Empower Leadership Academy | Hosted by Medtronic

This academy is open to youth identifying as female in the Medtronic and greater Twin Cities community for ages 10-18.

Developing leadership, building confidence, and strengthening resilience requires education and practice. Empower Leadership Academy provides a safe and interactive environment to learn, grow, and develop.

All youth in the Medtronic and greater Twin Cities community are encouraged to join us for a journey through the four areas of focus that we use in our proprietary curriculum: confidence, leadership, resilience, and mental wellness.

Meet Our Empower Coaches

Former Collegiate Gopher Basketball star,  Kiara Buford recently returned to the University of Minnesota as Director of Alumni Relations. Prior to this, she was a Behavior Interventionist at Roseville High School for nine years, helping students seek success in their high school experience by building relationships, setting goals, and developing a positive community.  In addition to her full-time career, she dedicates time as an Empower Leadership Academy and ON Point Elite Leadership Coach.

Peyton Owens is in his 18th year with Golden Gopher Athletics. He currently oversees Golden Gopher Baseball & Rowing, Student-Athlete Development (all education provided to student-athletes, including career readiness, personal development, community outreach, and risk reduction), and Diversity & Inclusion. Owens has been instrumental in the vision and implementation of Leadership U, which he has had oversight of since its launch. This collaboration with Land O’Lakes Inc. provides leadership development and emotional intelligence education and support to student-athletes, assistant coaches, head coaches, and athletics staff. To support this initiative and others like it, he is responsible for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors for endowment and annual support of Leadership U, the W.I.L.L. program (Women Invested in Leadership and Learning), and more. Owens is also an ambassador for athletics on campus, bringing the voice of Golden Gopher Athletics to several critical groups. He is a member of the campus Equity & Diversity Subcommittee and is a Member of the University Senate Intercollegiate Athletics Equity and Diversity Subcommittee, Serve as the NCAA Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Designee (ADID), Serve as a member of the Big Ten Conference Inclusive Excellence Committee. His commitment to collaboration and strategic partnerships, both at the University and in our broader Twin Cities help champion all that is Maroon and Gold.

Julieta Piox has empowered people to succeed for over 20 years. She is a leadership development professional with a solid background in, marketing and communications, change management, coaching, and training. As a Maxwell Leadership Certified Coach, Trainer, and Speaker, Julieta offers workshops, seminars, keynote speaking, and coaching, aiding personal and professional growth through the study and practical application of proven leadership methods. As the CEO of Julieta Piox Consulting, Julieta provides leadership coaching and development to individuals and teams in both English and Spanish. She delivers inspirational and dynamic keynote presentations and workshops on topics related to leadership, change management, and personal power, to different audiences and organizations.
Julieta is the founder of the Latina Youth Leadership Academy (LYLA), a non-profit leadership organization focused on developing young Latino leaders so they can thrive in their future and their communities. LYLA has three focused areas: Leadership, Mentorship, and Well-being. She is a corporate facilitator for Beyond Success, a program that offers a highly accessible pathway to personal development and allows people’s lives to be improved as they apply leadership values and principles.

Through her podcast, My Best Life Now, Julieta helps women live the life they were created for by finding their purpose, increasing their self-confidence, and learning how to utilize their personal power. The podcast is intended to share simple tips, tools, and resources that can be used right away. In 2023, Julieta was featured in Voyage Minnesota Magazine as part of their local stories on women leaders in the community.

Julieta received her MBA from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota and a Leadership Certificate from UCLA. She is married and has 2 daughters.

Questions? For any questions about the event or other, please fill out a TeamWomen Help Desk Ticket, and someone from our, small-but-mighty, support team will be in touch with you. (Please note that you may need a Google account to fill out or Help Desk Form.)

Late Policy: Please be advised that in the event of a full capacity, your seat may be subject to forfeiture if you arrive more than 15 minutes late. Sold-out events often have waitlists with eager attendees ready to be seated promptly.

By attending the event, you acknowledge and accept this policy regarding late arrivals and seating forfeiture. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in making our events enjoyable for everyone involved.

Thank You To Our Sponsor!

Thank You To Our Supporter!