Executive Women’s Council: Women Leading in Male-Dominated Fields

Women today are breaking barriers in every sector, including finance, technology, manufacturing, and beyond. From boardrooms to startups, these trailblazing women are reshaping industries, driving change, and redefining what it means to excel in traditionally male-dominated sectors. Join us as we explore their journeys, share insights, and engage in critical conversations about the hurdles, the challenges, the joys and the opportunities that come with leading today.

Hear from our panel of experts while supporting women-owned businesses, including our moderator and host, Rockstoria Studios, and our caterer, Chowgirls. Lunch will be provided.

Meet our Panelists:

Karen Tonnis brings years of Operations, Human Resources and Logistics Management experience to the Bent Paddle team from her 13 year career at Sysco Asian Foods. Karen is Director of Human Resources and Operations for Bent Paddle. She manages all things employee resources, recruiting, benefits, communication, and leadership organization. She also manages various company wide operational functions like licensing, insurance, annual planning and budgeting. Karen and Laura also manage the charitable arm of Bent Paddle, the Paddle It Forward Program. Giving back to the community was a core value from the get-go. Karen loves traveling and new adventures, especially with her husband Bryon and their son Liam. They stay active in all seasons biking, skiing, hiking, paddling and camping.

Laura Mullen is one of the four co-founder / owners of the Bent Paddle Brewing Co. of Duluth, MN and acts as the Vice President of Outreach + Marketing for the company. She focuses on the brewery’s marketing, media and community relations, large-scale event coordination, sustainability initiatives, and charitable efforts. Laura is married to fellow Bent Paddle Brewing Co. co-founder/owner Colin Mullen and they have a daughter, Adella, born in 2012, plus a dog named Hilde, Siamese cats Clover & Riley, and a hedgehog named Piper. Prior to opening the brewery in 2013 Laura was the owner and primary event designer of Laura Mullen Event Design in Minneapolis, Minnesota where she also acted as Guild Coordinator for her largest client, the Minnesota Craft Brewer’s Guild. Laura was born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota. She completed her BA in Behavioral Science & Law from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2001 and worked as an event planner in Savanna, Georgia and Minneapolis, Minnesota before starting her event design company at the age of 25 in 2004. Laura has a long history of volunteerism and board leadership primarily in the areas of environmental stewardship, progressive reproductive healthcare, community development, the arts, and small business associations and was notably the first female board President of the Minnesota Craft Brewer’s Guild.

Marie Cote is responsible for SRF’s Human Resources, Administrative and Technology operations, in addition to overseeing all of their employee-led committees, including their Staff Engagement, Social, DEI, Community Outreach, Health and Wellness, and Rising Professionals committees. She has led numerous initiatives to enhance diversity and equity in the engineering industry, particularly for People of Color and women. For the past three years she has facilitated and sponsored a series of events at SRF called Courageous Conversations, which celebrates and acknowledges DEI in the workplace. Over the course of her career, Marie has managed many complex transportation planning and traffic engineering studies that included rigorous project management and intense stakeholder facilitation. Her strong management and leadership skills have enabled her to successfully balance project management and delivery with staff development and engagement.

Heidi Hukriede is a founder, board member and owner of Stonebridge Capital Advisors. She serves as the firm's Chief Operating Office and as a portfolio manager. In these positions, she is responsible for managing investment portfolios for institutions and high net-worth individuals. She is also a member of the Stonebridge Investment Review Committee and Compliance Committee. She brings over 30 years of diverse experience in managing portfolios and leading investment management teams using an active management approach focused on delivering personalized client services and developing lasting relationships with clients. Before founding Stonebridge in 1997, Ms. Hukriede was with Norwest Investment Management, where she served in several investment positions during her 11 years with the company. She is a charted Financial Analyst and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from St. Olaf College. She is active and has served on the boards of the Minnesota Society of Municipal Analysts and the National Federation of Municipal Analysts. Heidi is also a member of the CFA Institute, the CFA Society of Minnesota and the MN Financial Planning Association. She is actively involved in supporting her community. She serves on the Church Council of St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church in Plymouth, MN, and supports other local charities, including Nexus Family Healing and Goodwill Easter Seals. When Heidi is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, traveling, skiing and enjoying northern Minnesota summers at the cabin.

Buffie Blesi is an entrepreneur, producer, and podcaster. As the founder of Rock What You Got, a social enterprise leveraging stage and story to drive gender equity, she’s turned empty parking lots into multi-act stage performances in less than 8 weeks; corralled every high-profile MN politician to speak at a Get Out the Vote Event; founder of Rockstoria Studios a full-service video production company; creator and co-host of ” We’re Gonna Talk About It” a podcast that discusses tricky topics that impact women; and started the Rock What You Got Fund, a nonprofit with a mission to close the Gaps that persist for women personally, professionally and economically. She is a founding member of the Minnesota Independent Venue’s Alliance (MNIVA) and acts as its Treasurer and she is the co-vice chair of the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

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Our lunch is being sponsored by Chowgirls, a women-owned company, dedicated to taking care of each other, their clients, and their community. Chowgirls is among the first in sustainable catering and a founding partner of Kitchen Coalition, attracting the innovative, experienced, and thoughtful staff who make them who they are.

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About Executive Women's Council:
Conversations with professional, well-established female-identified subject matter experts about topics relevant to the region are at the core of this series experience. Panelists and guest speakers share their unique perspectives and reflect on their own leadership experiences with a diverse group of attendees. Educational and thought-provoking, these events cover a wide range of issues impacting our region and professionals across our greater community.