author of Too Sensitive, on turning emotional sensitivity into a grounded strength
Corporate leaders on the program include Carrie Palin (CMO, Cisco), Jeanette Ward (President and CEO, Texas Mutual), Elizabeth Romero (Bank of America), Myrna Estrada (Liberty Mutual), Jackie Backes (Target), Kirsten Kuykendoll (Fidelity Investments), and Monica Muñoz Andry (President and CEO, Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce).
What a Ticket Includes
Your registration covers the full day in Austin plus the virtual National Conference for Women on March 3, 2027:
- Reserved arena seating for all Keynotes and Power Talks
- CareerWorks: complimentary 1:1 resume reviews, career coaching, and professional headshots
- Up to 7.0 HRCI and SHRM continuing education credits at select sessions, through our partner Workology
- The Concourse Collection, a reimagined expo experience with curated exhibits and interactive activations
- Conference bookstore and author signings
- A dedicated lunch break with no competing programming, and a complimentary boxed lunch
- A networking meetup on the arena floor to close the day
- Complimentary access to the virtual National Conference on March 3, 2027
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the 2026 Texas Conference for Women?
Monday, October 5, 2026, at the Moody Center, 2001 Robert Dedman Drive, Austin, TX 78712.
Who is speaking?
America Ferrera, Hoda Kotb, Ilona Maher, Tunde Oyeneyin, and Codie Sanchez headline a lineup of more than 40 speakers, joined by executives from Cisco, Target, Bank of America, Fidelity Investments, Liberty Mutual, and Texas Mutual.
How much are tickets?
Early Bird individual tickets are $445 and Early Bird 10-Packs are $4,450, while supplies last. Standard pricing is $495 individual and $4,950 per 10-Pack. Every ticket includes access to the virtual National Conference on March 3, 2027.
Can I register a team?
Yes. Groups register through the standard online process, and the purchaser becomes the group’s main contact. To guarantee seats together, purchase all tickets within a single registration. Attendee names and meal preferences are due at least 30 days before the event.
Can I earn HR recertification credits?
Yes. New for 2026, select sessions are pre-approved for up to 7.0 HRCI and SHRM continuing education credits through Workology. After the conference, you submit one short form per eligible session and your certificate is emailed to you.
What if I can’t attend the full day?
The program is designed to be flexible. Assigned arena seating means you can move in and out of sessions and build the day around the content that’s most useful to you.
Don’t Miss It
Limited $445 tickets remain. Once they’re gone, pricing moves to $495.
