Melanie Fiona headlines WeLead women’s leadership conference in Georgetown

More than 150 women leaders gathered in Georgetown on June 27 for WeLead Association’s 2026 Women’s Leadership Conference, where Melanie Fiona urged women to lead boldly and build global connections. The group will launch a 90-day Academy for Women Entrepreneurs in July to extend mentorship and business support across Guyana.

Why it matters: - The conference put women leaders from Guyana, the Caribbean and the wider diaspora in one room to build business and leadership ties. - The event also underscored how women entrepreneurs and executives are shaping Guyana’s economic and social future. - WeLead is using the conference to funnel attendees into follow-on training and mentorship.

What happened: - More than 150 women leaders gathered in Georgetown for the WeLead Association’s 2026 Women’s Leadership Conference. - The conference took place June 27 under the theme “Guyana to the World: Women Building Global Bridges.” - Melanie Fiona, a two-time Grammy Award-winning artist and creative entrepreneur of Guyanese heritage, headlined the event. - Fiona told attendees, “The true measure of our success won't be the oil beneath the soil. It will be the women who rise above every limitation to shape our future.” - Fiona also said, “The future of Guyana is not being written somewhere else. It is being written in rooms like this one.”

The details: - The audience included entrepreneurs, corporate executives, policymakers, students and emerging professionals. - Conference programming focused on leadership, entrepreneurship, innovation, mentorship, wellness and digital influence. - Organizers used keynote presentations, panel discussions, fireside conversations and networking sessions to encourage cross-industry collaboration. - Speakers included Hon. Charles Ramson Jr., Guyana’s Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport; Kathy Smith, president of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Hon. Dr. Vindhya Persaud, Guyana’s Minister of Human Services and Social Security; Melissa Noel, founder and chief content officer of Mel&N Media Group; Deborah Edward, country manager of Sol Guyana; and Keisha Edwards, founder and creative director of ShaSha Designs. - WeLead Association was founded by Abbigale Loncke-Watson and focuses on developing, connecting and empowering women to lead with confidence and purpose. - The organization provides leadership development, entrepreneurship training, mentorship, strategic partnerships and business programming. - Loncke-Watson said, “At WeLead, we don't just inspire women. We walk alongside them, we open doors for them, we connect them with leaders. Most importantly, we help them build bridges in their industries.” - The event ended with Fiona urging women to “Walk boldly, lead courageously, build generously, and dream globally.” - Fiona added, “One empowered woman can change a life. Thousands of empowered women can change a nation.”

Between the lines: - The theme and speaker lineup show WeLead positioning women’s leadership as a regional network, not just a local initiative. - Fiona’s remarks tied leadership to national development, with a clear focus on women as a force for shaping Guyana’s future beyond the oil sector. - The conference also served as a pipeline into practical business support, which suggests WeLead is trying to turn inspiration into measurable enterprise growth.

What’s next: - WeLead Association will launch its Academy for Women Entrepreneurs in July. - The 90-day business development initiative is designed to help women entrepreneurs strengthen and grow their ventures. - The program will provide mentorship, business guidance and practical support for women seeking to scale. - More information is available at the organization’s website. - WeLead said its broader work includes partnership with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Guyana through the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs.

The bottom line: - WeLead is building a leadership-to-business pipeline for women across Guyana and the Caribbean, with Melanie Fiona’s message serving as both inspiration and a call to action.